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great lesson for us pastors that think that we will be judged by the number of folks on our membership roll...there is something to be said about "roots" and "foundations"


Tall trees require deep roots...and apparently zero sound, Biblical doctrine!

If spreading fluff and avoiding the subject of sin is what it takes to grow tall trees, I'll stick to planting bushes!!!

I would love to sit down and talk with the smiley preacher (for clarity). After reading his latest book, no wonder so many people flock to him (not Jesus). Ear tickling time!

i think all of us pastors could stand a little personal adjustment on the love/truth continuum

I agree about love, and would add mercy. The problem is that tickling ears promotes destruction, not love and mercy.

my point in clicking "comments" was that i had something to say about the post. but reading the comments has me pretty fired up. there's so much good going on in houston because of lakewood, and everywhere else their ministry reaches - why is it that just the mention of his name causes so many bitter reactions? have they been to houston? have they stopped to see what good is going on? ignore the big numbers if you like - there's a ton of people whose lives have been taken off the course for hell and are on their way to heaven because that church is doing what it is doing.

man, that wears me out hearing people accusing joel of not preaching like they think he should.

so anyway.... what i came here to say...

i believe in the truth you said about stuff taking time. our church (healing place church) got a huge part of our launch energy from john osteen himself - just before starting our church our pastor was in john osteen's living room and john gave him a check for a few hundred dollars and told him, "go start a church in baton rouge - here, i've given you an offering for it - now you're responsible to do it."

the idea was already there to start a church, but what john osteen did was a huge factor in how we do church. it takes time. in regards to finances, he told us, "make sure you take care of the poor, support missions, and be sure to give something back to the people."

that isn't hardly a fast-track plan for building a huge facility. but in God's economy, when you're faithful to care for the poor and to reach out to those who have yet to hear about Jesus, and you aren't stingy with your resources, you will see tree-like growth -- strong, tall, life-giving, fruit-bearing....

anyway - thanks for the post - sorry for the long comment.

i agree Dan... why do so many pastors believe that screaming condemnation about other people's sins is the best way to reflect Christ's message? I'm waaaaay to aware of my own sins to be so ambitious about pointing out the shortcomings of others. Yes, we're all sinners, but conviction has got to come from the right source at the right time.

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