Joel Osteen

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Joel Osteen is a best-selling author and the senior pastor of Lakewood Church, the largest Protestant church in America, based in Houston, TX. Osteen spent much of his career behind the scenes. He founded Lakewood's television program and produced his father's televised sermons for 17 years until his father died suddenly from a heart attack. Although his father always encouraged Osteen to preach, he didn’t take the stage until two weeks after John Osteen’s death. Since then, Lakewood's attendance has grown from 5,000 to 43,000. In his teachings, Osteen says that he aims to focus more on the goodness of God and on living an obedient life rather than on sin. He says that he tries to teach biblical principles in a simple way, emphasizing the power of love and a positive attitude. Sometimes his teachings are characterized as prosperity gospel. He lives with his family in a $10.5 million home