This weekend Joel Osteen, pastor of the mammoth Lakewood Church in Houston, will bring his gospel of hope, happiness and spiritual healing to an anticipated 50,000 tri-state residents at the recently unveiled Yankee Stadium.
Author of New York Times bestseller Your Best Life Now, Osteen is more known for his pearly white grin than the prosperity gospel that he inherited from his father, prominent Word of Faith preacher and Lakewood’s founding pastor John Osteen.
This is because in contrast to other Word of Faith televangelists, Osteen has tempered his father’s message by focusing more on having an upbeat attitude and developing positive relationships than acquiring material possessions or dogmatic Biblicism. The Houston pastor also steers clear of controversial political debates that may tarnish his brand. His typical response to the question of gay marriage involves a reaffirmation to “the traditional family unit, male and female” while often adding, “but I’m not knocking anybody else.” And when asked about any political leader or issue he simply provides his cheeky smile and a canned response of how he offers up his prayers.
Some have questioned how Osteen’s remix of positive thinking theology might fair during these trying economic times. And, of course, persons from the progressive and conservative spectrums have accused him of preaching “Christianity Light” at best and being a moral coward at worst?
One might surmise that Pastor Osteen is just well aware that the twin engines of anxiety and evidence propel persons toward his message. This is to say, the kind of economic anxiety that job loss, a tanking 401k and declining home equity creates, are the very realities that would impel persons to try his recipe of Protestant karma. What do folks have to lose? If there is anything people believe they can control it is their attitudes and treatment of others. And if things turn around, whether it is the national economy or someone’s personal fortune, than Pastor Osteen can say, “I told you. Look at the evidence. God is good.”
So as Pastor Osteen heads to Yankee stadium next week, it seems to me that he has placed himself in a win-win situation in the proverbial batter’s box. He may not have an acute structural analysis of the underlying social problems in America and abroad. Nor does he have an interest in taking a political (read: moral) stand that may divide his incredibly diverse audience. But he sure seems to have his finger on what people want. And he may have even discovered a little bit of what people need.
Whatcha think? Religious Con man? Moral coward? Or personal motivator?
