Joel Osteen and Victoria Divorce Rumors: The Difference Between Fact and Fiction (2023)

Few in the Christian media are as polarizing as Joel Osteen, the 59-year-old televangelist, best-selling author, multimillionaire and pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas — considered the most important church in every U.S. state. One of the largest cathedrals.

Amid numerous scandals and constant public criticism, there have been constant rumors that Osteen and his wife Victoria are divorcing. Is this rumor real, or is it just a way for Osteen's detractors to bash the seemingly untouchable pastor?

Reverend Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria (pictured in 2013) are rumored to be divorcing (Credit: Johnny Louis / WENN)

Remember, Osteen doesn't likemany christiansSame as non-Christians. Because of the breadth of the Christian faith -- there are more than 200 Christian denominations in the United States alone -- Osteen's teachings don't resonate with many. However, that's not necessarily why Osteen has become such a polarizing figure.

Osteen came under fire most recently during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, when floods ravaged Texas and left many homeless. Twitter users criticized Osteen for not opening Lakewood Church to those who need temporary housing.

Alan Spencer (@MrAlanSpencer) summed it up best in their tweet, referring to the tax-exempt status of American churches, saying, "Joel Austin will not open his 16,000-seat church to Hurricane victims , because it’s just tax shelter. #HoustonStrong”

Pastor Joel Osteen was criticized for not opening Lakewood Church to victims of Hurricane Harvey in 2017 Johnny Louis/WENN

For many Christians, the Bible preaches generosity and helping the needy. To their disquiet, Osteen seemed to ignore the idea, leaving thousands of Texans to cool off in the cold despite having a place to house them.

"We have never closed our doors. We will continue to provide distribution centers for those who need them," said Joel's father-in-law, Donald IlovCNNChurch "inaccessible due to severe flooding" in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, according to reports.

"When city and county shelters reach capacity, we're ready to house people. Lakewood will be an asset to the community after this storm by helping our fellow citizens rebuild their lives," Donald added.

"I know there's been some controversy about Joel Austin and him not opening church doors. Let me tell you something: Joel and Victoria are amazing people. People are seeking asylum, Tyler Perry said in a Facebook video.

View image of Lakewood Church, a large church in Houston, Texas, has grown to be one of the largest in the United States (Credit: Credit: Tallmaple/Shutterstock)

"There were some safety concerns. I spoke to them on the phone and it all made sense to me, so before you run really fast to judge someone, you have to know the whole situation ... this one Millions of dollars, I broke it into the quarter. I'm going to send $250,000 to Lakewood to make sure they can get all the supplies people need. I know they will, I'm sure they will because that's who he is," said the The American director added in defense of his old friend Osteen.

Osteen's "prosperity gospel" philosophy is problematic for a growing number of Christians. The idea implies that God wants his followers to prosper (i.e. become rich).

"I think about prosperity, and I've said it a thousand times, it's healthy, it's having good kids, it's peace of mind," Osteen told WSJ in 2013.The Christian Post. "Money is part of it; yes, I believe God wants us to excel."

What is Joel Austin's Net Worth?

When it comes to the prosperity gospel, Osteen certainly walks the talk.

Currently, he's a multimillionaire -- his net worth is estimated at $50 million -- living in a $10.5 million mansion, owning another $2.9 million in homes, and owning a plethora of expensive cars and other luxuries Taste.

The Reverend Joel Osteen, pictured at the signing of Your Best Life Now in 2005, is now a multi-millionaire with an estimated net worth of $50 million (Image: POP/WENN)

For these reasons (and many others), Osteen has become a priest that many people love to hate. Could this be the reason why Osteen's divorce rumors persist?

Who is Victoria Osteen's father?

His wife, Victoria Osteen, was born March 28, 1961, in Huntsville, Alabama, to a conservative Christian.

Like her father, who was also the pastor's husband, Victoria grew up in a Christian church where her father, Donald Iloff, was a deacon and her mother, Georgine Iloff, was a Sunday school teacher. teacher.

View image of Victoria Osteen and Joel Osteen at Madison Square Garden on October 19, 2007 (Credit: Michael Carpenter / WENN)

The Osteens were married on April 4, 1987 -- at about the age of 36 -- and have two children. Their first son, Jonathan, was born on April 20, 1995. He also works in the family business and preaches to young people at Lakewood Church.

Their daughter, Alexandra, was born on November 9, 1998, and can now be seen singing with her brother in the church's worship band, LYA.

Victoria is also a prolific author, having written 12 books herself and co-authored two with her husband. She is also very active on social media, where she can be seen posting videos of her singing and speaking with her congregation almost daily.

Pastors Joel and Victoria Osteen have been married since 1987 and have two children Michael Carpenter / WENN

Despite Victoria's perfect image as a godly wife and mother, she's had her fair share of scandals over the years.

In 2008, a flight attendant filed a lawsuit against Victoria, claiming the pastor's wife had (allegedly) assaulted her during the flight.

While the lawsuit was ultimately dismissed, Victoria was not without responsibility. In fact, she was fined $3,000 by the FAA for "interfering with a flight crew" and delaying the flight in question by more than two and a half hours.

Victoria Osteen signing Pastor Joel's 'Become a Better You' book in 2007 after she allegedly attacked a flight attendant in 2008 (Credit: Michael Carpenter/WENN)

How Victoria and Joel Osteen Met

Victoria and Joel met while working in her mother's jewelry store and studying psychology degrees at the University of Houston.

Osteen goes to Iloff Jewelers to buy a new watch battery. Two years later, they tied the knot in 1987.

Victoria in Wake Up! Morgen: "When we got married, we weren't priests. We were just two young men ... We grew up together, we learned together, we really learned to love people together. It's a beautiful place, I don't." Unexpectedly, when I got married. "

Are Victoria and Joel Austin Divorcing?

While the Osteens have repeatedly been embroiled in controversy, rumors of their divorce are just rumors.

These rumors may have been sparked by a 2014 blog post by Joel Osteen. The blog post, titled "Let go of the ashes," contained the words: "The enemy will love that you sit in the ashes all your life, miserable about an unsuccessful relationship...it's time to scatter those ashes. If you're divorced , just let it go. God has someone better in your future."

While many may have interpreted this as simple religious advice from the priest, some thought he was implying that his marriage would be in trouble, and even divorce.

However, this is not a knee-jerk message. Joel and Victoria Osteen are still together and can often be seen together on social media looking very much in love.

Victoria and Joel Osteen looked very much in love outside their Manhattan hotel on April 7, 2009 (Image: WENN)

Even if you're not a fan of the Osteens, you have to admit that nearly 36 years of marriage isn't something to scoff at, even if the couple has some unorthodox methods for maintaining their relationship.

For example, Osteen follows what he calls the "Billy Graham Rule," which states that he will not talk to or be intimate with women unless "witnesses" are present. Whether it is to protect one's marriage or to protect one's own image depends on the interpretation.

The priest also had expectations for his wife's appearance. Osteen famously told Piers Morgan on CNN: "Wives, don't look good to everyone else. Be good-looking to your husband."

Victoria, also in the interview, was quick to clarify for her husband before the media ripped him off, agreeing and saying: "Don't wear that old bathrobe you've been wearing for the past 10 years. That's it, he thinks. We all need to be Reminder, you know, "Hey, you know what? We must spend more time. "

So no, Joel and Victoria Osteen are not divorcing. However, that rumor seems to be the least of their problems.