Over the years I’ve watched, with indignation and concern, the proliferation of motivational speakers in pulpits.
I’ve watched how many churches and preachers are replacing the gospel of Jesus Christ with motivational speaking. I’ve watched how some of these preachers have even built mega churches and empires with this brand of the “gospel.” But even worse, I’ve watched how droves of people have been misled into believing that they are getting fed the Bread of Life; i.e. the unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ, not knowing that they are being served motivational speeches on a platter, spiced with scriptures.
But I’m not as concerned about these motivational speakers in pulpits, as I am concerned about the spiritual well being of the thousands of people attending their churches; and the several million worldwide television viewers whose lives are being impacted by their teachings.
It is this concern for the spiritually helpless that has led me to expose some of these preachers for who they really are; to warn you, the followers and would-be followers of these preachers. I write to alert the Body of Christ about this proliferation in the Church; the danger of motivational speaking packaged as the gospel; and to teach you how to recognize a motivational speaker in the pulpit when you come across one; which I say, sadly, that there are many out there.
So, let’s start by identifying the two leading motivational speakers in pulpits or what I call, “motivational preachers.”
The two leading motivational preachers of our time are Pastor Joel Osteen of the New Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas and Bishop T.D. Jakes of the Potter’s House, Dallas, Texas!
Surprised? Maybe! Maybe not! However, if you are surprised to learn that these two are motivational preachers, perhaps it’s because they are your favorite preachers. Perhaps, it’s because you’ve always thought them to be “O Great Ones.” Or maybe it’s because of their success, popularity, ministry size, followership, etc. or even because of the good they’ve done in society.
For instance, Jakes’ Woman Thou Art Loosed book or prison outreach ministry. Or Osteen’s book, Your Best Life Now.
As humans, we tend to attribute worldly success, good works, ministry size, popularity, followership, etc. with godly success. Therefore, the bigger a church, the more popular or successful a preacher, the more success we think a person or organization has. We even credit these successes to God’s blessings. But worldly success, good works, ministry size or even large followership is not necessarily the measure of godly success.
