Victoria Osteen
Encyclopedia
Victoria Iloff Osteen born March 28, 1961 in Huntsville, Alabama
is the French American
co-pastor of Lakewood Church
in Houston, Texas
, Author
, the wife of Joel Osteen
, and the daughter-in-law of the late John Osteen
.
where her father, Donald Iloff – a mathematician with General Electric
– was a member of G.E.’s Saturn rocket project team led by German rocket scientist, Wernher von Braun
. In 1963, at the age of two, Osteen moved with her family to Houston, Texas
when her father took a position with the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA
). She grew up in a southern suburb of Houston, near the Manned Spacecraft Center (now known as the Johnson Spacecraft Center).
Osteen grew up in a Christian home, attending the Church of Christ
, a protestant fundamentalist non-denominational church, where her mother, Georgine Iloff, taught Sunday school and her father served as a deacon. Osteen attended (though did not graduate from) the University of Houston
where she studied psychology while working in her mother’s jewelry business. It was while working in the jewelry store that she met Joel Osteen
in 1985 when he came in to buy a new watch battery.
. There she teaches and participates in every worship service. Her part of the service is not broadcast throughout most of the world; however, she can be seen on the special one-hour program broadcast on the Daystar Television Network
and on the live internet feed available on Lakewood.cc and JoelOsteen.com. Osteen founded the Lakewood Church
Women’s Ministry in 2003.
and released for sale on October 14, 2008. It debuted at number 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list. At 750,000 copies, the initial first printing of Love Your Life was one of the largest by any publisher in 2008.
In January 2009, Osteen released children’s books published by Simon & Schuster
(Little Simon). Her five-year agreement with Simon & Schuster
allows her to publish 13 children’s works in all, including a Bible
for children.
flight attendant, accused Victoria Osteen of assault before a December 19, 2005 flight from Houston, Texas
to Vail, Colorado
. The Osteen family was escorted off the flight, and the FAA
fined Victoria Osteen $3,000 for “interfering with a crew member," which Osteen paid uncontested in order to put the incident behind her. The flight attendant subsequently filed a civil suit against Osteen, seeking an apology plus $405,000 in damages. During the trial, Osteen's attorney, Rusty Hardin
, produced witnesses who disputed Brown's allegations of assault; a Houston jury sided with Osteen, clearing her of civil liability on August 13, 2008.
The Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce named Victoria Osteen a Community Impact Award winner in 2006. Her activities include a regular feature on 89.3 KSBJ
—Houston's afternoon drive show with Chuck Pryor and Amanda Carroll. She also supports the organizations Feed the Children
and The Bridge, a shelter for battered women. Victoria and Joel were the featured cover story of the May–June 2006 issue of Texas Family. She was also on the cover of Houston Pet Talk magazine, October 2006.
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
is the French American
French American
French Americans or Franco-Americans are Americans of French or French Canadian descent. About 11.8 million U.S. residents are of this descent, and about 1.6 million speak French at home.An additional 450,000 U.S...
co-pastor of Lakewood Church
Lakewood Church
Lakewood Church is a non-denominational Christian megachurch located in Houston, Texas. It is the largest congregation in the United States, averaging more than 43,500 in attendance per week. The 16,800-seat Lakewood Church Central Campus, home to four English language services and two Spanish...
in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, the wife of Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen
Joel Scott Osteen is an American author, televangelist, and the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. His ministry reaches over seven million broadcast media viewers weekly in over 100 nations around the world.-Biography:...
, and the daughter-in-law of the late John Osteen
John Osteen
John Hillery Osteen was the first pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas from its beginnings in 1959 until his death in 1999 of a heart attack. His son Joel Osteen succeeded him....
.
History
Victoria Osteen lived near Marshall Space Flight CenterMarshall Space Flight Center
The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center is the U.S. government's civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. The largest center of NASA, MSFC's first mission was developing the Saturn launch vehicles for the Apollo moon program...
where her father, Donald Iloff – a mathematician with General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
– was a member of G.E.’s Saturn rocket project team led by German rocket scientist, Wernher von Braun
Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
. In 1963, at the age of two, Osteen moved with her family to Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
when her father took a position with the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
). She grew up in a southern suburb of Houston, near the Manned Spacecraft Center (now known as the Johnson Spacecraft Center).
Osteen grew up in a Christian home, attending the Church of Christ
Church of Christ
Churches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated with one another through common beliefs and practices. They seek to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New Testament congregations as originally established by the authority of Christ. Historically,...
, a protestant fundamentalist non-denominational church, where her mother, Georgine Iloff, taught Sunday school and her father served as a deacon. Osteen attended (though did not graduate from) the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
where she studied psychology while working in her mother’s jewelry business. It was while working in the jewelry store that she met Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen
Joel Scott Osteen is an American author, televangelist, and the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. His ministry reaches over seven million broadcast media viewers weekly in over 100 nations around the world.-Biography:...
in 1985 when he came in to buy a new watch battery.
Current activities
Osteen serves as the co-Pastor of Lakewood ChurchLakewood Church
Lakewood Church is a non-denominational Christian megachurch located in Houston, Texas. It is the largest congregation in the United States, averaging more than 43,500 in attendance per week. The 16,800-seat Lakewood Church Central Campus, home to four English language services and two Spanish...
. There she teaches and participates in every worship service. Her part of the service is not broadcast throughout most of the world; however, she can be seen on the special one-hour program broadcast on the Daystar Television Network
Daystar Television Network
The Daystar Television Network is an American evangelical Christian television religious broadcasting network headquartered near Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Bedford, Texas...
and on the live internet feed available on Lakewood.cc and JoelOsteen.com. Osteen founded the Lakewood Church
Lakewood Church
Lakewood Church is a non-denominational Christian megachurch located in Houston, Texas. It is the largest congregation in the United States, averaging more than 43,500 in attendance per week. The 16,800-seat Lakewood Church Central Campus, home to four English language services and two Spanish...
Women’s Ministry in 2003.
Book publishing
Osteen’s first book, entitled Love Your Life: Living Happy, Healthy, and Whole was published by Simon & SchusterSimon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
and released for sale on October 14, 2008. It debuted at number 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list. At 750,000 copies, the initial first printing of Love Your Life was one of the largest by any publisher in 2008.
In January 2009, Osteen released children’s books published by Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
(Little Simon). Her five-year agreement with Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
allows her to publish 13 children’s works in all, including a Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
for children.
In the news
Sharon Brown, a Continental AirlinesContinental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
flight attendant, accused Victoria Osteen of assault before a December 19, 2005 flight from Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
to Vail, Colorado
Vail, Colorado
The Town of Vail is a Home Rule Municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,589 in 2005. The town was established and built as the base village to Vail Ski Resort, with which it was originally conceived...
. The Osteen family was escorted off the flight, and the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
fined Victoria Osteen $3,000 for “interfering with a crew member," which Osteen paid uncontested in order to put the incident behind her. The flight attendant subsequently filed a civil suit against Osteen, seeking an apology plus $405,000 in damages. During the trial, Osteen's attorney, Rusty Hardin
Rusty Hardin
Russell Hardin, Jr. is an American attorney and head of the Houston law firm Rusty Hardin & Associates, P.C. which he established in 1996....
, produced witnesses who disputed Brown's allegations of assault; a Houston jury sided with Osteen, clearing her of civil liability on August 13, 2008.
The Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce named Victoria Osteen a Community Impact Award winner in 2006. Her activities include a regular feature on 89.3 KSBJ
KSBJ
KSBJ is a non-commercial Contemporary Christian music radio station based in Humble, Texas, broadcasting on 89.3 MHz FM in the Greater Houston area...
—Houston's afternoon drive show with Chuck Pryor and Amanda Carroll. She also supports the organizations Feed the Children
Feed The Children
Feed The Children founded in 1979 is an international, non-profit relief organization guided by Christian values, whose stated mission is "providing hope and resources for those without life's essentials". In FY 2010, Feed The Children distributed more than 133 million pounds of food and other...
and The Bridge, a shelter for battered women. Victoria and Joel were the featured cover story of the May–June 2006 issue of Texas Family. She was also on the cover of Houston Pet Talk magazine, October 2006.
External Links
- Victoria Osteen
- Victoria Osteen at IMDB
- Joel Osteen at IMDB