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Preacher Joel Osteen slammed for closing megachurch in aftermath of Harvey

 

 

It was easier to pass through the eye of a needle than it was to get inside Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston to shelter from the worst of Hurricane Harvey.

On Monday, the $50 million preacher — who spreads the word of God from a 17,000-seat former NBA stadium — was pelted with criticism when his church remained closed.

As the displaced population hit 30,000 and city officials searched for facilities to house the homeless, Osteen told detractors his Lakewood Church was unreachable due to floods.

Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas.  (GOOGLE)

But it didn’t take long for videos and pictures to pop up online that showed staff arriving at the former Houston Rockets stadium — with no floodwater in sight.

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Amid the barrage of bad press, Osteen’s compassion was born again.

“We have never closed our doors. We will continue to be a distribution center to those in need. We are prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity. Lakewood will be a value to the community in the aftermath of this storm," he said in a statement to "Good Morning America" late in the day, as pictures of church staff putting blowup mattresses on the floor circulated. 

Osteen had shut down the venue over the weekend and posted a notice on his website asking his followers to donate or volunteer.

 

“Our hearts break as we see the damage and destruction in our city. Please join us in helping Houston recover,” Osteen tweeted, with a link to his website.

NFL teams lead sports world in Houston aid after Hurricane Harvey

Some Osteen followers posted pictures they said were from inside the church that showed extensive water damage, but it didn't help quell the online outrage. 

“#Houston's Joel Osteen has a net worth over $50m and a church that holds 16,800 but this is all he's offering,” tweeted Mark Elliott, with a link to a picture of the preacher’s packed Lakewood Church

   

 

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