Joel Osteen Net Worth, Salary, Early Life

People have different opinions about Osteen and his ministry, but what's undeniable is that he's a smashing success. He's built his net worth by preaching biblical teachings and helping people to maximize their lives on earth.

Keep reading to learn all about Joel Osteen net worth information, in addition to how he earns his wealth, and what he teaches to his ministry and the world.

Who Is Joel Osteen?

Joel Osteen is a pastor, reverend, teacher, and speaker based out of the Houston, Texas area. He runs a local church with Sunday and Wednesday messages, and also reaches the world through messages broadcast online and on TV, books, speaking engagements, and more.

Joel Osteen is arguably the most popular televangelist of his generation. To get an understanding of his successes, you have to take a look at his net worth and how he has achieved it.

Joel Osteen Net Worth Information

Joel Osteen has a net worth $100 million. He largely earned this wealth through running his church and generating the teaching content that people use in an attempt to grow closer to their faith and change their lives.

He originally drew upon a salary from his church tithes, offerings and donations. This salary was $200,000 per year. He eventually decided to stop accepting this salary, and instead began earning his wealth strictly from the proceeds of his speaking engagements and public endeavors aside from the church.

His message has reached all continents of the world and has been translated in several different languages. He's been on platforms like Oprah and daytime talk shows, and is one of the most mainstream, recognizable preachers on the planet.

Joel Osteen Ministry

Understanding Joel Osteen means understanding his ministry. From there, you will understand its humble beginnings and how it reaches the world today.

Let's take a look at the ministry that Joel Osteen oversees, both in-person and online.

A Full-Time Ministry Located in Texas

Joel Osteen is a legacy preacher, as he is the son of a father who was also a full-time preacher. He carries on this legacy today with the church that he runs in Houston.

He got his start helping out with his father's television production, which is a large reason that his church today is so tech savvy and focused on broadcasting to the world.

Osteen got his start when his father fell ill and was unable to preach the following Sunday. Osteen stepped in and preached his first sermon at Lakewood Church.

His father passed away the following week, forcing Osteen to step in and take the mantle full-time. This happened in 1999, and Osteen and his wife have been running the church ever since.

The church preaches messages every week to its congregation in the form of morning services, just like any other church. They have community outreach events, events for members of the congregation, and various memories and forms of bible study that people take advantage of each month.

A Megachurch That Reaches the World

While the church has a strong local presence, it is best known for the way that it reaches the world. Osteen's contribution to taking over his father's ministry is that he took it from a small church in Houston and rose its profile to garner a global platform.

One of the most notable changes happened in 2003, when the church bought the Compaq Center, which is the old stadium where the Houston Rockets used to play.

This was one of the biggest investments and examples of Osteen's investment prowess, since he took an old legendary building that would no longer get much use, bought it at a good price, and got an incredible return on investment from it by using it for his thriving church business.

The church spent its own money renovating the arena, and after a year-and-a-half, it was open for ministry and business. Ever since, the church has started holding services seven days a week, and broadcasts live from a sanctuary that holds a 16,000 seat auditorium.

Today, the church gets thousands of locals and out of towers every week, and welcomes about 50,000 guests each week.

He Reaches New Generations in a Different Way

One of the biggest reasons the Osteen has been popular is that he has found a way to reach congregants in a new and different way. He took over the church at the turn of the century, at a time in which the world was becoming more modern and in touch with information.

It no longer served the church to use old and outdated methods of communication, and he made it a point to welcome people who previously might not have considered themselves old school "Believers".

To this day, it remains one of the most tech-savvy churches with the broadest reach and understanding of marketing and business principles.

Joel Osteen Teachings

In order to see how Osteen has generated his wealth, you need to look no further than the message. This is important since the content he creates is the biggest source of his wealth and net worth.

Much of his teachings revolve around prosperity and abundant thinking, similar to predecessors like Reverend Ike and Neville Goddard.

Here are some core tenets of Joel Osteen's ministry teachings that you need to understand to get an idea of the type of content he creates.

The Bible Is Inspired by God

While Osteen teaches wealth, prosperity, and abundance, he always goes back to biblical principles as the foundation. He uses his sermons to sprinkle in important scriptures that back what he's saying.

By studying the Bible as a book that is divinely inspired, he encourages believers to tap into the spirit, while renewing their minds.

Jesus Died on the Cross for the World

He also believes and teaches the Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. Like most Christians, he teaches the story of Christ being God's son, who was sent to the world to die on the Cross.

In Osteen's sermons, he teaches the story the Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, to once again be with the Father, while forever residing in the spirit of his believers.

Everyone Should Develop a Personal Relationship With God

One of the biggest things Osteen teaches is that it is important for believers to develop their own personal relationship with Christ. He teaches that you can develop a personal relationship with God through prayer, reflection, and bible study.

In this way, you can use your discernment, grow your faith, and use a power greater than yourself to get through life abundantly.

We Are More Than Conquerors

Many of Osteen's teachings revolve around self-empowerment by changing the way that you think and believe. Taking the time to invest in yourself through cultivating your mind will help you live up to your full potential.

These teaches intend to lift the self-esteem of God's people, while showing everyone that life is not something that you have to go through on your own.

The Holy Trinity

Similar to most Christian teaches, Osteen teaches the Holy Trinity. This is the theological belief that God, the Creator, resides among us in three different forms – The Father, The Son (Christ), and the Holy Spirit.

It is through this understanding that people can develop a personal relationship with Creation and to develop a better understanding of themselves.

He Preaches Wealth and Prosperity Thinking

One of the main differences between Osteen and other preachers is that he preaches wealth and prosperity thinking. According to Osteen, it's easier to excel at what you do when you renew your mind.

This is different from more old school teachings that view God as more of a judgmental being that is constantly watching your sins and waiting to punish you. Osteen made a stark change from hellfire and brimstone preachings, and instead chose a message of empowerment.

Joel Osteen Books

Osteen's books are one of the biggest sources of his wealth and net worth. He's a best-selling author who has been featured on talk shows explaining the books and sharing the message of his beliefs.

Today, his books are published on outlets like Amazon and Audible. They've been favorites on people's book lists, and people often recommend his literature to their friends, family members, and co-workers.

In a world where people are sponges of information for self-help and changing their lives, it's no surprise that the content continues to resonate with new and different audiences every day.

This is also a huge stream of income for Osteen and his ministry because he receives royalties every month when people purchase his books and audiobooks on any platform.

Here are some of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed books and audiobooks that Osteen has published throughout the years:

• I Declare: 31 Promises to Speak Over Your Life
• Rule Your Day: 6 Keys to Maximizing Your Success and Accelerating Your Dreams
• The Power of I Am: Two Words That Will Change Your Life Today
• You Are Stronger than You Think: Unleash the Power to Go Bigger, Go Bold, and Go Beyond What Limits You
• Stay in the Game: No Adversity Is Too Great for You
• The Power of Favor: The Force That Will Take You Where You Can't Go on Your Own
• Become a Better You
• Think Better, Live Better: A Victorious Life Begins in Your Mind
• Empty Out the Negative: Make Room for More Joy, Greater Confidence, and New Levels of Influence
• Peaceful on Purpose: The Power to Remain Calm, Strong, and Confident in Every Season
• Our Best Life Together: A Daily Devotional for Couples

Osteen's books resonate with the public because they touch on practical advice for many different areas of life. He has good information for people whether they're looking to grow their understanding of God and spirituality, marriage, finances, self-belief, overcoming trauma, and more.

Joel Osteen Personal Life

Taking a look at Joel Osteen's family life will help you understand the man behind the message. He grew up in a household with his six brothers and sisters, and attended Humble High School.

He would eventually go on to attend Oral Roberts University, but didn't finish his degree.

In addition to serving as the senior pastor of Lakewood Church, Osteen is a husband and a father. He married his wife, Victoria Osteen, in 1987. The couple has two children, and the family helps run the church ministry today.

Joel Osteen Info

Now that you understand more info such as Joel Osteen net worth, his ministry, and what he believes in and teaches, you can take these lessons and decide how and if they apply to your life.

It's important to take a look at people who have risen to the top of their respective industries. Even if you're not a Christian or if you don't even believe in God, don't let it stop you from learning from Osteen's life to see which parts of it you can apply to your own.

Regardless of his faith background, there are several lessons of business, entrepreneurship, and perseverance that can be applied so that you have a better understanding of what it takes to grow your net worth.

Our net worths are for entertainment purposes only. We do our best to provide accurate figures, but we cannot guarantee their accuracy. The figures are based on public information and estimates, and may not reflect the true value of assets or liabilities.