Joel Osteen
Born Joel Scott Osteen on March 5th 1963 in Houston, Texas to John and Dodie Osteen; he grew up to follow in his father’s footsteps of being a pastor in 1999. Before Joel could become pastor he attended Oral Roberts University from 1981-1982. Joel then proceeded to get married in 1987 to Victoria Iloff and have two children. Straight out of college Joel started producing and broadcasting for Lakewood church until he became pastor in 1999.
John Osteen founded Lakewood church in 1959 in which the church grew to a size of 5,000 members, over the next twenty years. In early 1999, John was having heart and kidney problems and asked Joel to give the Sunday sermon in which he declined; then called back momentarily and changed his mind. His first time speaking was in front of a crowd of 6,000 people and the people loved him because of his easygoing style of preaching. Eleven days later John had died from a heart attack and Joel was nominated the new preacher.
Since Joel took over for his father the church has grown to 30,000 members and its annual revenues are estimated to be $60 million. Not to mention his broadcast reach over 7 million media viewers weekly in over 100 different nations around the world.
In my personal opinion Joel Osteen is having a positive influence on many peoples’ lives in many communities. I don’t attend church very often but I watch or listen to him any time I get the chance. A lot of the stuff he says I can relate to in some way or another.
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