Sermon With a Smile
Texas televangelist Joel Osteen talks about the power of positive preaching
Why is that distinction important?
I think [these sorts of political issues] divide us . ... A lot of times, it draws people away from God, and I think there's a fine line of balancing it. I know people are always asking, "What do you think, is this right?" but I just think we've got to be open. I have always said, "I'm not here to convict people or to condemn them--God's going to do that--I've just got to put the truth out there and the message out there and let God deal with the people's heart."
Does it bother you that your book, which advises steps such as "Enlarge Your Vision," "Let Go of the Past," and "Live to Give!" has been labeled self-help by some?
It doesn't. I wouldn't have necessarily put it in that category by choice, but it doesn't bother me because it does, it's there to help you live a better life, to live by God's principles, so it doesn't bother me at all.
Has your background in television production helped you?
I know it's helped me. We started a station before my dad died, and I learned how to run the station--the lead-in, the lead-out, all the different aspects... Also, it's important to me that the production of our broadcast is very high quality. I realize that you've got to have good cameras and lighting and good presentation if you expect your message to be received, because you're competing with people that are doing the Grammys and local news, and you can't be subpar.
How do you keep the megachurch experience personal?
I think it starts from the platform. I try to act like I'm just talking to you; I don't try to talk down to people. I try to keep it warm and personal--personable, I guess. The other thing is, in our big church we have a lot of small groups that meet. Someone was telling me on the way here, "Well, I don't go to a big church because I want somebody to miss me if I'm not there," and I thought, we would miss you--it'd just be in a different way. If you want to be involved, we would miss you. The bigger the church is, the smaller it's got to get.
What are your hopes for the future?
I believe we're in a day in America and the world where faith is at an all-time high, and I think that there are going to be some new doors opening up. Like we've seen with the book that crosses over, we can have more of an impact not just in the church world but in the culture in general.
You've been nicknamed "the smiling preacher" by the media. How do you feel about the moniker?
[Laughs.] Some people thought I would be offended by it, but I'm not. Beyond the funny part of it, it shows that it's ok to be happy, it's ok to enjoy your life. I've got a good marriage, great kids, and I'm happy, and I love the Lord, and it's ok. For a while, if you went to church, you were not supposed to have fun--you went in there and got told what you were not supposed to do and came out of there kind of dragging--and it's really just the opposite. We try to make it a celebration.
advertisement
