I’ve always been a spiritual person, but most of the people who’re reading this blog probably haven’t heard me say it. Throughout my life, I’ve watched in fascination, from afar, as business-oriented spiritual machines have come and gone…in other words, spiritual ministries that have turned religion into big business. I admit I’ve been skeptical of them. I ended up with a belief that it isn’t possible to run a huge ministry without falling prey to the negatives of big business. This weekend when I visited Houston’s Lakewood Church and heard Joel Osteen preach, however, I believe I might have found a big ministry (and I do mean big–nearly 16,000 in the church with us) that has been able to retain most of it’s spiritual integrity–or is it me that has changed?
I first heard about Joel Osteen from my brother who had read a couple of his books and found them to be authentic and inspiring. I had listened to Joel Osteen on my Nook almost every night for about a year, until I gave the Nook to my daughter Maggie. Since I’m in Houston, where Joel and his wife conduct their main congregation, we decided to go.
I expected to feel about Lakewood as I’ve felt about other humongous churches–skeptical and a little angry for good measure. However, I found it to be very sincere. I guess you can’t be around 16,000 inspired people without feeling inspired yourself. I expected to feel as though the church was using religion to make money. There was indeed a bookstore, and an offering was taken. But in spite of all that and the fact that the church is in the stadium where a basketball team used to play, I felt the opposite of the bitterness I had expected to feel. While I was standing in line to buy my niece and myself souvenir cross necklaces and little fish-shaped mints, I suddenly felt as though I was in a place where they knew how to use business to build spirit. What?!
I realize I might just be wishing for this kind of religious turnabout, since I am tired of feeling ashamed of being a Christian, but I couldn’t help myself. The whole experience calmed me down. As I watched Joel meet with people–one by one, one after the other for more than an hour after the service–I couldn’t help but believe the gentleman really does have integrity and a great big heart, and a whole heck of lot of patience.
My Lakewood experience also did something else for me, besides removing some of my skepticism. It made me believe a little more that dreaming big could actually get me somewhere. I guess that’s what I’m doing by having sold my house and buying the Jeep and taking off into the wild blue yonder. I don’t really know I’m going to get anywhere with this adventure. I’m not even sure where I’m heading in the end. But I know some things about my big dream. I want to help people express themselves effectively. I want to experience and propagate the arts. I want to love the world and sneeze out joy wherever I go–for me as well as for anyone else who is standing within contagious range.
Check with me in 3 1/2 years. I think that’s how long Joel and Victoria said they dreamed before their stadium church became a reality.
