For those unfamiliar with Joel Osteen, he preaches a prosperity theology to, by many accounts, the largest church in the United States. Essentially saying that being a Christian means that you will prosper. Time Magazine did an article two years ago called “Does God Want You to be Rich.”

Coming into the stadium, there was a notable abscence of a cross (not that a cross can’t be an idol), but there was a large American flag displayed in the back (looking at later videos I think there were more than I could see from my vantage point) and a massive rotating golden globe emitting fog.

The problem with Osteen’s message isn’t that it is completely false (deception must always contain some truth), it’s that it is, at best, incomplete. His message is at core, think positively (and give to Lakewood) and you will have your best year ever. Of course he talks about aligning oneself with God, but the only route to this provided is to think positively and recognize the God inside oneself. He provides a false hope to the poor and greedy in the face of the other American churches which by in large provides so little hope it’s hardly worth mentioning.

Osteen’s narrative is not primarily that of Christ, rather it is the American narrative: work hard and you will prosper. At core, it is a narrative of empire which makes the golden globe so appropriate.

While Osteen may be one of the most egreggious, most churches throughout the United States have traded the narrative of Christ with the narrative of America. It is a narrative (familiar to Family Christian bookstores) of God’s favor and endorsement. Of the availability of an unquenchable river of cheap grace flowing with comfort, wealth, safety, and health. In short, people get what they deserve, therefore I am entitled to that which I have and have no reason to share. I can have everything I desire and follow Jesus as well. Sorry, but that’s simply untrue (see Luke 18:18-23 and Matthew 10:39 for a couple examples of the many times Christ rejects this Saducean viewpoint).

It is the narrative that says that God’s favor is on the United States, therefore our actions, whether the genocidal removal of Native American’s from their land or the exploitation of foreign labor, are unquestionably sanctioned, ordained, and blessed by God. What arrogance! What foolishness!

Quite simply put, that is completely against the narrative Christ offers. Whether we like it or not, the United States is not the “new Israel,” the United States is the “new Rome.”

I’m even more disturbed because it is a view shared by many folks in churches across America. I struggle to find anything more offensive than my God crucified on a cross by His creation. To Christians, the cross must be simultaneously offensive and comforting.

As Derek Webb says, “the gospel is inherently offensive.” In Luke, Jesus, in reference to the gospel, states:

They shall be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother in law against her daughter in law, and daughter in law against her mother in law.

It bothers me that the American church by-in-large has forgotten that the message of Christ is literally earth-shattering, perhaps that is because the American gospel is easy, say these magic words and you will go to heaven. There is no committment, there is no cost.

The message of Christ is for people to die to themselves and follow Him. The cross is an enduring symbol of that. Of course it is offensive. Praise our God that it is!

While she was visiting I learned about the removal of the cross from the Wren chapel at William and Mary and she said she was writing an editorial. My instant reaction was to think removing the cross was a nonsensical thing to do and my face and huff betrayed my perspective. Her response was, “I’m writing in support of its removal.” Instantly, I understood. Seeking the cross be returned runs parallel to insisting that “under God” remain in the pledge of allegiance, fighting for “In God We Trust” to remain on our currency, or for a moment of silence to open our school days. They are acts that in actually do very little to further the cause of God and by-in-large detract from it. In fact, all of them are more about giving lip-service to God than bringing a worthy sacrifice. They in no way help us continue to be a Christian nation–an historically bankrupt concept anyway.

Kate insightfully uses Isaiah to point to the idolatry of worshipping symbols. Take a look at her opinion editorial in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Global Rich List

Category: Tool / service

Take a moment to checkout the Global Rich List to see just how rich you are from a world-wide perspective. Any question as to if the “rich” spoken of in the Bible is you? If you live in the U.S. you are most likely extremely wealthy from a global perspective.

Evangelicals Fear the Loss of Their Teenagers

Authors: Laurie Goodstein

Journal: New York Times

Publish Date: October 6, 2006

Evangelicals (and the modern church in general) have set their own snare by making the appeal of Christianity exclusively life after death and selling Christ at the bargain price of simply proclaiming an incantation. I am working on a paper about the problem with the prevailing view of evangelism (as I spoke about before). Hopefully I will finish it soon and post it. I’m excited about it because I believe that a false view of evangelism is a root cause for many of the problems facing the institutional church.

It occurred to me during this conversation, just how much I want to start a movement–to see the Church transformed to that which Christ intended. How arrogant of me to 1) think I could do such a thing and 2) think that I’m somehow better than all those who have tried before, that our generation gets it and will somehow succeed where every generation before us has fallen short. It seems that real movements in the church (I’m no Church historian, so chime in with more information) don’t start off as movements at all, but rather are born from people seeking to be faithful to scripture and the Holy Spirit. We worship a God who time and time again uses the micro to change the macro (I just can’t get away from econ, can I?); who uses the small, the weaker, often the unwilling, to transform the greater, the stronger.

Seeking large scale Church reform, though tempting, is seeking one’s own glory–is idolatrous. If we as a people, as a generation of believers, would seek to be about the Father’s business in our lives, loving the unlovable, seeking to hear and obey, than our communities would be transformed–certainly not easily and not without much suffering, but in amazing ways. I don’t have to start a movement (nor should I). It is readily apparent as I travel and meet people that God started the movement long before I did (and will continue it long after I am gone). That there is a calling on our generation (not sure if it is unique to our generation) and that there are groups and individuals all around this country and world seeking to inhabit this calling. Christ is moving in His bride with boldness! We are a movement that cannot and should not be contained by a vision statement, not connected by x statements of belief, not beholden to a five-year plan, but rather a movement convened and ordained by the Holy Spirit Himself. We are the Church. We must encourage, even demand, from one another that we seek after God with reckless abandon, for it is when we seek after Him that we see His Kingdom break forth on earth, that we see His bride in greater glory.

But here’s the thing, we’re going to get it wrong, like the generations before us we are going to fail to fully manifest the vision God has placed on our hearts. We must have the courage to grow and mature, to look back and see where we have been wrong and to move forward with new zeal in the face of knowing we will once again fall short of perfection.

And as our kids mature we must not only tell them, but show them the story of the God of Abraham working today to help them to, not simply rest on the word we have received, but to listen and obey His voice themselves. We must have the courage to not only allow, but encourage them to tear down the asherah poles and high places built by us, as we did for our fathers.

What exciting times we live in. The Kingdom is alive and among us! Praise be to God!

“Don’t let the car fool you, my treasure is in heaven”

Arrrggghhhhhh!!!! Why is it that American Christians (perpetuated by the American church) think that we can have Jesus and all our personal preferences? Guess what folks, to follow Jesus is to die to oneself daily! The scourge of cheap grace has infected our nation. Like the good kings of old, we must tear down the asherah poles and high places built by our fathers.

Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity

Rating: 5 out of 5

Author: Lauren F. Winner

Year: 2006

Publisher: Brazos Press

ISBN: 1587431971

Lauren Winner does an excellent job Biblically examining sexuality, shaking off the victorian and Hollywood views of sexuality so prevalent in today’s cultural christianity to expose the beautiful, normal sexuality God has called us to.