Joel Osteen
Just because something didn't work out your way, or somebody disappointed you, that does not change who you are.
Indeed, it is as important to learn how to receive a blessing as it is to be willing to give one.
You're not better than anybody else, but you're not less than anybody else. You're a child of the Most High God.
In my early teens, I knew I wanted to do television production. I loved cameras, editing and producing, anything that had to do with television production. My friend had a production studio across town, and we'd go over there at night and shoot and edit. I produced my father's televised service for 17 years.
My friends and I had fun together, but I was more reserved, not at all the life of the party. I would just be the quiet one in the room.
I'm not a big believer in trying to jam stuff down somebody's throat: 'You're going to do it my way.' I'd rather show by example and live my life and have people say, 'You know what, I want to live like Joel has. He's got peace and joy, and he seems content.'
The question is not, 'Do you have a problem?' The question is, 'Does the problem have you?'
When my dad founded our church, he used either a globe or a map of the world behind him. It was symbolic of what Christ said: to go forth and preach hope to the world. We believe in the cross, but we just continued with the globe.
I think, for years, people have been pushed down by religion, and I don't say that disrespectfully, but they've been shown a God that you can't measure up to.
Many times, we miss out on God's best because we give up too soon. We don't realize how close we are to victory.
The greatest difficulty always comes right before the birth of a dream.
Faith is easy; I think people complicate it.
I do know this... I seem to reach a lot of previously unchurched people. So many people have told me they never went to church until they heard our message of hope that God is a good God who desires to bless those who are faithful and obedient to Him through Jesus Christ.
People are skeptical of many televangelists, and I'm sensitive to that.
Whether a person is straight or gay, Republican, Democrat, good person, not a good person, they're all welcome, because to me, church is a place you're supposed to get healed and whole and loved.
I think God's justice is making wrongs right.
I try to speak in everyday language. I feel like God has gifted me to take Bible principles and make them practical.
I'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't go to heaven. I don't know.
If we say it long enough eventually we're going to reap a harvest. We're going to get exactly what we're saying.
If you give, you will be blessed.
To me, we're marketing hope.
I like to think my dad was easygoing and kind, and I think some of those things have been passed down. I am like him in a sense of being positive and hopeful. He was compassionate, and I've got a lot of that in me as well.
I deal with more practical issues of the Bible.
I don't like to beat people down. They need to be lifted up.
Sometimes, I think if you get away from what you're called to do, it's more of a distraction.
I think the word rich is all relative.
I write all my sermons.
On Sundays when I speak, I hopefully give somebody something that they can use the next day at work or at home.
I've always been - you know, my personality is motivating and encouraging. And so I'm just being who God made me to be.
I'm trying to make God more relevant in our society.
Sometimes when you take strong stands, if you're not called to do it, you're dividing the audience you're trying to reach.
It's amazing how people will give when you don't ask. Many of them send money because they believe in the message.
I believe the scripture says that being gay is a sin.
Gays are some of the nicest, kindest, most loving people in the world.
I'm not looking to exclude people, I'm looking to include them.
I don't believe we are supposed to go through life defeated and not having enough money to pay our bills or send our kids to college.
People define Christianity differently. I think a large portion of our population are Christians, they're not all growing in their faith, they're not all active, but I believe that a lot of people believe in Jesus and believe that he is their Lord and Savior.
I believe God gives you the grace to do what you need to do.
My parents were the same in the pulpit as they were at home. I think that's where a lot of preachers' kids get off base sometimes. Because they don't see the same things at both places.
I'm a reverend and a pastor. A pastor of the church. I go by usually pastor.
A lot of people have it a lot worse than you do.
I don't argue when people say that my message is simple, but I believe Jesus' message was simple.
You may never get to that perfect world that you're waiting for where everything's going to be perfect and you got that much money and your house paid off.
My dad had a church of 90 people when I was born. It was just, over the years it continued to grow.
I don't mind saying, you know, that I don't take a salary from the church, and God has blessed me with more money than I could imagine from my books.
Mormonism is a little different, but I still see them as brothers in Christ.
Well I think a lot of times we're putting things off and I'm going to do it later. I'm going to break this bad habit or I'm going to pursue this dream or I'm going to treat my spouse better.
Let go of yesterday.
Sometimes what works 40 years ago doesn't work today.