What's Wrong with Prospering? The Gospel according to Joel Osteen
As the offering is about to be taken at the Compaq center, Joel Osteen's wife and co-pastor Victoria urges generosity as a way of prompting God's favor. "He not only wants to enrich you but do things for you you know nothing about," she said. "Let him breathe the breath of life into your finances and he'll give it back to you bigger than you could ever give it to him," she said. To which the congregation, said, "Amen," and the buckets went around. This paraphrased excerpt is but a part of a new article in today's NY Times about the ministry and enormous success of Joel Osteen, and in particular his recent book 'Your Best Life Now'. The whole article is worth reading. Here is the link.----http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/30/books/30oste.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&th&emc=th
With 20,000 peeople regularly showing up at his church in the Compaq center in Houston and bringing in revenues of millions on his bestseller book, it is not a surprise that many will wonder and ask--- well what is wrong with a message that speaks about kindness, and generosity and success and prosperity? What could be wrong with this? What's wrong with a message that hardly ever mentions Jesus by name, or sin, or suffering, or self-sacrifice? Of course this message of prosperity is not new in America, nor new to American Churches.
There used to be a TV preacher from New York called Reverend Ike. One of his core messages was on the supposed Scriptural topic--- "The lack of money is the root of all evil". He kept saying things like, if you have trouble handling money, send it to me. Osteen is far more slick than this, and in fact far more accountable. His ministry maintains public records and provides financial reports, and in fact he has not taken a salary since his book went mega-platinum. He has also reportedly signed an enormous contract for his second book with Simon and Schuster. He is then not a shister or a crook it would appear. His example seemsfar more beguiling than the obvious huckster. Wherein lies the problem then?
The problem is several fold, and it involves a fundamental replacement of what the Bible actually has to say about wealth, with what our culture says about wealth and prosperity. And of course when you preach a message that is heard as saying "God wants you rich" or is heard as saying "if you give generously to God (i.e. our ministry) he will repay you many times over"), then of course the implication is that the Gospel message is really all about us, and ways to get God to fulfill not merely our needs and desires but even our conspicuously consumptive dreams. But is God really a nurturer of a vision of life that says its all about me and my material success?
How very different indeed this message is from John Wesley's Famous Sermon "On the Use of Money" in which he stresses that if you make all you can honestly and save all you can, but do not give all you can to relieve poverty, feed the hungry, make well the sick you may be a living person but you are a dead Christian. Wesley like the Bible warns of the enormous dangers of wealth, especially if it is used to provide one's self with an opulent lifestyle while others have nothing to survive on. As Wesley suggests my luxuries should always come after someone else's necessities, or I am living a selfish and self-centered life style. Wesley preached that Christians at the beginning of the industrial revolution should de-enculturate themselves, live simply, and have as their goal, giving so much to others during their lives that when they die they will have successfully given it all away. This sounds far less narcissitic and self-centered than the message of Osteen. And it comes from a different vision of God. God is not viewed as the grand sugar Daddy in the sky who exists to meet our every desire, and in particular our desire to live well, or even opulently. But forget the warnings of great church leaders of the past--- what does the Bible say about such things?
First of all, I would stress that there are more warning about wealth in the New Testament, than about any other ethical subject with the possible exception of sexual and relational issues. And right off the bat this ought to seem odd to us, since only a small percentage of first century Christians had any prospect of getting wealthy. Why such a stress on a message that is the polar opposite to Osteen's message in the NT when the audience was much poorer on the whole? It is a question worth asking. It has to do with fallen human nature and its desire to secure its own life on its own. But let's start with some texts we will not likely be hearing preached from Osteen's pulpit. Let's start with Jesus.
The Sermon on the Mount would be Jesus' version of "Your Best Life Now". In it he says "Do not store up for yourselvss trasures on earth where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Mt. 6. 19-20.
This saying of course comes before the "do not worry about what you will eat, drink, or wear, because God will provide" message in 6.25-33. This text warns strongly against the accumulation of wealth, and in particular having and keeping for yourself more than you need. Jesus' real concern is found at the end of vs. 21 in the saying about treasure. Human beings are acquistive by nature-- consider how many Americans are addicted to shopping. Consider how our culture encourages us to think luxuries and necessities to the point that we can't tell the difference between the two.
If you want to know where a person's heart really is--- follow the money. This could be said of all of us. And what happens to already self-centered acquistive persons when they are encouraged to be even more that way is that they commit idolatry. Their real center of existence is not God. They only relate to God for what they can get out of God. Their real center of existence is their own prosperity and life style--- "God bless my standard of living". we should have seen Osteen coming when the "Prayer of Jabez" became a run away best-seller and an excuse for continuing to think that God wants us all to be rich, even if it destroys our soul.
Notice as well that Jesus says quite clearly three things at the end of Mt. 6: 1) we should seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness, and the necessities of life will be added to us. Jesus does not say anything about wealth will be added to us. He says the necessities will be taken care of if we are God-focused and seeking his righteousness, not our profit. And while we are at it it is well to remember that when Jesus says "ask anything in my name..." this means "ask anything that is in accord with my will, in accord with all my other teaching about the dangers of money and wealth, the sorts of things I would ask for". If you are praying prayers Jesus would not endorse, selfish and self-centered prayers, prayers about purely material success then you had best not sign Jesus' name to them, nor should you expect him to answer yes to them. 2) Jesus' teaching consistently tries to get us to focus on God and others, not our own desires or needs.
This is not in fact the character of Osteen's preaching unfortunately. He is doing his best to make us feel comfortable and happy if we are wealthy, and to simply see it as a blessing from God. But even if on occasion God does bless someone with abundant material resources, the next question should be stewardship. The next question should be how should I use these resources so that God is glorified and others are helped. It should not lead to a "God bless my standard of living" and we give ourselves permission to live high off the hog. There should always be the thught that God has blessed you to be an abundant blessing to others, and I don't just mean one's own family.
Mt. 6. 24--- "You cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve God and wealth." The issue is what is your object of ultimate concern? Where is your heart and treasure? When you take a human being who is acquisitive to begin with, and then take away all warnings about the dangers of wealth leading to idolatry, you are in trouble.
Someone should make a huge banner with this verse on it and hang it in front of the Compaq Center for all those entering to see. We could also hang up the Lukan beatitude "Blesssed are the poor" (Lk. 6.20). How about the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk. 16.19-31) which suggests that those who prosper in this life and do not help others will find the reverse is their condition in the life to come. So much for the slogan "he who dies with the most toys wins". We could also focus on Jesus' teaching about the fool who stockpiled his assests and of whom God required his life before he could get the full benefit from them. Have you notice that there is no theology of retirement, or pension accounts in the New Testament, no blessing of those who store things away just for themselves?
Jesus' brother James is equally insistent about the dangers of wealth. Read James 2.1-7 where we hear among other things "God chose the poor of the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom." He warns not to cozy up to the wealthy or give them preferential treatment not least because "Is it not the rich who oppress you?" You would have thought that after the Enron scandal the good Christian people of Houston would have become a little more wary of courting the rich and of lusting after the lifestyles of the rich.
Listen to what else James says "You covet something and cannot obtain it: so you engage in disputes and conflicts...You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God." (James 4.2-6).
Paul in 1 Tim. 6.6-10 puts it this way "There is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into this world, and we shall take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a rot of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains." There could hardly be a much sterner warning against believing in the health and wealth Gospel than this one.
We need to stop listening to the siren song of our culture about the goodness of personal wealth and material prosperity. We need to advocate a theology of stewardship which puts other people's necessities before our luxuries. We need to simplify our lifestyles and get a clear grasp on God's prioirties including God's especial concern for the poor and destitute of the world. We need to realize that what Jesus promised us if we seek the kingdom is not prosperity,but rather 'just enough' to take care of our basic needs. We need to remember that the Lord's prayer teaches us to pray for daily bread, not for resources today that I could not possibly use in 10,000 lifetimes. We need to heed all the warnings about how wealth can destroy the soul of an inherently self centered and acquistive creature-- namely any human being. We need to renounce the false gospel of wealth and health--- it is a disease of our American culture, it is not a solution or answer to life's problems.
Sometime ago when Donald Trump was riding high, he was interviewed on the subject of "how much is enough?" This was after he had assets totaling in the millions. His answer was very revealing--- "a little bit more." This is the truth about human nature, and what Paul says about that nature is that it needs to be crucified, not indulged, it needs to die not be pampered. The goal is this "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I wholive, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved mne and gave himsellf for me." (Gal. 2.19-20). The model for the Christian life is not Donald Trump, it is that man who made the ultimate self-sacrifice, the man who lived simply, fed the hungry, hung out with the poor, and renounced conspicuous consumption--- Jesus himself.
Really PJ? cause I think the apostle paul pointed out loads of sin within the church!
Its the sins of the unsaved that we are not to be pointing out as they are in need of salvation!
Those claiming Christ and then proclaiming false doctriners and doctrines of devils should be pointed out!
If someone doesnt stand up and point out why it is wrong and others follow the lies then the person who knew it was a lie is partly responsible at least for not pointing it out!
and PJ as long as you are buying into these ;lies I am going to proclaim truth and pray that maybe you will see , but all I did was post an article that I though was interesting and true!
Its a very good article and is biblicle and points out the wrongs of the prosperity gospel and even says why its wrong!
But you saying that the article and what i am saying is wrong, however you will give no explanation why, not one that makes any sence!
So whatevr as long as people are believeing these lies I am going to point out that they are in fact lies!
like I said the apostle paul wrote letter after letter to the churches pointing out their sins!
Btw The way Elisha The title is what is wrong prosperity and you seemingly used to title to justify the dead article of lie's, a christian should know better to do anything of this sort.
What is wrong with prosperity as the word of God teaches it absolutely nothing.
The only one that opposes Prosperity and any that he can get to accept his lie's.
we as christians are to give to worthy causes. We do not need to buy a book written by some person. We are to give to the poor porselves not give to somebody we have never met to do that.
Elisha, what is the underlining reason you are so obssessed with proverty and welath?...just asking
What the Bible Says About Poverty
Have you ever wondered what the Bible says about poverty? A large portion of God's Word is dedicated to this topic. Obviously, the poor are very close to God's heart. Just as few passages about what God says about poverty.
Proverbs 19:17
He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.
Proverbs 22:9
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
1 Samuel 2:7-8
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.
Psalm 37:25
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
Deuteronomy 10:18
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.
Deuteronomy 14:28-29
At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Deuteronomy 15:7-8
If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.
Deuteronomy 15:11
There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.
Joshua 1:14-15
...You are to help your brothers until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you...
Nehemiah 9:15
But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.
Job 5:15-16
He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; he saves them from the clutches of the powerful. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.
Job 24:5
Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go about their labor foraging their food; the wasteland provides food for their children.
Psalm 9:9
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Psalm 9:18
But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.
Psalm 12:5
"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "Then I will protect them from those who malign them."
Psalm 17:14
You still the hunger of those you cherish; their sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.
Psalm 22:26
The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the Lord will praise him.
Psalm 35:10
"You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them."
Psalm 72:4
He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.
Psalm 72:12-14
For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.
Psalm 82:3-4
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Psalm 102:17
He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.
Psalm 107:9
� for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Psalm 109:31
For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save his life from those who condemn him.
Psalm 113:7
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap.
Psalm 140:12
I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.
Psalm 145:14-18
The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 146:7-9
He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
Proverbs 3:27-28
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" � when you now have it with you.
Proverbs 10:3
The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
Proverbs 11:24-25
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Proverbs 14:20-21
The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.
Proverbs 14:31
He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
I wonder what our world would be like if each of us would find somebody to be good to every day. What would our city be like? What would our offices be like? What would our schools be like if we made it a priority to brighten somebody else's day? Scripture teaches "Every opportunity we have we should do good to people" (see Galatians 6:10). That means we need to be on the lookout. We need to be proactive. We need to have the mindset of, "Who can I bless today?" "For whom can I do a favor?" You can't just sit back and wait for the need to come to you. You have to go after it.
The Scripture says that in the last days the love of the great body of people will grow cold (see 2 Timothy 3:1-8). That simply means that people will be so busy, they'll be so focused on their own needs, they'll be so caught up in their drive for success that they won't take time to make a difference.
Sometimes it's easy for us to get so caught up in our own little world that we're focused only on ourselves. "I've got my plans. Don't get me off my schedule." "I'd love to help you out with some work around your house, but I'm sorry, this is football season. I just don't have the time."
But we weren't created to live selfishly. We were created to make a difference in the lives of others. John Bunyan, author of the classic Pilgrim's Progress said, "You have not lived today until you have done something for someone that cannot pay you back."
Friends, all around us are hurting people who need our love and encouragement. Don't miss the miracle of the moment. Don't be too busy, or insensitive to the needs of those around you. Be willing to be inconvenienced. Be sensitive and pay attention to those around you, your friends, your coworkers and your relatives. Listen to what they're saying. We shouldn't miss opportunities to do good whenever situations come across our paths to bless people.
Jesus said. "When you do it to the least of one of these, it's like you're doing it unto Me," (see Matthew 25:40). Proverbs 19:17 says, "He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed." When you give to those in need, you are lending to God. And God knows how to pay you back�with interest! You may not be able to give money, but you can baby sit that single mom's children. Why don't you give her a break one night? Tell her, "You go do something special for yourself. Here's a gift certificate. You go up to the mall. You go get your nails done. Our family is going to keep your children tonight."
If you see one of your friends wearing the same clothes all the time, why don't you step up to the plate and say "Let me buy you a new suit or two." Or, "Take this gift certificate and go get yourself some new clothes."
Maybe you and your family go out to eat every Sunday after church. Why don't you take a single parent family along with you? Or better yet, be a mentor to one of those young children. That doesn't take a lot of money. It just takes time and love. That just takes somebody that cares, somebody that's willing to make a difference.
I heard a story about a young boy that lived in the inner city. He was about eight years old and was very poor. One cold day, he was looking in the window of a local store admiring a pair of tennis shoes. As he stood there, cold and barefooted, a lady came along and asked,"Young man, what are you doing staring so intently in this window?" Shyly he said, "Well, I was just sort of praying and asking God if He'd give me a new pair of tennis shoes."
Without hesitation, the lady took him into the store and very gently and lovingly washed off his cold dirty feet. She put a brand new pair of socks on his feet. Then she told him to pick out three new pairs of tennis shoes.
The boy couldn't believe it. He was so excited! He had never owned a new pair of shoes. He'd always just worn old hand�me�downs. After she had paid for the purchase, the woman handed the shoes to the child."Enjoy your shoes, son," she said.The little boy looked at her in amazement. Nobody had ever taken that kind of interest in him. As serious as could be, with tears running down his cheeks, he said, "Lady can I ask you a question? Are you God's wife?"
Friend, you are never more like God than when you give. You're never more like God than when you take time for people, than when you do something to bless someone else.
And not just in the big things. Learn to be good to people in your everyday life. When you stop to get a cup of coffee at work, bring your coworker back a cup, too. When traffic backs up on the freeway, let that car into the lane in front of you. At the grocery store, when you have a bunch of groceries and somebody behind you has just a few, let them go ahead of you. Or how about in the parking lot, when you pull up to that last front row parking space at the same time as another car? Why don't you back up and let them have that space?
Do you want another simple way of blessing someone? When you're at a restaurant, be a good tipper. Don't leave that server a dollar bill when you just spent thirty dollars to eat.
"Well, I shared my testimony," one person said. "I invited our waitress to church." That's fine, but don't cancel your testimony by your miserly tip. God's people believe in being good to people. We believe in showing God's kindness wherever we go.
When I tip people, I tell Victoria, "We're going to sow a seed into that person's life. Here's an opportunity to bless someone with our words and our money." When I leave that place, I want that server to be able to say, "That couple sure is generous. They are good to people."
Love is seen in our actions. This world does not need to hear another sermon nearly as much as it needs to see us being good to people.
Learn to give your time, your money, or an encouraging word. When you show love, you are showing God to the world. And don't worry if you don't get any credit. When you let somebody in traffic in front of you, you may never see that person again. When you give somebody twenty dollars because you had compassion in your heart, you may never hear back from them, but let me assure you, God is keeping the records. He's seen every time you've been good to somebody. He's heard every encouraging word you've spoken. God has seen all the times you went out of your way to help somebody but they never even said thank you. The Scripture says when you do things in secret, when you do things without getting any credit, when nobody thanks you, God sees it, and you will even receive a greater reward.
It's one thing to make a big splash and let everybody know how generous you are, but if you really want to be blessed, do something good for somebody and don't tell anybody about it. Leave some cash in an unmarked envelope on the desk of that coworker that's struggling to make ends meet. At the restaurant, buy somebody's dinner and remain anonymous. Clean up the kitchen at the office and don't tell anybody that you did it. When you do things in secret and you don't get any credit, you are sowing a seed for God to do great things in your life.
Or maybe you overhear one of your coworkers saying, "Next week I've got to take my car in the shop. I don't what I'm going to do. I don't know how I'm going to get to work." Why don't you tell her, "Let me swing by in the mornings and pick you up." "Oh, no, that's too far," she may protest. "Its out of your way." You can say, "It's no big deal. I'll be glad to do it."
Listen to what people are saying around you. And look for opportunities to bless them.
A while back I had a friend over to help me on a project. I had just bought a brand new computer monitor, one of those flat screens, real large, real easy to see. My friend said, "Joel, I love your monitor. It's so easy on our eyes."
I picked up on that. I said, "It sure is. What kind of monitor do you have?" "Oh, just an old piece of junk that I've been using for years," he said. I thought, "Here's a great opportunity to be a blessing".
A few days later, my friend had one of those new flat screen monitors show up on his doorstep. That was too good of an opportunity to pass up. I realize we can't do that all the time. We can't spend all our money like that. But we should be doing something good for somebody else.
Why don't you make a decision with me that you're going to start being good to people?
And remember, true love is always backed up with our actions. People are watching us, and one of the best witnesses we could have is simply by being good to people. If you'll get up every day and focus on how you can be a blessing and not just on how you can get blessed, God will meet your own needs as you meet others' needs. God will meet all your needs in abundance!
The Scripture says people will know true Christians by their fruit (see Matthew 7:15-23). They're not going to know us by how many scriptures we quote. They're not going to know us by how many Christian bumper stickers we have on our car. People are going to really know that we're believers when we're helping other people, meeting needs, doing good works, when we are blessing people with our words and our actions.
How many outreach ministries are established in your local church? Everyone speaks about Joel Ostenn being rich, well, he was rich before he got into the minisrty, yet no one speaks about what his church is doing in the Houston community and around the world in missions ministries.
Here are just a few sucessful outreach missions ministruies that Lakewood church are involved with in the local Houston communities. Joel Olsteen and the Lakwood church do more in the HOuston community than any church in town and they have alway done so, even when his father who just died about 10 or 12 years ago, did when he was alive, and the church was started in a barn by Joel's father
I live in HOuston, so I know more about what Joel and Lakewood church are dong than anyone on this ofrum or even those who write these article trying to dicredit the good he is doing in the HOuston area in the community. Sounds like a psirit of envy and jealousy and assumptions absed on what someone has written and know not what they speak...
If you don't know anymore information than what you read from articles written by men who don't or may love the Lord and who themselves may or may not be doing one thing themselves for the poor in their own communities, or who may or may not be rich themselves... then you should not try to judge what Joel Olsteen and his church are doing if you don't know the facts and don't live in the Houston communnity, by what you read and assume is true. Or judge anyone else for that matter just becasue they have used their gifts and talents and God has blessed them to get wealth.
OutReach Ministries of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX
Did you know that Peanut Butter is a simple source of protein for children? Yet 50% of children living in Houston don't have that staple. In the month of February, lets help our neighbors fight hunger by filling up their pantries with Peanut Butter. You can bring a new container and drop it off at any of the bins located on the 1st and 2nd floor lobby areas. Join us in the fight again hunger.
Shine Your Light
Lakewood Church encourages its members to share the love of Christ with the Houston community through volunteerism, evangelism, and ministry. Regardless of your interests, spiritual gifts or talents, there is a place for you.
Local Missions service opportunities
The Beacon at The Dunn Center
Be a Light of Hope for the Homeless - The Beacon at The Dunn Center is a day center serving the basic needs of the downtown street community. The Beacon provides a hot meal, laundry, shower and clothing services to approximately 400 people each day. Volunteer opportunities include: greeting services, clothing center, food services etc. Volunteers will meet the last Saturday each month from 11:00AM � 2:00PM. Call (713) 491�1254 for more information. Team Leader is Jeff Geissler.
Feeding Families
Packaging Food for Families in Need - Join our team as we package boxes of food to families in need every 3rd Saturday of each month. To sign-up call 713-491-1270.
Street Evangelism
Sharing the Gospel with Others - Join our team as we share the Gospel with others the 1st Saturday of each month. Location varies � apartments, downtown, parks and more. To sign-up please call 713-491-1270.
Lakewood Church Hospital Ministry
Bless Patients and Families
Lakewood Church Hospital Ministry has volunteer opportunities to visit, encourage and assist patients and their families in various hospitals throughout the Greater Houston Area. To volunteer, please call Liza Valdez at (713) 491�1112.
The Mission of Yahweh
Faith-based Shelter for Women - We are a faith-based shelter located in Houston, Texas that empowers, enriches and restores the lives of homeless women and children and provides outreach services to low income families in our neighborhood. missionofyahweh.org
LOCAL MISSIONS BLOGNEXT ►| ◄ PREVHouston's Largest Blood Drive
Local Missions | by Alini Muller
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Way to go Lakewood Church members. Just like the Texans big win - We scored a touchdown with Ms. Dodie's annual blood drive. As record shows this is Houston's largest blood drive.
Close to 1000 and still counting units were donated this past weekend as so many of you gave. We had everyone from teens to whole families give from all services.
THANK YOU!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
As a result - this will give hope to saving 3,000 lives.
A Word from Joel Olsteen - My father used to say, �The light that shines the farthest shines brightest at home.� Even though we travel, even though we reach millions of people all over the world every week on television, our main focus has always been right here in Houston on our congregation and the people in our community.
Just like a stone thrown into the water has a rippling effect that expands larger and larger, your life has a rippling effect on the world around you, too. Your light should shine brightest at home, and then you�ll see a greater impact on your job, at church, in your community and in the world.
One way you can allow your impact to ripple wider is by being a part of our local mission�s ministry, Servolution. Through Servolution, you have the opportunity to share the love of Christ with the Houston community through volunteerism, evangelism and ministry. Regardless of your interests, spiritual gifts or talents, there is a place for you!
This month, the team will be helping two ministries, International Medical Outreach and Feeding Families to bring hope to those in need. Volunteers are needed to sort and package medical supplies and food. Children 12 and older are welcome, and there will be registration tables set up in the lobby this weekend.
For more information, click here.
Remember, together we are the hands and feet of Jesus. Thank you for all you do to share His love and light to our city and around the world. It is an honor to serve with you! We love you, and we�ll see you this weekend!
Joel and Victoria Osteen
LOCAL MISSIONS BLOGNEXT ►| ◄ PREVShort-Term Missions -- Joplin MOLocal Missions | by Jadiel Muller
Thursday, August 25, 2011
On May 21, 2011 a devastating tornado hit the small town of Joplin, Missouri. 8,000 homes were destroyed leaving over 20,000 people without a home. Within minutes the city was left in rumbles. The stories of survivors that saw entire sections of their homes, their furniture and belongings swept away by the storm were many. One man tells that after hearing the warning signal, he and his wife sat on their couch and held hands. After the storm, the only thing left from his house was the couch and the wall behind them.
That was the reality that our Lakewood Church's Disaster Emergency Response Team decided to walk into on July 21st. Forty five Lakewood Church members gave of their time, resources and money to go to Joplin and unite with the local church there and provide them a vast array of reliefs. From food preparation, to IT support, to construction and electrical work, our teams worked hard to bring tangible love and to light the way of hope for those that were physically and spiritually devastated.
Beyond the rumbles, the destruction, and all that was left behind by the storm, our team was met by a city that has found a way to value life from a new outlook. People are being sustained by a faith that has taken them beyond optimism into the realization that life is a gift. As Lakewood Church � the oasis of love � we are grateful to able to support the local church in Joplin, and to apply every effort to show that even when everything you have is taken away from you overnight, God�s love remains!
(We have a second opportunity to go help the devastated community of Joplin, MO on September 8, 9, 10 and 11, 2011. For more information please log on to www.aheroesharvest.org.)
LOCAL MISSIONS BLOGNEXT ►| ◄ PREVLakewood Young Adults go to Kenya.Local Missions | by Jadiel Muller
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
This past July a team of young adults from Lakewood Church had the opportunity to go to Western Kenya on a short term mission trip. When asked to write this report I thought about all the stats and numbers � the good ones � that would paint a picture of the difference we were able to make during the eleven days we were on the ground.
I thought about the new wing we were able to inaugurate in a local orphanage that was built with money sent from Lakewood Church, which will now allow for three hundred orphans to get an education. I thought about the sixteen schools we got to share Jesus with, where almost two thousand youth and children made a decision to receive Jesus as Lord. I thought about the construction site we worked on, where our team laid concrete, painted, and planted trees for a local church that is being built. I thought about all the kids with wounds and sores that our team was able to clean and treat. As I thought of those things I realized that although these numbers paint a good picture of what happened during our eleven day trip, there is a bigger picture, one that shows the true reason why this team was able to do anything at all.
Twenty five years ago a Kenyan man from a very humble background set foot in Houston, Texas and began attending Lakewood Church. Five years later, after finishing his studies, he felt God commissioning him to go back to his home village and plant a church. Since then Lakewood Church has been a source of inspiration, encouragement and hope to the local church in Western Kenya. After seeing the result of twenty five years of Godly labor, and having the realization of the impact Lakewood Church has had there for all these years, we gained true perspective; soon the abstract idea that we were a part of something bigger than ourselves became concrete.
The doors were easily opening, the hearts were amazingly receptive, and we found instant favor where we went. Not because of our own individual competence, but because of what we were a part of � we were preluded by the credibility of Lakewood Church and the legacy of its pastors. All ten people in this team did an amazing job. They loved relentlessly, worked tirelessly, and lived with each other twenty-four hours a day selflessly.
As Lakewood Church, we did our best to show Jesus to Kenya. We preached, we prayed with boldness, and we gave them the hope found only in Jesus. But we were also forever changed, not by the daunting statistics or socioeconomic challenges of that nation, but by the fact that God is saving, restoring and changing the story of Kenya. For years, Lakewood Church has been a part of it and we were the privileged ones to see it in person.
-Jadiel Muller
Lakewood Youth and Young Adults
LOCAL MISSIONS BLOGNEXT ►| ◄ PREVBlood DriveLocal Missions | by Alini Muller
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
On Saturday July 30th and Sunday July 31st Lakewood Church partnered with MD Anderson for a Blood Drive.
476 Lakewood Members generously registered and 361 units of blood were collected for MD Anderson. It was their Biggest Drive ever!!!!! That results in saving 1083 LIVES!
To all of you who donated, on behalf of MD Anderson and Lakewood Church we just wanted to say Thank You! Lakewood donors are the BEST!
I will Praise the Holy God for anyone that Preachs even ( one word ) of Christ Jesus...for the Lord is Magnified and someone will hear the Gospel...The Lord will see to it...My Opinions or Respect for or against have no place in judgement...xo
