Despite offering to help as Hurricane Beryl slams Houston, Joel Osteen’s mega church is getting slammed for not doing enough.
Lakewood Church posted this message online Sunday as Beryl, which came on shore as a Category 1 hurricane but has now been downgraded to a tropical storm, approached Texas.
‘We are praying for everyone on the Gulf Coast,’ the Sunday tweet read.
‘Lakewood is working with the Office of Emergency Management, and are standing by to help those impacted by the storm. Please stay safe!’
But many Houstonians still remember the church’s highly criticized response to 2017’s Hurricane Harvey.
Many of the city’s churches opened their doors seven years ago to people needing shelter after larges areas of the city were under feet of water because of Harvey.
Lakewood, a well-funded, 17,000-seat congregation housed in a former basketball arena, seemed to only responded after criticism started pouring in.
Osteen himself is often targeted by internet trolls who drag him for his lavish lifestyle.
The 61-year-old pastor’s son turned pastor is worth at least $50 million.
He owns two homes in the Lone Star State valued at $10.5 million and $2.9 million.
His $10.5 million Houston estate includes a pool, pool house and three elevators.
The church receives millions in donations from churchgoers and followers from around the world, and operates on an annual budget of around $70 million
