Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Bacon, Eggs And A Glass Of Osteen - To Laugh Or Cry That Is The Question





I was reading Challies.com yesterday and Tim Challies wrote "Joel Osteen preached a sermon on the importance of eating a healthy breakfast."

I dont know if Joel Olsteen really preached a sermon titled as such. Tim Challies may have been trying to be funny. Due to the reputation that Joel Osteen deservedly has, the sad part is I dont know if Tim Challies was joking or not.



Part of me wants to burst out in laughter at the absurdity of such a sermon.



Another part of me wants to cry at the thought of the lack of spiritual growth that is expected and encouraged in Osteens congregation.

Pray for Joel Olsteen and for his congregation. Im not suggesting that he is not a believer. I am suggesting that he, as well as his congregation are in need of prayer. Pray that the LORD would smile on Joel and this body of believers and place in their hearts a burning desire to pursue Him and not to pursue the things of this world.

3 comments:

Tim Challies said...

I was not joking. To be fair, I did not hear the complete sermon, but the part I heard, which I believe came at the very end (and was thus the final word) involved eating a healthy, complete breakfast. He even attempted to prove this (and the fact that we need to moderate our sugar intake) from the Bible.

Anonymous said...

In his defense, it was a pretty good call for his congregants to eat more healthly foods, some of which he justified biblically, much of which he didn't, but all were good reasonable suggestions for healthy eating etc. But of course very little bibical references or teaching. You're right; we do need to pray for him and his congregation. I fear they may be like the ones Paul refers to in II Tim 4:3 "For a time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions," So much prayer is called for.

mi familia said...

thanks for your input anonymous. you are right. itching ears do not want teachers that preach the Word. they do not want a teacher that is ready in season and out of season who will convince, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and teaching.

even if it was a pretty good call for his congregants to eat more healthy foods, i think that we need to ask ourselves, "Is the pulpit the place to teach the necessities of a healthy physical diet even with biblical references?"

i find it ironic that he preaches a message about the necessity of his congregation feeding their physical bodies with healthy food, all the while filling them up with cotton candy.

may He break our hearts for these people so that we may pray in humble orthodoxy displaying a true reflection of Him and not become puffed up.