The pastor took major heat after being accused of refusing to open the doors of his Houston megachurch to flood victims.
Televangelist Joel Osteen is now offering shelter to Hurricane Harvey refugees in the wake of much publicized criticism.
Read: TV Reporter Helps Woman in Labor During Live Coverage of Hurricane Harvey
The pastor took major heat after he was accused of refusing to open the doors of his Houston megachurch to house flood victims in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
The ministry posted to social media Sunday that the 17,000-seat church was inaccessible due to severe flooding conditions.
The internet then lit up with contrary information.
One person pointedly walked up to the doors of the church on Monday.
Another critic tweeted: “Joel Osteen has a net worth of $56m and lives in a $10 m home. Opening your home to people in need shouldn't be a problem.”
One churchgoer, however, released images that showed parts of the facility were indeed underwater Monday.
On Tuesday afternoon, Osteen and his wife Victoria said they were ready to offer sanctuary.
Read: 4 Children Swept to Their Deaths With Great-Grandparents While Fleeing Harvey Flooding
“Victoria and I care deeply about our fellow Houstonians. Lakewood's doors are open and we are receiving anyone who needs shelter,” he tweeted.
Victoria and I care deeply about our fellow Houstonians. Lakewood’s doors are open and we are receiving anyone who needs shelter.
— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 29, 2017
He added that they are looking for volunteers and collecting shelter supplies.
Osteen also appealed to his Twitter followers for donations dedicated to relief efforts.
Our hearts break as we see the damage and destruction in our city. Please join us in helping Houston recover. Visit https://t.co/jXMX5VB3qS pic.twitter.com/00HtzOmeQL
— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 28, 2017
Watch: Desperate Harvey Victims Turn to Social Media in Appeals for Help
