MAX LUCADO TO PREACH AT JOEL OSTEEN’S LAKEWOOD CHURCH

By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Oct 21, 2012 in Current Issues, Features

By Christian Research Network Associate Editor Erin Benziger of Do Not Be Surprised…This is a repost of an original article on Do Not Be Surprised…

The name of Max Lucado is known to most anyone who has ever wandered a so-called Christian bookstore. Along with former Willow Creek pastor Randy Frazee, Lucado pastors Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. He also is the author of such books as Fearless, Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference, God’s Story, Your Story: When His Becomes Yours, and When God Whispers Your Name and participated in the Be Still DVD with popular SBC Bible teacher Beth Moore. Many know that Be Still featured contemplatives Richard Foster and Dallas Willard. In 2004, Christianity Today went so far as to name Lucado “America’s Pastor.”

That title, of course, appears today to be shared by two different men, namely Rick Warren and Joel Osteen. It seems fitting, then, that Max Lucado would be pleased to announce today on Twitter that he will be preaching this weekend at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church:

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Indeed, Lakewood Church does not want you to miss this weekend:

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In recent months, Lakewood Church has invited some rather interesting names to grace its stage. Not quite two months ago, the Osteens welcomed Seeker-Driven superstar Steven Furtick to preach the weekend services at Lakewood.

Earlier this summer, Word Faith pastrix Christine Caine of Hillsong Church was invited to speak at Lakewood’s Youth Conference, an invitation that she was “honored” to accept. Interestingly, Caine also was found to be preaching the weekend services at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church earlier this month.

Lucado and Caine have a history of mutual appreciation, as he recently endorsed and even wrote the forward for Caine’s new book, Undaunted.

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On Caine’s official website, a quote from Max Lucado likens the effervescent motivational speaker to the Apostle Paul, to Mary and to Esther, further revealing his excitement not only about the book, but about Caine herself:

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This decision by Lucado to eagerly accept an invitation to speak at the church of this nation’s greatest proponent of the prosperity gospel may not surprise in light of the above information. Still, many will continue to readily devour the words of Lucado, whether in his preaching or in his books, ignoring these cautionary flags.

This reminds us of the importance of remaining faithful to the Word of God, and of forsaking ear-tickling sermons of warm, fuzzy feelings if they are found to be self-serving and erroneous. Today error runs rampant in a great number of evangelical churches. Those who truly belong to Christ must nurture and exercise their God-given discernment in order to avoid being swayed by these devilish teachings.

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Further Reading
Rick Warren Says Annual Campaign Is the “Single Most Important Ingredient” in Saddleback’s Growth
Learning to Pray with Steven Furtick and Joel Osteen
Christine Caine to Preach Weekend Services at Saddleback Church