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Lakewood Church

Lakewood Church is a large, non-denominational megachurch located in Houston, Texas. The senior pastor is Joel Osteen, the youngest son of church founder John Osteen. Marcos Witt is the Senior Pastor of the Hispanic congregation.

The church currently has three English services and one Spanish service each weekend, plus a Wednesday evening service. All services are webcast live at both www.lakewood.cc and www.joelosteen.com.

John Osteen, a former Southern Baptist minister who adopted the teachings of the Charismatic movement, started Lakewood on Mother's Day in 1959 with his wife, Dodie, a nurse, inside an abandoned feed store in northeast Houston (the area was known as Lakewood, thus the name). Upon his death in 1999, his youngest son, Joel, became pastor.

Lakewood Church
3700 Southwest Freeway
Houston, TX 77027
PastorJoel Osteen
FoundedMother's Day, 1959
FounderJohn Osteen
Websitewww.lakewood.cc
www.joelosteen.com
Service Schedule
Wednesday7:30 p.m.
Saturday7:00 p.m.
Sunday8:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
1:30 p.m. (Spanish)

Due to a tremendous increase in attendance, the church needed a new facility. In late 2003, Lakewood leased a former sports arena, the Compaq Center, from the city of Houston and later purchased it. Renovations to create the new Lakewood Church are estimated at $75 million. As of July 2005, it is the largest church in America. [1]

Church services are televised and air weekly in over 140 countries and are available on the church's website. Lakewood broadcasts multiple times on Trinity Broadcasting Network and Daystar Television Network, as well as local channels in most major markets. Listings are available at their website. Lakewood also appears on "secular networks" such as Black Entertainment Television, ABC Family and USA Network.

Lakewood does not produce any shows other than re-broadcasts of its services. However, the church offers several praise CD's, featuring Music Director Cindy Cruse-Ratcliff, the Lakewood Choir and Israel Houghton, which are available online. The Houston Symphony Orchestra joins Lakewood in their latest CD, a Christmas album, entitled "The Gift."

The Lakewood Confession

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One of the notable features of Lakewood's services is the "confession" that is repeated before the sermon (after Joel tells his joke of the week, except on the weekend following September 11, 2001, a Pledge of Alleigiance to the Flag was given.Osteen, Joel (2001). Lakewood Church Service on weekend following September 11, 2001 (Internet On-line Viewable messages). Houston, TX USA: Lakewood Church.). The practice started while John Osteen was pastor, and has continued during Joel's tenure.

Lakewood members will take their Bibles, raise them in their right hands, and repeat the following "confession" (Joel will lead, and the congregation will repeat):

This is my Bible.

I am what it says I am.
I have what it says I have.
I can do what it says I can do.
Today I will be taught the Word of God.
I boldly confess:
My mind is alert,
My heart is receptive.
I will never be the same.
I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, everliving seed of the word of God. .
I will never be the same -- never, never, never. .
I will never be the same. .

In Jesus’ name.

See also

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Oldest 2 (as of 02007-01-30):

Latest three (as of 02007-01-30):

Notes

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References

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  1. Portions of this article are taken from an investigative report done by WXYZ-TV of Detroit, Michigan (available as a link on the Joel Osteen Ministries website) and the August, 2005 edition of Texas Monthly magazine.

[[Category:Churches in Houston]] [[Category:Megachurches]] [[Category:Trinity Broadcasting Network]] [[Category:Pentecostal churches]]

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