Joel Osteen has insisted he has 'never taken a salary from the church' despite estimates putting his net worth at around $100 million, telling a podcast hosted by YouTuber Logan Paul this week that his wealth comes from book deals and media work rather than the pulpit at Lakewood Church in Houston.
The 60-year-old televangelist has long been one of the most recognisable faces of what critics call the 'prosperity gospel' in the United States, preaching that faith and positive thinking can lead to material success. His broadcasts from Lakewood, a former sports arena that now seats roughly 17,000 worshippers, go out to millions, and his rise has been shadowed by persistent questions about where the money comes from and where it goes.
