Televangelist Joel Osteen Has "A Special Message" For Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- They boast of being America's largest church -- with over 50-thousand congregants at their church in Houston, Texas -- but reaching many more, millions more, through their televised ministry.
On Friday night Joel Osteen was invited to take over Consol Energy Center for what he calls "A Night Of Hope."
Heather Abraham: You travel to a lot of cities for events like this. Do you have a special message for Pittsburgh?
Joel Osteen: Well, I did create, I wrote a special message here. I want to talk tonight about believing in becoming all you were created to be. A lot of it is about our core message and that core message is that even in tough times you can overcome, keep the faith, god will give you the strength to get through it.
There's something about Pittsburgh that Joel can't forget.
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"The Pittsburgh Steelers were the ones who used to always beat the Oilers when I was growing up," he said.
His message one of positivity and hope, but in the face of so much adversity and disasters -- deadly flooding in Lousiana, horrific wild fires through California and the ongoing police tensions across the country -- Abraham asked how people find the hope they need to overcome.
"I think it comes back to everyday, you have to find something to be grateful for. You look up and you say, my house is flooded, well, I have my health. Ya know, just a lot of negativity. I think you keep your mind going in a positive direction, I mean I think that's what faith is all about," Osteen said.
Adding not to focus on what you've lost, but what you have left. Osteen's sermon reaches millions of homes, but so have the presidential candidates, in what's become a very divisive contest for the White House. Osteen has traditionally remained quiet on political issues but spoke out on Friday.
"I encourage people to vote what you feel in your heart cause there are great people on all different sides. I think too with the divisiveness, I think it's important to be part of the solution and not the problem. To treat people with respect and just stay on the high road," he said.
