Fowl Doctrine - Life-Coaching from the Pulpit

Pastors like Joel Osteen claim to be called as life-coaches, forsaking the responsibility of teaching and preaching the Holy Bible. These pastors often pepper their sermons with a few Bible verses, but they use scripture to prop up teaching that promotes popular psychology.

In October of 2007, Byron Pitts of CBS News interviewed Joel Osteen for the program, 60 Minutes. Osteen stated that I didn't feel called to explain the Bible to his congregation. When asked why his church, a former basketball arena, does not have a cross, Osteen said he didn't know why.

"I want you to get a bigger vision. There are exciting things in your future. Your future is filled with marked moments of blessing, increase, promotion. God has already ordained before the foundation of the world, the right people, the right opportunity. Time and chance are coming together for you. Why don’t you get your hopes up?" Osteen tells his audience. "Why don't you start believing that no matter what you have or haven't done, that your best days are still out in front of you."

Osteen won't have any crosses in the sports arena that he preaches in.  He won't preach about the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8), but he'll teach about right people and right opportunity for prosperity of the the prosperity-seeker on the earth.

To be expanded...

Fowl Doctrine - Sowing Financial Seed

Word of Faith preachers like Mike Murdock, teach a doctrine of giving to ministries based on financial rewards. They often use the parables of Christ that mention sowing as support for this doctrine. The aim is always to get the listener to give to the preacher's ministry, often mentioning specific sums like $1,000.

Jesus Christ spoke about sowing in four contexts; birds that depend on God to be fed (Mat 6:26); sowing the Word of God (Mat 13:3-9 & 13:18-23); Christ sowing children of the Kingdom (Mat 13:24-30); and a king accused of reaping what other men sow (Luke 19:12-27).

NOWHERE does he say anything about sowing seed in the context of giving to a ministry. Jesus himself explains these parables, so there is no room for varied interpretation. It is also very interesting that the only parable that deals with sowing in any connection with money is the one in Luke 19. And sowing is used there by a worthless servant making excuses for his faithlessness. The king tells that servant that he should have put the money in a bank.

To be expanded...