I wrote yesterday that I did not feel that today’s Church possesses the characteristics of the church of Laodicea, the lukewarm church that grew spiritually complacent with its earthly riches. However, I qualified my statement by stating that I would not disagree with those who argue that many of the churches today possess the characteristics of the Laodicean church. Today I will tell you which types of churches I feel do possess the characteristics of the Laodicean church.
When I think of modern day Laodicea I think of the megachurches, which are churches with congregations of 2000 people or more. My DirectTV satellite package contains several religious channels that feature broadcasts of “worship” sessions from these megachurches. I do not watch these broadcasts often because it is hard to watch these millionaire pastors telling their large congregation about how great people they are as they sit in gigantic, plush buildings. These megachurches have so much, but they seem to fail at giving their congregations useful information that much smaller, less wealthy churches give to their congregations.
The pastor who I feel runs the epitome of today’s modern Laodicean church is Joel Osteen, who runs the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. Osteen is a best-selling author and one of the most well-known pastors in America. His ministry and following is global with outreach in over one hundred countries. Osteen is so well-known and prominent that a recent Guardian UK article proclaimed that Osteen was the new-face of Christianity. Osteen’s main church building is actually a 16,800 seat stadium which is more apt to watch a basketball game than to watch a sermon. Osteen’s church is very wealth in terms of earthly possessions and resources, but is poor in terms of spirit.
One day out of sheer curiosity I actually watched one of Osteen’s “sermons”. It was amazing that Osteen’s talk resembled something you would hear from a motivational speaker or life coach instead of from a pastor. Osteen hardly cited any scripture in the entire broadcast (I believe he briefly mentioned two verses from the Bible as a minor reference to his overall message of the day about how one can better themselves). What was more amazing was that the people watching Osteen talk were completely transfixed by the man and actually considered his life coach message as a substitute for real religion. The people who follow Osteen may feel that all they need is to hear his soothing words to fulfill their religious quota for the week, but little do they know that they are in a church gives them little in terms of spiritual benefit/advancement.
Osteen is walking personification of lukewarm. The man is afraid to take a strong stand on key religious views because he is afraid of offending someone. He is neither hot nor cold because he does not stand for anything for or against. The following (infamous) video illustrates how uncomfortable Osteen gets when he is asked to take a stand on whether Christ is the only way to Heaven: Link
It is actually quite disturbing to watch Osteen’s response to a question that should be an easy one for a typical Christian minister to answer. Osteen’s handling of the question should be a major red flag to any Christian that Osteen may not be the best person to learn about the Christian faith from. Instead, Osteen still has a huge following that appears to be undeterred by his lukewarmness.
- If a pastor influences the spiritual nature of the church than Osteen’s megachurch can be nothing more than lukewarm unless he changes.
I picked on Osteen and his church because it was the best and easiest example that I could think of. I’m sure there are other megachurches that are similar to Osteen’s megachurch. Yesterday I did try to spend a couple of minutes watching Joyce Meyers talk at her megachurch and ended up finding myself watching another person giving a life coach message instead of a religious message.
Fortunately, not all hope is lost for people who attend these financially wealthy, yet spiritually poor churches since the Bible indicates that some people from these Laodicean churches will obtain eternal life by overcoming the adversity ahead.
- Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
- Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
- Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
- Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
- Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
I hope Osteen and other megachurch leaders one day begin teaching their congregations real religion because they have so much reach and influence over people…far more than I probably will ever have.
