(CBS) Joel Osteen's positive,
upbeat can-do message has turned him into America's most
popular preacher and earned him the title of most influential
Christian in the country. He pastors the biggest and fastest
growing American church and his services are the most watched
religious broadcast in the country.
As
Byron Pitts reports, Osteen was virtually unknown
eight years ago, even in his own Lakewood Church in Houston,
Texas. A college drop-out, he worked behind the scenes
producing his father's television ministry. When his father,
Pastor John Osteen, died, he stepped out in front of the
camera and started to catch on. So why are so many people
flocking to Joel Osteen?
Osteen's service is an uninhibited celebration that's part
rock concert, part spectacular. There are no crosses, no
religious symbols whatsoever. It's all taped and broadcast
around the world. His service is seen in 100 foreign countries
and is the most watched religious broadcast in America.
"You get ten or fifteen thousand people that are excited about
God. They’re from every race and every denomination and every
background. They wanna be here, they weren't drug to come to
church. And so there's something about that. It creates an
attitude of expectancy. And we cheer and we shout and there's
joy. And I try to leave them better off than they were
before," Osteen tells Pitts.
They come by the thousands to nondenominational Lakewood
Church, a former basketball arena in Houston, Texas, filling
it to the rafters. They come hungry to hear first hand Joel
Osteen's message of empowerment and inspiration.
"My message is a message of hope that God is a good God, and
that no matter what we’ve done, where we’ve been, God has a
great plan for our lives. And when we walk in his ways they
can take us places we’ve never dreamed of," Osteen explains.
Osteen preaches his own version of what is known as the
"prosperity gospel" -- that God is a loving, forgiving God who
will reward believers with health, wealth and happiness. It's
the centerpiece of every sermon.
"I want you to get a bigger vision. There are exciting things
in your future. Your future is filled with marked moments of
blessing, increase, promotion. God has already ordained before
the foundation of the world, the right people, the right
opportunity. Time and chance are coming together for you. Why
don’t you get your hopes up?" Osteen tells his audience. "Why
don't you start believing that no matter what you have or
haven't done, that your best days are still out in front of
you."
It's an appealing, comforting message and he follows it up
with advice.
"If you’re not making as much progress as you would like,
here's the key: don't lose any ground. Keep a good attitude
and do the right thing even when it's hard. When you do that
you are passing the test. And God promises you your marked
moments are on their way," Osteen says.
"You said 'I like to see myself as a life coach, a motivator
to help them experience the life of God that God has for them.
People don’t like to be beat down and told 'You’ve done
wrong.' What do you mean?" Pitts asks.
"Well, I think that most people already know what they’re
doing wrong. And for me to get in here and just beat ‘em down
and talk down to ‘em, I just don’t think that inspires anybody
to rise higher. But I want to motivate. I wanna motivate every
person to leave here to be a better father, a better husband,
to break addictions to come up higher in their walk with the
Lord," Osteen says.
"I mean is that being a pastor or is that being Dr. Phil or
Oprah?" Pitts asks.
"No, I think we use God’s word. I think the principles that
you hear Dr. Phil and some of those others talk about many
times are right out of the Bible," Osteen says.
"Do you ever fear with this message of optimism you may be
misleading some people? That some people think, 'Well, gee if
I just think positive things about my life will turn around.'
And for some people that never happens," Pitts asks.
"Yeah, I don't fear it because we don't just teach that. Cause
I teach that even in the tough times you have to embrace where
you are. Know that God’s giving you the strength to overcome.
You can even be positive in a negative situation and it will
help you stay filled with hope," Osteen tells Pitts.
Two years ago his ministry got so big the Osteens moved
into a 16,000 seat sports arena. Osteen says they spent about
$100 million to renovate the place.
Why doesn't it look more like a church? (at
this point it sounds like Joel says, "I don't know", but
Victoria interjects the following)
"Hopefully it'll look more and more like churches around the
country," says Osteen's wife, Victoria.
Osteen and his wife of 20 years, who co-pastors Lakewood with
him, took 60 Minutes on a tour of what they call
their worship facility.
There's a programmed ceiling that changes colors during songs,
and no pulpit; Osteen calls it a podium.
"This does have a concert feel to it," Pitts remarks.
"It does," Osteen agrees.
Asked if all this distracts from the message, Osteen tells
Pitts, "I don’t think so. I think it helps people be engaged."
Engaged and generous. Osteen can afford all this because of
the money the church brings in. But he doesn't solicit
contributions on television.
Asked why he doesn't ask for money during his TV broadcasts,
Osteen says, "We didn't want anything to distract people when
they were watchin’ to try to turn off the message. 'Cause we
know how people are skeptical of TV ministers. 'Hey, there's a
guy, he just wants my money.' I didn't want any of that."
"But you do want their money," Pitts says.
"Well, we need people to support us, or we can't stay on. But
we don't get on the air and ask for it. And it's amazing how
people can see that you - when you’re genuine. They send
money," Osteen says.
Buckets of money -- over $43 million a year gets collected in
the church, another $30 million or so comes in the mail. It's
a cash cow and a family business. Osteen's brother, sister and
mother are ministers in the church. But the real money for
Osteen comes from his book sales, which are re-packaged
versions of his sermons. His latest book, "Become A Better
You," for which he reportedly got a $13 million advance, goes
on sale Oct. 15. They read more like self-help than religion.
In his new book, Osteen lays out seven principles he believes
will improve our lives.
"To become a better you, you must be positive towards
yourself, develop better relationships, embrace the place
where you are. Not one mention of God in that. Not one mention
of Jesus Christ in that," Pitts remarks.
"That's just my message. There is scripture in there that
backs it all up. But I feel like, Byron, I'm called to help
people…how do we walk out the Christian life? How do we live
it? And these are principles that can help you. I mean,
there’s a lot better people qualified to say, 'Here’s a book
that going to explain the scriptures to you.' I don’t think
that’s my gifting," Osteen says.
Wherever he goes, people tell Osteen that he helps.
"Thank you so much. Thank you so much for what you do," one
bookstore customer remarked. "You’ve changed my whole life."
"You are such an inspiration. I watch you every week. You’re a
great help," another said.
But many theologians from mainstream churches find Osteen's
message misleading and shallow.
"I think it’s a cotton candy gospel," says Rev. Michael
Horton, a professor of theology at Westminister Seminary in
Escondido, Calif.
"His core message is God is nice, you’re nice, be nice,"
Horton says, laughing. "It's sort of a, if it were a form of
music, I think it would be easy listening. He uses the Bible
like a fortune cookie. 'This is what’s gonna happen for you.
There’s gonna be a windfall in your life tomorrow.' The
Bible's not meant to be read that way."
Reverend Horton believes that Osteen tells only half the
story of the Bible, focusing on the good news without talking
about sin, suffering and redemption.
And Rev. Horton goes even further. He levels the harshest
charge of all, calling the Osteen method of teaching heresy.
"It is certainly heresy, I believe, to say that God is our
resource for getting our best life now," Horton says.
"Because?" Pitts asks.
"Well, it makes religion about us instead of about God,"
Horton explains.
"There are a lot of people in this country, religious people,
who consider your theology dangerous," Pitts remarks.
"I don’t know what can be so dangerous about giving people
hope," Osteen says. "Causing people to have better
relationships. I'm not leading them to some false God or
something like that."
"Hear what some others have said about you: he’s diluting and
dumbing down the Christian message," Pitts says.
"Sometimes you have to keep it simple and not make it so
complicated that people don’t understand," Osteen says. "But I
know what I'm called to do is say 'I want to help you learn
how to forgive today. I want to help you to have the right
thoughts today.' Just simple things."
"You know, you get people that wanna criticize, 'You’re not
doing enough of this, enough of that.' Well, we're not
perfect. But to have you know hundreds of people tellin’ ya
'You changed my life. I haven't been in church in 30 years.'
Or 'You saved my marriage.' Not me, but God, but they’re
telling me, but you know what? You can’t help but leave every
Sunday afternoon…," Osteen says, getting emotional.
"Help me understand what’s happening right now Joel?" Pitts
asks.
"You know, what it is, you just feel very - I told you I was a
cry baby, but you just feel very rewarded. You feel very
humbled, you know?" Osteen says.
"Humbled by your success?" Pitts asks.
"Humbled that you could help impact somebody’s life. I think -
I don’t even - I don’t even know these people. And you know,
and God's used me to help turn their life around or give them
hope, you know? It’s very rewarding," Osteen says.
"You in awe of that?" Pitts asks.
"Very much," Osteen agrees.
Osteen keeps his life simple. His best friends are his family,
and he spends most of his free time with them, especially his
two children, Alexandra and Jonathan.
But from Wednesday to Saturday, he’s in his home office
writing and memorizing his sermon. "I feel a responsibility
more than ever now, you know, sometimes when I think about it
Sunday in a few days and I gotta get back up here and feed
everybody and be my best and inspire them and have some good
stories, keep them listening, you know, it takes a lot of
work, it takes diligence," Osteen tells Pitts.
You can see that same diligence in his workouts. Osteen can
bench-press 300 lbs., which is twice his body weight. And on
the basketball court, even in the simplest of pickup games, he
is focused, determined and looking for help from above.
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