Joel Osteen is a religious leader of Texas. Today he is the televangelist pastor with millions of followers and has written numerous best-selling books.
Joel Osteen was born on March 5, 1963, in Houston, Texas. Raised in Houston, Texas, with a loving family of seven and world-renowned parents in full-time ministry, Joel Osteen never imagined that he would follow so closely in his father’s footsteps. Though he was close to his father in ministry, his training and interests as a young man were behind the scenes in television production.
“There’s no greater feeling than being able to help people rise higher and overcome something and feel better about themselves. I think that we’re all made to help others, to lift people UP.”
His father always encouraged him to preach, but Joel would politely decline time and time again until one day in October 1999 when his father was admitted to the hospital with kidney complications. Joel Osteen succeeded his father as the senior pastor of Lakewood Church. He only started delivering sermons a week before his father’s passing.
In 2003, Lakewood Church acquired the Compaq Center, former home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets. The next 18 months were spent renovating the arena, and on July 15, 2005, the first of seven weekly worship services was held in the new 16,000-seat auditorium. That first week, Lakewood added over 10,000 new members, and within a year became one of the most popular out-of-town visitor destinations in Houston. Over the next few years, Lakewood continued its growth and currently draws more than 45,000 weekly attendees.
From his earliest memory, Joel Osteen sat at the knee of a father whose entire life was focused on reaching those in need. While John Osteen was a successful pastor, Joel’s first experiences were in the areas of media and business, where he quickly established an international reputation. Turning to media, Joel became a successful television producer, creating the John Osteen television program and developing it into a global outreach. The capstone on his media career was building KTBU-TV55 into a premiere independent television station for the Houston market.
But his father’s unexpected passing in early 1999 opened a new door for Joel, and at that point, he assumed the role of Senior Pastor at Lakewood Church.
Now, with his wife, Victoria, and the leadership staff of Lakewood, this innovative church is poised for the new millennium.
Since 1999, under the leadership of Pastor Joel Osteen, Lakewood has grown in a variety of ways. Lakewood’s commitment to community outreach continues to increase, and its international media broadcast has expanded into over 200 million households in the United States.
There is a new generation rising at Lakewood Church, a generation that doesn’t believe in limits, one that believes all things are possible. Pastor Joel and Victoria are inspiring a new generation with a message that is changing lives. A message of forgiveness, healing, and optimism. A message on how you can enjoy the abundant life that God has for you. A message to help you find your inner champion!
“Half the people who watch us don’t go to church. And so that was our goal: How do we get outside of the church? I want to talk to the people who think, ‘I’m not a religious person.’ When Jesus was here, you know he didn’t stay in the synagogue. He went out in the marketplace, and so that’s what we try to do.”
In 2007, Osteen’s tour went beyond the United States and into Canada, England, Northern Ireland, and Israel. His second book, Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day became another best seller.
Joel Osteen earns no salary as senior pastor of Lakewood Church. He makes his living through the books that he sells and is one of the top five paid pastors in the country. His sermons of hope and positive outlook goes well with his nickname of the “Smiling Pastor.” Joel Osteen highlights the blessings in life including health for the family and positive relationships.
According to several sources, Joel has become the most watched inspirational figure in America, and in 2014, SiriusXM launched Joel Osteen Radio (Channel 128), a channel dedicated to the inspirational messages of Joel and Victoria. Additionally, over the past eight years, more than 2 million people have attended Joel and Victoria’s Night of Hope events across the U.S. and around the world.[No text in field]
“Keep following the dream that God put in your heart. Believe. Work hard. There may be some difficult seasons, but you have to keep moving forward. Sometimes we say faith is spelled R-I-S-K.
Sometimes you’ve got to risk if you feel a calling deep down. You’ve got to take that step of faith.”
