Houston’s Lakewood Church has issued a statement regarding its response to Hurricane Harvey after being roundly accused on social media of refusing to open its doors to Hurricane Harvey evacuees.
“We have never closed our doors,” Senior Pastor Joel Osteen said in a statement quoted by ABC and the Atlanta Journal-Constitutution. “We will continue to be a distribution center to those in need. We are prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity. Lakewood will be a value to the community in the aftermath of this storm.”The trouble started on Sunday after a social media posting from the megachurch saying, “Lakewood Church is inaccessible due to severe flooding!”
The Facebook post courted criticism on social media, where photos appeared to suggest that the massive building, which was once home to the NBA’s Houston Rockets, had not been damaged by the torrential rains afflicting the area. It’s unclear if the church was damaged in the storm.
In response, Osteen insisted in a statement Monday evening that he and his church are “prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity.””We have never closed our doors. We will continue to be a distribution center for those in need,” the statement reads.The statement adds: “Lakewood will be a value to the community in the aftermath of this storm in helping our fellow citizens rebuild their lives.”Lakewood Church also sent photos it says show flooding in and around the building.
The church has previously been active in relief efforts, including sheltering displaced victims during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.