The Goodwins’ encounter with the late John Osteen changed his life and ministry forever. For those readers unfamiliar with John Osteen, he was the founder of Lakewood Church in Houston which is now pastored by his son, Joel Osteen.

     Up until the mid to late 1950’s, John Osteen had been a very successful Southern Baptist pastor. Things seemed to be going very well for him both personally and in ministry. Then his world came crashing down when his daughter was born with a Cerebal Palsy-like condition. The doctors said there was absolutely no hope. Nothing could be done. They advised that the Osteens give up on their daughter and lock her away in an institution.

     Up to this point Osteen had never given much thought to the question of whether God still healed or not. But as he faced this crisis, he turned to his ministry brethren and asked, “Does God still heal?” They replied, “Absolutely not.” They went further and said, “John you have to understand this. You have had great success in ministry, and God gave you this thorn in the flesh in order to keep you humble. God gave your daughter this disease, and nothing can be done about it.” (I’ve heard Brother Osteen tell the story on TV several times). And he replied to them, “I can’t believe that! I won’t believe that! I refuse to believe the God I love and serve would cripple a helpless child in order to teach me something!”

     John knew that the Assemblies of God denomination believed in healing and claimed that an outpouring of healing power was given to those who received the "baptism in the Holy Ghost."

     Osteen was a desperate Christian father, a man of faith, looking for the Great Physician's help concerning his daughter's hopeless condition.

     Sometimes, that's what it takes--desperation.  A desperate faith that will not accept "no" for an answer.  

     So he went to the South Texas District office of the Assemblies of God inquiring about this "baptism in the Holy Ghost."  A young minister there (Alan "Tex" Groff) took him to the Goodwins' home in Pasadena, Texas.*

     Mom and Dad were well known for having great success in ministering the Baptism in the Holy Ghost, with people receiving quickly and speaking in other tongues.

     Upon arriving, Pastor Osteen introduced himself and told the story of his daughter. He asked, “Will God heal my daughter?” The Goodwins replied, “Of course God will heal your baby.” 

     They began ministering to him.

     Dad Goodwin said, “You need the Holy Ghost.”

     Osteen replied, “I already have the Holy Ghost–I’m a born-again Christian.”

     Dad explained that yes, Osteen had the Holy Ghost within him in salvation, but that he didn't have the Holy Ghost upon him in miraculous power.  Dad emphasized that Osteen needed the Holy Ghost.

     Dad continued by showing John the various scriptures dealing with the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  John began to see that receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues was scriptural, and he therefore had faith to receive this outpouring.  Mom and Dad laid their hands on Osteen, and he was filled with the Spirit and spoke in other tongues.

     Upon receiving the Holy Spirit at the Goodwins' home, John initially had only a few words in other tongues to speak.  There wasn't much of a flow to it in the beginning.  That night he returned to his hotel room, and when he was alone with God, the fluency came and continued until he went to Glory--nearly 50 years later.**

     This set off a firestorm.  The elders of Pastor Osteen’s denominational church heard of his speaking in tongues, and they brought him up before the church on trial for heresy. At his trial, Osteen gave a lengthy and scriptural defense of this experience, and when they voted on whether to keep or expel him as their pastor, he won the fight by one vote. But the controversy had brought such division to his church, that he went ahead and resigned anyway.

     Having no church to pastor, and needing to support his family, Brother Osteen began itinerating. His home church did not want the message of the Holy Spirit’s baptism and speaking in tongues, but other churches did want to hear it. However, at this time God spoke to Osteen and gave him a direction that made itinerating difficult.