Pastor Joel Osteen to Give Message of Hope at Yankee Stadium

March 30, 2009 — -- Mega church pastor Joel Osteen and his wife, Victoria, will host the first non-baseball event in the New York Yankees' new stadium, just nine days after it opens, penning a new chapter in its history .

The April 25 event called, "Night of Hope" is a celebration of faith and the pair expect thousands to show up and share their love of Christianity and is expected to draw tens of thousands of worshippers to the arena.

In an interview with "Good Morning America," the couple talked about hope in the midst of misery, using the upcoming events unlikely existence as evidence.

"We never really planned on it, it just kind of fell into place," Joel Osteen said. "Scripture says God can prosper even in the desert... Even in a recession, God can do great things."

It's that faith that the Osteens hope to encourage during their event.

"There's so much trying to pull us down today," Joel said. "Our message is all about lifting people's spirits and letting them know that God is in control."

"Prosperity comes from inside," Victoria said. "It's not about what you have, it's really about your joy, your peace, the things you have on the inside. You can go through tough times and still have a smile on your face. We're all going to face challenges, we might as well get up and get after it."

The episode will be broadcast live around the world on Trinity Broadcasting Network, the country's largest Christian network.

Osteens' History of Huge Crowds

The Empire State event isn't a first for the Osteens. The co-pastors of the nation's largest church, Lakewood Church in Houston, have held several worship events at Madison Square Garden during the last five years, filling the arena to capacity each time.

The Osteens have an international following which includes more than 40,000 members at Lakewood Church. In addition, millions follow Joel Osteen's teachings globally through his sermons, which are broadcast in nearly 100 nations.

And, according to Joel, the numbers are only going up.

"Our congregation continues to grow," he said. "People turn to their faith during difficult times."

Joel Osteen has written two bestselling books including, "Your Best Life Now" and "Becoming a Better You." Victoria Osteen, who married Joel Osteen in 1987, also has had success as an author. Her first book, "Love Your Life," was published last year.

A Family Affair

As the congregation grew, Osteen worked behind the scenes for the family's televised broadcast. Then when his father died, he became the church's pastor.

Osteen said he was initially nervous about heading the congregation. He was afraid to get up in front of the audience and didn't want to be a pastor. But that soon changed.

"When my father died, I started off wearing his shoes," he said. "I feel like it took a few years to find out how I was supposed to present it," he said.

But now, Osteen believes he is serving God's purpose for God's purpose for his life.