HOUSTON: Preacher Joel Osteen's Mega-Church Fits 17,000 but Closes the Doors for HARVEY's Victims
Portal VozdoCLIENTE / TVNomeiodaRua
2017-08-30
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Preacher Joel Osteen was harshly criticized by the US media after closing his church doors shortly after the onset of the public crisis caused by the tornadoes and overflow of rain and wind from Hurricane Harvey.
The confusion began when the church, which has seating for 17,000 people released photos of flooding of some of its sectors and supposedly closed the doors. Some netizens then went close to ascertaining the situation, since the church being the space of a gym would be ideal for homeless shelter.
Two men filmed the surroundings and even part of the interior of the church and the case gained repercussion.
WHO'S THE LAKEWOOD CHURCH?
Lakewood Church is a nondenominational charismatic Christian megachurch located in Houston, Texas, US. It is the one of the largest congregations in the United States, averaging about 52,000 attendees per week. The 16,800-seat Lakewood Church Central Campus, home to four English-language services and two Spanish-language services per week, is located at the former Compaq Center. Joel Osteen is the senior pastor of Lakewood Church with his wife, Victoria, who serves as co-pastor. Lakewood is a Non-denominational Church (not affiliated), while the leadership is considered part of the Word of Faith movement.
Lakewood Church was founded by John Osteen and his second wife, Dolores (Dodie) on Mother's Day, May 10, 1959, inside an abandoned feed store in northeast Houston. 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 non-denominational. From the beginning, Lakewood has been racially inclusive. 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 100 countries worldwide. Upon John Osteen's death of a heart attack January 23, 1999, his youngest son, Joel Osteen, became the pastor.
Under Joel Osteen, Lakewood's congregation increased almost fivefold. Attendance increased to 30,000 weekly, prompting a move from its location at 7317 East Houston Road 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.
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. The church was required to pay $11.8 million in rent in advance for the first 30 years of the lease. Lakewood renovated the new campus at an estimated cost of $100 million
(Describe by Wikipedia)
The confusion began when the church, which has seating for 17,000 people released photos of flooding of some of its sectors and supposedly closed the doors. Some netizens then went close to ascertaining the situation, since the church being the space of a gym would be ideal for homeless shelter.
Two men filmed the surroundings and even part of the interior of the church and the case gained repercussion.
WHO'S THE LAKEWOOD CHURCH?
Lakewood Church is a nondenominational charismatic Christian megachurch located in Houston, Texas, US. It is the one of the largest congregations in the United States, averaging about 52,000 attendees per week. The 16,800-seat Lakewood Church Central Campus, home to four English-language services and two Spanish-language services per week, is located at the former Compaq Center. Joel Osteen is the senior pastor of Lakewood Church with his wife, Victoria, who serves as co-pastor. Lakewood is a Non-denominational Church (not affiliated), while the leadership is considered part of the Word of Faith movement.
Lakewood Church was founded by John Osteen and his second wife, Dolores (Dodie) on Mother's Day, May 10, 1959, inside an abandoned feed store in northeast Houston. 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 non-denominational. From the beginning, Lakewood has been racially inclusive. 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 100 countries worldwide. Upon John Osteen's death of a heart attack January 23, 1999, his youngest son, Joel Osteen, became the pastor.
Under Joel Osteen, Lakewood's congregation increased almost fivefold. Attendance increased to 30,000 weekly, prompting a move from its location at 7317 East Houston Road 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.
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. The church was required to pay $11.8 million in rent in advance for the first 30 years of the lease. Lakewood renovated the new campus at an estimated cost of $100 million
(Describe by Wikipedia)
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