Editor’s note: Updated to include Osteen response, additional tweets
Televangelist Joel Osteen canceled Sunday services at his Houston megachurch but was reluctant to reopen its doors to Harvey victims — despite the fact that thousands of flooded-out residents are desperately seeking shelter.
The perpetually smiling pastor told followers on Twitter on Monday to lean on their faith.
“Jesus promises us peace that passes understanding,” he wrote. “That’s peace when it doesn’t make sense.”
Jesus promises us peace that passes understanding. That’s peace when it doesn’t make sense. — Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 28, 2017
He later tweeted a message seeking flood-relief donations to his church.
Our hearts break as we see the damage and destruction in our city. Please join us in helping Houston recover. Visit https://t.co/jXMX5VB3qS pic.twitter.com/00HtzOmeQL — Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 28, 2017
But Osteen’s comforting words didn’t sit well with critics, who wanted to know why the doors to the 16,800-seat arena at his Lakewood Church near downtown Houston are closed.
“You have taken so much money away from your people to live like a king,” entertainment publicist Danny Deraney blasted. “It’s the least you could do.”
Ministry spokesman Donald Iloff had claimed that the property is inaccessible because of surrounding waters.
Osteen was prompted to respond to the criticism. “We have never closed our doors,” he said in a statement quoted by ABC and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We will continue to be a distribution center to those in need. We are prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity.”
Washington, D.C.–based writer Charles Clymer tweeted pictures of Lakewood Church, which did not appear to be damaged by floods, and later updated his feed with this shot from inside the church, where air mattresses had been laid out apparently meant to receive flood victims.
Lakewood Church apparently bought countless air mattresses and are prepping to open their doors. Took a while but good news.#JoelOsteen pic.twitter.com/MYXf1HqAbF — Charles Clymer🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) August 29, 2017
It makes no sense to open church doors when the city and county are already treating thousands of flood victims at the nearby George R. Brown Convention Center, according to Iloff.
“It has everything inside there — medicine, doctors, places to sleep,” Iloff said of the convention center. “It’s amazing what they’re doing there to make people comfortable.”
Lakewood is a nondenominational church hosting some 52,000 attendees weekly and is one of the largest congregations in the U.S.
A version of this report originally appeared on NYPost.com.
Skarroo on August 29th, 2017 at 14:19 UTC »
A con man that only opens his church for rising tithes, not rising tides.
HoodedxSaints on August 29th, 2017 at 13:42 UTC »
A few years back during another major natural disaster in Houston (maybe Ike?) my family and I went to pass out MREs to the less fortunate that had their homes ruined and needed a free meal. Everyone there volunteered for a few hours to help as many as they could. Joel and Victoria Osteen pulled up in a car being driven by someone else, got out, had their cameraman film them hand out about 5 meals, then got back in the car and drove away. They were there for about 5 minutes total. Supposedly they played the clip at their church the following Sunday talking about how it's important that we volunteer our time to helping those in need. They weren't practicing what they were preaching pulling that.
realultimateninja on August 29th, 2017 at 12:24 UTC »
I don't get how people say he's charismatic. To me he looks like a smarmy, greasy guy.