Have you ever wondered what TV personality Joel Osteen is trying to say and how does it jive with Biblical Christianity? Well, here’s your chance to hear a solid teacher take a swing at just this issue on a national stage. Michael Horton will appear on 60 Minutes this Sunday, October 14, to discuss the ministry of televangelist Joel Osteen and whether or not Osteen’s motivational message is more about self-help than a true representation of the Christian faith. 60 Minutes airs on CBS Sundays at 7 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings).
Who is Michael Horton?
Dr. Horton is the J. Gresham Machen professor of systematic theology and apologetics at Westminster Seminary California, the host of the nationally syndicated broadcast of The White Horse Inn radio program, editor-in-chief of Modern Reformation magazine, and a minister in the United Reformed Churches of North America. I have enjoyed many of his books and would recommend him as a solid teacher.
I’ve set my DVR. This will be interesting to me if for no other reason than the fact that the TV networks rarely give air time to men like Horton. The gospel clearly portrayed and error refuted on 60 Minutes? I’ve got to see that. Thanks for the tip!
This will definitely be interesting. I enjoy the White Horse Inn podcast every week, as Dan says Horton and the guys on there are very solid teachers. Unless I’m seriously mistaken, he won’t take the same tact as Osteen (and other ‘evangelical’ leaders that have been given a national forum) when asked about the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the way of salvation.
I will be watching as well. I hope that all the good stuff that Horton shares doesn’t end up on the editing room floor.
Apparently they taped 4 hours with M. Horton, I hope and trust that what is left after the edit, the gospel will be clearly presented. I am glad to hear that Osteen is getting called out concerning his message which isn’t the gospel at all.
Well, it was a bit of a let-down. Horton spoke for less than a minute. I was impressed with the CBS correspondent. He seemed to genuinely understand problem with Osteen’s message.
It was heartbreaking to see how many people across the world are feeding on Osteen’s “gospel” without Christ.
I came across this stinging, but accurate, review of Osteen and the 60 minutes interview. My favorite line was this:
That piece hits the nail on the head. I also liked this:
“Osteen sticks with the church where there is money to be had and departs from the church where there is a faith to be confessed.”
I think its high time that Osteen was called out for the false teacher that he is and this guy does that well. Osteen is no Gospel preacher and his “church” is no church. Saying such things is the most loving thing believers can do in the face of false teachers because it may call some away from them to the true Faith.
What’s sad to me is that despite all this Osteen’s books are front and center at most Christian bookstores. They are in effect doing the same thing Osteen does, following the money rather than promoting sound doctrine.
While it’s easy to say, “I don’t care to participate in the pointless Christian bickering”, I find the comments of Osteen’s defenders to be enough evidence to validate the concern.
Here are a few for those that don’t have the time:
“So Joel is successful … I believe that is what God wants for all of us. Osteen echoes Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra and others – but his message is more rooted in biblical passages.”
“Maybe people are tired of hearing about sin and punishment, today’s morals and values are such that I don’t think there is a person who hasn’t sinned and isn’t going to Hell for some infraction of Biblical law. Accept him as an alternative view and leave him and his followers alone. The man overcame is own adversity and does serve as an example of what good can come of doing good.”
He was on Larry King Live last night, check out the transcript here: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0710/16/lkl.01.html