Joel Osteen enlists Kanye West, Mariah Carey and Tyler Perry for Easter Sunday amid coronavirus pandemic
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Joel Osteen is enlisting some big-name friends to help him celebrate Easter Sunday despite his church observing social distancing guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Lakewood Church pastor revealed to TMZ that he plans on having Mariah Carey, Kanye West and Tyler Perry on board for Sunday’s virtual service. While West has collaborated with Osteen in the past, this marks Carey’s first time joining him and his congregation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"You know, I had known Mariah from years past and we had talked about doing something," he told the outlet. "They actually contacted us because she wanted to show some support and honor to the first responders."
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Kanye West previously collaborated with Joel Osteen. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
When it came to West’s involvement, Osteen seemed to have fewer details, noting that the artist plans to bring his Sunday Service choir in for whatever his part in the Easter Sunday celebration is.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He’s handling that part," Osteen said of West’s logistics. "I’m not so sure exactly what he’s going to do but he sent me a couple of pictures where it looks like they’re going to keep the social distancing. I don't know, Kanye is one of a kind. He’ll figure out some way to do it."
As for Perry, the 57-year-old pastor had nothing but positive things to say about the celebrity.
Mariah Carey will perform from her home studio, but told producers she couldn’t close the door and would need to keep an eye on her kids. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) ( )
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Tyler has spoken at my church before," he explained. "He’s a very powerful speaker so he sent us a five-minute clip where he’s just encouraging everybody through this difficult time. He’s just a very powerful speaker and a very loving man and a very generous man."
Joel Osteen revealed a handful of celebrity friends will help him celebrate Easter Sunday amid the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
His interview with the gossip site concluded with a question about pastors who run similar churches balking at the government’s social distancing guidelines and refusing to stop holding service. While Osteen noted that he is observing those guidelines, he stopped short of condemning those that don't.
"I don’t want to judge anybody else because people feel strongly about their faith," he said.
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He added of his own decision: "It’s not a lack of faith that we’re not having services, it’s a respect to mankind."