Joel Osteen's Church Received More Than $4 Million In PPP LoansBacklash ensues over celebrity pastor's substantial government assist.

Three years ago, Texas megachurch televangelist Joel Osteen gotensnared in a public-relations snafuwhen he appeared to balk at opening up his cavernous Lakewood Church in Houston as a shelter for families displaced by Hurricane Harvey. He did ultimately allow his venue to serve as a safe haven, and both the storm and scandal subsided.

Now he's the subject of more speculation andsocial media backlash, after reports surfaced in theHouston Chronicleand elsewhere that Lakewood was the beneficiary of $4.4 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan assistance. This, despite the chuch having stated earlier this year that it had not applied for government funds.

Lakewood's spokesperson was quick to do damage control,releasing a statementthat read, in part, "As the shutdown persisted month after month, given the economic uncertainty, Lakewood finally applied for the PPP loan and has been able to provide full salaries and benefits including health insurance coverage to all of its employees and their families."

Related:A Mysterious Maine Farm Got a $1.2 Million PPP Loan

Osteen's house of worship was neither the first congregation norsubstantially enriched organizationto benefit from the PPP program. It is, however, unique in that — unlike most small business struggling through another surge in Covid cases and related economic shutdowns — it generates substantial revenue from theTV ministry componentof its operations while maintaining its status as atax-exempt religiousentity.