I really enjoy where God has me right now. That certainly does not mean I am in a constant "bed of roses" but I so appreciate the eclectic ministry and various opportunities from day to day. On Monday I experienced three areas of my life - home, church, community. In each of these areas talk of spiritual "stuff" came up and the three individuals pictured in this post were either referenced, quoted (or misquoted). I admire all three of these individuals and honestly can attribute spiritual growth in my life from something they have communicated.
I know that I will receive emails or comments telling me some heretical statement they have made and I will find myself googling feverishly to "defend" them and/or discount the statement. But (and don't you just love the "but") I pray that I will never find myself discounting others because they are not on the same "spiritual" page as myself. I honestly do not know, nor do I have the time to check out all of the reasons why I should discount these lovers of Jesus. (How was that for a spiritual dig?) I do know that I enjoy spiritual discourse with: my minister comrades at church, friends at City Hall and Good Samaritan Ministries as well as my wife and children. And, the ability to have spiritual discussions in each of these areas in one day is a joy.
Here are some quotes from the above that you might enjoy (or at least have starting point of spiritual "thoughts" for you to comment on and me to begin my research!)
If you want to have sustained joy, you have to not only make sure that you think right, but you also have to make decisions now that are going to guarantee some joy in the future. One of the key things for people as far as joy is concerned is not living a selfish, self-centered lifestyle where we live our lives expecting everybody else to do something for us. - Joyce Meyer
You can be committed to Church but not committed to Christ, but you cannot be committed to Christ and not committed to church. - Joel Osteen
"I am learning that my tradition includes the rabbis and reformers and revolutionaries and monks and nuns and pastors and writers and philosophers and artists and every person everywhere who has asked big questions of a big God." - Velvet Elvis, Rob Bell
4 comments:
What? E? Purposefully being controversial? Each of these people surely has something constructive to say from their own life lessons. It's when I begin to fall on their every word that a problem might arise. No one has the complete unadulterated truth...don't you agree?
Yes I agree - but I am always amazed at how many believe they have the corner on "truth" and "Bible understanding."
Hey Eric, I was just reading your blog for the first time and noticed that Joel Osteen is someone you admire. Just thought I'd let you know that there is a difference between critizing someone over a difference in viewpoint and standing for doctrinal truth. Joel Osteen will not state that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. He doesn't want to offend the Jew or the Muslim. He says he doesn't have the answer regarding abortion. He also says that homosexuality is not God's best way, instead of calling it sin as it so clearly states in the book of Romans. Man you are my friend and I love you and the work you do. But please don't allow people to think that someone like Joel Osteen is O.K. in what he declares. Let God be true and everyman a lier. We as ministers have a tremendous obligation to truth. Again I love you and wish you the best in your ministry at Southside. Rick Pulliam
You can check out these statements in the magazine, "Texas Monthly, August 2005.
Thanks Rick - The following is from Joel Osteen's church website. Hope this helps you and others.
http://www.lakewood.cc/site/PageServer?pagename=LCH_ourbeliefs
WE BELIEVE…the entire Bible is inspired by God, without error and the authority on which we base our faith, conduct and doctrine.
WE BELIEVE…in one God who exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to this earth as Savior of the world.
WE BELIEVE…Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood for our sins. We believe that salvation is found by placing our faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross. We believe Jesus rose from the dead and is coming again.
WE BELIEVE…water baptism is a symbol of the cleansing power of the blood of Christ and a testimony to our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
WE BELIEVE…in the regular taking of Communion as an act of remembering what the Lord Jesus did for us on the cross.
WE BELIEVE…every believer should be in a growing relationship with Jesus by obeying God’s Word, yielding to the Holy Spirit and by being conformed to the image of Christ.
WE BELIEVE…as children of God, we are overcomers and more than conquerors and God intends for each of us to experience the abundant life He has in store for us.
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