Joel Osteen's $10.5 Million Mansion

Christian Post ^ | October 18, 2013 | Alecia MacKenzie ,

[Gamecock]

Full Title: Joel Osteen's $10.5 Million Mansion, Cross-Less Church and Other Surprising Facts About the Mega-Pastor

Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, and the bestselling author of books like Your Best Life Now and I Declare: 31 Promises to Speak Over Your Life, has been dubbed "the smiling preacher" due to his toothy smile and upbeat attitude. Here are a few facts about Pastor Osteen and his ministry you might not know.

1. Joel Osteen Met Victoria Osteen in a Jewelry Store

Pastor Osteen and his wife Victoria Osteen met in 1985 when he went to a jewelry store to buy a new battery for his watch. Osteen has shared the story about how he met his wife with the Lakewood Church family.

2. Joel Osteen Takes No Salary From Lakewood Church

People magazine reported in a 2007 feature on Pastor Osteen and his family that the megachurch pastor stopped taking a salary from his Houston church in 2005, as his book deals have proven to be lucrative. The same article reported that Osteen was paid an advance of $13 million for one book.

3. The Osteens Live in a Mansion

Houston CultureMap reported in 2010 that the Osteens moved into a home in the River Oaks area of Houston, Texas, that was valued at $10.5 million. The same article reported that the Osteens had kept a former residence valued at $2.9 million while listing a vacant lot near their former home for $1.1. million.

4. Lakewood Church Has No Cross

Pastor Osteen acquired Lakewood Church's new home at the former Compaq Center in 2005. The 16,000-seat arena is home to the nation's largest congregation (43,000 members) and underwent $95 million in renovations, according to a 2005 New York Times article. "Like many new evangelical churches, the building has no cross, no stained glass, no other religious iconography. Instead, it has a cafe with wireless Internet access, 32 video game kiosks and a vault to store the offering," the paper reported.

5. Joel Osteen Was an Extremely Nervous Public Speaker

Pastor Osteen told Esquire magazine earlier this year that he used to be an extremely nervous public speaker, although he does not show it nowadays manning the Lakewood Church pulpit. He overcame his fear and nervousness by pretending that his audience members were old basketball buddies from the local YMCA.

[Uri’el-2012]

missing pronoun

[Elsie]

Swedenborg published True Christianity in 1771, long before Joseph Smith's time.

The Egyptians published things like Facsimile #1 LONG! before JS' time; too!

[Elsie]

no but there is one about hypocrisy. bilking people that have far less money than you do to give to your organization, whilke taking a huge personal salary and living in one or more mansions and having private jets.

I've not seen any evidence for this in JO's case.

[Elsie]

No one is denying that.

Solomon was not CONDEMNED for his wealth; but he WAS in trouble for making VERY bad decisions!

[Secret Agent Man]

he’s still bilking far poorer people out of their money via the prosperity gospel.

And he’s not taken a salary only the past two years. He was before that. And his church takes in about 43 million a year in collections.

Besides if you take in a few million a year for a number of years and have a good chunk of that left over, it’s kind of easy to not take a salary for a couple years.

All I am saying is he seems a little more worldly-focused than say, the apostles or disciples, in terms of comparing men who want to be in church leadership roles.

[QuisCustodiet1776]

You are correct! Had to Google it.

[Secret Agent Man]

Solomon was a king and leader of a country. He was paid tribute by foreign lands, he was the one Israel’s taxes went to. He was going to have this wealth from taxes, political gifts, tributes from foreign lands under control or protection from Israel, under debt to Israel. He’d be getting that no matter what, and not all of it was for him personally, a part of it went to pay soldiers, to build buildings, infrastructure, acquire land or items like the special wood for the temple, to build the temple, etc.

Osteen and Solomon are apples/oranges comparison.

[Elsie]

All I am saying is he seems a little more worldly-focused than say, the apostles or disciples, in terms of comparing men who want to be in church leadership roles.

I agree.

Compare to Billy Graham's ministry, life and home.

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You are not home yet

May 13, 2011|The Rev. Dr. Curtis Alexander

 

 

Ray Stedman in "Talking to My Father" told of an old missionary couple who served in Africa for 50 years. They were returning to New York City to retire, with no pension, poor health, anxiety and discouragement. As they climbed the gangplank they discovered they were on the same ship as President Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning from one of his African big-game safaris.

Of course, no one paid the missionaries any attention. Continuous hoopla surrounded the President. As the ship sailed west to America, the old missionary said to his wife, "Something is wrong. Why should we give our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all these years, and have no one care a thing about us? They fawn over the President, but God's servants are forgotten!"

"Dear, you shouldn't feel that way," his wife answered.

When they docked, a band played for the President. The New York mayor and other dignitaries were present, and newspapers put the story on page one. But no one noticed as the two elderly missionaries slipped off the ship and found a cheap flat in a poor slum. That night his spirit broke. He told his wife, "I can't take this. God is not treating us fairly!"

"Why don't you go in the bedroom," his wife suggested, "and tell that to the Lord?"

Later, returning to the living room, she noticed that he was relaxed. He seemed at peace. "Dear, what happened?"

"The Lord settled it with me," he explained. "I told him how bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous homecoming. I said, 'God, why didn't anyone welcome us home?'"

"And God said, 'But Charles, you're not home yet!' "

 

 

 

 

I suspect that when we see what God has planned for those who serve him faithfully, we'll revise all our ideas of "sacrificial service." We'll know then that what we have given up here in this life is worthless compared to what God has prepared for those who follow him.

On that day, many a president will be ignored, while unknown missionaries and faithful servants are cheered by heavenly beings of great splendor.

Remember: you're not home yet!

 

 

[Elsie]

Osteen and Solomon are apples/oranges comparison.

True; but my statement ABOUT Solomon stands.

[GBA]

BTW, you do know he denied Jesus on national TV, don’t you?

I saw the segment people, perhaps you, had posted and then read his apology where he told of his being taken to task by his congregation. What you raise as a club to strike him with is a trespass I've forgiven.

I've noticed that, despite all of us having been created by the same hands, we are all different and are at different places in our walk through life to our reunion with the One who created us and to His Judgment for our walk.

Believe it or not, some of us are quite damaged by Satan's tricks we've fallen for and by his traps we've fallen in and, in our spiritual death throes, we may not hear His Call or are blind to His Light, at least from what has become the many, many chunks and pieces of His Church.

If someone like Osteen can speak to those who no longer will listen to what others believe is the ONLY right church or the only correct voice or the only correct way, as they believe, then I believe he is doing good, that it is God's Will at work through Osteen's will and that the Holy Spirit will speak to the newly opened heart.

As many have noted, Osteen combines self-help psychology with God help psychology, correcting the apostolic, rebellious error self-help psych makes by leaving out God.

For many, that is enough to open their hearts enough for some of His Light to chase away some of Satan's shadows.

And, that one step, perhaps a first step or the same step again, could be a great victory for them, especially if that step leads to another and another and another and a love for the One whose blood stained footsteps they seek to follow.

It's not my place to take that away from them. I fear the place where such an action will lead me.

[GBA]

Interesting. I've not heard of Swedenborg or Secrets of Heaven before.

What you quoted reminds me of something that puzzles me and might be the way to understand this:

many who are first will be last,
and the last first;

Thanks for the thought provoking info!

[DaveMSmith]

All of Swedenborg's theological works are available free online. I find his theology to be systematic and his revelations of the afterlife consistent with documented Near Death Experiences.

Swedenborg wrote 35 volumes of theology. A suggested starting point is Heaven and Hell download page. See my profile page for more links.

Blessings

[GBA]

Thank you. I appreciate the links.

I'll explore them further once I've finished reading the messages in True Life In God.

[Gamecock]

He is supposed to be a pastor.
He should have known that question was coming. Every single man of God who has ever appeared on Larry King was asked the same question.

His deer in the head lights look spoke volumes.

[GBA]

Fwiw, his answer didn't hit me as hard as it seems to have hit you. I am uncomfortable with some of the things Osteen says and don't care for the marketing. Otoh, he reaches more people that way, to the good or bad, and no one is forced to buy anything.

I was far more offended by him before I watched a few of his Sunday programs and many of my comments here and elsewhere then weren't much different than most on this thread.

However, then or now, I really don't care if he makes money, how much or how much his house costs.

People who do and make a big deal about it sound like they're coveting and giving in to jealousy. Love of money to me sounds like placing a false idol before God.

Personally, I have enough 10 Commandment level screwing up already, thank you very much, to add more to my list. I've done enough damage and am shooting for "Sin no more" doncha know.

I believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, but I don't believe I'm worthy of forgiveness or the room God is said to have created each of us when He created us.

My apologies for my long-winded replies to you.

[Belteshazzar]

Which is worse, to have a “caricature” of Jesus hanging from a cross on the building where you worship or to have a caricature of Jesus in your heart/mind?

I have a “caricature” of Jesus hanging from a cross in my living room. It has the virtue of representing something scriptural, foundational, and true, and reminds me of that every day. 1 Corinthians 1 and 2.