Pastor Joel Osteen on Accusations of Closing Doors for Hurricane Survivors

Texas megachurch pastor Joel Osteen is facing loads of backlash as critics accuse him of closing the doors to his massive Lakewood Church to flood victims of Hurricane Harvey.

His Houston church can apparently hold over 16,000 people, and in an official statement on Facebook, the church said it is “inaccessible due to severe flooding.” Meanwhile, people are questioning the truth behind that given that photos surfaced showing the outside of Lakewood totally unaffected by the waters.

But Joel released a statement to ABC News, saying he’s not closing the doors but is waiting until “shelters reach capacity.”

“We have never closed our doors. We will continue to be a distribution center for those in need,” he added. “Lakewood will be a value to the community in the aftermath of this storm in helping our fellow citizens to rebuild our lives.”

Hurricane Joel Osteen Lakewood