Pentecostalism for the Exurbs
I have respect for Joel Osteen. When he came to
God does not want you to be poor or sick or suffer in any way. You can claim victory over that suffering and enjoy a pleasant, prosperous and healthy life in this world. The biggest problem with this theology, however, is that it is not biblical. Can you imagine what Jesus’ ministry would have looked like had he espoused these ideas? Of course, first he would have had to be born into an upper-middle-class family. He would have had to be more successful than a homeless, itinerant prophet. And that whole beating and crucifixion thing would have to have been skipped altogether.
In fact, Hebrews tells us that Jesus’ suffering was important to our own salvation. Paul also suggests that it is through suffering, not the avoidance of pain that we identify with Christ. An examination of the Scriptures finds more evidence for our suffering than for our prosperity. At the very best, books like Ecclesiastes and Psalms indicate that our lives will be filled with both prosperity and suffering—regardless of the amount of our faith.
But what really bugs me about Osteen’s prosperity message is the way it reflects who God is. Take a look at the sub-title of the above-mentioned article: Joel Osteen’s God really wants you to dress well, stand up straight, and get a convenient parking space. When we preach, teach, write or talk about our faith we are reflecting on God. What God do people see when they look at us? Do they see a God only for yuppie exurbs (I love that word), or do they see a God who can be for anyone, even the poor and suffering? This is a question of our most basic theology, and the answer will be in every single conversation we ever have about God. If we don’t think it through, we may be espousing a theology that is not biblical.
My challenge is simple—think it through.
Josh R.
