For many evangelicals, the Osteens are on the periphery of Christianity. They represent the \u201cprosperity gospel\u201d\u009d\u201d\u201da message that claims that God will bless the faithful with financial gain. Prosperity preachers often live extravagant lifestyles and point to their wealth as evidence of their message. They often quote biblical passages, taking them very literally, to further their claims that God\u2019s desire is health and wealth.<\/p>\n
Many evangelicals, however, assert that God doesn\u2019t work in this way. Faithfulness to God doesn\u2019t mean blessings from above, especially in such worldly pursuits. They try to distance themselves from the prosperity gospel, claiming that it doesn\u2019t represent Christianity but a misunderstanding of it.<\/p>\n
It is possible, however, that the Osteens represent not the margins but the center of evangelicalism. Considering the Osteens\u2019 popularity, they garner a sizable audience that shouldn\u2019t be ignored. Additionally, when one compares the Osteens to other popular evangelical authors such as Max Lucado and Rick Warren, several patterns emerge, suggesting that Osteens aren\u2019t that far from what most evangelicals are looking for.<\/p>\n