Lakewood Church

Template:Pp-protected Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox church Lakewood Church is an evangelical Pentecostal and Word of Faith megachurch located in Houston, Texas. It was formerly a Baptist church from 1959 until 1961, and a non-denominational Christian church from 1961 to 1979. It is among the largest congregations in the United States, averaging about 45,000 attendees per week.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 16,800-seat Lakewood Church building, home to four English-language services and two Spanish-language services per week,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is located at the former Compaq Center.<ref name="USA">Template:Cite news</ref> Joel Osteen is the senior pastor of Lakewood Church with his wife, Victoria, who serves as co-pastor.

It has 368 staff members.Template:Citation needed

History

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Current building in Houston

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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.<ref name="southerncrossroads67">Template:Cite book</ref> 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.<ref>Phillip Luke Sinitiere, Salvation with a Smile: Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church, and American Christianity, NYU Press, USA, 2015, p. 64</ref>

In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison caused flooding in the Houston area. Lakewood Church was opened as a shelter to approximately five thousand displaced persons.<ref name="Denver Post">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Lubbock">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Kuzydym">Template:Cite news</ref>

Under Joel Osteen, Lakewood's congregation increased almost fivefold.<ref name="MSNBC">Template:Cite web</ref> Attendance increased to thirty thousand weekly, prompting a move from its location at 7317 East Houston Road<ref>"Contact Information." Lakewood Church. October 18, 2000. Retrieved on April 8, 2009.</ref><ref>"Contact Us." Lakewood Church. June 23, 2003.</ref> to a larger facility.<ref name="USA" /> 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.<ref name="A Sports Arena Gets Religion">Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref name="USA" /><ref>Lonsway, Brian. “Spiritual Summit.” The Houston Journal of Architecture. 74 (2008): 14–19.</ref> The church was required to pay $11.8 million in rent in advance for the first thirty years of the lease.<ref name="A Sports Arena Gets Religion" /> Lakewood renovated the new campus at an estimated cost of $100 million in loans, which was paid off in 2024.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The church received $15 million after selling the former building to New Light Christian Center Church.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On March 31, 2010, the Houston City Council voted 13–2 to sell the property to Lakewood for $7.5 million.<ref>Bradley Olson and Moises Mendoza. "City Council OKs sale of ex-Compaq to Lakewood." Houston Chronicle. March 31, 2010.</ref>

In November 2018, CBS News listed Lakewood Church as the largest megachurch in the United States with about 43,500 weekly visitors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

According to a church census published in 2024, it would have a weekly attendance of 45,000 people.<ref>Outreach Magazine, Lakewood Church, outreach100.com, USA, accessed February 5, 2025</ref>

Shooting

Template:Main 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 son 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.<ref>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.</ref><ref name="CNN">Template:Cite web</ref>

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 his 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Lakewood Church is known for its Word of Faith teaching rooted in the Bible.<ref name=southerncrossroads67 /> It is also known, before every sermon, for a creed (originally led by John and continued by Joel) which the congregation repeats in unison.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Compass Bible Studies Template:Webarchive</ref>

Television

The church's weekly services are broadcast on Trinity Broadcasting Network and Daystar Television Network,<ref>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.</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Osteen's sermons are also televised in more than 100 countries, with an estimated 7 million viewers each week.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Charitable work

Since 2016, Lakewood Church organizes an annual Mobilizing Medical Missions Conference to equip doctors for on-field medical missions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The church has been active during natural disasters by organizing food distribution programs and blood donation drives during COVID 19,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> providing shelter services during Hurricane Ida and 2021 Texas Freeze,<ref name= "Fact check: Pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church did open its doors, February 2021">“Fact check: Pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church did open its doors to shelter Texans from the cold,” Reuters, February 19, 2021</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and serving as a distribution center for essential supplies during Hurricane Harvey.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Criticism

Prosperity gospel

Osteen's sermons and writings are noted for promoting prosperity theology, a belief that material gain is a reward for pious Christians.<ref name=blumenthal>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=lite>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name=Interview>Template:Cite news</ref> 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'."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> According to the Houston Chronicle, Lakewood Church’s income was $89 million in the year ending March 2017, more than 90 percent raised from church followers. More than 70 percent of its budget was spent on television broadcasts, weekly services, and a travelling show, while only around $1.2 million went to charitable causes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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 Template:Convert, 16,000 seat, former basketball arena, available as an emergency shelter for those displaced by the storm.<ref name="WaPo_083017">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="NYT_082917">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Newsweek_082817">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="LAT_092917">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Tribune>Template:Cite web</ref> 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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However the area was not under flood warning and photos and videos posted on social media appeared to counter the church's claim.<ref name=Snopes>Template:Cite news</ref> 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."<ref name=Tribune/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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".<ref name=Tribune/>

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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)

External links

• Lakewood Church