The sign of things to come
Another church that I need to visit. From The Telegraph
The preacher with 16,000 in his congregation
By Catherine Elsworth
America's largest church has moved into a 16,000-seat sports stadium to accommodate its giant congregation.
The arena, once home to the Houston Rockets bastketball team, boasts two indoor waterfalls, video game machines and an internet cafe but no cross or other religious iconography.
The complex, formerly known as the Compaq Centre, is the new home to the evangelical Lakewood Church, which recently became the first in the United States to average more than 30,000 worshippers a week.
Pumping music, an elaborate light show and rapturous applause signalled the arrival of the Texan church's telegenic pastor, Joel Osteen, at a welcome service at the weekend.
Mr Osteen, 43, one of America's most high-profile "televangelists", who inherited the church from his father in 1999, told his congregation in the packed arena: "I just want to say, I love you.''
Lakewood, whose racially diverse congregation comprises nearly equal numbers of white, Hispanic and black members, has spent 15 months and more than £54 million transforming the stadium, replacing the wood basketball court with carpet and installing the waterfalls. Five storeys were also added to the building. As with many new evangelical churches, there is no cross, altar or stained glass but an internet cafe has been constructed and vast television screens, along with 32 video game booths, have been installed.
Lakewood's growth illustrates the rise of America's "mega churches", defined as non-Catholic congregations of at least 2,000. In 1970 there were 10; two years ago the total hit 740.
The corporation-like organisations are now responsible for "mega business", according to Forbes magazine. Georgia's World Changers Ministries runs a publishing house, a music studio and its own record label.
Lakewood, which began life in 1959 in an abandoned animal feed store on the outskirts of Houston, today styles itself as a global landmark, with services that are watched on television by millions. Last year its revenue topped £30 million.
Mr Osteen, who dropped out of college, embodies the new generation of ministers fronting the rapidly expanding charismatic branch of evangelical Christianity. Since taking over the church, he has increased its congregation almost five-fold. It is now the country's fastest growing church, while Mr Osteen's book, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living Your Full Potential, has sold almost three million copies.
He described the move to the arena as "a dream come true".
"I couldn't believe how beautiful it was," he said. "It almost felt surreal."
The church has scheduled four services for each weekend, including one in Spanish. Speaking in front of a large, rotating, gold-coloured globe, Mr Osteen preached for 25 minutes.
Lakewood's website says that, in the new arena, "the world will see a church with no limits. . . and no boundaries''.
The arena project is ''an outreach that stretches the imagination and opens doors to the power of God to change millions of lives", it adds.
The preacher with 16,000 in his congregation
By Catherine Elsworth
America's largest church has moved into a 16,000-seat sports stadium to accommodate its giant congregation.
The arena, once home to the Houston Rockets bastketball team, boasts two indoor waterfalls, video game machines and an internet cafe but no cross or other religious iconography.
The complex, formerly known as the Compaq Centre, is the new home to the evangelical Lakewood Church, which recently became the first in the United States to average more than 30,000 worshippers a week.
Pumping music, an elaborate light show and rapturous applause signalled the arrival of the Texan church's telegenic pastor, Joel Osteen, at a welcome service at the weekend.
Mr Osteen, 43, one of America's most high-profile "televangelists", who inherited the church from his father in 1999, told his congregation in the packed arena: "I just want to say, I love you.''
Lakewood, whose racially diverse congregation comprises nearly equal numbers of white, Hispanic and black members, has spent 15 months and more than £54 million transforming the stadium, replacing the wood basketball court with carpet and installing the waterfalls. Five storeys were also added to the building. As with many new evangelical churches, there is no cross, altar or stained glass but an internet cafe has been constructed and vast television screens, along with 32 video game booths, have been installed.
Lakewood's growth illustrates the rise of America's "mega churches", defined as non-Catholic congregations of at least 2,000. In 1970 there were 10; two years ago the total hit 740.
The corporation-like organisations are now responsible for "mega business", according to Forbes magazine. Georgia's World Changers Ministries runs a publishing house, a music studio and its own record label.
Lakewood, which began life in 1959 in an abandoned animal feed store on the outskirts of Houston, today styles itself as a global landmark, with services that are watched on television by millions. Last year its revenue topped £30 million.
Mr Osteen, who dropped out of college, embodies the new generation of ministers fronting the rapidly expanding charismatic branch of evangelical Christianity. Since taking over the church, he has increased its congregation almost five-fold. It is now the country's fastest growing church, while Mr Osteen's book, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living Your Full Potential, has sold almost three million copies.
He described the move to the arena as "a dream come true".
"I couldn't believe how beautiful it was," he said. "It almost felt surreal."
The church has scheduled four services for each weekend, including one in Spanish. Speaking in front of a large, rotating, gold-coloured globe, Mr Osteen preached for 25 minutes.
Lakewood's website says that, in the new arena, "the world will see a church with no limits. . . and no boundaries''.
The arena project is ''an outreach that stretches the imagination and opens doors to the power of God to change millions of lives", it adds.
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