Most people know of Joel Osteen in part because of his vast wealth. But it's the way that he amassed it that's the intriguing part.
Osteen is a pastor, a profession that typically involves a rather low salary. Joel, however, has a significant fortune. He's made so much money, and has such a high net worth, that Twitter users have slammed him for the size of his estate.
But apart from gossip about his earnings, there are also rumblings that Joel Osteen might be getting divorced. For a pastor, especially, that's reason enough for fans to put the spotlight on Osteen. But is there any truth to the rumor, and just why do think fans think Joel's marriage is on the rocks?
Is Joel Osteen Getting A Divorce?
The primary detail fans want to know is, did Joel Osteen divorce his wife, Victoria? The two were married decades ago, in 1987 to be exact, and share two children; they're still married today.
As the televangelist's notoriety grew over the years, his wife stood by him, quite literally. She became his copastor, and the two raised their son and daughter together.
But by all accounts, the Osteens are very happy. The problem is, rumors have always swirled about Joel and his wife getting a divorce. Understandably, fans (and critics, too) have begun to wonder whether there's any truth to the rumblings that the Osteens' marriage is in trouble.
Why Do People Think Joel Osteen Is Getting Divorced?
The primary reason why people suspect that Joel Osteen is getting divorced is just his level of fame and notoriety. Osteen, after all, isn't making headlines for the best reasons. He (and his church) faced criticism for receiving millions in COVID-19 relief, even as Joel himself has millions rolling in.
Though Osteen has always claimed that his book sales boosted his net worth, onlookers have to wonder whether his evangelical profession helped bulk up his pocketbook. And while his seemingly gratuitous amount of wealth is one reason why people criticize Joel, the fact that he's essentially a celebrity (rather than a run-of-the-mill pastor) is another.
How many celebrity marriages have been rocked by scandal, after all? The public seemed to assume that Joel Osteen would one day face the same rumors and possible implosion of his marriage.
But so far, they've been wrong, and there is no evidence to suggest that Joel Osteen is getting a divorce.
To date, he's worth about $100M, and shares that net worth with his wife Victoria. The pair appear happy together, and they haven't had any of the awkward sorts of headlines that many celebrity couples have.
Can Pastors Even Have Wives?
Another reason why some people suspect that Joel Osteen may be getting a divorce is that in some religions, religious leaders can't get married. Namely, in the Catholic church, a priest who is ordained cannot marry afterward. Further, many churches require celibacy of their bishops and, in some cases, other religious leaders, too.
So, some speculate, Joel Osteen might have to get divorced in order to maintain his status as a pastor or priest in his religion...
The only problem with that theory is that Joel's church isn't catholic, nor is he a priest. Technically, he's not trained as a religious leader at all, although some sources suggest that he was formally ordained by his own church's "six-member board." But Osteen "has no college or seminary degree," sources confirm.
Ultimately, televangelists don't have rules about marriage, and since Joel Osteen runs his own church — and a non-denominational one at that — he's not bound by any kind of religious law.
Plus, there's also the fact that divorce is typically frowned upon in most organized religions, right? Therefore, a divorce wouldn't be a positive thing for Osteen either way.
What Does Victoria Osteen Do?
Viewers of Joel Osteen's program, or members of his church, already know that his wife Victoria is a co-pastor and that the two work together.
Victoria's job title then, is the same as her husband's. And sources confirm that her salary is somewhere around $200K per year. However, because her net worth is combined with Joel's, it's more likely that this salary is their combined income.
Though not everyone believes Joel's claims that his books have built up his net worth (after all, the media has confirmed that the church brings in $43M per year in collections), his wife makes the same report. In interviews, Joel has confirmed that he does not take a salary from Lakewood Church.
And it's true that Joel's books are best-sellers, with 14 of them reaching various levels of success on the New York Times bestsellers list.
For her part, Victoria Osteen has written a long list of books as well, that have no doubt added to the couple's shared net worth. And it doesn't seem likely that the two will be dividing up their earnings, or anything else, any time soon.