While American evangelists such as Franklin Graham and Rick Warren are not afraid of speaking on sensitive topics such as same-sex marriage, abortion, or political strife, Joel Osteen prefers not to discuss those while at the pulpit, saying those topics often "turn people off."
During a recent interview with WBUR's "Here & Now" radio program, Osteen said everybody has his or her own calling, but tackling politically controversial issues is not something that he has been called out to do.
"I have friends who are very political. They're pastors and that's what their thing is. But I think sometimes, in the church world, we can take one issue and make it really, really big and it can turn people off where there are many bigger issues. That's why I don't like to be defined by one thing," he said.
"You know, our message is about lifting people up, helping them fulfill their destiny, helping them to forgive in a tough time, how to make it through this life when life tries to push you down," Osteen added.
The pastor founded Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, back in 1959. It is the largest congregation in the United States, with around 43,500 people attending church services weekly.
Osteen said Lakewood Church continues to grow in number because they focus on issues that affect people in their daily lives as opposed to handling controversial ones.
But just recently, six men belonging to the Church of Wells heckled Osteen during service. "Joel Osteen, you're a liar!" one of them shouted, while another one who carried the Bible shouted some lines from the Scripture at him.
Osteen simply continued preaching, but churchgoers got scared in light of the recent Charleston Church shooting.
Before things could get worse, the six men were escorted out of the church by security personnel. They were later slapped with criminal trespassing, according to World Religion News.
