Televangelist Joel Osteen cancelled services at his Houston megachurch Sunday and has yet to reopen its doors — despite the fact that thousands of flooded-out residents are desperately seeking shelter.
The perpetually smiling pastor told followers on Twitter on Monday to lean on their faith.
“Jesus promises us peace that passes understanding,” he wrote. “That’s peace when it doesn’t make sense.”
But Osteen’s comforting words didn’t sit well with critics, who want to know why the doors to his 16,800-seat arena at his Lakewood Church near downtown Houston are closed.
“You have taken so much money away from your people to live like a king,” entertainment publicist Danny Deraney blasted. “It’s the least you could do.”
Houston's @indivisible_usa is acquainted with @JoelOsteen's Lakewood Church. They took these pics about an hour ago w/ commentary. pic.twitter.com/YTWrD9UG1z
— Charles Clymer🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) August 28, 2017
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By their fruits you will know them. https://t.co/7n1eDa1UiM
— John Schindler (@20committee) August 28, 2017
Joel Osteen's Houston home on the left.
His Pensacola home on the right.
He shut his doors to the people of Houston during this crisis. pic.twitter.com/hU9We1VoP2
— Bernie Would've Won (@WhoWonNotMe) August 28, 2017
Joel Osteen's thinking "if you give a man a fish he eats for a day. Lock your megachurch during a huge storm, teach a man how to be a fish."
— Jeremy Newberger (@jeremynewberger) August 28, 2017
Wait, now Osteen is opening his church? I thought it was inaccessible? It suddenly became accessible after bad PR?
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) August 29, 2017
Osteen is definitely a snake oil salesman, as are televangelists in general . But if conditions in Houston are going to get any worse — if I needed shelter, I would prefer to go somewhere far away from the flooding.
I should hope that he, along with his fellow televangelists, will use their vast resources to help these people in their time of need. Parting with a good chunk of their ill-gotten gains in the name of disaster relief will, if nothing else, improve their reputations.
I spoke with a Lakewood Church spokesman today who said no one from the city, county, etc. has requested Lakewood open as a shelter.
— Ruth Graham (@publicroad) August 28, 2017
Well, Jesus requested https://t.co/u64YLDihAI
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) August 29, 2017
Pro-tip: If your "church" needs government to request its help for the needy before acting on its own, it's not a church.
— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) August 29, 2017
ABC is reporting the church is open now.
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