No Politics From This Pulpit

They propelled Mike Huckabee to a win in Iowa, and he's hoping they'll do the same in states like Georgia. America's evangelical heavyweights have a long history of using their power to make or break GOP candidates. But at the nation's biggest congregation, Houston's Lakewood Church, the pastor has made a point of keeping politics out of the pulpit. Since Joel Osteen inherited the church from his father, it has grown from 6,000 weekly visitors to 47,000. His sermons are also televised in more than 100 countries, with a flock of about 7 million faithful viewers each week. And his books have become best-sellers—the latest having sold roughly 1 million copies since it was published in October. NEWSWEEK's Jessica Ramirez asked Osteen about politics, faith and the line between the two. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: As you know, we're in the middle of one hot political season. I hear that any political office holder who attends your service will be recognized, but they are not allowed to address your congregation, and that any current candidates will likely not be recognized at all. Why the policy?
Joel Osteen: Well, I think it started back with my father. Really, it was the size of the church. We had 6,000 members back then. It seemed like with city council races everybody would come through two or three months before the elections. It just got to the point where it didn't seem right. Now that we've grown it's the same thing. The way our services are structured here at the church, we have to keep it, if we can, 100 percent worship. We used to introduce every guest and do birthdays and make announcements. We cut all that out and put it in the bulletin. Having said that, I'm a strong believer in honoring the people who have served and are giving their lives to run. For instance, our police chief was here. He comes out several times a year. I just, before I minister, I honor him and thank him for serving. If one of the presidential candidates were to attend, they certainly deserve honor. I think we'd make an exception on that. I think we say we don't let them speak because, well, who wouldn't want to come to speak to 40,000 people here? We would introduce them and I would always put in a good word, whether they are Democrat or Republican.

Do you plan to lend your support to any of the presidential candidates?
I really don't. I like to keep that to myself. Part of it is how I was raised. My father … kept it out of the pulpit. I think that part of our goal is to reach as many people as we can. Our reach is very broad. Even in the church we are very diverse. There are Republicans, Democrats, independents—everything … I don't want somebody saying, "He's for this party or that party, and that turns me off."

Given the line you've drawn, what would you do if the next president came to you for, say, counsel on an issue like abortion or the war in Iraq?
I would be glad to give it to him. I would be honored. I would just do it personally. We have had—not presidential candidates—plenty of people call. I don't mind being associated with them. It's not the association. It's that I don't endorse one.

Is there ever a time when it's OK for politics and religion to mix?
I have friends that feel like their calling is to push the Christian agenda. I'm 100 percent behind them. They're great debaters. They're great at making their points. I think there are times when we need to get involved.

There's obviously an evangelical bloc that has a significant amount of power in political circles. Is that bloc called to do politically related work?
I think so. I think they stand for what Christians stand for—at least, in their view. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I do think, at times, the evangelical gets a label that becomes more political. That's what I don't like. When it's so politicized. There's a fine line there, but I think we can't just sit back and let everybody else express their views. I think it's important that we as believers in Christ express our views.