Lakewood Church

Infobox church
color =
name = Lakewood Church
fullname =


img_size = 150
img_capt = The exterior of the Lakewood Church Central Campus
landscape =
denomination = Non-denominational Christianity
founded_date = August 1983
seniorpastor = Joel and Victoria Osteen
address = 3700 Southwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77027 (current address)
country = USA
phone =
website = [http://www.lakewood.cc Lakewood Church]

Lakewood Church is a non-denominational Christian megachurch located in Houston, Texas, United States. As of 2007, it is the largest megachurch in the United States cite web
url =http://www.outreachmagazine.com/docs/top100_2007_largest.pdf
title =100 Largest US Churches - 2007
work=Outreach Magazine.com
format=pdf
year=2007
accessdate = 2007-12-08] with more than 40,000 weekly attendees during its English and Spanish language services. [cite web
title = Megachurch Megatech
work = CIO Insight
url = http://www.cioinsight.com/article2/0,1540,1888980,00.asp
accessdate = 2007-02-25]

Lakewood Church now occupies the arena previously home to the Houston Rockets. [ [http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-07-14-largest-church_x.htm USATODAY.com - America's largest church opens in former arena ] ]

Leadership

Joel Osteen, the youngest son of church founder John Osteen, is the senior pastor of Lakewood Church. Joel's wife, Victoria Osteen, serves as co-pastor.

History

Lakewood Church was founded by John Osteen and his wife, Dodie, on Mother's Day of 1959 inside an abandoned feed store in northeast Houston. John and Dodie created and hosted Lakewood's weekly television program, which could be seen in 100 countries worldwide. Upon his death in 1999, his youngest son, Joel, became pastor. Under the leadership of Joel Osteen, Lakewood's congregation increased almost five-fold. [cite web| title = Nation’s largest church opens in stadium| work = MSNBC| url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8565629/| accessdate = 2007-02-25] Because of this large increase in attendance, church officials began searching for a new facility.

In late 2003, the church signed a long-term lease with the city of Houston to acquire the Compaq Center, a 29-year-old former sports arena. [cite web| title = A Sports Arena Gets Religion| work = New York Times| url = http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/10/business/10prop.html?ex=1172552400&en=c8cb3279d9f71269&ei=5070| accessdate = 2007-02-25 ] . Before being acquired by Lakewood, tenants to the arena, once called The Summit, included the Houston Rockets, the Houston Aeros, and the Houston Comets.

Renovations to create the new Lakewood Church are estimated at $75 million. [cite web| title = Nation’s largest church opens in stadium| work = MSNBC| url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8565629/| accessdate = 2007-02-25] The church was required to pay $11.8 million in rent in advance for the first 30 years of the lease. [cite web| title = A Sports Arena Gets Religion| work = New York Times| url = http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/10/business/10prop.html?ex=1172552400&en=c8cb3279d9f71269&ei=5070| accessdate = 2007-02-25]

On July 16, 2005, Lakewood Church relocated from its old building in northeast Houston into its new home, the newly renovated 16,000-seat facility southwest of downtown Houston along U.S. Highway 59.

Television

In 2007, Lakewood reported spending nearly $30 million every year on its television ministry. [ cite web| title = Interview: Joel Osteen on the Future of America's Churches and Him Pastoring One| work = The Christian Post| url =http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070215/25806_2_Interview%3A_Joel_Osteen_on_the_Future_of_America%27s_Churches_and_Him_Pastoring_One.htm| accessdate = 2007-02-25]

The church's weekly television program can be seen by nearly 200 million households in the United Statesfact|date=August 2008. Services are broadcast on Trinity Broadcasting Network and Daystar Television Network, as well as local channels in most major markets. Lakewood also appears on several secular networks, such as Black Entertainment Television, TV Land, Lifetime Television, ABC Family, and USA Network during paid advertising hours.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.lakewood.cc Lakewood Church]
* [http://www.joelosteen.com Joel Osteen Ministries]