Lakewood Church Takes Sunday Service On the Road with Martin Lighting

Lakewood Church of Houston, Texas, a ‘megachurch’ headed by Pastor Joel Osteen, takes their Sunday service on the road each month. In July 2004, Joel Osteen Ministries and Lakewood Church began traveling to cities across America putting on "An Evening with Joel Osteen." Tens of thousands have gathered for these successful events which feature upbeat worship, encouragement, music, and an inspirational message.

Tom Stanziano has been Lakewood’s Lighting Designer for the past five years. “This is more than just your typical church service,” says Stanziano. “It’s an arena show that sells out 18-24,000 seat venues– on two nights in some cities. We expand our Sunday worship and music into a 2½ hour event.”

Complementing Pastor Joel Osteen’s uplifting message with high energy songs and ballads is a full band, worship leaders, and 6-8 voice ensemble. The MAC 2000 Profiles provide the visual effects and are also used for enhancement during the speaking portions of the service.

“I use 20 MAC 2000 Profiles that are positioned on two trusses and the floor,” Stanziano explains. “The downstage truss has six MAC 2Ks shining on a 60 x 40 foot seamless white backdrop. There are four 2Ks positioned on the floor and eight on an upstage truss doing beam effects and ballyhoos, as well as patterns on the floor.”

Stanziano turned to Opera Shop of Denver for lighting supply and service. “We’ve had the fixtures for 2½ years and they have held up incredibly well,” he states. “Opera Shop is an excellent production company. They’ve really taken care of us. In fact, due to the great success of Joel’s tour, Opera Shop and I are also working on Creflo Dollar’s ‘Change’ Conferences with the same type of rig.”