In this episode we begin our journey to understand the cross between a Ken doll and a Labradoodle that is Joel Osteen by going back a generation to see where he comes from.

Beginning in 1939 with his father John Osteen.

We follow John’s progress through a bachelor’s degree at John Brown University and a Master’s thesis at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary.

His success as a young Southern Baptist pastor in and around his home state of Texas. Marriage to second wife Dodie and 5 children. 

Prepare to marvel at John’s ability to pray away daughter, Lisa Osteen’s alleged Cerebral Palsy and brain damage.

You will be gripped by John’s dramatic struggle with the Baptist church and the establishments refusal to believe we still live in a time of miracles. They’re just less impressive miracles that’s all. Have your heart ripped out as a disillusioned John Osteen quits pastoring to a bunch of stiff necked red necks and becomes an insurance salesman.

But don’t worry, in less than a year of having a real job John comes back to the church, but this time it’s personal.

We take off with John as he launches what will become the 16 000 seater MEGACHURCH we know today, Lakewood Church in Houston. In John’s new and improved Chri$tianity, healing the sick and the miracle of speaking in tongues will occur on the weekly.

While I would argue every episode I do about a Prosperity Gospel preacher is a true crime episode, this one actually has some genuine #TrueCrime.

A Texas businessman is shot 6 times in an orgy with two sex workers that goes horribly wrong. You may be surprised to learn how father of the version of charismatic Chri$tianity we suffer today, William Branham and John Osteen cross paths with trans woman Leslie Elaine Perez.

This episode has got it all. There’s a last minute death row reprieve. Marriage advice from a sheltered Chri$tian woman who was married for less than a year when she was 22. The devil will even give Dodie terminal cancer! Don’t worry, she cures herself and will explain how you can do the same.

And just when you didn’t think the life of a preacher couldn’t get any more exciting we have pipe bombs and domestic terrorism.

Oh and in part one of this two part story we will actually get to some of Joel’s story and document his first foray into his father’ ministry.

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