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Houston, TexasNon-denominational Christianity>Non-denominational, Evangelical, Charismatic Christianity, Pentecostal | attendance = 45,000| founded date = May 10, 1959 (65 years ago) | founder = John Osteen| capacity = 16,800Joel Osteen>Joel and Victoria Osteen| pastor = Nick Nilson, Dr. Paul Osteen, Craig Johnson, Lisa Osteen ComesUnited States}}www.lakewoodchurch.com}}| logosize = | logo = }}Lakewood Church is a non-denominational evangelical Christian megachurch located in Houston, Texas. It is among the largest congregations in the United States, averaging about 45,000 attendees per week.WEB, Cochran, Amanda, 2021-12-03, Lakewood Church: The Houston megachurch by the numbers,www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/12/03/lakewood-church-the-houston-megachurch-by-the-numbers/, 2022-02-14, KPRC, en, The 16,800-seat Lakewood Church building, home to four English-language services and two Spanish-language services per week,WEB,www.lakewood.cc/Services/Pages/LakewoodChurchServices.aspx, Lakewood Church, Services, December 29, 2009,www.lakewood.cc/SERVICES/Pages/LakewoodChurchServices.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20100201101520www.lakewood.cc/SERVICES/Pages/LakewoodChurchServices.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20100201101520www.lakewood.cc/SERVICES/Pages/LakewoodChurchServices.aspx, February 1, 2010, dead, is located at the former Compaq Center.NEWS, America’s largest church opens in former arena, USA Today, July 14, 2005,www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-07-14-largest-church_x.htm, July 21, 2009, Joel Osteen is the senior pastor of Lakewood Church with his wife, Victoria, who serves as co-pastor. It has 368 full-time and part-time staff.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}

History

(File:Lakewoodchurch.jpg|thumb|right|Current building in Houston)(File:Joel Osteen Preaching At Lakewood Church.jpg|thumb|upright 0.8|Joel Osteen at Lakewood Church, September 21, 2018)Lakewood Church, originally called Lakewood Baptist Church, was founded by John Osteen and his second wife, Dolores (Dodie) on Mother’s Day, May 10, 1959, in a tent. The church then moved to an abandoned feed store in northeast Houston.BOOK, Conser Jr, Walter H., Rodger M. Payne, Southern Crossroads:Perspectives on Religion and Culture, The University Press of Kentucky, 2008, 67–68, 978-0-8131-2494-0, John was a Southern Baptist minister, but after experiencing baptism in the Holy Spirit, he founded Lakewood as a church for charismatic Baptists. The church soon dropped “Baptist” from its name and became nondenominational. In 1961, John Osteen left the church and was called to missions. Marvin Crow became the pastor in his absence until John returned in 1969. In 1972, Lakewood broke ground for a new building that seated seven hundred people. By 1979, attendance was over five thousand, and the church was becoming prominent among Pentecostals and charismatics. John and Dodie created and hosted Lakewood’s weekly television program, which could be seen in one hundred countries worldwide. On February 15, 1987, a groundbreaking was held for a new eight-thousand–seat sanctuary, which was completed in April 1988. Following John Osteen’s death on January 23, 1999, his youngest son, Joel Osteen, became the pastor that October.Phillip Luke Sinitiere, Salvation with a Smile: Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church, and American Christianity, NYU Press, USA, 2015, p. 64In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison caused flooding in the Houston area. Lakewood Church was opened as a shelter to approximately five thousand displaced persons.NEWS,www.denverpost.com/2017/08/29/joel-osteen-houston-church-shelter/, Joel Osteen’s Houston megachurch opens doors as shelter, Associated Press, August 29, 2017, The Denver Post, September 6, 2017, NEWS,lubbockonline.com/stories/061801/sta_LD0666-7.001.shtml, Faithful return to Houston church to worship and to help storm’s refugees, June 18, 2001, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Associated Press, September 6, 2017, NEWS,www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/08/29/we-were-never-closed-joel-osteens-houston-megachurch-disputes-claims-it-shut-its-doors/, Joel Osteen calls claim he shut church doors on Harvey victims ‘a false narrative’, Kuzydym, Stephanie, Phillips, Kristine, August 30, 2017, The Washington Post, September 6, 2017, Under Joel Osteen, Lakewood’s congregation increased almost fivefold.WEB, Nation’s largest church opens in stadium, NBC News, July 16, 2005,www.nbcnews.com/id/8565629, February 25, 2007, Attendance increased to thirty thousand  weekly, prompting a move from its location at 7317 East Houston Road“lakewood.cc/" title="web.archive.org/web/20001018024013lakewood.cc/">Contact Information.” Lakewood Church. October 18, 2000. Retrieved on April 8, 2009.“lakewood.cc/contactus.htm" title="web.archive.org/web/20030623055648lakewood.cc/contactus.htm">Contact Us.” Lakewood Church. June 23, 2003. to a larger facility. In late 2003, the church signed a long-term lease with the city of Houston to acquire the Compaq Center, a 29-year-old former sports arena.NEWS, A Sports Arena Gets Religion, The New York Times,www.nytimes.com/2004/03/10/business/10prop.html?ex=1172552400&en=c8cb3279d9f71269&ei=5070,www.nytimes.com/2004/03/10/business/10prop.html?ex=1172552400&en=c8cb3279d9f71269&ei=5070," title="web.archive.org/web/20090424123021www.nytimes.com/2004/03/10/business/10prop.html?ex=1172552400&en=c8cb3279d9f71269&ei=5070,">web.archive.org/web/20090424123021www.nytimes.com/2004/03/10/business/10prop.html?ex=1172552400&en=c8cb3279d9f71269&ei=5070, dead, April 24, 2009, February 25, 2007, Terry, Pristin, March 10, 2004, Lakewood Church relocated to the Compaq Center on July 16, 2005. It is a 16,800-seat facility in southwest downtown Houston along U.S. Highway 59, that has twice the capacity of its former sanctuary.Lonsway, Brian. “Spiritual Summit.” The Houston Journal of Architecture. 74 (2008): 14–19. The church was required to pay $11.8 million in rent in advance for the first thirty years of the lease. Lakewood renovated the new campus at an estimated cost of $100 million.{{cn|date=February 2024}}The church received $15 million after selling the former building to New Light Christian Center Church.WEB, Dawson, Jennifer,www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2005/10/17/daily37.html, New life for former Lakewood Church, Houston Business Journal, 2005-10-17, 2021-03-30, On March 31, 2010, the Houston City Council voted 13–2 to sell the property to Lakewood for $7.5 million.Bradley Olson and Moises Mendoza. “City Council OKs sale of ex-Compaq to Lakewood.” Houston Chronicle. March 31, 2010.On December 3, 2021, national news services reported that a plumber found cash and checks within a wall behind a toilet that was being repaired. They may have been related to a 2014 incident in which $600,000 in cash and checks disappeared from a safe.NEWS,www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/plumber-finds-cash-checks-loose-toilet-wall-joel-osteens-lakewood-chur-rcna7512?cid=sm_npd_ms_fb_ma, Plumber finds cash, checks behind loose toilet in wall at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, NBC News, On January 14, 2024, Joel Osteen announced that Lakewood Church had paid off the $100 million dollar loan used to renovate the campus.{{Citation |title=Lakewood Church Service {{!}} Joel Osteen Live {{!}} January 14th, 2024 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=169ZtgUuEVI |access-date=2024-02-08 |language=en}}NEWS, Killelea, Eric, Tearful Joel Osteen rips up $100M loan on Lakewood Church stage,www.chron.com/culture/religion/article/joel-osteen-100-million-loan-lakewood-18613448.php, 2024-02-08, Chron, en, NEWS, Briggs, Shakari, Joel Osteen says he’s paid off $100 million debt from Lakewood Church renovations,www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/joel-osteen-lakewood-church-100-million-debt-paid-18614617.php, 2024-02-08, Houston Chronicle, en,

Shooting

On February 11, 2024, a woman with a history of mental health issues, Genesse Ivonne Moreno, accompanied by her 7-year-old son, entered the church between services and began firing an AR-15. Two off-duty police officers working security returned fire and killed her. Her boy was critically injured with a gunshot to the head during the exchange of gunfire. Another man who was present was wounded in the hip, treated at a local hospital and released.Woman Firing Rifle Killed By 2 Off-Duty Officers At Joel Osteen’s Church, 2 Others Hurt, Police Say, Huffington Post, Juan A. Lozano, February 11, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.WEB,www.cnn.com/2024/02/12/us/joel-osteen-lakewood-church-shooting-monday/index.html, Christina, Maxouris, Lauren, Mascarenhas, John, Miller, Shooter at Houston megachurch had lengthy criminal history including weapons charges, police say, CNN, February 12, 2024,

Beliefs

Lakewood Church believes that the entire Bible is inspired by God, and the church bases its teachings on this belief. The church also believes in the Trinity, and recognizes the death of Christ on the cross and resurrection.The church practices the following, believing them to be commanded in the Bible:

• The pursuit of Salvation: Each service offers an Altar call at the end in order for people to accept Christ as Lord and Savior.
• Water baptism: The church believes the Bible asks for this as a symbol and a testimony to faith in Jesus Christ – in “his cleansing power through his shedding of blood on the cross for us.” Baptism is practiced every Saturday night in the church’s Chapel.
• Communion: The church believes the Bible asks for this act of remembering the death of Jesus on the cross. It is offered every week in the New Beginnings room (just down from the bookstore).
• The seeking of a growing relationship with Jesus Christ: Lakewood believes that every believer should be in a growing relationship with Jesus by obeying the rules laid out in the Bible, yielding to the Holy Spirit and by being conformed to the teachings of Jesus Christ.WEB,www.lakewood.cc/pages/new-here/what-we-believe.aspx, What We Believe, September 20, 2014,

Lakewood Church is known for its Word of Faith teaching. It is also known, before every sermon, for a creed (originally led by John and continued by Joel) which the congregation repeats in unison.WEB,www.joelosteen.com/downloadables/Pages/Downloads/ThisIsMyBible_JOM.pdf, This Is My Bible, March 19, 2018, March 20, 2018,web.archive.org/web/20180320043734/https://www.joelosteen.com/downloadables/Pages/Downloads/ThisIsMyBible_JOM.pdf, dead,

Church organization

Lakewood offers different types of ministries, fellowships, and services depending on the age, marital status, and need of its members.

Services

• Kidslife: Children
• Champions Club for Special Needs
• Lakewood Next Gen: Middle School, High School, and Young Adults
• Main Service: all adults

During weekend services, Joel Osteen, Victoria Osteen, or Danilo Montero preach. On Wednesday nights, associate pastors Paul Osteen, Lisa Osteen Comes, Nick Nilson, and Craig Johnson, or guest speakers preach.

Education

Various classes are offered through the Compass Classes ministry, meeting before and after weekend services.Compass Bible Studies {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626121908www.lakewood.cc/pages/ministries/Ministry.aspx?mid=8 |date=June 26, 2010}}

Television

The church’s weekly services are broadcast on Trinity Broadcasting Network and Daystar Television Network,Daystar is the only network to broadcast the one-hour Lakewood service, which features not only Joel Osteen’s sermons but music and other pronouncements from Lakewood, on Tuesday evenings at 10PM Eastern Time. as well as local channels in most major U.S. markets. Lakewood also appears on secular networks, such as Fox Network, Freeform, and USA Network. In 2007, Lakewood reported spending nearly $30 million every year on its television ministry.WEB, Interview: Joel Osteen on the Future of America’s Churches and Him Pastoring One, The Christian Post,www.christianpost.com/article/20070215/25806_2_Interview%3A_Joel_Osteen_on_the_Future_of_America%27s_Churches_and_Him_Pastoring_One.htm, February 25, 2007, February 24, 2007,www.christianpost.com/article/20070215/25806_2_Interview%3A_Joel_Osteen_on_the_Future_of_America%27s_Churches_and_Him_Pastoring_One.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20070224220453www.christianpost.com/article/20070215/25806_2_Interview%3A_Joel_Osteen_on_the_Future_of_America%27s_Churches_and_Him_Pastoring_One.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20070224220453www.christianpost.com/article/20070215/25806_2_Interview%3A_Joel_Osteen_on_the_Future_of_America%27s_Churches_and_Him_Pastoring_One.htm, dead, Osteen’s sermons are also televised in more than 100 countries, with an estimated 7 million viewers each week.WEB, No Politics From This Pulpit, Newsweek, January 24, 2008,www.newsweek.com/id/103290, April 11, 2010, Lakewood also hosts a Night of Hope every month. This is when the church hosts a Christian service event in one of the arenas or stadiums all across America.

Hispanic ministry

In 2002, Lakewood began a Hispanic ministry, Iglesia Lakewood, founded by Hispanic Pastor Marcos Witt and his wife, Miriam Witt. In September 2012, Danilo and Gloriana Montero assumed the role of associate pastors for the Hispanic ministry. Lakewood has two services each week in Spanish and translates all English services into Spanish. The weekly attendance at the Spanish services is approximately 6,000 people.WEB,espanol.lakewood.cc/pages/nuevo-aqui/horario-de-servicios.aspx, Horario de servicios, September 20, 2014, dead,espanol.lakewood.cc/pages/nuevo-aqui/horario-de-servicios.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20120828013504espanol.lakewood.cc/pages/nuevo-aqui/horario-de-servicios.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20120828013504espanol.lakewood.cc/pages/nuevo-aqui/horario-de-servicios.aspx, August 28, 2012, WEB,espanol.lakewood.cc/pages/nuevo-aqui/marcos-witt.aspx, Marcos Witt, September 20, 2014, dead,espanol.lakewood.cc/pages/nuevo-aqui/marcos-witt.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20120829161938espanol.lakewood.cc/pages/nuevo-aqui/marcos-witt.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20120829161938espanol.lakewood.cc/pages/nuevo-aqui/marcos-witt.aspx, August 29, 2012,

Charitable work

Since 2016, Lakewood Church organizes an annual Mobilizing Medical Missions Conference to equip doctors for on-field medical missions.NEWS, Lawson, Melanie, Paul Osteen: How letting go led him to his true calling,abc13.com/paul-osteen-joel-osteens-brother-family-john/1192226/, ABC13 Houston, February 8, 2016, The church has been active during natural disasters by organizing food distribution programs and blood donation drives during COVID 19,NEWS, Amid shortage caused by COVID-19 pandemic,Lakewood Church hosts emergency blood drive,www.chron.com/coronavirus/article/Lakewood-church-blood-drive-coronavirus-emergency-15150649.php, Chron, providing shelter services during Hurricane Ida and 2021 Texas Freeze,“Fact check: Pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church did open its doors to shelter Texans from the cold,” Reuters, Feb. 19, 2021NEWS, Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church shelters over 100 evacuees of Hurricane Ida,www.christianpost.com/news/joel-osteens-lakewood-church-shelters-evacuees-of-hurricane-ida.html, The Christian Post, and serving as a distribution center for essential supplies during Hurricane Harvey.NEWS, Staff, Lakewood Church pastors recognized for work during Hurricane Harvey,www.fox26houston.com/news/lakewood-church-pastors-recognized-for-work-during-hurricane-harvey, FOX 26 Houston, 14 August 2018,

Criticism

Prosperity gospel

Osteen’s sermons and writings are sometimes noted for promoting prosperity theology, or the prosperity gospel, a belief that material gain is a reward for pious Christians.NEWS, Blumenthal, Ralph, Joel Osteen’s Credo: Eliminate the Negative, Accentuate Prosperity,www.nytimes.com/2006/03/30/books/30oste.html?pagewanted=all, The New York Times, March 30, 2006, January 5, 2014, NEWS,www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,318054,00.html, December 23, 2007, May 13, 2011, Transcript: Pastor Joel Osteen on ‘FNS’, Now, as with most successful people, you have critics who say that what you offer is gospel ‘lite,’ the prosperity gospel., FOX News, However, when asked if he is a prosperity teacher, Osteen responded that if prosperity means God wants people to be blessed and healthy and have good relationships, then he considers himself a prosperity teacher, but if it is about money, he does not. He has specifically stated that he never preaches about money because of the reputation of televangelists.NEWS, Joel Osteen: The Man Behind America’s Largest Church,www.cbn.com/700club/features/amazing/osteen_010408.aspx, CBN.com, November 16, 2013, In an interview with The Christian Post on April 21, 2013, Osteen expressed his sentiments on being perceived as being part of the prosperity gospel. “I get grouped into the prosperity gospel and I never think it’s fair, but it’s just what it is. I think prosperity, and I’ve said it 1,000 times, it’s being healthy, it’s having great children, it’s having peace of mind. Money is part of it; and yes, I believe God wants us to excel ... to be blessed so we can be a bigger blessing to others. I feel very rewarded. I wrote a book and sold millions of copies; and Victoria and I were able to help more people than we ever dreamed of. But when I hear the term prosperity gospel, I think people are sometimes saying, ‘Well, he’s just asking for money’.“WEB,www.christianpost.com/news/interview-joel-osteen-on-life-tragedy-and-why-he-shuns-prosperity-gospel-label-94355/, Interview: Joel Osteen on Life, Tragedy and Why He Shuns ‘Prosperity Gospel’ Label, Christian Post, April 21, 2013, On October 14, 2007, 60 Minutes ran a twelve-minute segment on Osteen, titled “Joel Osteen Answers his Critics”, during which Reformed theologian Michael Horton told CBS News correspondent Byron Pitts that Osteen’s message is heresy. Horton stated that the problem with Osteen’s message is that it makes religion about us instead of about God.NEWS,www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/11/60minutes/main3358652.shtml, October 14, 2007, May 13, 2011, Joel Osteen Answers his Critics, CBS News 60 Minutes, According to the Houston Chronicle Lakewood church’s income was $89m in the year ending March 2017. More than 90 percent of that was raised from church followers and barely 1 percent of its budget went to charitable causes.NEWS, 2019-04-18, A preacher for Trump’s America: Joel Osteen and the prosperity gospel, Financial Times,www.ft.com/content/3990ce66-60a6-11e9-b285-3acd5d43599e, 2023-01-31,

Slow response to Hurricane Harvey

During the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Osteen received significant criticism in response to not making Lakewood Church, a {{convert|606000|sqft|m2|adj=on}}, 16,000 seat, former basketball arena, available as an emergency shelter for those displaced by the storm.NEWS, Kuzydym, Stephanie, Joel Osteen calls claim he shut church doors on Harvey victims ‘a false narrative’,www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/08/29/we-were-never-closed-joel-osteens-houston-megachurch-disputes-claims-it-shut-its-doors/, September 8, 2017, Washington Post, August 30, 2017, NEWS, Bromwich, Jonah Engel, Joel Osteen Says Lakewood Church Is Open to Harvey Victims After Criticism,www.nytimes.com/2017/08/29/us/joel-osteen-backlash-church.html?mcubz=0&_r=0, September 8, 2011, New York Times, August 29, 2017, MAGAZINE, Sinclair, Harriet, Is Joel Osteen’s megachurch too flooded to help hurricane Harvey victims?,www.newsweek.com/televangelist-joel-osteen-flood-hurricane-harvey-656163, September 8, 2017, Newsweek, August 8, 2017, NEWS, Associated Press, After criticism, televangelist Joel Osteen denies closing Houston megachurch to people seeking shelter,www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-joel-osteen-houston-megachurch-harvey-20170829-htmlstory.html, September 8, 2017, Los Angeles Times, August 29, 2017, WEB,www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-joel-osteen-megachurch-harvey-victims-20170830-story.html, Joel Osteen pushes back against accusations he closed his megachurch to Harvey victims, Kuzydym, Stephanie, Phillips, Christine, The Chicago Tribune, August 30, 2017, August 30, 2017, On August 27, posts from the church and a Lakewood Church associate pastor’s social media accounts stated that the church was “inaccessible due to severe flooding,” and associate pastor John Gray posting further, “If WE could get there WE WOULD OPEN THE DOORS.“WEB,www.fox13news.com/news/277145632-story, Joel Osteen’s megachurch blasted for lack of outreach during Houston flooding, Fox 13 News, August 29, 2017, August 30, 2017,www.fox13news.com/news/277145632-story," title="web.archive.org/web/20170829225240www.fox13news.com/news/277145632-story,">web.archive.org/web/20170829225240www.fox13news.com/news/277145632-story, August 29, 2017, dead, WEB,www.fox26houston.com/news/kwalking-should-osteen-have-opened-church-as-a-shelter-sooner, KWalking - Should Osteen have opened church as a shelter sooner?, FOX, KRIV, September 4, 2017, 2019-09-01, However the area was not under flood warning and photos and videos posted on social media appeared to counter the church’s claim.NEWS,www.snopes.com/fact-check/is-osteens-megachurch-affected/, Was Joel Osteen’s Houston ‘Megachurch’ Affected By Hurricane Harvey?, Snopes, Aug 29, 2017, In a subsequent interview, Osteen denied the claim that the church was closed during the flood, saying “the church has been open from the beginning,” and, “We’ve always been open … How this notion got started, that we’re not a shelter and we’re not taking people in is a false narrative.“NEWS,www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/08/29/we-were-never-closed-joel-osteens-houston-megachurch-disputes-claims-it-shut-its-doors/, Joel Osteen calls claim he shut church doors on Harvey victims ‘a false narrative’, Washington Post, September 9, 2017, WEB,metro.co.uk/2017/08/29/joel-osteen-opens-his-megachurch-for-shelter-after-video-showing-it-empty-6888322/, Pastor opens his megachurch for shelter after video showing it empty, Metro.co.uk, Oliver McAteer for, August 29, 2017, Metro, September 9, 2017, NEWS,heavy.com/news/2017/08/joel-osteen-Pseudopedia-summary-trolled-vandalized-hurricane-harvey-lakewood-church-photo-screenshot/, PHOTO: Joel Osteen’s Pseudopedia Trolled Over Church’s Response to Hurricane Harvey, Prince, S.J., August 29, 2017, Heavy.com, en-US, September 9, 2017, He also said that “On the evening of August 28, it was announced by Lakewood that it would open at noon the next day as an available shelter, opening to storm victims and emergency personnel on August 29”.On August 15, 2018, the City of Houston and Mayor Sylvester Turner proclaimed a “Lakewood Church Day” in honor of Lakewood’s assistance in reconstruction efforts across the Houston area.NEWS,abc13.com/society/joel-osteen-honored-by-city-of-houston-for-post-harvey-help/3957138/, Joel Osteen honored by city of Houston for post-Harvey help, August 14, 2018, ABC13 Houston, en-US, August 15, 2018, NEWS,www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/2018/08/14/300096/lakewood-church-receives-mayors-proclamation-for-harvey-support-after-initial-criticism/, Lakewood Church Receives Mayor’s Proclamation for Harvey Support – After Initial Criticism, Martin, Florian, August 14, 2018, Houston Public Media, en-US, August 15, 2018, It stated Lakewood has provided “assistance to more than 1,150 Houston-area families whose homes were damaged or destroyed by floodwaters” and bought “1.1 million dollars in building materials, furniture, appliances, and paid labor, as well as through the contribution of more than 2,500 volunteers”.NEWS,www.fox10phoenix.com/news/pastor-osteen-recognized-for-his-work-during-hurricane-harvey-with-surprise-proclamation, Lakewood Church pastors recognized for work during Hurricane Harvey, FOX, KSAZ, en-US, August 15, 2018, August 15, 2018,www.fox10phoenix.com/news/pastor-osteen-recognized-for-his-work-during-hurricane-harvey-with-surprise-proclamation," title="web.archive.org/web/20180815164611www.fox10phoenix.com/news/pastor-osteen-recognized-for-his-work-during-hurricane-harvey-with-surprise-proclamation,">web.archive.org/web/20180815164611www.fox10phoenix.com/news/pastor-osteen-recognized-for-his-work-during-hurricane-harvey-with-surprise-proclamation, dead, The unconfirmed but oft mentioned reason for Lakewood not initially opening doors to hurricane survivors was the former basketball arena’s carpet had been recently replaced.

See also

• Christianity in Houston
• List of the largest churches in the US
• List of the largest evangelical churches
• List of the largest evangelical church auditoriums
• Worship service (evangelicalism)

References

{{Reflist|2}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

• Lakewood Church

{{Religion in Houston}}{{Megachurches}}{{Coord|29|43|48|N|95|26|4|W|display=title}}