CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- One of the most well-known preachers in the world had only one experience with public speaking before he took over a church of nearly 7,000.
Joel Osteen is 10 years into his ministry as senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston. In the last decade the church has grown from 7,000 to nearly 40,000. His broadcast is watched by millions in 100 countries.
Before he spoke in Charlotte recently, I talked with him about some of the criticism he's received over the years.
One of the biggest complaints is that as a Christian minister he doesn't speak enough about Jesus Christ.
"I'm not an evangelist where I go out every service and I'm talking about, 'Let me just tell you what Jesus did when he died and rose again and he paid the price for our sins.' Again, I feel like as a pastor I'm teaching people how to live the Christian life," Osteen said.
And he doesn't talk about much about sin either.
"I do believe most people know down deep when they are doing wrong. Most people don't need to be beat over the head," he said.
The man who's become known as the smiling pastor feels misunderstood when critics accuse him of preaching a prosperity gospel -- the belief that if you believe in Christ and have a good enough attitude then God will bless you with all the desires of your heart.
"I really think this. There's only one gospel -- it's that Jesus died and he rose again. So I don't think it's about money. It's: are you increasing? Are you being a bigger blessing wherever you go? Are you growing closer in your walk with the Lord?" Osteen said.
Osteen tells me he doesn't foresee many changes in the next decade of his career. He looks back with few regrets.
"I get up every morning and I spend the first hour searching my own heart and thinking, 'God, Am I doing what you called me to do?' I think, 'God, is this the gift you have given me?' And I'm just going to go forward, and as long as I feel confident in my own heart I think that's the only thing that matters," he said. "I mean, I'll be the one that has to stand before God."
