Pastor Joel Osteen says he is devastated about the deadly shooting at his Houston megachurch but grateful -- stating that it could have been a lot worse.
“We’re devastated, we’ve been here for 65 years and had somebody shooting at our church,” Osteen said. “We don’t understand why these things happen but we know God is in control.”
He also thanked the quick actions of local law enforcement and their response to the scene.
“I can only imagine if it was going on through the 11 o’clock service, we were in between services,” the pastor said.
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Osteen asked for prayers for the child who was critically injured in the shooting and the man who was also injured. He also asked for prayers for the family of the shooting suspect who was killed by officers.
“We’re going to pray for that 5-year-old little boy and we’re going to pray for the lady that’s deceased and her family; and the other gentleman.”
Osteen said they are all “kind of in a fog” but moving forward and going to stay strong through these times.
“If there’s any good of it, she didn’t get in there and do a lot worse,” he said. “We thank God for that and watching over us.”
Osteen later posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, about the shooting:
Our community is devastated by today’s events and grateful for the swift actions of law enforcement. May the healing hands of God touch the lives of everyone involved and provide comfort during this difficult time.
— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) February 12, 2024
In the face of such darkness, we must hold onto our faith and… pic.twitter.com/hAzOSSX69i
“Our community is devastated by today’s events and grateful for the swift actions of law enforcement. May the healing hands of God touch the lives of everyone involved and provide comfort during this difficult time.
In the face of such darkness, we must hold onto our faith and remember evil will not prevail. God will guide us through the darkest of times. Together, we will rise above this tragedy and stand firm in our commitment to love and support one another.
In times like these, our faith is tested, but it is also strengthened. We don’t always understand why things like this happen, but we know that God is in control.
Please join me in continued prayer for healing and peace.”