1. Joel Scott Osteen was born on March 5,1963 and is an American pastor, televangelist, businessman, and author based in Houston, Texas, United States.
18 Facts About Joel Osteen
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Joel Osteen was born in Houston, and is one of six children of John Joel Osteen and Dolores Pilgrim.
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Joel Osteen graduated from Humble High School, a public high school in the city of Humble, Texas, in 1981, and attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he studied radio and television communications but did not graduate.
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In 1982, Joel Osteen returned to Houston after leaving Oral Roberts University.
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Joel Osteen founded Lakewood's television program, later becoming ordained through his father's church in 1983.
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Joel Osteen produced his father's televised sermons for 17 years until January 1999, when his father died of a heart attack.
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Joel Osteen would preach his first sermon on January 17,1999.
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Joel Osteen's sermons have been criticized as self-serving and revealing a poor command of Scripture.
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Joel Osteen says he chooses to focus more on the goodness of God and on living an obedient life rather than on sin, and that he tries to teach Biblical principles in a simple way, emphasizing the power of love and a positive attitude.
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Joel Osteen hosted an event at his Lakewood Church in 2018, in collaboration with rapper Kanye West, called Sunday Service.
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Joel Osteen held his Easter service during COVID-19 with Mariah Carey and Tyler Perry.
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Joel Osteen's son was critically injured with a gunshot to the head by the police officers during the exchange of gunfire.
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Joel Osteen says that as senior pastor, he draws no salary from the church, which has an annual budget of $70 million; instead, he relies on income from book sales.
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Joel Osteen has generally avoided discussing or preaching about controversial issues such as gay marriage, abortion, and politics.
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Joel Osteen further revealed that he had not studied the religion.
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Horton stated that the problem with Joel Osteen's message is that it makes religion about us instead of about God.
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Joel Osteen is estimated to have a net worth of over $50 million, with his church taking in $43 million a year in collections.
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Joel Osteen stated that pictures showing Lakewood free of flooding were taken on Monday, after the flood waters had lowered.