Pastor Steven Furtick Signs 6-Year, $110 Million Contract With Lakewood Church

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CHARLOTTE, NC—In a stunning move that is making waves throughout evangelicalism, Pastor Steven Furtick has announced he has come to an agreement with Lakewood Church to preach alongside Joel Osteen, forming the core of a “superstar preaching team.”

The contract is worth $110 million over the next six years, Lakewood confirmed, making it the largest the preaching world has ever seen.

Donning a Lakewood Church hat and suit, an emotional Furtick broke the news in a two-hour televised special on TBN Thursday night, dubbed “The Decision.”

“I’m going to take my talents to Houston and join Joel’s legendary squad,” Furtick said as hundreds of cameras flashed around Elevation Church’s press conference room. “I wish Elevation the best of luck in the seasons to come, and hope they can find someone as ripped and godly as me.”

Furtick’s future in the pulpit was thrown up in the air when his contract expired in June, sparking rumors that the borderline prosperity gospel preacher would make a big move and get snapped up by a church with a larger payroll, rather than signing with Elevation again at a more modest rate.

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Is this the largest free agent contract ever in the history of pastors? I wonder if Lakewood really had to pay someone so much in free agency or if they should have gone after an upcoming young star at the next draft. Also I feel his previous church missed a trick and should have franchise tagged him, and bought some time to work out a better deal.