Gary and April have been married for nearly 25 years and When the farmer took his preacher into the field to read some scriptures promising rewards to the righteous, Copeland claimed that they began to hear sounds like popcorn popping, and as they looked about them, they saw the field filling with large, fluffy bolls. I think we could have churches of four thousand to six thousand [in other cities]. April Simons is the Co-Pastor of We Are The Church Triumphant along with her husband, Gary Simons. Before the end of the year, Joel officially became Lakewoods new leader. You guys are looking good. Indeed, rather than make an attempt to conceal the family-run nature of Lakewood, the Osteens obviously regard their image as a faithful unit as one of their greatest strengths. As a family ministry, Lakewood cannot belong to the ECFA, nor is it required to submit 990 forms to the IRS listing income and major expenses, including the salaries of its five highest-paid officials. Around the time Victoria was born, her family lived close to the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where her father, a mathematician for General Electric, was a member of the team working on the Saturn Rocket project under the direction of German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, a pioneer of rocket and space technology in the US. As with all megachurchesusually defined as Protestant churches with more than 2,000 members; at 30,000, Lakewood is sometimes called a gigachurchnew members are attracted with a vibrant worship experience packed with generous helpings of music and prayer. Not everyone knew exactly where Lakewood was, but few Houstonians were unaware that it existed. An hour later I watched the 10:45 service from the television control room. So when Joel was sitting there and getting ready to preachhe was so nervousI was sitting behind him, and I leaned up to say something to him, and in that split second the Lord spoke to me down in my spirit, and he said, Lisa, I am transitioning you to work with your brother, and just as you served your dad, I want you to serve your brother as pastor of this church. I knew that was the Lord who had said that to me, and I was just so happy after that., Dodie, whose oft-repeated story of surviving metastatic liver cancer serves as a premier warrant for belief in miraculous healing, also finds it easy to accept her sons success as part of a divine plan. What is the cost per rating point? It would be great to have three minutes to really explain it, but I do think I put it out there., Reluctance to shut the gate or shrink the dimensions of the path does not sit well with everyone in Joels audience. How, I wondered, can Joel spend three days preparing a sermon, another day delivering it four times, and, in recent months, another full day giving interviews and still have time to fulfill the duties of a pastor of a 30,000-member church? Osteen worked in her mothers jewelry store while attending the University of Houston (though she did not complete her degree there). Knowing hed be preaching for the first time, in front of some six thousand people, he longed to retreat to his familiar and comfortable position behind the camera. Is a better time slot available? We have a great accountability to the Lord and to the people and we feel that. I dont know all about their religion. Then Joel hung up the phone and sat down to eat dinner, confident that Lisa or his mother or some other staff member could easily fill the pulpit for a week or two. 921 posts. The duo have been married for about 25 years. On this day, the vaguely dominatrix look of her high-heeled black boots, black mock turtleneck sweater, and long black leather coat with silver buttons down the front was erased by the warm friendliness she showered on her adorers: Hi, sweetheart. Web26.9k Followers, 225 Following, 921 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from April Osteen Simons~Hope Coach (@aprilosimons) aprilosimons. I believe God wants us to be blessed, but its only so that we can be a blessing. It could shut the door on his ability to plant the seed of Gods message in peoples hearts. Politicians are often eager to court his constituency, yet as a general rule, an officeholder who attends Joels service will be recognized but not asked to speak. I feel like the church should be a force. The programs themselves are slickly produced, as good or better than any daytime talk show. A Fundamentalist East Texas Church Bought a Sawmill. In Huntsville, Alabama, Victoria Osteen was given the name Victoria Iloff. But we are committed to reaching those who dont believe yet. When Jesus was here on this earth, he did such practical stuff. Love Your Life: Living Happy, Healthy, and Whole was her first book, and it debuted at number two on the New York Times bestsellers list in 2008. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Joel decides what he feels like the Lord wants him to do, but we work with attorneys. Signup for the latest news & updates. She's survived both a birth defect and a mail bomb explosion that made headlines around the world, and she has overcome many I know you do. He didnt want to get up there and pastor, but he felt like it was Gods will., A second set of explanations for Lakewoods success, not perceived as conflicting with the first in any way, is heavy reliance on technology and a great deal of marketing savvy. The topic of Joels sermon was The Dangers of Procrastination, and he opened by identifying procrastination as one of the greatest enemies we will ever face. He then listed the kinds of things even well-meaning people put off: cleaning the kitchen, straightening up the garage, paying the bills, cutting back on spending (Listen carefully, Victoria), losing weight and getting in shape, giving up smoking, practicing good preventive medicine (Ladies, you know how important it is to have that regular checkup). TO WATCH JOEL AND THE LAKEWOOD team at work and to visit with them offstage is to become aware of dual narratives for explaining the ministrys meteoric success. Almost immediately, the church began to expand rapidly, first to a simple but more substantial building hardly larger than the feed store, then to a flat, featureless structure that by 1979 had increased to accommodate more than five thousand worshippers, all sitting on folding chairs. NOT EVERYONE WAS INITIALLY ENTHUSIASTIC about Joels becoming the pastor at Lakewood. He performs no weddings or funerals, makes no hospital visits, does no pastoral counseling, and turns down outside speaking engagements. Thats just not me. Victoria, a native Houstonian, worked in her familys jewelry store while she was a student at the University of Houston. WebAmong those said to be disappointed was Gary Simons, who is married to April Osteen and was already prominent in the church as a youth pastor and praise-and-worship leader. Leave them blank to get signed up. When the time came, Joel and Victoria stepped onto the stage, and Joel gave his standard greeting: We welcome you to Lakewood. He spoke rapidly but winningly, drawing laughs from a sympathetic audience with self-deprecating comments and amusing stories about his family. Victoria was born on March 28, 1961, making her husband Joel two years younger than her. Its all good! Many were content simply to let Joel know that they were his greatest admirers, but some used their precious seconds to attempt a more personal connection: I been keeping up with you since you first started. You saved my husbands life. Shake my babys hand. Regular viewers have no difficulty finding out when the tour will visit their city. Since 1990, April is married to worship and praise leader, Pastor Gary Simons. The couple has been married for well over three decades, and have five children named Ariella, Christiana, Elliana, Savannah, and Garrison. Their son, Garrison, is father to a girl named Penelope, and their oldest child, Christiana, is mother to a son named Dean Levi. Let me tell you, thats pretty big., Joel says little about the narrow way in his televised sermons or his book, which elaborates on the themes from those sermons. In addition to repeated showings on religious channels TBN and Daystar, the program currently airs on national network affiliate stations in 35 major cities, including the top 30 markets, and on 5 secular cable channels (ABC Family, USA, Discovery, PAX, and BET). She is dedicated to giving women, kids, and families the tools they need to connect and thrive while building a solid foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. His television show is the highest-rated religious broadcast in the country. PO Box 150446 I dont know the answers, even on abortion. Joels organization has clearly met the competence test, and even his detractors concede that he is an enormously charismatic young man with no apparent dark side or hidden agenda. Although the Osteens seemed slightly amused when I characterized Lakewood as a family-owned business, they did not protest. Arlington, TX 76015. Love this picture! They are looking to ask, How do I let go of the past? How do I have a better marriage? What is wrong with me? If you want to reach the culture, you need to speak in their terms. If you want this year, this week, this day to be happier, healthier, more successful and better than its ever been, this podcast is for you! When Joel learned in 2001 that the Houston City Council was going to be leasing out the Compaq Center, he and his associates put together a proposal and hired Dave Walden, who had served former mayor Bob Lanier as a top aide, to lobby the council on their behalf. Are they on the strongest station in a market at a time with the highest number of homes watching television? One night in late 1981 I heard television preacher Kenneth Copeland, host of the Believers Voice of Victory program, tell a Lakewood audience about a farmer whose cotton was withering and dropping to the ground like little brown marbles. Prior to a Continental Airlines trip from Houston, Texas to Vail, Colorado, on December 19, 2005, Sharon Brown, a flight attendant, accused Victoria Osteen of assault. We love each and every one of you, and we know that God has good things in store for you) and the live audience (You guys are looking good) and then begins by reading a joke: A man came into the church office A Christian lady on an airplane was reading her Bible That morning he began with one about a man trying to discipline a profane parrot. He is not classically handsome, but his face is instantly appealing, both because of the lively energy in his intense blue eyes and a smile that never seems forced and is seldom missing; he is often referred to as the Smiling Preacher. She first met Joel Osteen in 1985 when he entered the jewelry store to purchase a new watch battery. And, in what seems to be Lakewoods all-purpose signature stanza. It takes the majority of my time. With this call to worship completed, Cruse-Ratcliff, the choir, and a ten-piece band launched into a slick, rollicking, often throbbing country-rock-gospel outpouring that had the congregation on its feet for more than half an hour, most with arms upraised, some dancing in a manner not learned entirely in church. I dont know.I just think that only God will judge a persons heart. From Lakewoods beginning, Dodie has played a prominent role in the worship services. Ready? Thousands of Bibles ascended like blackbirds as Joel led the assemblage in its standard affirmation: This is my Bible. I ask you to come into my heart. Joel recognized, however, that nothing was stopping the church from doing this on a voluntary basis. He taught using simple examples like the parable of the prodigal son; everybody can relate to that. I dont think a homosexual lifestyle is Gods best way, but Im not going to tell [homosexuals] they cant come to our church. Dozens of people streamed down the aisles, accompanied by sustained applause from those who were not already heading for the exits in an effort to avoid the traffic jam. He also oversees an extensive Sunday school program, which is expected to involve 10,000 youngsters now that theyve moved into the Compaq Center. She was raised in a southern Houston suburb close to the Manned Spacecraft Centre (now known as the Johnson Space Centre). Minutes after we got into the air, bound for Houston, Joel pulled his tray out before him, laid his head directly on it, without a pillow, and slept soundly until we made the approach for our landing. The store manager, looking at a line that was already outside the door when we arrived, said, We knew it would be big but not this big this fast. Joel and Victoria slowly wound their way through the store, their procession made more auspicious by the dazzling lights of a camera crew covering the event for a local TV station. The tiny (size 2 petite), neatly dressed Osteen matriarch still speaks at every service, frequently noting her pleasure in her brood, and it seems that no service passes without some mention of Daddy. Even when they are not on the program, Lisa and Paul are also present, and the giant screens remind everyone that they will be speaking at the Wednesday night service. The Texanist: Is There Really Only One Natural Lake in Texas? More Colorful Texas Sayings Than You Can Shake a Stick At, At Texas Swingers Clubs, the Lifestyle Is Booming. I always tell people who say that, Just come to church. There is no way you can sit in our services during a time of worship and not know we are lifting up the name of Jesus. Thats great. Web6 HOUR VERSION of my mom, Dodie Osteen, reads healing scriptures, prays and shares her story of being healed of cancer. To boost his confidence, he even wore a pair of his fathers shoes when he stepped onto the broad stage. Who is like the Lord? I make you my Lord and Saviorand assuring them that if they say those words, they will be born again. I feel like Im doing what God calls me to do. On August 13, 2008, a Houston jury found in Osteens favor and absolved her of any civil responsibility. Once there, Joel congratulated them, urged them to get into a good Bible church if they didnt intend to keep coming to LakewoodThis is not the only good churchand gave each of them a small folder entitled Your Next Step to a New Beginning, which set forth a bare outline of Christian beliefs, encouraged them to be baptized in water, and invited them to attend an eight-week New Beginnings class taught on Sunday evenings by Paul. Preserve Marriage has confirmed that they have received and accepted the resignation of its Deputy Chair/Spokesperson Gary Simons.. In addition, all the major services are now webcast live. WebJoel married Victoria Osteen on April 4, 1987. He is who he says he is. I kid about being the least likely to take the church, but in one sense, this is all I have ever known. An outside group approves compensation. (In addition to contributing a substantial portion of his earnings from the book to the church, Joel has stopped taking his $200,000 salary.) Theres a real beauty about the way we work together. The first printing of Love Your Life was one of the biggest by any publisher in 2008, coming in at 750,000 copies. April Simons is the Co-Pastor of We Are The Church Triumphant along with her husband, Gary Simons. Lieutenant made its New York Times Bestsellers list debut at number two. But unlike his mother and several of his siblings, Joel had never delivered a single sermon; in fact, he had steadfastly refused to do so on numerous occasions. Joel is giving a lot of people the opportunity to find the narrow way. Paul contends that, despite the lack of standard theological content, his brother is nonetheless an effective evangelist. THE STORY OF HOW JOEL OSTEEN BECAME THE leader of the fastest-growing ministry in America begins with his father. I will never be the same. That ambitious outlook seems to be embedded in the Osteen genes. I sort of agree with them., Billy Graham, of course, is not an office in the Christian church that must be filled. Dodie then delivered a brief sermon on how Jesus could rescue us from any trouble if we just had faith to call on him, after which it was time for her sons sermon. Joel signed another 750 books, bringing the total for the day to nearly 2,000, all without the slightest sign of fatigue or boredom. This point was brought home to me one evening around that time when, riding around with two of my granddaughters, then about six and four years old, a radio commercial began with We believe in new beginnings, and the girls immediately chimed in with and we believe in yoooooouuuuu!! Doesnt the gospel according to Joel sound more like the wide gate and the easy way that leads to destruction? I take a little different approach. God chooses. Shortly after his fathers death, his older brother Paul left a thriving surgical practice in Little Rock and came back home to help Joel, mother Dodie, and sister Lisa run Lakewoods day-to-day operations. They also bombarded council members with a phenomenal number of calls, letters, and e-mails asking for their support. I am convinced that if they will give Joel five minutes, they will be hooked., To increase the chances that this will happen, Joel and his media team analyze the Nielsen ratings at the end of each quarter to see how their show is doing and how it might improve. Its an audacious claim, especially when you consider that just six years ago Joel Osteen was largely unknownprobably even to most members of Lakewood Church, whose beloved founder and guiding spirit was his father, John Osteen. Gary and April have been hitched for just about 25 years. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. Together they had a son and a daughter. It I think God is calling me to be pastor of this church. I said, What? Most of what I preach is about the simple things., Jesus indeed told stories, but he also issued some scathing condemnation of sinners, particularly the arrogant, the self-righteous, the corrupt, and those who trust in riches. Together they founded the High Point Church in 921 posts. Clearly, that does not strike Joels siblings as fanciful. You dont hear much criticism about Lakewood Church or about the Osteen family.. We are stewards of Gods money., Joel and his associates are less comfortable with the characterization of his message as Christianity Lite, an appealing but less filling version of the real thing. John soon agreed, with the understanding that they would never use the program to ask for money. Victoria Osteen also hosts a regular segment on Houston radio station 89.3 KSBJ. In the past he has conceded that most of his ministry is not evangelistic and has admitted that the principles he extols will work in anybodys life, whether or not that person is a Christian, but he feels confident that by teaching people how to live as God wants them to live, he is training them for Christian discipleship. He spoke on conventional topicsthe atonement, the Resurrection, the Holy Spiritbut the theme with which he became most closely identified may be found in this passage from one of his sermons: Its Gods will for you to live in prosperity instead of poverty. Somebody asked me what I think of stem cell research. Another plausible choice was Jim Graff, who is married to the third Osteen daughter, Tamara, and who was the pastor of a church in Victoria. He needs the anointing. This is Bailey Ann. I see the potential there from the marketing side. She met Joel in the same jewelry store, where they later wed. Joel and Victoria frequently traveled with Joels father on mission trips to India and other countries, helping those in need in some of the worlds most underdeveloped regions. Its basically what I do.. In 2003, Osteen established the Lakewood Church Womens He wound up by assuring us that if we would stop putting things off and do our part right now, learn to bloom where we are planted, quit looking at what is wrong in our lives and look at what is right, quit letting others steal our joy, quit complaining about what we dont have and start thanking God for what we do have, and stop putting off our happiness and start enjoying life, God would pick up any remaining slack and help us discover the champion in ourselves and, repeating two key Lakewood slogans, be more than conquerors, victors and not victims. 26.9K followers. At the Dallas event at the American Airlines Center, six-year-old Alexandra sang Come Just as You Are during the invitation. Joel and Victoria live in a large home in tony Tanglewood, as do Lisa and Kevin Comes; Dodies townhouse is a stones throw from the senior president Bushs, and Paul lives on a small ranch near Tomball. Aug 3, 2014 #1 Joel Osteens sister got the shock of her life as her husband, Pastor, Reverend Gary Simons decided to give up the 107 acre Christian Church Complex that his devout SHEEP invested tithes and offerings and blood, sweat and tears, to build. Web26.9k Followers, 225 Following, 921 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from April Osteen Simons~Hope Coach (@aprilosimons) aprilosimons. Who is April Osteen Simons husband? And Dodie stressed that she had always told the children, Daddys name was always squeaky clean, and we intend to keep it that way. She seemed to feel this had been sufficient, observing, They are so respectful of their father and of me. She is a dynamic speaker, whose practical and insightful messages are impacting a whole generation of women and their children. She claps when she watches you. One man handed his cell phone to Joel and asked him to say Hi, Jamie to his wife. He can do what he says he can do. In slightly less-commercial terms, Dodds agreed: We want to make sure we are spending Gods money wisely.. John and Dodie had six grown children (the oldest, Justin, was Johns by an earlier marriage that had ended in what is referred to by the family as an unwanted divorce). I feel there are other issues I am called to more than those, he explained. Pastor Gary Simons is the husband of April Osteen Simons. The books original print run, which totaled 750k copies, was also one of the biggest by any American publisher that year. His personal-appearance events are packing arenas in major cities around the country, including Madison Square Garden, in New York, where an extra night had to be scheduled to keep up with demand, and the American Airlines Center, in Dallas, where scalped tickets fetched as much as $100. New York Times bestselling author Victoria. On a thirty-minute program, you cant solve the worlds problems. As for that knottiest of theological issues, the problem of suffering: I have a file in my mind called an I dont understand it file. On this particular Monday in mid-December, his first book, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential, had just hit the top spot on the New York Times Advice, How-To and Miscellaneous best-seller list.