Megachurch pastor slammed for not opening church as shelter quickly for Houston victims

A Houston megachurch led by its famous pastor Joel Osteen announced Tuesday on Facebook that its doors are open to anyone seeking shelter from the flood waters.

The announcement by Lakewood Church came as Osteen was facing criticism for not welcoming city residents who had been flooded out of their homes, even as the waters continued to rise.

Osteen is known nationwide for his televised sermons that are broadcast in more than 100 countries from his Houston megachurch that seats 16,000 and served as the home of the NBA's Houston Rockets from 1975 to 2003.

The criticism started Saturday. That’s when Osteen called for prayers for everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey on Twitter, but did not offer the church as refuge for flood victims. Angry Twitter users lashed out.

As the backlash continued to grow, a message posted through the church’s Facebook account stated it was inaccessible because of the sever flooding. The post included a list of nine shelters open in the Houston area.

Another Twitter user, however, responded with a video in which he sarcastically highlighted how he was able to reach the church and how it was not under water.

In a statement to ABC News Monday Osteen said the church “never” closed its doors and was serving as a relief supply distribution center. He said it would “house people once shelters reach capacity.”

By 11 a.m., Tuesday, the church’s Twitter account posted that it was receiving people who needed shelter. A followup post said it was also seeking volunteers and collecting shelter supplies.

This story was originally published August 29, 2017 at 7:17 AM with the headline "Megachurch pastor slammed for not opening church as shelter quickly for Houston victims."