Osteen in USN&WR
USNews.com: Culture: What makes a televangelist tick? (9/13/05)
Just good reading here on Pastor Joel Osteen in a fairly indepth Q&A.
clip:
Since the last presidential election, there's been a lot of talk about the intersection of politics and religion. You seem to shy away from the topic?why?It's been interesting, my dad was never involved in politics all those years, and when I search my heart, I don't have any leaning toward that either?I don't feel like it's my gift at all. I do think it's important that people know where we stand on certain issues, and from time to time I'll make that clear, but it's not in my heart to be the one who's leading the pack in the political area. I have good friends who do and I support them and we know we have a part to play in that. But what I usually do around election time is we encourage people to vote. The thing that's interesting about Lakewood is that it's very diverse?there may be as many Democrats and Republicans as Independents?and I feel like the message God's given me is hope and inspiration and how to live life, and I think the moment I go and say I'm a staunch this supporter or that supporter, I divide my audience . . . I tell people all the time, "We're not for abortion, I don't think that's best, I don't think gay marriage is best, but our doors are open to everybody." We have every kind come in.
Why is it important to make that distinction?
I think [those sorts of political issues] divide us, divide the country, and bring more disunity. A lot of times, it draws people away from God, and I think there's a fine line of balancing it. I know people are always asking, "What do you think, is this right?" but I just think we've got to be open. I have always said, "I'm not here to convict people or to condemn them?God's going to do that?I've just got to put the truth out there and the message out there and let god deal with the people's heart."
ok, here's my take: Joel Osteen is no more skilled, qualified or knowledgeable than anyone else to speak about God's will. But his "God loves you, be happy, be rich" standard sermon has made him a very wealthy man. He may be just as bigoted as the next right-wing Christian is about gay marriage, but saying so would interfere with that great cash cow he has going.
If look at Lakewood's total contributions (tithes, offerings, books sales, etc..) and look at total workforce compensation (including pastor Osteen); total compensation expense as a % of total contributions are approx. 20%. Of that 20% less than 1% goes to Pastor Osteen. Considering that other church pastors take out about 3 to 5 percent of total annual contributions, I say that Pastor Osteen is modest and is more concerned about expanding the ministry to reach the lost rather than expanding the ministry for purely selfish reasons.