My wife and daughter and I attended the late-morning service this morning at Lakewood Church’s new 16,000–seat facility, a mile up the street from our house.
Greeters were everywhere, shaking everyone’s hand, saying “Good morning, God bless you!” and directing the incoming crowds to specific entrances. They did a good job of seating people rapidly and efficiently.
The bookstore at the top of the escalator looked like a Barnes & Noble. I could see stacks of copies of senior pastor Joel Osteen’s book, Your Best Life Now.
They called it a worship service, but it was really a praise-music rock concert with some preaching thrown in (although they did include the traditional hymns It Is Well With My Soul and Great Is Thy Faithfulness). The female lead singer, who I believe was music director Cindy Cruse-Ratliff, has a fabulous voice and great stage presence. She could easily have been a country music star. I’ve read that she writes much of the praise music herself. Her backup group The choir was excellent. Technically, the production values were first-rate.
The focus of the preaching this morning (as it was earlier in our own church) was on helping Hurricane Katrina evacuees from New Orleans. We heard not only from Joel Osteen but from his wife Victoria and from his brother Paul, a physician who gave up his practice to work in the church.
The themes of the preaching were pretty much the Lakewood staples that I’d read about: God is a great God. He is always good. He is always faithful. He is always in control. He has good things in mind for you. There doesn’t seem to be much room for doubt about the first point. And I can provisionally accept the second and third points on sheer wishful thinking faith. But the last two points assume too many facts not in evidence.
Liturgy? Nope. The preachers delivered extemporaneous prayers for the victims of Katrina. There was one repeat-after-me prayer to Jesus during the altar call at the end. And of course, there was the singing. Otherwise, there was essentially no congregational participation. If people prayed, they did it individually, not together.
The offering appeal, by Victoria Osteen, was brief, discreet, and tasteful. I’ve read that the Osteens, starting with pater familias John (Joel’s late father), have never allowed the offering appeal to be included in their television broadcasts.
There wasn’t a cross in sight, anywhere. My daughter noticed that, too. We couldn’t figure out why.
What we did see, everywhere we looked, was the Lakewood lamp logo. It reminded me strongly of the Unitarian Universalist logo. That was interesting, because Lakewood theology is not much at all like that of the UUs.
I’m glad we went. The Lakewood worship style is not to my taste, but all tastes are tastes. As we march along on the path to God, there’s no reason the jodies all have to be ancient catholic liturgies.
And say what you will: Every week the Osteens manage to get thousands of people to focus on God, instead of on themselves, their desires, or their troubles. That’s not lightly to be dismissed.
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