Prosperity gospel merged New Age self-help into mainstream megachurch Christianity

Evidence

Meanwhile, in Houston, Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church took prosperity preaching to an even grander stage. Osteen’s services drew such large crowds that he booked out the entire Compaq Center. His messaging, though couched in Christian language, often sounded more like The Secret than the Bible: “It’s not a focus on money. It’s a focus on fulfilling your purpose.” Osteen’s books, staples of airport gift shops, sold millions of copies. Despite forgoing a salary from his church, he lived in a $12 million mansion, though this opulence also made him a lightning rod for criticism. In 2017, when Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, Osteen faced public outrage for refusing to open his megachurch to flood victims. His congregation had more important priorities than tending to the needy. — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 613

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s ADDENDUM article on morality/institutions and to Marx’s broader thesis that spirituality collapsed into eclectic consumer self-help; links themes of status signaling in religious affiliation.