How Low Will Religionists Go To Merchandize the Gospel?

Joel Osteen Church Cover Charge - Pay Per View Jesus

PimpPreacher.com New Orleans Bureau 

Well it’s official; there is now a cover charge to hear the word of God imposed by Joel Osteen. For those that are just so star struck with his watered down message can now pay a fee to look directly up his nose, to the tune of $147.

After a buddy of mine told me about this “Preferred Seating” charge I had to do a little research to confirm if he was just being sarcastic, but low and behold there is an actual charge to get close to Pastor Joel Osteen.

There is no need to talk about how many people are flocking to Houston to hear Osteen’s version of the gospel, but I had no idea that many of these people were paying a cover charge just to get closer to him. Here is the actual copyright from a website promoting the event:

"Joel Osteen Key Arena - Fri 7:30PM Jan 06 2012  - Tickets for the Joel Osteen Seattle show at the Key Arena are on sale here without the hidden service charges you find on other sites. You can find a great selection of Joel Osteen tickets as well as the Key Arena seating chart for Joel Osteen to help you pick out the best theater seats. Theater fans have turned to Preferred Seating tickets for the best tickets for Joel Osteen since 1987 because of our reliability and “real” ticket prices. Reserve your seats now for Joel Osteen at the Key Arena in Seattle online or charge by phone at 800 427-3914”

Can You Afford This New Gospel?

At the same time as this event Dr. Myles Munroe is hosting a conference in which the Pay Per View charge is $199. That’s right, Myles Munroe has hit an all-time low by attempting to offer his very own Pay Per Jesus to naive followers around the world. See actual flyer below.

What type of infatuation would make a person pay more money just to get closer to another human being? Shouldn’t the religious meetings that feature his sermons be free of charge with hope that someone in attendance might decide to follow Jesus?

Tired of Greedy Preachers? - Join The Church Folk Revolution!

Ever since T.D Jakes uttered the words “Jesus is the Product” on Larry King Live we have witnessed more and more capitalism intruding into the Body of Christ. I find it interesting that the only time in scripture we see our Lord and Saviour lose his cool was when he witnessed the same type of hustling demonstrated by a current money changer, Joel Osteen.

It is for this reason that I have taken up a cause against these so-called Christian Conferences and fake revivals. In the past I have had the opportunity to attend afew of these conferences (way back when I was infected with Mad Church Disease) and I can attest that they are nothing more than opportunities to suck thousands of Dollars out of the pockets of Believers, all in the name of Jesus that is. I have yet to witness an amputee regenerate a leg or a breast that was removed due to the threat of cancer reemerge at one of these conferences.

All I have really witnessed is a motivational speaker take the stage and spew out a ton of generic sermons designed to seduce the conferences goers in an emotional climax. In the same fashion that Marvin Gaye took the stage in 1973 to perform Let’s Get It On, so too are preachers now engaging in performances worthy of cover charges, but entertainers are worthy their compensation.

Orators of the Word of God should never demand payment for presenting the scriptures, and definitely not impose a preferred seating charge. Imagine if Jesus Christ had a preferred seating charge, then the Paralytic in Matthew 9 would have simply paid to get to the front of the meeting instead of suffering the spectacle of having to be lower down from a hole in the roof. If Jesus would have charged $147 dollars (not sure of the currency value during his time on earth) then there would be no one referring to himself as a Christian because there would have been nothing exceptional about Jesus.

Jesus Please Bring A Belt

What made Jesus truly exceptional was the fact that he was the opposite of ordinary. An ordinary preacher seeks out and targets on the wealthiest members in his congregation. An ordinary preacher creates church events just because it will manufacture another opportunity to collect an offering. An ordinary preacher is impressed by wealthy pastors and the overall size of their ministries.

An exceptional pastor is one that has no desire to get rich off the pockets of working class Believers.

To Joel Osteen I say the following: you are nothing more than a money changer but the damage you’re doing is inside of the temple versus encamped on the outside. Oh how I wish my fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord had the common sense to see you for what you really are, a pulpit opportunist. My spiritual siblings have been taught to never question the preacher and to never challenge his teachings, but like all corrupt systems of authority, you will now witness a revolution.   

A revolution within the minds of the people you have seduced into giving you their light bill money. A revolution that will teach the Body of Christ that Jesus is the only superstar in the church, and anyone else is simply an opening act.  

I pray that as you take the stage in the Seattle, Washington Key Arena  that God will convict your heart and ban you from preaching until you have been cleansed of your greed. The people that are paying you $147 for preferred seating are in search of an experience with the only true God, and you have no right to charge them for scriptures that you had no part in recording. 

It’s time for a revolution that will redirect the people to God and eventually empty out your church, at no additional charge.

Tired of Greedy Preachers? - Join The Church Folk Revolution!