Joel Osteen: Keeping it real

In a sort of “Extreme Community Makeover,” Joel Osteen and his mega-church members will be serving TV viewers some slices of ministry reality.

This is not the first time that Osteen, who Reuters reports “leads the largest U.S. church congregation,” has been asked to do a television series. However, this is the first time that Osteen felt that such a series would be “a good fit for the ministry.”  This time around, he had been approached by producer Mark Burnett (think Survivor,

The Apprentice, and Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?), whom Osteen describes as a man with likeable values who knows what this ministry is all about.

For those who don’t yet know what this ministry is all about (and wish to have a little preview of coming TV attractions), here is a brief synopsis (minus the “candid-camera” drama).

Osteen, who has been named “Most Influential Christian in America” by The Church Report in 2006, has never attended seminary.  He instead received training from his father, a “former Southern Baptist pastor” who went on to found Lakewood Church and develop it into a “body of approximately 6,000 members with an active television ministry, conferences, missionary support and food distribution.”   (Joel Osteen’s continued interest in television is not surprising since he spent 17 years producing Lakewood’s television program before succeeding his father as pastor of that church.)

Joel Osteen’s message has been seemingly simple – and yet it has stirred controversy within certain Christian circles.  According to Wikipedia, Osteen claims to “focus on the goodness of God rather than sin” and also upon “the power of love and a positive attitude.”  Wikipedia also reports that Osteen’s use of “prosperity theology” concepts in his sermons and writings has resulted in criticism from those who don’t feel that “wealth and power are rewards for pious Christians.”

Television audiences will soon be able to see for themselves some fruits of Osteen’s message.

Resources

http://news.yahoo.com/mega-church-minister-osteen-signs-reality-tv-series-233714719.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Burnet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_television

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Osteen

Copyright December 4, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved