Sermon with a Smile?

Today I received this week’s issue of US News and World Report (October 3, 2005). Included in this issue is an article entitled "Sermon with a Smile." The article is an interview with Joel Osteen and he talks to the interviewer about the power of positive preaching. He was asked the question, "You get criticized a lot for your relentless positivity. Why?"

His response is what has me fired up. He responded,

"I think maybe it's because it's not old school. People are used to being beaten down, they're used to [churches] condemning people to make them feel bad so that they'll repent, so they'll know that they're sinners, but I think there's a different approach. Maybe some people think I'm not hard enough on 'em, but I talk about hard issues; I just do it in a positive way. I do it in a way that says, "Hey, you can overcome--it doesn't matter where you've been or what you've done."

The part that caught my attention from this "People are used to being beaten down, they're used to [churches] condemning people to make them feel bad so that they'll repent, so they'll know that they're sinners, but I think there's a different approach." A different approach??

I don't know a whole lot about Joel Osteen, other than that he pastors the largest church in the United States and that he wrote a book called "Your Best Life Now." I must admit I have not read his book in its entirety. However, while I can somewhat agree that a pastor should not always "beat" his people down, that does not been we should not preach on sin. The Bible clearly teaches that repentance is necessary in order to be saved. Jesus said in Luke 13:3, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Acts 3:19, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."

I'm afraid that they church world has swallowed the idea that "God has a wonderful plan for your life - He'll give you love, joy, peace, happiness if you will just accept Him as your Savior." Have you noticed how seemingly everything that is promoted in the church world today has something to do with people making their lives better? 40 Days of Purpose, The Purpose Driven Life, Your Best Life Now, and on and on the popular religious materials go. What's not popular? Repentance. Turning from sins. Messages that teach that we must stop sinning.

The message that is accepted is the message that talks about how to make your life better - not a message that teaches that you need to be holy as He is holy.

The question is, who's missing it?

The message that we need to reach our world with is the fact that they have sinned against a holy God and unless they repent they will perish. Jesus Christ has paid the price to deliver completely from sin.

Not, "God has a wonderful plan for your life."

Click here to read the whole US News and World Report Article