Weird Things About Joel Osteen’s Marriage

Joel Osteen married Victoria Osteen (formerly Iloff) on April 4, 1987, and has two children, a son, and a daughter.

The couple has always been tightly lipped regarding their private lives, and they might be facing their share of ups and downs like every other couple, but they are very much together after nearly three decades after joining into matrimony. We dearly hope that the lovely couple enjoys many more years of togetherness.

Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria Osteen have accumulated an astounding estimated $100 million net worth through their various Christian-minded endeavors. As the senior pastor at the sprawling Lakewood megachurch in Houston, Texas, Joel’s services are attended by more than 45,000 people every single week. Victoria, who is essentially the church’s first lady, serves as co-pastor alongside her husband, but the couple’s resume isn’t just limited to the church.

Throughout their 30-plus years of marriage, the Osteens have managed to dodge many of the scandals that have brought their friends down. That’s not to say they don’t have their own dark secrets, but they’ve remained steadfastly united during their most terrible moments. Despite the rumors of a divorce, there does not appear to be any cracks in their relationship. That doesn’t negate the fact that it’s odd. The following are some of the strangest aspects of Joel Osteen’s marriage.

You won’t catch Joel Osteen alone with a woman who’s not Victoria

Joel Osteen has taken a page out of the Mike Pence playbook. Like the 48th vice president, The Christian Post explained that the pastor follows what’s commonly known as the “Billy Graham Rule” (for those not tuned in, Graham was one of the most well-known Christian evangelists in America before his 2018 passing). In other words, Osteen avoids spending time alone with any woman who is not his wife, which reportedly helps him avoid some of the scandals that have plagued the Christian church.

Joel Osteen told The Christian Post he follows the Billy Graham rule, which the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association defines as a mandate to, among other things, prevent sexual immorality by avoiding “any situation that would have even the appearance of compromise or suspicion.” This effectively prohibits a guy from being alone with a woman other than his wife. Some people consider the practice to be respectful of marriage. Others consider it to be backward. “They just presume that your marriage vows are so flimsy that you can’t be trusted to uphold them unless a babysitter monitors you,” writes Washington Post columnist Monica Hesse, implying that actions are taken to avoid temptation “don’t honor your wife,” adding, “They just presume that your marriage vows are so flimsy that you can’t be trusted to uphold them unless a babysitter monitors you.”

According to HuffPost, this is fairly common among conservatives. While it may help to avoid the impression of adultery in a marriage or whatever temptation would be too strong to bear, the practice has been extensively condemned since it may inhibit women from furthering their jobs, according to Vox. Furthermore, it may be a violation of workplace discrimination rules in some professional settings if men are given solo face time while women are not.