Source: http://www.joelosteenblog.com/2005/07/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 13:49:27+00:00

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This entry was posted in Joel Osteen Bio and History on July 30, 2005 by Admin.
HOUSTON -- America's largest church celebrated its move into the former arena for the Houston Rockets with a capacity crowd of 16,000, an upbeat sermon from its televangelist pastor and a spirited welcome from the governor of Texas.
"How do you like our new home?" Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen asked to thunderous applause. "It looks pretty good doesn't it? This is a dream come true."
The new home for the nondenominational Christian church is the former Compaq Center, once home to the Rockets.
There were no vacant spots in the arena as Lakewood, which recently became the first church in the United States to average more than 30,000 worshippers weekly, held its first service there Saturday night. The service also was televised live.
Gov. Rick Perry praised the church's new look and told the crowd, "As lawmakers we do a lot of things, but only the church can teach people to love.
"This is nothing short of amazing," Perry said. "It is so great to look across this crowd and see the wonderful diversity of this great state we call Texas."
It took more than 15 months and $75 million to complete the renovations - which included adding five stories to make more room.
"I couldn't believe how beautiful it was," Osteen said afterward when asked to describe how he felt when he first entered what he called the "Texas-sized" sanctuary. "It almost felt surreal."
Video clips playing on three gigantic screens showcased the building and recounted the history of the church. One video recalled the church's humble beginnings in an abandoned feed store in 1959 and traced Osteen's rise to the pulpit after his father and church founder, John Osteen, died 40 years later.
Osteen took over the church in 1999 and has increased the size of the congregation almost five-fold since then. His book, "Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living Your Full Potential" has sold almost 3 million copies.
The service was highlighted by a 25-minute sermon by Osteen, who told the crowd that he and his wife, Victoria, went on their first date in the arena 19 years ago.
The crowd roared with approval throughout the message and was often brought to its feet as Osteen spoke in front of a large golden-colored globe that rotated slowly.
Members of the choir swayed happily, belting out several different songs below pictures of a crisp blue sky with puffy white clouds.
While collection plates were passed, video messages from people around the world, including Pastor T.D. Jakes of the Potter's House in Dallas, welcomed Lakewood to its new location.
"It is overwhelming, unbelievable, fantastic," Ann Bell, one of the church's original members, said after the service. "Words can't even describe it."
This entry was posted in Joel Osteen News Items on July 26, 2005 by Admin.
because, you know what, God deserves the best."
hopes to soon save souls.
For the full Joel Osteen story with pictures.
This entry was posted in Joel Osteen News Items on July 22, 2005 by Admin.
Is Joel Osteen A Fake?
So is the smiling preacher Joel Osteen a fake? Tough call on what constitutes fakery.
Does he have an "agenda" to convert everyone to Christianity?
Does he want to impose his religious views on everyone else, a type of religious imperialism?
Is it his goal to build a religious empire?
Is he in it just for the money?
Is his laid back approach some kind of front to appeal to the more secular audience?
Does he preach one thing and act another way off camera?
To paraphrase a line from his interview with Larry King -- I really don't know what's in his heart. That's between him and his big "G" god. If Joel Osteen is a fake then that's his problem and he'll get the whammy at some point. Heh, now that's my non-Christian view.
In my opinion, I do believe he is sincere in what he preaches. At least that's the vibe I get from him. All the other religious TV screamers seem to be these thin-lipped, glossy-eyed, grinning mechanoid zealots who give me the jeebies. Joel is really laid back. That's cool.
I've been watching Joel on TV for about a year now and I wanted to see what he was like at one of his rolling preacher shows.
more and step back again.
forceful enough to condemn other religions. And for that he gets slammed so he has to issue an apology.
I don't think Joel Osteen is a fake. I just think he's a nice guy.
This entry was posted in Joel Osteen Impressions, Larry King Interview on July 19, 2005 by Admin.
Here is a letter that was posted on the JoelOsteen.com site after the Larry King interview.
Jesus declared in John 14; I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me. I believe that Jesus Christ alone is the only way to salvation. However, it wasn't until I had the opportunity to review the transcript of the interview that I realize I had not clearly stated that having a personal relationship with Jesus is the only way to heaven. It's about the individual's choice to follow Him.
This entry was posted in Larry King Interview on July 13, 2005 by Admin.
Here is a transcript of the interview originally aired June 20, 2005.
and wait until you hear what he had to overcome to do it. Pastor Joel Osteen is here for the hour. We'll take your calls. It's next on LARRY KING LIVE.
published called "Your Best Life Now Journal," a guide to reaching that full potential. Joel Osteen is pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. His father before him. He has been called the smiling preacher. We met.
KING: Long ago with your father.
OSTEEN: We did. We met at a charity event for the Heart Association down there with Dr. DeBakey, I believe, or Dr. Cooley (ph).
KING: Dr. Cooley -- about seven, eight years ago.
just made his day. We didn't meet for 10 seconds, but he loved you.
my father died, I just knew -- I don't know how to explain it, it sounds kind of odd, but I just knew down to here I was supposed to step up to the plate and pastor the church. And it was odd because I had never preached before. But I just knew I was supposed to do it.
KING: Did it come easily?
OSTEEN: It did. It came -- it came somewhat easily. I had to study. I was nervous. Still get nervous. But it did. I believe God gives you the grace to do what you need to do. And the great thing about it is the people were so loyal to my father. They wanted one of his sons to take over. And daddy had never really necessarily raised anybody up under him.
KING: What do the other sons do?
OSTEEN: Well, my brother Paul is a surgeon and he works with us there at the church. He gave up his practice to work with us and I have other sisters and brothers that work, as well.
KING: Is -- have you always believed?
OSTEEN: I have always believed. I grew up, you know, my parents were a good Christian people. They showed us love in the home. My parents were the same in the pulpit as they were at home. I think that's where a lot of preachers' kids get off base sometimes. Because they don't see the same things at both places. But I've always believed. I saw it through my parents. And I just grew up believing.
lot more of that. But, you know, I just -- I don't believe in that. I don't believe -- maybe it was for a time. But I don't have it in my heart to condemn people. I'm there to encourage them. I see myself more as a coach, as a motivator to help them experience the life God has for us.
KING: But don't you think if people don't believe as you believe, they're somehow condemned?
there is condemnation but I don't feel that's my place.
KING: You've been criticized for that, haven't you?
OSTEEN: I have. I have. Because I don't know.
KING: Where were you ordained? OSTEEN: I was ordained from the church there, Lakewood, under my dad's ministry.
KING: So you didn't go to seminary?
OSTEEN: No, sir, I didn't.
KING: That's kind of an easy way in.
KING: Are you a pastor? A reverend? Legally what are you?
OSTEEN: I'm a reverend and a pastor. A pastor of the church. I go by usually pastor.
KING: You can marry people?
KING: So the church in a sense ordained you?
OSTEEN: Right. And then you're ordained through the State of Texas.
KING: How'd it grow so much?
OSTEEN: I don't know, Larry. I don't know if there was one thing. I think part of it was my dad had such a great foundation. Then all of a sudden here comes somebody 40 years younger, just new energy. New life.
You know. I think one thing is my dad had a television ministry to start with. So all of a sudden here I was 36 years old and I was on television. Well, most young men that age, they're building a congregation and it costs a lot of money to be on television and all that. So all of a sudden there was a young minister across America. So I don't know if it's part of that. I think part of it is the message of hope and that I'm for people.
OSTEEN: We are, we are.
OSTEEN: He was Southern Baptist. But he left that way back in the early '60s. And then he just started Lakewood Church. And we've always been independent and just for everybody.
KING: Many evangelists feel that the church, the church itself, the religion, has failed. You share that view? OSTEEN: Well, I think in a sense when you see certain things in society you would think that. But in another sense I see faith in America. Faith in the world. At an all-time high today. When I was growing up it was a big deal to have a church of 1,000. Now there's churches of 10,000. So many of them. So I think in one sense I can agree with that point. But in another sense I see a real spiritual awakening taking place.
KING: How many people come to your church?
OSTEEN: We have about 30,000 each weekend.
KING: How do you hold them?
OSTEEN: We have multiple services. It holds 8,000. But we're about to move into a new facility. But we just do a lot of services.
KING: You work all day Sunday?
OSTEEN: We do. And Saturday. We do one Saturday night and then four -- three Sunday and one Spanish. So it's a lot of work.
KING: You write all your own?
OSTEEN: I do. I do all my own research and do all my own service.
KING: And when are you on television?
OSTEEN: We're on different times. We're in the top 25 markets on one of the network stations.
OSTEEN: Yes, sir. Usually Sundays.
KING: Are you asking for money?
OSTEEN: We never have. Never have. Since my dad started. I started a television ministry for my father back in '83. That was one decision we made. We just don't ask for money. We never have, we never will. You know, it's -- I don't criticize people that do. Some of them have to. But I just, I don't want anything to pull away from the message.
KING: How do you get the money to get the time on television?
OSTEEN: The church supports it.
KING: How does the church get the money?
OSTEEN: Well, they just give. There are just a lot of them, they're faithful, they're loyal people, they believe in giving. And the other thing too, what's interesting, Larry, we don't ask for money on television. But people see your heart. People send in money like you wouldn't imagine to underwrite it. KING: Really? Without your ever saying order this medal?
OSTEEN: Exactly. It's a testament to, you know, I think if people can see your heart is right. I'm certainly not the only one. But I don't get on there and beg for money. People send it in. You'd be amazed.
KING: Do you think there's too much of that, send in this, my new book is out?
sometimes I think, you know. I would -- I think people get on and they have to make the television audience underwrite it. And then they spend their time doing that.
KING: So it's self-fulfilling. Billy Graham was here last Thursday.
KING: Might have been his last interview. Is he a hero to the evangelists?
OSTEEN: He is a hero to us all. His life of integrity. Somebody that can stick with for that long and just stick with his message. What I love about Dr. Graham is he stayed on course. He didn't get sidetracked. That's what happens to so many people today. It's a good lesson for me, a good example for me to say, you know what, Joel, you may have a lot now but I want to be here 40 years from now sitting with you.
KING: Do you share Billy's beliefs of life after death in a sense of going somewhere?
OSTEEN: I do. I do. We probably agree on 99 percent. I do. I believe there's a heaven you know. Afterwards, there's, you know, a place called hell. And I believe it's when we have a relationship with God and his son Jesus and that's what the Bible teaches us. I believe it.
KING: Our guest is Joel Osteen. The senior pastor for Lakewood Church in Houston, the author of "Your Best Life Now," amazing bestseller. We'll be right back.
you do than from what you say. Like that old saying, I'd rather see a sermon than hear one anyday.
And when you are tempted to compromise and just take the easy way out, I challenge you to think generationally. Know that every right choice you make you are making it a little bit easier on those that come after you.
KING: Our guest, Joel Osteen. Why do you think "Your Best Life Now" did as well as it did?
KING: There's a lot of books about improving yourself.
our society today. There's so much negative. Most of my book is about how you can live a good life today in spite of all that. So I think that had a big part of it.
KING: But it doesn't quote a lot of biblical passages until the back of the book, right?
of the scriptures that talk about that. But same principal in the book.
OSTEEN: We do have rules. But the main rule to me is to honor God with your life. To life a life of integrity. Not be selfish. You know, help others. But that's really the essence of the Christian faith.
OSTEEN: I don't know. What do you mean by that?
done in your life, you ain't.
KING: The Senate apologized last week for slavery. You think the Southern Baptists and a lot of the churches in the South owe some apology, too?
OSTEEN: I've never thought about it. Because I just didn't -- wasn't raised in it.
KING: But you know its history.
OSTEEN: Oh, absolutely. I think that it would never hurt; anything we could do to make amends, the better it can be. That's what I love about our church. It's made up of all different races. That's what life should all be about. That's what God wants it to be.
OSTEEN: Yeah, absolutely bothers me. It's not right. It's a shame, and I don't know how they could do it with a pure heart to God but, you know what? It happened.
OSTEEN: I think the prosperity gospel in general is -- well I don't know. I hear it too. I don't know. I think what sometimes you see is it's just all about money. That's not what I believe. It's the attitude of your heart, and so you know, we believe -- but I do believe this, that God wants us to be blessed. He wants us to be able to send our kids to college, excel in our careers. But prosperity to me, Larry, is not just money, it's having health. What good is money if you don't have health?
KING: Also many in the Christian belief are wary of too much material, aren't they?
OSTEEN: Yeah, I think some of them are. But to me, you know, I hope people get blessed if they can handle it right. Because it takes money to do good. You know to do things for people. To spread the good news. So I think it's all a matter of your heart.
KING: You think other preachers are envious of you?
OSTEEN: If they are, I don't feel it. I've got so many good friends. And the ones I know are encouraging me. I don't hear anything but good things from them. I hope they're not. Because we're all in it together.
KING: You want to do this the rest of your life?
OSTEEN: I do. I do. I know it's what I'm called to do. I feel like this is why I was born. Even though I never dreamed I'd be doing it. But I know now I never dreamed I'd be able to get to help people like this. I never dreamed it was in me. I didn't know I could get up to speak in front of people and impact people's lives. I didn't know I could do that. I was shy.
KING: We'll get to those seven steps in a minute. We'll be taking your calls, as well. Don't go away.
KING: We're back with Joel Osteen. The book "Your Best Life Now" a major bestseller. "Seven steps to living at your full potential." The new one "Your Best Life Now, A Journal." It's a guide for the earlier book, right? You used it as a compendium, in a sense. OSTEEN: That's exactly right. It's just something to put your notes in. Kind of help you get along there.
KING: Don't you ever doubt?
OSTEEN: No. I don't -- I wouldn't say that I do. I guess I do and I don't think about it too much.
KING: Didn't you say what? Why?
KING: The people in the building didn't have free will.
KING: But don't you want to know, why would an omnipotent -- assuming he is omnipotent -- God permit that?
OSTEEN: I don't know, Larry. I don't know it all.
KING: A deformed baby had nothing to do with free will.
tell people that have lost a child or that have gone through some kind of tragedy, you've got to have a file in your mind called and I don't understand it file. And you've got to put it in there and not try to figure it out and not let it ruin the rest of your life and not get bitter. And that's what we see so many people do.
KING: But you're not asking for blind faith. Don't you want people to question?
OSTEEN: Oh, I do. I think you do at a certain point. But I don't think you can let something ruin -- I've seen too many people angry at God and they live the rest of their life that way. You've got to say God, I don't understand why this happened to me but I'm going to move on. The worst thing we can do is wallow around in self- pity. I talk in the book, too, about letting go of the past. I know it's hard. I'm making it sound easy, it's not. But sometimes you've got to say I don't understand it. We were all praying for my dad. He was 77 when he died. You'd think we've got a church full of people praying but I don't know. It was probably his time to go, obviously. But I don't understand until (ph) some of the others.
KING: Do you ever involve politics in the sermons?
KING: Never mention President Bush?
difference in your life. So I don't go down the road of condemning.
KING: Noah had an ark and Adam and Eve?
OSTEEN: I do. I do. I believe that. I believe it all.
OSTEEN: It is. But it's also hard, too, to look at our bodies and say, my brother's a surgeon, how could our bodies be made like this? We couldn't have just come from something. It's just hard, when my child was born I thought seeing him in the little sonogram I thought look at that. He's got eyes. How is that developing? It's just, I don't know. I look at it like that.
KING: The book describes seven steps to living at full potential. I want to ask you about -- Choose to be happy. Now, how the heck do you do that?
OSTEEN: Well, I think, Larry. It's just an attitude we've got to get up and make a decision every single day. I mean, what so many people today do, they focus on what they don't have instead of what they do have.
a tough situation, but this is where God has me and I'm going to make the most of it. And I think that that's where so many of us miss it today. We're waiting to be happy one day.
KING: How about the Eastern philosophy that says you're not entitled to today. Today is a gift. So -- it doesn't matter if it's raining. It's a beautiful gift today.
OSTEEN: I've not heard it. But I'd degree with it.
KING: You aren't entitled to today.
waste you know, just because I don't get my way or something happens.
KING: Another seven steps -- one of the seven steps is live to give, charity is, in the Talmud, the greatest thing of all.
OSTEEN: Yeah. I believe it is. I believe that's the whole spirit of Christianity is, you know, having a lifestyle of giving. Not giving at Christmas, not giving every once in awhile but having an attitude to give. I've always said this, if you'll get up and make it your business to make somebody else's day, God will make your own day.
or thinking about how I get ahead in my career. And certainly we want to do some of that. But we need to get up and focus on others.
KING: Find strength through adversity. Bad is good.
OSTEEN: Well, I think the way I believe that god won't let something come into your life unless he's going to use it for your good. Now you've got to keep the right attitude for that to happen. But that helps us in our struggles to, say you know what? God's going to get something good out of this. This is a tough time but I'm just going to believe, I'm going to trust. I may not see it for a year or five years but I believe it's going to turn around. And a great example is in my dad's death. My dad and I were best friends. Worked with him for 17 years. I told before my wife I don't know what I'm going to do when my dad dies. I loved him. We were good friends. But when my father died the darkest hour of my life is when I felt that stinging here, that I was supposed to step up and preach.
So I see how in my darkest hour something new was born. I believe that God always opens up a new door.
KING: Do you know you're getting through to people? Billy Graham used to know it because they came down and gave themselves to Christ. How do you know?
OSTEEN: I feel the same way. I can see it there in the church when I see my book do what it did. And when we go to arenas across the country and every one of them's been sold out. Its just, you know, we get thousands of letters and stuff. And you know, I feel like we are, you know. I feel like we're making a difference.
KING: We'll be right back. We'll include your phone calls for Joel Osteen, senior pastor of the Lakewood Church in Houston. Reportedly the largest, fastest growing congregation in the United States and the author of "Your Best Life Now" and now "Your Best Life Now Journal." Don't go away.
OSTEEN: And there's nothing the enemy would love any more than for you to go around thinking about your faults and weaknesses, all the mistakes you made last week and all the times you messed up last month.
you used to be. And we all make mistakes. But you know what? You need to learn to just be quick to repent. Say God, I'm sorry, forgive me. Help me to do better next time.
KING: We're back with Joel Osteen, the pastor of the Lakewood Church in Houston. The author of "The New York Times" best-seller "Your Best Life Now." He's been called the smiling preacher. You like that?
OSTEEN: It doesn't bother me. I like it.
KING: You do smile a lot.
Fontana, California. Hello. CALLER: Yes -- Joel?
CALLER: I have a question for you. We're a small congregational church here and we'd like to come and see you next month, but you charge to get in and we're a very poor congregation. Why do you charge to get in to your appearances?
KING: You charge at the church?
OSTEEN: No, no, never. Never.
The only reason we did is because when we went New York to Madison Square Garden they wouldn't let us do an event without doing a ticketed event because of the crowds. We sold it out two nights and we turned so many people away in Anaheim and Atlanta, it was just a shame to do that.
Hey, you know, you need to write the church, because we'll make a way that anybody can get in to those events. I don't like charging.
KING: To Milford, Delaware. Hello.
CALLER: OK. I heard years ago that your mother was healed of cancer. Do you know why it's not God's will that everyone is healed of cancer?
KING: Do you wonder, though?
KING: So, you've never had an answer to why he lives and he dies.
that same mercy on their lives and we've seen it happen. And you know there are others that don't.
KING: How do you balance the personal appearances with the church?
KING: Are you out every week?
OSTEEN: No. We went -- we're out 20 weeks this -- or 20 dates this year, but like 15 weeks.
KING: Like concert tours dates?
OSTEEN: Exactly. Just like that.
KING: You're in big arenas?
OSTEEN: Big arenas. Big arenas.
of a thousand, or 5,000 or 10,000 and finally I said, "Let's get a basketball arena and we'll turn off the top, you know, the top lights if nobody shows up. We did it in Atlanta and the building was filled up, you know, an hour before and hey had to shut it down. So, you know, God's blessed us.
KING: Do you get a lot of young people?
OSTEEN: Yes, lots of young people. It's good. A lot of young people.
KING: Studio City, California. Hello.
CALLER: Hi, my name is Tricia (ph), Joel. How are you?
OSTEEN: Good, thank you. CALLER: Good, thank you. I was just interested in finding out: You're such a busy man, how do you juggle family and your personal life and what do you like to do for fun?
life. I don't -- it's a big church but I have a good staff. I don't -- unfortunately I don't do the weddings and the funerals and a lot of things that a pastor of a smaller church does.
So, I just -- you know, I made a decision that I don't want my kids to grow up and not know me just because I'm so busy and on Dr. Graham talks about that -- I just I stay at home.
KING: How have you handled fame?
OSTEEN: You know, I never think about it. I never think about it. I don't feel like I changed at all. I haven't changed my routine. I haven't, you know, I don't -- I guess the main thing: I feel a bigger responsibility. I spend plenty of quiet time in the morning searching my heart, staying on the right course and just staying humble before God.
KING: Not let it get to you?
OSTEEN: Not let it get to your head.
Because I've seen too many.
They've been where I am and way past and they've come falling down.
KING: Many people have been calling here telling me -- asking about your schedule. Is it printed anywhere? You know, when you're appearing?
OSTEEN: Yes. It can be on -- it's on the Web site.
OSTEEN: That is JoelOsteen.com. I guess just my name dot-com, I think.
KING: OK. You just go to JoelOsteen.com.
OSTEEN: Yes. They can get it.
KING: And you get the schedule.
OSTEEN: Exactly. We're going to be in Anaheim and back to Madison Square Garden. We have quite a few more dates this year. Love to have people come out.
KING: Do you ever use a show business term: Bomb? In other words, do you ever not connect? Are you ever speaking and like a third of the way in saying, "I don't have 'em?"
OSTEEN: I think so. I think so.
KING: Can't be perfect all the time.
and say, "Man, that was great today."
And sometimes, you know, you're looking for a little bit of feedback and if you don't get -- but I just try to stay focused, say, "you know what, I believe this is what I'm supposed to be doing." I'm not perfect.
KING: What do you wonder about the most? Now, I mean, you accept things as they are: He gets cancer, she doesn't. What do you -- what though, boggles your mind about this world?
OSTEEN: What do I wonder about? You know what, Larry?
KING: There's no great searching?
KING: Or on going problem?
KING: Let's take depression, it affects over 20 million people.
times, it's an attitude and it's that we've gotten so focused on, like I said, ourselves and things like that. So, I don't know, Larry. I don't have any great wonderment.
KING: "Let Go of the past," is another one of your seven steps.
That's not easy to do, since the only thing we have right to this minute is our past.
KING: You think we choose to be angry? OSTEEN: I think we do. I think we do and over time it becomes a habit and all of a sudden, you know, we think that's just who I am.
No. That's who we've developed into being, because I don't think we have to be like that.
KING: Back with more of Joel Osteen.
More of your phone calls right after this.
day and they rushed to the pearly gates and they said, "St. Peter please tell us: Is Jesus white or black? we've been arguing our whole lifetime."
About that time Jesus walked up and said, "Buenos dias."
that you can wear. You wonder why Victoria and I have a great relationship? It's called Victoria's Secret.
KING: Good line. Houston, Texas, hello.
CALLER: I was just wondering what Joel -- hi, Joel. I just finished your book on Saturday. Actually it was audio that my sister sent me two weeks ago and I think it's the best thing I've ever listened to in my life, and I just wanted to thank you. But my question was, I was wondering how old you were?
OSTEEN: I'm 42 years old.
people? And do you get nervous?
KING: It's only been six years, though?
KING: Grand Forks, North Dakota, hello.
CALLER: Hey, I was calling -- I'm Jerry Lundabee (ph). I attend Bible Baptist Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and one of my -- I have a few questions here. I wonder if you might entertain all of them. My first question was -- is, do you believe that the bible is God's inspired word? I haven't heard you answer that question yet.
KING: And your second question is what?
CALLER: My second question would be -- I don't know -- I heard him talking a little bit ago about how he sees faith getting stronger in America and across the world, and I believe that it's the opposite, that -- we're seeing higher rates of divorce, higher rates of drug and alcohol use among young people, and old, and with abductions, and things like that getting worse and worse.
KING: What do you think, Joel? First, inspired word.
that seats 16,000 people? I mean, people are hungry for hope and encouragement.
KING: But there's never been more division than now in the United States, politically, certainly.
KING: You're a glass-half-full, right?
OSTEEN: I am. I see, like I said, you look back 10 years ago, there was, you know, not that many churches that had over 1,000 or 5,000 people. It's a different day today.
KING: We'll be back with more, and later, in a little while, we'll met Mrs. Osteen. Don't go away.
ever sink down to their level. Don't try to argue. Don't try to pay somebody back. Don't give them the cold shoulder. Be the bigger person. Overlook their faults. Walk in love. Learn to even bless your enemies.
Somebody's talking about you. Somebody's doing you wrong. Just bless them and move on anyway. Let me tell you, in the long run, crows can't hang with eagles. You do that and you'll rise above all that junk.
KING: Hillsboro, Wisconsin with Joel Osteen. Hello.
friend recently, and he said he believed that Lucifer was going to be the last one to enter heaven after the rapture because he believed that God is a forgiving god, and even Lucifer will be forgiven. And that just blew me away. And I wondered what your thought would be on that.
KING: I asked Reverend Graham if god loves the devil. Didn't -- couldn't -- he'd never been asked it before.
OSTEEN: I never thought of it either. I don't know.
OSTEEN: I don't know. I'll leave that for Dr. Graham.
look at your heart, and only god knows that.
KING: You believe there's a place called heaven?
OSTEEN: I believe there is. Yes. You know, you've had a lot of the near-death experiences and things like that. Some of that is very, to me, not that you need that as proof, but it shows you these little kids seeing the angels and things like that.
KING: We'll take a break, and when we come back, the better half, Victoria, will join us. Don't go away.
treating them. If you will begin to treat them differently, then you will get a different response. In other words, say your spouse isn't giving you enough love. They're ignoring you. They're not being kind and considerate to you.
Well, see, human nature is to give them a taste of their own medicine, to treat them the same way. But when we do that, we're just going to continue to reap what we're sowing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KING: Joining us now in our remaining moments -- the screen obviously improves -- Victoria Osteen, Joel's wife. How'd you two meet?
V. OSTEEN: In my family's jewelry store. He came in to buy a watch battery. And I sold him a watch. And he says, I've been taking his money ever since.
KING: When did you get into the preaching business? We saw that clip of you?
V. OSTEEN: Well, when Joel went through the transition after his father died, I just -- he wanted me to take part in every service. So I do. I take part in every service. I do just a little encouraging piece. And then, this is my fourth Mother's Day message to bring. So that was on Mother's Day.
KING: Why do you want her in?
OSTEEN: Well, one, she's fantastic. And you know, she just has so much to give. And two, I think it increases our whole reach, to be a team, to do it together. I mean, here's some young people that are excited about God, and you know, there's not a lot of women in the, you know, ministry.
KING: Were you always a believer?
V. OSTEEN: Yes, I was raised as a believer, yes.
KING: What happens when you -- do you two disagree?
V. OSTEEN: Sure. We agree to disagree sometimes, you know.
KING: You ever disagree on biblical philosophy?
V. OSTEEN: We've been married 18 years.
KING: He looks 15 and you look 22.
V. OSTEEN: Oh, OK. Golly, you're younger than me. I'm going to have to do something about that. What I was going to say was, what he speaks every week is exactly the way he lives. It's the way he's always lived.
KING: There's no phony here?
KING: I'll bet you do sometimes.
V. OSTEEN: Well, you know what? I've gotten better. I've gotten better living with him. You can't do a whole lot of judging around our house. You'll get in trouble.
KING: (INAUDIBLE) drive you crazy? He's nice. I like him. He wasn't so bad. Don't hang up. He's nice.
V. OSTEEN: He's nice. He's real nice. And he always is nice, but I'm getting nicer. And I like myself better.
KING: What did you think about the Victoria's Secret sermon?
V. OSTEEN: I thought it was probably we all needed to hear that. We can all do better.
KING: Did you think twice before saying go to Victoria's Secret, to prop up the marriage?
OSTEEN: I thought about it, because I write my sermons, and I knew I'd get some letters. But I thought it kind of made the point. And I liked it. And I don't know if it was worth all the heat, but it was fun.
KING: Was there a hush in the crowd?
OSTEEN: No, they laughed. They were dying with me, so.
KING: The natural scheme of life is temptation. It's in front of you every day.
KING: Have you ever been tempted?
OSTEEN: Absolutely. I think we all are, you know. But you have to resist, and you have to keep your mind and your thoughts pure. But I think we all are. And the Bible talks about, you've got to pray to not enter into temptation. It doesn't say to pray that you won't be tempted. We all are.
KING: Had a near slip?
KING: You get tempted to?
V. OSTEEN: Yeah. I eat that pie when I know I shouldn't.
KING: I'm not talking about that kind of temptation.
V. OSTEEN: No, no. Sexual temptation?
V. OSTEEN: No, no. I don't. I don't put things in me which, you know, like a lot of times you can watch a lot of things and you can put things in your mind as a seed, and they can give birth to that kind of thing. But we really try to guard what we watch. We guard what we -- what we allow to come in. And you know, I think that's a lot of it. You have to guard your mind.
KING: Do you think your children have pressure on them to growing up with a famous pastor?
OSTEEN: I don't think so. I mean, maybe they do.
KING: Do you want them to be in the church?
OSTEEN: Oh, I would love them to do something. But I don't know what. Maybe they'll sing. Maybe they'll make movies. Maybe they'll do something -- maybe they'll be a minister. I don't know. But my father never pressured me, and we don't pressure ours. But I do like to expose them to it. Because to me, it's such an opportunity, and we just have such a heritage.
KING: Would you like to do some sermons, just you?
KING: Take a rest one week and why don't you do it?
OSTEEN: As often as she could. She is more than welcome. And she's great at it. And she does those (INAUDIBLE).
V. OSTEEN: He's so good, though, you know. I like to sit and watch him.
KING: All right, what makes a good evangelist?
has grown is because we've changed with the times. I mean, the music is upbeat. My message is what's going to help you during the week and things like that.
KING: What makes a good evangelist's wife?
V. OSTEEN: Helping him keep his focus. Complimenting him.
V. OSTEEN: I don't criticize, but I make suggestions.
KING: No, you don't know what he's going to say?
KING: You ever get tired of repeating it?
OSTEEN: It gets -- it's -- yeah. It's tiring physically.
KING: You do it five times?
OSTEEN: Yeah, it's physically tiring. But you know what, you just see the people out there, and it's like you said earlier, I realize this is the first time they've come this week. I've got to give it all I've got.
KING: What do you worry about the most?
V. OSTEEN: Probably my children. My children. I don't -- I'm concerned, you know. Because I'm a mother. And I want the best for them.
KING: It's not easy growing up.
V. OSTEEN: It's not. But you know, you have to trust. But I fight that. I fight, you know, not being so fearful, and I just -- but yeah, that's -- my kids.
KING: Do you have a doubt?
V. OSTEEN: I fight doubt, I do, sure. But I resist it. I try to change my thinking. Because it's kind of like this, Larry, you know, Joel says we can choose this. Well, it just makes you aware that there is another way. It makes you aware that there is a possibility. You know, if you've had a tragedy in your life, and you have someone like Joel telling you, you know, you can get over this, and this is how you can do it, you know, it just opens you up to see another way. And unless someone gives you another way to think, you'll never know. So I think that's where it comes, the choosing comes. It's to say, there is another option out there.
KING: You're going to win the award as the happiest people ever to be on this program.
OSTEEN: God bless you, Larry. My pleasure.
Preacher. And you can see why. And his number one "New York Times" best-seller "Your Best Life Now: Seven Steps to Living at Your Full Potential." The companion now published, "Your Best Life Now Journal," and Victoria Osteen, as well.
This entry was posted in Larry King Interview on July 12, 2005 by Admin.
I was channel surfing about a year ago when I happened to catch a glimpse of Joel Osteen on one of the local religious stations.
The first time I saw him I just zipped by the channel without giving it much thought. Just another one of those tele-evangelists pounding their view into us no good sinners. Nothing like a nice cheerful pick-me-up after a hard day of loafing about.
He reminded me a little of the fake faith healer Peter Popoff who years ago was deposed by magician James "The Amazing" Randi who used about $20,000 worth of electronic scanning equipment to catch Peter Popoff in the act of receiving "secret" information through a hidden earpiece. I thought that maybe Joel was Peter's son.
I remember making a remark about him to a co-worker. "Hey did you see there's another evangelist on TV? Some skinny guy with a southern accent. Just what we need."
From time to time I would see Joel as I clicked through the stations. I'd hear a few snippets of Jesus-this and Praise-God-that. Ho-hum. Then one day when I was clicking past the station I happened to hear the audience laughing. So I stayed on the station a little longer and heard Joel telling a couple of jokes. Not great jokes, mind you. Still, I was a little surprised since most of the TV evangelists seem to be angry and want to shout their views down your throat.
So I kind of hung around the station and found that Joel was pretty easy listening, even to a Secular like myself. He seemed to be more of a you-can-do-it sort of speaker, with a little bit of Scripture thrown in here and there. Not enough to make me roll my eyes -- just enough bible-talk to qualify him as an evangelist, I guess.
Overall I really enjoy his style of speaking -- very positive and uplifting without the fire and brimstone.
This entry was posted in Joel Osteen Impressions on July 11, 2005 by Admin.

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