Joel Osteen Faces Criticism On Social Media For Closing Houston Megachurch's Doors Amid Harvey

Joel Osteen, the famed pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, is defending himself after facing criticism on social media for not offering shelter at the megachurch to victims of Hurricane Harvey.

In a post on Twitter Saturday, Osteen said he was praying for those affected by the storm, which has dumped 20 to 40 inches of rain on the Houston area, with more on the way.


Victoria & I are praying for everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey. Please join us as we pray for the safety of our Texas friends & family.

But on Sunday, in response to requests that the church, which can hold more than 16,000 people, be opened for evacuees, Lakewood Church posted on Facebook that it is "inaccessible due to severe flooding" and directed displaced residents to shelters in the city.

The Facebook post courted criticism on social media, where photos appeared to suggest that the massive building, which was once home to the NBA's Houston Rockets, had not been damaged by the torrential rains. It's unclear if the church was damaged in the storm.

In response, Osteen insisted in a statement Monday evening that he and his church are "prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity."

"We have never closed our doors. We will continue to be a distribution center for those in need," the statement reads.

It adds, "Lakewood will be a value to the community in the aftermath of this storm in helping our fellow citizens rebuild their lives."

Lakewood Church sent photos that it says show flooding in and around the building.


PHOTO: Photos that Lakewood Church says show flooding in and around the church. (Lakewood Church)More


PHOTO: Photos that Lakewood Church says show flooding in and around the church. (Lakewood Church)More


PHOTO: Photos that Lakewood Church says show flooding in and around the church. (Lakewood Church)

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

Thousands of evacuees have streamed in by the busload to Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center, the largest shelter serving victims of Harvey. The shelter originally said it could take 5,000 people but is currently over capacity, with 6,000.

Tens of thousands of area residents are expected to need shelter in the area because of catastrophic flooding, according to officials.

Jesus promises us peace that passes understanding. That’s peace when it doesn’t make sense.

— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 28, 2017

John Gray, an associate pastor at the Lakewood Church, defended it on Instagram, insisting that staffers couldn't open the building because flooded highways were blocking access.