Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church got $4.4 million in federal PPP loans

[demmiblue]

Source: Houston Chronicle

Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church is among the large local congregations that received multi-million dollar loans as part of the federal government’s COVID-19 stimulus package.

Lakewood received a $4.4 million loan through the Paycheck Protection Program, a part of the federal CARES Act that provided loans to pay employee wages or for other basic operational costs such as utilities.

The program marked the first time federal lawmakers allowed for direct financial assistance to houses of worship.

Lakewood officials said earlier this year that they had not applied for a loan through the PPP, and the church was not included on the list of recipients released by the Small Business Administration early in the summer.

Read more: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/religion/article/Joel-Osteen-s-Lakewood-Church-got-4-4M-in-15800887.php

---

Link to tweet

[MineralMan]

1. Jebus!

[mitch96]

2. Another grifter picking peoples pockets...... nt

[Yeehah]

3. Picking OUR pockets now!

How can this be happening?? The government can't tax them, but the government can give them OUR tax dollars! This is totally unconscionable and itrrational.

[hamsterjill]

4. This makes me physically sick.

I know people who are losing everything. This is not Christianity. It’s greed.

[Deuxcents]

6. I agree

This is the same Joel Olsrteen that locked the church’s doors during hurricane Harvey while people were seeking shelter in Houston. Why and how did so much $$ go to things like this while the ones who really needed it are still without. They may have not applied for the loan but they should return it

[seta1950]

8. Exactly

[Submariner]

15. Olsrteen is racist white trash

[CaptYossarian]

9. It's Socialism. (Pass it down.)

What's the interest rate on this "loan"? What are the payoff terms? Is this a 10-year or a 15-year loan?

Will he use it all for greasy toupees and screw-in Chiclets?

Tell Osteen to go smite himself.

[aggiesal]

22. PPP usually comes with terms ...

that you don't layoff any of your employees for 2 years.
That's why it is called Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

If you can do that, then you don't have to pay back a dime. It becomes free money.

The trick is, to layoff the employees before requesting the PPP loan.

Did any of his church employees get laid off?
Before or after the request?

Did any of his church employees get a paycheck to protect themselves?
Or did they also file for unemployment?

All questions that should be answered.

[CaptYossarian]

42. Any employer can eliminate an employee at anytime with fudged records.

This is an unscrupulous organization that plays by it's own rules.

I wish it could be taxed. Joel's blood pressure would read like ours does.

Thanks for the great info.

[JudyM]

13. It should get massive media coverage, he should be publicly shamed.

[doc03]

5. When my mother was living I balanced her check book. She didn't get much income

just SS. Just about every month I would see a check for maybe $10 or $20 to Joel Osteen. I tried to tell her he was nothing
but a crook but she thought the world of him. Every time I ever said any thing it ended up in a fight. It was her money so it wasn't any of my business. She would send him money and get a 2" x 4" prayer cloth or a tiny vial of holy tap water.

[bluestarone]

7. PAY IT BACK and

Start paying taxes!

[hamsterjill]

17. Serious question: do they have to pay these loans back?

A wealthy real estate broker in my city got a $340k “loan” while laying people off. My understanding is that her loan, at least, would not have to be paid back.

Am I wrong? They SHOULD be paid back in these cases, but do they get paid back?

[aggiesal]

23. As I understand it ...

If you don't lay off an employee for 2 years, you don't have to pay it back.

But, if you lay them off prior to requesting the money, since those employees
are no longer on the books, they don't count against the company receiving money,
or paying it back.

Only the employees on the books, when they applied for the money, are protected.
That's why we read stories that companies/corporations laid off everyone but management.

[TexasBushwhacker]

26. If they pay 60% if it on payroll, during a certain time period

they do not have to pay it back. For the first group of recipients, they had to use the funds up in 8 weeks. They have to apply for forgiveness big the loan and send in payroll records.

You can read move about it on the SBA.gov website.

[douglas9]

27. Loan Forgiveness

Borrowers may be eligible for loan forgiveness if the funds were used for eligible payroll costs, payments on business mortgage interest payments, rent, or utilities during either the 8- or 24-week period after disbursement. A borrower can apply for forgiveness once it has used all loan proceeds for which the borrower is requesting forgiveness. Borrowers can apply for forgiveness any time up to the maturity date of the loan. If borrowers do not apply for forgiveness within 10 months after the last day of the covered period, then PPP loan payments are no longer deferred and borrowers will begin making loan payments to their PPP lender.


https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program#section-header-5

[dalton99a]

10. Osteen and his followers are assholes

[aggiesal]

25. Yeah, I know someone that follows him ...

Listens to his show/sermon, buys his books, the whole works.

When I mentioned that his church didn't open doors during the hurricane,
I was introduced with a variety of reasons why they didn't open.
The most prominent was that it takes time to gather staff to open a
facility that size, (i.e. volunteers, security, ...).

What a huge dump of cr@p!

[Paper Roses]

11. Disgusting!

[JudyM]

12. I'm sure he'll put it to good use.

Whoever made the decision to grant that $ should have the rest of their decisions audited!!

[KS Toronado]

19. That's an excellent idea.

[PatSeg]

14. That is revolting

AND that house is repulsive.

[BlueIdaho]

16. Time for churches to start paying taxes.

[Talitha]

40. THIS

[jmbar2]

18. Most of the church workers are unpaid volunteers

Whose paycheck is he protecting?

This grift needs some serious oversight. Repulsive.

[aggiesal]

20. Why? His church doesn't pay any taxes other than payroll ...

Yet I'm sure he can afford it.

[KS Toronado]

21. Never seen a house with 7 fireplaces, or are they indoor BBQ grills?

He must not be concerned about camels and needles.

[FailureToCommunicate]

34. Ha! I kinda think he skips that quote from scripture.

[Rebl2]

24. I don't

believe all churches should have to pay taxes. Only these mega churches that bring in millions of dollars. So many small churches are struggling to stay open in the area I live and some have closed. I will add this was happening long before this year.

[yellowdogintexas]

33. agree If the church is not crossing that church/state boundary I have no objection

I attend a large downtown church with many community projects and a pre-school The employees of the church and the preschool have withholding and FICA taxes taken out just like any other employee - so I wonder if the church is excused from having to pay the matching funds.

A well managed church that is by the book will not have much in the way of taxable funds because as a non profit, we use those rules We also do not cross that line of church v state. Our ministers do not tell folks how to vote, political organizations are not allowed to use our facilities, we are not allowed to circulate petitions. If a church is not acting as a politically influencing entity they are within the rules.

Our church was challenged by the county on property taxes because we lease out our parking lots during the week and some newbie thought we should pay taxes on the income. The income from the parking goes directly to our Mission so that got dropped in a hurry. However, that was local taxes

A business like Osteen's should be making $ hand over fist and I can't imagine it is truly a non profit That church is definitely a business enterprise, IMHO. We have a couple of those here - Kenneth Copeland is based just north of Ft Worth, airplanes and all

[MarcA]

39. Of course Property Tax is due on those who lost their income

or are on limited fixed income, or else. But tax exemptions and abatements are all part
of a game. Could be everyone pays or no one pays but we can't have that.

[douglas9]

29. Joel Osteen Joel Osteen Inspiration Audio Cube With Sermons and Affirmations

https://www.amazon.com/Joel-Osteen-Inspiration-Sermons-Affirmations/dp/B08FY4MZ98

[Talitha]

41. I've seen the commercials for this - and immediately change the channel - - UGH!!

[iluvtennis]

30. So disgusting. I use to listen to Joel Osteen on Sirius XM until I saw he was a BIG hypocrite. nt

[maddogesq]

31. TAX THESE SUMBITCHES!

We have been dealing with these fockers going back to the rise of Robertson, Graham and Falwell back in the laI ate 70's. I worked for a company that did market research studies for CBN back in the early 80's and I came to realize then that if something was not done about the rise of these crooked operations, it would mushroom into what we see now.

Just disgusting...

[gab13by13]

32. C'mon people show some love,

it looks to me like he has to pay for a pool boy.

[Miigwech]

35. Only Tax exemption for the single church property, period. Not the pastors.

Only tax exempt the property that is the church and the physical property it stands on. They rest is invested money gaining investment money and should be taxed, including all monies taken in as salaries of these so called 'prophets' of the faith. More like 'profits'! Time is now to stop these lechers.

[DallasNE]

36. "PPP Loans" Are the name Given To Stimulus Checks For BUsinesses

And why were churches given money from the taxpayers? This madness needs to stop.

[ThingsGottaChange]

37. It's not all bad

Being on SSDI I'm going to get a $17 monthly increase on my Social Security Disability check! I'm living the high life, too!

This really makes me ill. When they make those churches pay taxes they also better come up with a better way to figure COLAs for the poor, elderly folks. Sure doesn't seem like they take into account the high cost of 'actually' living. And my internet just went up. Perfect timing; during pandemic and just before Xmas.

And then I see this.

[FailureToCommunicate]

38. Osteen's humble abode reminds me of evangelist David Turner's scruffy digs...

"Why did David Turner buy the most expensive home in Atlanta?
“God literally told me to come here,” Turner said in a phone interview with Buckhead.com’s Ben Hirsh. “I went online and I saw this house, and that’s when I felt like God told me, ‘This is your house.’”

https://www.buckhead.com/tyler-perrys-buckhead-home-sells-meet-the-buyer/