I was going to write up a great big review concerning Joel Osteen’s new book Become a Better You …
Personally, I think that this book - as are most of Osteen’s works - is shelved wrong in bookstores. It should not be shelved under Christianity; it belongs in the self-help section. Joel Osteen, in Become a Better You, is a self-help guru and motivational speaker draped in Christian-looking garb. Is he good at what he does? Yes. Does it help people? Perhaps. Is it holistically Christian? Not if you are having a difficult time in life, it isn’t. In fact, it’s hardly realistic. Why? There is no - zero - theology of suffering and/or death. Christianity, the last time I checked, majored on these aspects of theology in a very serious and intentional manner. Osteen misses most - if not all - of this very real aspect of Christian thought and theology that speaks directly and holistically about personal transformation.
My very first thought about this book is the seriously cheesy cover photo, title, and subtitle. Seriously? Become a better You? That title seriously harkens back to the day when “I’m OK, You’re OK” was in vogue. I don’t know where to even begin talking about the book’s subtitle: “7 Keys to Improving Your Life Everyday.” Seven? Is that it? Why did it take us so long to figure this out? At any rate, I’m digressing into a bit of silliness. I can’t help it. Osteen made millions upon millions of dollars off of this book already.
Osteen is also being heralded as “America’s Most Popular Preacher.” So, move over Rick Warren, you’ve been officially bumped. That said, I completely expect to see a whole flock of pastors trading in their Hawaiian shirts and golf polos for $2000.00 suits and setting out to plant a slew of “Become a Better You” churches. If that happens, I will officially resign from American Christianity. Yeah, I’m serious.
At any rate, as I began saying, I was going to write up a lengthy review/critique, but alas, many have already done so, and better than I could have done. The best review I have discovered thus far can be found over at Challies.com. Do check it out and spend some time in the growing comments section of that particular post. Not everyone is flocking towards Osteen.
14 Comments
I would resign from Christianity, too!
@Rich: LOL! Yeah, I think I’d just bow out of this popular, American version, not Christianity totally. :)
People like what’s palatable…something able to be grasped and easily held onto. For seminary I did a bit of research into Osteen’s ministry. He’s legit…for what he does. He’s unapologetic about his lack of education and training (the guy never went to a Bible college or any formal training). He’s equally as unapologetic about staying away from issues such as sin and hell (or darker issues of the Christian faith.
The problem: it’s a mile wide and an inch deep…an people are buying into it hook, line, and sinker…without thinking critically about how it plays out. So how does it play out? to the hospital patient? the one dying of cancer? the poor?
I personally get frustrated with the guy because he’s got an audience…he’s got potential to affect millions with the real message of the gospel…and he wastes his opportunity with some positive fluff message that merely inspires people.
I’m done…thanks Shawn.
@Josh: Well said, brother. He is good at what he does. He is unapologetic too, as you say. I heard him say during an interview (Larry King?), that there isn’t any bible or theology references in the book because that’s not his gift. He went on to say that he’ll leave that work for people who are gifted at it. Seriously. How do you pastor a church of 30,000 plus if you consider yourself - unapologetically - not gifted at referencing Scripture and citing theology> How?
Yes, he inspires people, but so do a lot of other people who aren’t Christian pastors. Madonna and Oprah inspire people, for goodness sake. Is that what’s in at the moment? Mere inspiration?
He does have an audience. A big, big audience.
Off topic: I got your e-mail, Josh. I’m looking into the schedule and will let you know asap! I apologize for the delay and wacky week!
“I completely expect to see a whole flock of pastors trading in their Hawaiian shirts and golf polos for $2000.00 suits.”
Hilarious, if not frightening prediction. Let’s pray it never comes true.
@Billy: Yes, more scary than funny because it actually could happen. It’s not like there is no precedent for that sort of behavior.
Off topic: I didn’t forget about you either, bro! I have had the craziest two weeks. You prize is coming, rest assured.
I firmly believe that Osteen is doing a disservice to Christians everywhere. He’s creating such an image that before we can actually gain an audience we first have to “prove” to people that we’re not fakes like him.
Yeah, people have very strong opinions about Mr. Osteen and his philosophy of ministry, if one can call it such.
I’m not sure I’d call him a fake, Ben. He is very, very clear about what it is that he does. Like I said, he is a very, very good motivational speaker & self help guru. There is no doubt about it. He is talented and he is honest. I’ll give him that much. His presentation of Christianity, however, is so, so skewed towards his self-help and motivational methodology. He is, in essence, a motivational speaker who uses the bits and pieces of Christian thought to complement what otherwise would be mere motivational speak.
He leaves out major aspects of Christian thought, like: Sin, evil, dying to oneself, sacrifice, suffering, and most obviously of all … death and resurrection.
If anything, it’s our own fault. People flock to him in hordes because he actually invites them, without setting up a bunch of self-righteous roadblocks laden with insider, Christian language and terminology. People feel welcome, just as they are, and they are promised something tangible in return with which they can change their obviously unsatisfactory lives. The Church, for the past 50 years, set the table for this sort of thing by being absolutely rigid, uninviting, and self-righteous.
If I can applaud Mr. Osteen for anything, it would be for that right there. It’s really too bad that he doesn’t dig deeper now that the audience has shown up.
That’s very true. I think “fake” was a poor choice of words for me to use.
Also, I should say that self-help books/people/counselors can play a HUGE part in God’s healing work in people’s lives. I really shouldn’t discount the good Osteen is doing.
@Ben: Now, don’t be too hard on yourself, bro. I think the guy has issues, obviously. I don’t think he is telling the “whole” story, so to speak. I think he is honestly and authentically Christian-lite.
So, don’t be to quick to retract all those feelings you have about him. Discernment is a good thing, thou son of thunder! :)
I didn’t mean to seem like I was retracting what I said. I still think he’s doing a disservice to other Christians. But I wanted to balance it out with the fact that he does do some good. :)
BTW, I like the nickname ;)
This book, IMHO, is ‘more of the same’, from the Norman Vincent Peale (33 Mason, incedentally…) Schuller, Warren line of Positive Thinking, ‘American Way of Church’ that Tozer warned us about (60 years ago!) see http://christianresearchnetwork.com/?p=3532
My advice? Don’t buy it, he has enough $$$ behnd him in the marketting media wagons.
Read Galatians, or Ephesians, or Romans, or the good old Gospel of Mark for example.
@Tony: Amen! We need a few Tozers of our own these days.
Hi Joel.
Everyone thinks that I am related to you…honestly i dont know..lol…but really i just wanted to let you know what great work that you do…i have seen some of your cermons and they are great…may God Bless you and your family
:)
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[...] Shawn Anthony wrote a fantastic post today on Osteen’s 7 Simple Steps to Become a Better You! Here’s a quick extract: It should not be shelved under Christianity; it belongs in the self-help section. Joel Osteen, in Become a Better You, is a self-help guru and motivational speaker draped in Christian-looking garb. Is he good at what he does? Yes. [...]
[...] yourself - unapologetically - not gifted at referencing Scripture and citing theology? How?” – Shawn Anthony This entry was written by ben, posted on at 6:50 am, filed under quote and tagged heresy, Joel [...]