| John Hillery Osteen | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Hillery Osteen August 21, 1921 Paris, Texas |
| Died | January 15, 1999 (aged 77) Houston, Texas |
| Occupation | Pastor, Author, Teleevangelist |
| Employer | Lakewood Church |
| Title | Founder and Senior Pastor, Lakewood Church |
| Term | 1958-1999 (his death) |
| Religion | Non-denominational Christianity |
| Spouse | Emma Jean Shaffer, followed by divorce:Dolores (Dodie) Pilgrim Osteen, 1955-1999 |
| Children | 6 children: John Hillery Jr (by Emma), Paul, Lisa, April, Tamara, and pastor Joel Osteen |
| Website | |
| Lakewood Church website | |
John Hillery Osteen (August 21, 1921 – January 15, 1999) was the first pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas from its beginnings in 1959 until his death in 1999 of a heart attack. His son Joel Osteen succeeded him.
Osteen earned his bachelors degree from John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and his Masters degree from Northern Baptist Seminary. He also held a Doctorate of Divinity degree from Oral Roberts University.
Osteen began preaching at the age of 17 and initially was ordained as a minister by a Southern Baptist congregation. He shifted his views toward a more charismatic perspective in 1958 and voluntarily disassociated himself from the SBC. On Mother's Day, 1959 he started what is now Lakewood Church in what was described as a "dusty, abandoned feedstore" in northeast Houston.
Osteen founded Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, widely known as "The Oasis of Love in a Troubled World", where his youngest son Joel Osteen continues to minister to thousands weekly. He hosted the weekly "John Osteen" television program for 16 years, reaching millions in the U.S. and in many other countries internationally with his interpretation of the Gospel. His numerous books, cassettes, and videotapes are widely distributed.