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Joel Osteen
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Joel Osteen
Joel Scott Osteen (/ˈoʊstiːn/ OH-steen; born March 5, 1963) is an American pastor, televangelist, businessman, and author based in Houston, Texas, United States. Known for his weekly televised services and several best-selling books, Osteen is one of the more prominent figures associated with prosperity theology and the Word of Faith movement.
Osteen was born in Houston, and is one of six children of John Osteen and Dolores ("Dodie") Pilgrim. His father, a former Southern Baptist pastor, founded Lakewood Church (of which Osteen is the current senior pastor) in the back of an old feed store.
He graduated from Humble High School, a public high school in the city of Humble, Texas, in 1981, and attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he studied radio and television communications but did not graduate.
In 1982, Osteen returned to Houston after leaving Oral Roberts University. He founded Lakewood's television program, later becoming ordained through his father's church in 1983. Osteen produced his father's televised sermons for 17 years until January 1999, when his father died of a heart attack. He would preach his first sermon on January 17, 1999. By October 3, he was the new senior pastor of Lakewood Church.
In 2003, Lakewood Church acquired the Compaq Center, former home of the NBA Houston Rockets and the AHL Houston Aeros, and subsequently renovated it.
Osteen memorizes his planned remarks before he delivers them, and listens back to previous ones on tape. His sermons have been criticized as self-serving and revealing a poor command of Scripture. Osteen says he chooses to focus more on the goodness of God and on living an obedient life rather than on sin, and that he tries to teach Biblical principles in a simple way, emphasizing the power of love and a positive attitude. When asked why he does not focus more on sin, the devil, and hell in detail, Osteen stated in an interview with CBN News:
When I grew up, the devil was a reason why I had a headache or the devil was the reason I got mad today. We always blamed the devil. I think today when I say the enemy, I like to make it broader. Sometimes the enemy can be our own thoughts. We've trained ourselves the wrong way. Or the enemy can be our own lack of discipline. Some people preach about hell like you're already going there, and to me the Gospel means "Good News." I'd rather say God is a God of mercy. So I think the people already know what they're doing wrong, and I certainly believe in hell. But to me, when I see thousands of people before me, it just doesn't come out of me to say, "You guys are terrible, and you're going to hell." I'd rather say that God is a God of mercy. You've got to live an obedient life, but for every mistake you've made, there's mercy there, and I believe we can do better.
Since 2004, Osteen, along with his wife, have hosted Night of Hope events, as well as their annual stadium event called "America's Night of Hope", in the U.S. and around the world. The event incorporates contemporary Christian music and inspirational messages to reach attendees at the venue and others watching online. Osteen also hosted an event at his Lakewood Church in 2018, in collaboration with rapper Kanye West, called Sunday Service. According to media reports, the event was attended by 17,000 as well as joined by many people streaming online. He also held his Easter service during COVID-19 with Mariah Carey and Tyler Perry.
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Joel Osteen
Joel Scott Osteen (/ˈoʊstiːn/ OH-steen; born March 5, 1963) is an American pastor, televangelist, businessman, and author based in Houston, Texas, United States. Known for his weekly televised services and several best-selling books, Osteen is one of the more prominent figures associated with prosperity theology and the Word of Faith movement.
Osteen was born in Houston, and is one of six children of John Osteen and Dolores ("Dodie") Pilgrim. His father, a former Southern Baptist pastor, founded Lakewood Church (of which Osteen is the current senior pastor) in the back of an old feed store.
He graduated from Humble High School, a public high school in the city of Humble, Texas, in 1981, and attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he studied radio and television communications but did not graduate.
In 1982, Osteen returned to Houston after leaving Oral Roberts University. He founded Lakewood's television program, later becoming ordained through his father's church in 1983. Osteen produced his father's televised sermons for 17 years until January 1999, when his father died of a heart attack. He would preach his first sermon on January 17, 1999. By October 3, he was the new senior pastor of Lakewood Church.
In 2003, Lakewood Church acquired the Compaq Center, former home of the NBA Houston Rockets and the AHL Houston Aeros, and subsequently renovated it.
Osteen memorizes his planned remarks before he delivers them, and listens back to previous ones on tape. His sermons have been criticized as self-serving and revealing a poor command of Scripture. Osteen says he chooses to focus more on the goodness of God and on living an obedient life rather than on sin, and that he tries to teach Biblical principles in a simple way, emphasizing the power of love and a positive attitude. When asked why he does not focus more on sin, the devil, and hell in detail, Osteen stated in an interview with CBN News:
When I grew up, the devil was a reason why I had a headache or the devil was the reason I got mad today. We always blamed the devil. I think today when I say the enemy, I like to make it broader. Sometimes the enemy can be our own thoughts. We've trained ourselves the wrong way. Or the enemy can be our own lack of discipline. Some people preach about hell like you're already going there, and to me the Gospel means "Good News." I'd rather say God is a God of mercy. So I think the people already know what they're doing wrong, and I certainly believe in hell. But to me, when I see thousands of people before me, it just doesn't come out of me to say, "You guys are terrible, and you're going to hell." I'd rather say that God is a God of mercy. You've got to live an obedient life, but for every mistake you've made, there's mercy there, and I believe we can do better.
Since 2004, Osteen, along with his wife, have hosted Night of Hope events, as well as their annual stadium event called "America's Night of Hope", in the U.S. and around the world. The event incorporates contemporary Christian music and inspirational messages to reach attendees at the venue and others watching online. Osteen also hosted an event at his Lakewood Church in 2018, in collaboration with rapper Kanye West, called Sunday Service. According to media reports, the event was attended by 17,000 as well as joined by many people streaming online. He also held his Easter service during COVID-19 with Mariah Carey and Tyler Perry.
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