By Mike Larson
Prophezine's Man on the Street

Lev 18:22 (KJV) Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Joel Osteen is a reprobate. He is a man who won't talk about sin, blesses the Mormon church, gives blessings to homosexuals, couldn't exegete his way out of a wet paper bag, and has said that Mormons, who believe that Jesus was the first spirit child born of a resurrected man who became a god, are also Christian just the same as he is. Um, HELLO!!!! What comic book did THAT heresy come from? People flock to his church by the tens of thousands because discernment has gone the way of the dinosaur in those people. The ebb of discernment in that body is lacking life and vitality in a major way.

Remember this from his interview with Larry King?

KING: But don't you think if people don't believe as you believe, they're somehow condemned?

OSTEEN: You know, I think that happens in our society. But I try not to do that. I tell people all the time, preached a couple Sundays about it. I'm for everybody. You may not agree with me, but to me it's not my job to try to straighten everybody out. The Gospel called the good news. My message is a message of hope, that's God's for you. You can live a good life no matter what's happened to you. And so I don't know. I know there is condemnation but I don't feel that's my place.

And then this:

KING: What is the prosperity gospel?

Gosh, Joel. What DO you know? Obviously, it's not the Scriptures.

And le'ts not forget this one. This is a letter from his ministry:

Sometimes it is hard for us to grasp that God wants us to prosper in every way…God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us. One of the most important Biblical principles that shows us how to prosper is the principle of sowing and reaping…

People tell me, "Joel, He is God. If He wants to bless me, He can." Friend, God works by laws. You can't expect to reap a harvest without first planting your seeds. If you will be faithful and do what God is asking you to do, God will do His part. Don't let the enemy deceive you into holding on to your seed–get it into the ground!

As you read this, God may be speaking to your heart. Trust that He will direct you how and where He wants you to sow your seed. If you are moved to send a seed gift in the enclosed reply envelope…"

You know, I post this information because his ministry is filled with lies and the darkness needs to be exposed. Half-truths are still 100% lies. This man needs to experience the Jesus of the Bible and the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit and do an about-face. He won't talk about the very thing that separates sinners from God and that is SIN. Social programs and padded bank accounts aren't what the Gospel is about. Those things aren't the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel. JESUS is the Good News of the Gospel and Joel needs to grasp that. He is not fulfilling the role of a pastor and it's a slap in the face of the REAL pastors who are doing the work of the Lord. Joel's gospel is a greased pole to Hell. Pray for this man and his wife that they would be convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit, turn from this demonic gospel he preaches, and start preaching as the Lord intended. The fact of the matter is that he has a HUGE audience and they need to hear the REAL Gospel. If Joel won't do it, I hope that the Lord will raise up someone who will and remove Joel from that position.

In His service,

Mike Larson
Prophezine's Man on the Street

Joel Osteen blesses Houston's new (gay) mayor Annise Parker

Houston Mayor Annise Parker, right,, holds hands with her partner Kathy Hubbard, left, while bowing their heads during the prayer led by Houston evangelical megachurch pastor Joel Osteen at her a public inauguration ceremony Monday.

Annise Parker, the newly-elected happens-to-be-lesbian mayor of Houston was sworn in Monday and the opening prayer was given by ... Rev. Joel Osteen.

Is your head spinning? Osteen heads the nation's most mega of evangelical non-denominational megachurches, Lakewood Church in Houston where about 45,000 people cycle through a revamped sports stadium for services every weekend.

Osteen has been all over telling folks (Larry King, Whoopi Goldberg) for years that homosexuality is not "God's best." I presume he means "God's best choice" because otherwise I'm lost in the dropped or implied rest of the sentence. But "God's best" is phrase Osteen never finishes so I'm just guessing.

Yet, Osteen hasn't joined the more strident wing of the religious right in damning gays. Indeed, Osteen takes heat from other evangelicals who condemn him for not laying down a line of fire about sin of any kind. That's not his style, says the preacher known for his broad smile and sermons that God wants you to be happy. Osteen's best seller was titled, Your Best Life Now.

Televangelist and best-selling author, Joel Osteen (shown here with his wife, Victoria. at the opening of the nation's largest church in a former Houston sports arena, gave the opening prayer at the inauguration of Houston's new mayor, Annise Parker, a lesbian.

Now (hat tip to Mark Silk for pointing me to the Box Turtle Bulletin) writer Timothy Kincaid suggests to his gay readership that they look at Osteen more fully and fairly. Kincaid's post (which carries a disclaimer that others on the staff of the webzine don't necessarily agreed) says:

    I think it would be useful for our community to adopt a more nuanced view of religious leaders. By doing so, we might find ourselves with unexpected allies.

    Joel Osteen does not agree with my understanding of Scripture; but his disagreement does not make him a hater or a bigot. And I recognize the value in having a lesbian politician -- elected despite her opponent's religion-based homophobic campaign -- being given blessing by the pastor of the largest congregation in the nation.

Does this change your idea of Osteen? For better or for worse?