Source: Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc / Getty
Update: Joel Osteen hit the media circuit this morning to shoot down reports that his church isn’t helping the people of Houston after Hurricane Harvey.
Earlier:
Social media has been buzzing with stories about Joel Osteen and his alleged refusal to open the doors of his mega church to the people of Houston seeking shelter.
But is it true?
In a Saturday Twitter post, Osteen offered prayers, but nothing else. Lakewood Church holds approximately 16,800 seats. The building was previously home to the NBA’s Houston Rockets.
And then social media went in….
On Sunday, a post from the church’s Facebook page indicated that the church was inaccessible because of flooding.
But, because it’s 2017, people quickly jumped on social media to show pics of the areas around the church. The pictures appear to show zero flooding.
According to ABC News, an Osteen spokesperson addressed the controversy in a statement yesterday.
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.
The statement adds: “Lakewood will be a value to the community in the aftermath of this storm in helping our fellow citizens rebuild their lives.”
Yesterday, Joel Osteen went to Twitter to ask followers to donate to relief efforts on the church’s website.
According to TMZ, the church plans to open it’s church to residents displaced by flooding as early as today.
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