Birth of the Gigachurch (and Nancy Pelosi was there)

Today was the opening of the first gigachurch (megachurches are so 1990).  Lakewood Chuch held their first service in the Compaq center, former home of the Houston Rockets.  Out of curiosity, I watched a re-broadcast of the proceedings.  What struck me was how Pastor Joel Osteen preaches a gospel that seems a little materialistic.  Okay, a lot materialistic.

Okay, first off, instead of a cross behind him, there is a giant, spinning, golden globe.

Now here's a selection from the sermon (transcript by me):

As Paul says in Romans 3, "What if some were unfaithful? Will their infidelity nullify the fidelity of God?"...Just because someone else doesn't believe in your dreams, that doesn't change anything.  The good news is you don't have to have every person on board to see your dreams come to pass...A lot of times they'll say, "You're gonna do what?  I don't think that's possible.  You can't get the Compaq center."  Sometimes we have to have an attitude like the apostle Paul and say, "So what if you don't believe!"...Somebody may say, "Do you really think your going to get out of debt?  I've seen your finances".  So what if they don't believe!  "Do you really think you're going to get that promotion?"  So what if they don't believe!

Now, Paul actually doesn't say anything about needing to believe in yourself.  In fact, here's something Paul did say:

These people think religion is supposed to make you rich. And religion does make your life rich, by making you content with what you have. For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.  If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that.  Those who want to be rich fall into all sorts of temptations and traps. They are caught by foolish and harmful desires that drag them down and destroy them. The love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.

In case Pastor Joel's message wasn't clear enough, here's the closing "prayer":

Father, I declare in the name of Jesus, that every person in the sound of my voice is blessed.  I declare that you are blessed with God's wisdom, that you have a clear direction in life, that you will always make could choices.  I declare that you are blessed with creativity, with good ideas, with courage, with strength, with ability.  I declare that you are blessed with good health, a good family, good friends, and a long prosperous life... I declare that whatever you put your hands to will prosper and succeed.  I declare that you will lend only and not have to borrow.  That you will be the head, and not the tail.  And I declare that every negative thing that ever has been spoken about you is no longer true..."

That's just, well, nothing like anything Jesus ever said.  In fact, most of it is the exact opposite.

And then after the service, there was an interview with Nancy Pelosi.  Here's an approximate quote from Nancy:

"Pastor Osteen has a very inspirational message and believes in the dignity of all people."

 

In principle, I think this is exactly the sort of thing our Democratic leaders should feel free to do - to reach out to people of "faith".  Nancy is Catholic, so I'm not exactly sure how she ended up there (her daughter does live in Houston).  Maybe by being there she messed with some people's idea of the Republichristian party.  Maybe it's like taking a pitch in the head to get our team to first base.  She's smart and Jesuit educated, so I'm guessing she was rolling her eyes afterwards over brunch.

•  I have a feeling some staffer in Pelosi's office

  just had an aneurysm after seeing this diary.

  by lordkelvin on Sun Jul 17, 2005 at 05:15:27 PM PDT

•  Very common in all the mega- / giga- churches

  to "declare" (or in similar words) that the MINISTER is bestowing benefits and blessings.

  Look again at the quotes.  "Father, I declare in the name of Jesus... that whatever you put your hands to will prosper and succeed."

  Again, I'd like to make my point that mega- and now this giga- church are built on hero worship of the minister and have very very little, if anything, to do with Christianity.  It is a personality cult of the mega-church minister.

  Crowds are attracted by the thousands to these "Feel Good Shows" and to receive their own Personal Promise of Success.  That's the formula.

  Never preach about people adhering to Christian principles.  Never reproach people about their failings. Never, but NEVER, say that EVERYONE is a sinner (unless it is in the context of having that Sin Wiped Clean -- by the minister, not God Almighty.)

  These are frightening developments. And Nancy Pelosi's attendence is puzzling. This is not the way to win back red states - by falling for the personality cults of the false churches.

  by YucatanMan on Sun Jul 17, 2005 at 05:54:15 PM PDT

•  wow

  I'd like to say that ego in a minister is unusual, but having been brought up in four different churches and knowing LOTS of priests and ministers, I know that ego is par for the course...and people wonder why I stopped going to church at 12 and became an atheist 4 years later!

  by Elise on Sun Jul 17, 2005 at 06:08:42 PM PDT

•  Bible's rebuttal

  I declare that whatever you put your hands to will prosper and succeed

  "You will be arrested, punished, and even killed. Because of me, you will be hated by people of all nations."

  I declare that you will lend only and not have to borrow.

  "Don't charge interest when you lend money to any of my people who are in need. Before sunset you must return any coat taken as security for a loan, because that is the only cover the poor have when they sleep at night. I am a merciful God, and when they call out to me, I will come to help them."

  That you will be the head, and not the tail.

  "Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.  For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

  by lordkelvin on Sun Jul 17, 2005 at 06:23:59 PM PDT

•  I declare? Ain't that kinda bold?

  I declare in the name of Jesus, that every person in the sound of my voice is blessed.  I declare that you are blessed with God's wisdom, that you have a clear direction in life, that you will always make could choices.

  Ain't he supposed to ASK for blessings from the Lord? Kinda presumptuous, dontcha think?

  That you will be the head, and not the tail.

  HA, so we are descended from monkeys! Doggonit, I KNEW it!

  And I declare that every negative thing that ever has been spoken about you is no longer true...

  Aha, so it USED to be true, like, you WERE an alcoholic and draft-dodger Mr. President.

  These people scare me, and it scares me that among the few times I hear about Pelosi, she's with them.

  by DrReason on Sun Jul 17, 2005 at 06:33:46 PM PDT

•  if you worship corporations

  then you will choose a church that turns Jesus into a brand name.

  by Lefty Mama on Sun Jul 17, 2005 at 07:19:49 PM PDT

•  Actually

  this is BIG.  I don't always watch Joel O'Steen and I've never seen him introduce someone in the congregation but a friend has conveyed "the event" in yesterday's broadcast.
  It seems Nancy Pelosi was visiting her daughter in Houston and attended her church yesterday. For O'Steen to highlight the presence of Pelosi in his gigachurch is right up there with Billy Graham's recent public praise of the Clintons.
  Big, real big.

   

  by annefrank on Sun Jul 17, 2005 at 11:31:07 PM PDT