The Lakewood Church is a Christian non-Christian denominational megachurch located in Houston, Texas, USA. This is one of the largest trial in the United States, averaging about 52,000 participants per week. Lakewood Church Central Campus is 16,800 seats, home to four English speaking services and two Spanish-language services per week, located at the former Compaq Center. Joel Osteen is a senior pastor of the Lakewood Church with his wife, Victoria, who serves as a common minister. Lakewood Church is non-denominational (non-affiliated), while leadership can be considered as part of the Word of Faith movement.
Video Lakewood Church
Histori
Lakewood Church was founded by John Osteen and his second wife, Dolores (Dodie) on Mother's Day, May 10, 1959, inside an abandoned food store in northeastern Houston. John was a Southern Baptist minister, but after experiencing baptism in the Holy Spirit, he founded Lakewood as a charismatic Baptist church. The Church immediately dropped the "Baptist" from his name and became non-denominational. From the beginning, Lakewood has been inclusive racial. In 1979, the audience was over five thousand, and the church became prominent among Pentecost and Charismatics. John and Dodie created and hosted the weekly Lakewood television program, which can be seen in 100 countries around the world. After John Osteen's death from a heart attack January 23, 1999, his youngest son, Joel Osteen, became a priest.
In 2001, Allison Tropical Storm caused flooding in the Houston area. The Lakewood Church was opened as a shelter for about 5,000 displaced people.
Under Joel Osteen, the Lakewood congregation increased almost fivefold. Attendance increased to 30,000 every week, pushing the move from its location at 7317 East Houston Road to a larger facility. In late 2003, the church signed a long-term contract with the city of Houston to acquire the Compaq Center, a 29-year-old sports arena.
Lakewood Church moved to Compaq Center on July 16, 2005. It is a 16,800-seat facility in downtown southwest Houston along the 59th US Highway, which has twice the capacity of previous sanctuaries. The Church is required to pay $ 11.8 million in advance rent for the first 30 years of the lease. Lakewood renovated the new campus with an estimated cost of $ 100 million.
On March 31, 2010, the Houston City Council voted 13-2 to sell the property to Lakewood for $ 7.5 million.
Maps Lakewood Church
Confidence
The Lakewood Church believes that the whole Bible is inspired by God, and the church bases its teaching on this belief. The Church also holds the belief in the Trinity, as well as the confession of Christ's death on the cross and resurrection.
From the command found in the Bible, the church practiced the following:
- Safety: Each service offers an Altar call at the end so that people will accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.
- Water Baptism: The Church believes that the Bible asks this as a symbol and testimony of faith to Jesus Christ - in its cleansing power through the shedding of blood on the cross for us. Baptism is done every Saturday night in Chapel church.
- Communion: The Church believes that the Bible asks for this action considering what Jesus did on the cross. It is offered once a month.
- Growing Relationships with Jesus Christ: Lakewood believes that every believer must grow a growing relationship with Jesus by obeying the Word of God, surrendering to the Holy Spirit and by adjusting to the image of Christ.
Lakewood Church is known for teaching the Word of Faith. Also known, before each sermon, for a confession (originally led by John and continued by Joel) that the church repeats simultaneously.
Church Organization
Lakewood offers various types of ministries, fellowships, and services depending on the age, marital status, and needs of its members.
Services
- Children: Children
- Lakewood Middle School: High School Students
- Youth Lakewood: High School Students
- Main Service: All Adults
- Lakewood Young Adults: Lecture and Youth Youth Post-College
During the Weekend service, Joel Osteen, Victoria Osteen, John Gray or Danilo Montero preach. On Sunday night, Nick Nilson or John Gray preaches. On Wednesday nights, Associate Priest John Gray, Paul Osteen, Lisa Osteen Comes, or guest speakers preach.
Learn
Classes are offered through Class Compass services, meetings before and after weekend services.
Television
Church weekly services are broadcast on Trinity Broadcasting Network and Daystar Television Network, as well as local channels in most US markets. Lakewood also appears on secular networks, such as Fox Network, Freeform, and USA Network. In 2007, Lakewood reported spending nearly $ 30 million annually on its television service. Osteen's lectures are also broadcast in over 100 countries, with an estimated 7 million viewers each week. Lakewood also organizes the Night of Hope every month. This is when the church organizes Christian service events in one arena or stadium across America.
Hispanic Service
In 2002, Lakewood started Hispanic service, Iglesia Lakewood, founded by Pastor Hispanic Marcos Witt and his wife, Miriam Witt. In September 2012, Danilo and Gloriana Montero took over the role of the associate minister for the Hispanic ministry. Lakewood has two services every week in Spanish and translates all English services into Spanish. Weekly attendance in Spanish service is about 6,000 people.
Criticism
The Gospel of Prosperity
Osteen's lectures and writings are sometimes recorded to promote the theology of prosperity, or the gospel of prosperity, the belief that material gain is a gift to godly Christians. However, when asked if he is a welfare teacher, Osteen replied that if prosperity means God wants people to be blessed and healthy and have a good relationship, then he considers himself a welfare teacher, but if it's about money, he does not. He specifically stated that he never preached about money because of the reputation of televangelists. In an interview with The Christian Post on April 21, 2013, Osteen expressed her feelings when considered a part of the prosperity gospel. "I am grouped into the prosperity gospel and I never thought it was fair, but that's just what it is.I think prosperity, and I have said it 1,000 times, it becomes healthy, it has great children, it has peace of mind. is a part of it, and yes, I believe God wants us to be superior... to be blessed so that we can be a greater blessing to others I feel greatly appreciated I write a book and sell millions of copies, and Victoria and I can help more people than we ever dreamed of.But when I hear the term prosperity of the gospel, I think people sometimes say, 'Well, he's just asking for money'. "On October 14, 2007, <60 Minutes runs a twelve-minute segment in Osteen, entitled "Joel Osteen Answering his Criticism", in which Reformed theologian Michael Horton told CBS News correspondent Byron Pitts that Osteen's message is heretical.. Horton states that the problem with Osteen's message is that it makes religion about us rather than about God.
Harvey Hurricane's Response
During Hurricane Harvey soon, Osteen received significant criticism in response to not making the Lakewood Church, a 606,000 square foot basketball arena, 16,000 places, a former basketball arena, available as an emergency shelter for those displaced by the storm. On August 27, a post from the church and social media accounts of Lakewood Church pastor declared that the church was "inaccessible due to the great flood," and associate pastor John Gray posts further, "If WE get there WE WILL OPEN THE DOOR." In a subsequent interview, Osteen replied to the claim that the flood was closing the church, saying "the church was open from the beginning," and, "We are always open... How did this idea begin, that we are not a shelter and we do not bring in people is a false narrative. "This is contrary to previous statements that the church will be open when other refugee centers are full. On the evening of 28 August, it was announced by Lakewood that it would open at noon the following day as an available shelter, opened for storm victims and emergency personnel on 29 August.
See also
- Christianity in Houston
- List of the largest evangelical churches
- List of largest churches in the US
References
External links
- Lakewood Church
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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