What Do We Do With Joel?

Ah, Beeson; how you have come into my thoughts today!

Let me say at the outset that I went to what one might call a interdenominational, evangelical seminary. As such, we had many different views on so many secondary and tertiary issues of Scripture and such. I suppose our diverse student body was the apple of the eye of our ecumenically-minded dean, Timothy George. But we also agreed on a great deal: humans are saved by grace through faith; the Bible is the inspired Word of God; Jesus is the Son of God. On and on.

Oh, and then there's this that we also agreed on: something strange is up with that whole Joel Osteen/Lakewood Church thing. Beeson prided itself as a theological institution waist-deep in historical theology, but most everyone seemed much more knowledgeable on the subject of ol' Joel than, say, Karl Barth. We biblical students seemed to care a lot more about what went on in Joel's pulpit than in, say, the prophecy of the prophet Joel.

Can you blame us? For nearly a decade, Joel O has been setting the standard of success among the prosperity crowd (an accomplishment which won him the cover of, not ironically, a magazine called Success). His church, Lakewood Church of Houston, Tex., was recently described as the most popular church in America by BusinessWeek Magazine. His fingerprints on the canvass of the increasingly diverse world of Protestantism are undeniable and should be studied hard by up and coming ministers.

Osteen and the theological framework he represents are no flashes in the pan, neither. There was a time when I thought, "Oh, that guy's fifteen minutes are going to run out soon. The days of the megachurch are over and the religious hope of material prosperity lives and dies with Wall Street. Besides, he's a pretty awful speaker and he looks funny." But Joel keeps on going.

Why? Because I misunderstood how slowly things both materialize and fade away in the world in which Osteen & Co. operate. Popularity in the field of religion and spirituality and philosophical ideals doesn't die out as quickly as popularity in music and art and fad diets. Katy Perry and Lady Gaga will soon enough go the way of Macy Gray and Pink and Atkins, but apparently not so with our name-it-and-claim-it crowd. You would have thought that a housing crash and subsequent recession would have slowed down the prosperity gospel at least slightly. You'd be wrong. Turns out megachurches of all types are still growing and a whole lot of people are still attracted to the idea that Jesus died to give you a two car garage and a nicer vacation than last year's Caribbean cruise (which still needs to be paid off!).

So, what are we to do with Joel and the movement he epitomizes? Let me say here that I do in fact think his brand of...well...performance is a fad which is destined to die out sooner or later. But when is anybody's guess. I suppose that folks who are attracted to the gospel of prosperity have to live through a few financial or physical crises in order to see that more faith, more works, do not cause the Father to become a genie who grants you your heart's material desires. Ultimately, though, Joel's brand of Christianity will only die out when the church in America receives a clear mind, conscience, and will in the matters of materialism.

The American Dream used to represent the ideal that this nation affords anyone - regardless of one's background - the ability to live a better life in secured freedom. Today the American Dream is no longer an ideal, but rather things which are characterized by white, picket fences and having a good college fund for your kids. It was only a matter of time until this materialization and deterioration of the American Dream entered the church, as it has now in so many. Until the serious-minded Christians of our nation stand up for matters near and dear to our Lord's heart (social justice, a serve others mentality, a "He must increase, I must decrease" worldview, etc.), the deterioration will march on. Change here doesn't begin with our jokes about Joel or our self-righteous charges against the theological errors of the prosperity gospel; it begins with an ad fontes call to Scripture from the pulpit, the Sunday school classroom, and the workplace.

A New Phase of Life and Ministry

Since I surrendered (and that is the appropriate term) to God's call to ministry, I have gone through periods where doubts have sprung up: Is this really the right seminary? How tough will it be to find a ministry position after graduation? Will I be able to raise a family on a pastor's salary? Am I cut out for all the tasks a pastor faces? On and on.

Now there was a time when I would've scoffed at Christians who allowed self-doubt to creep into their minds by thinking something such as, "Obviously, he or she didn't take Philippians 4 into account!" The experiences of the past few years of ministry and education have knocked me down from my self-erected pedestal of what I call 'Believer's Snobbery' as the Lord has worked on me by knocking me down to size and simply saying, over and over again, "Do you trust me?"

Now this question hasn't manifested itself as of yet in some kind of call to Jesus-in-the-water, Peter-in-the-boat type of faith, but it has had its difficult moments. This collective expreience has sharpened my own pastoral sensitivities to those who face periods (for some, eras) of doubt; above all, however, it has taught me to rely, rely, rely on the Lord.

Anyway, the Lord has recently merged the combined life of my wife and me with a wonderful church not too far south of Huntsville, Ala. There are some questions which remain, but the overarching doubt of "Will the Lord really provide for us?" has been answered in a way which can leave no doubt, like a 550 ft. homerun or something.

Now there is still a great amount of growing to go, and I still worry about the mistakes I will undoubtedly make and how they might impact the congregation. Ultimately, though, I have learned through it all that my primary concern must not be about how the Lord will provide for His own, but rather how I can better grow in Him and serve His people. And so I enter this new phase of life and ministry recognizing that we serve an amazing Lord and Savior who unquestionably provides for His own in His own way and time. Praise the Lord!