Kanye West and Joel Osteen Will Meet for the First Time on Sunday to Host Service Together

Kanye West and Joel Osteen
Brad Barket/Getty Images for Fast Company and Raymond Hall/GC Images

The two, who will be meeting for the first time, connected over West's new album, 'Jesus Is King.'

Kanye West and Joel Osteen are preparing to meet for the first time this Sunday at Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, where West will host his famed Sunday Service.

A source exclusively tells ET that Sunday is “the first time” West and Osteen will meet face to face. ET’s source says that the planning for Sunday’s big event has been taking place electronically, noting: “They have just been texting and having phone conversations.”

The source says, “They both recently got in touch with each other because of Kanye’s Christian album [Jesus Is King]. They started talking about faith and Kanye’s faith. That’s how it started.” 

The source also explains that Osteen then extended an invite to West to come to his Texas church and that the planning for this Sunday’s service “happened organically.” 

According to the source, who is familiar with Sunday’s plans, two services will take place. The 11:00 a.m. service “will include a conversation between Joel and Kanye about overcoming adversity and his faith journey.” Then at 7:00 p.m., West's Sunday Service will take place. ET understands the event is free, but attendees must have an E-ticket that can be obtained through TicketMaster. The source says that the church is bringing in extra security for the big event due to expected larger-than-usual crowds.

According to the source, West's wife, Kim Kardashian West, who has also never met Osteen in person, will join her husband in Houston. ET understands the couple is expected to fly to Houston late Saturday. The source was not briefed on whether the West’s children will join them on the trip.

Osteen isn't the only star interested in West's Sunday Service. ET spoke with Brad Pitt in September after he'd attended the service. 

“I think he was doing something really special there,” Pitt said at the time. “It's a pure celebration of life and people. It's really delightful. It really is.”

Kardashian West recently opened up about her husband's more religious turn on The Real. Watch the clip below for more on the interview: 

Reporting by Brendon Geoffrion. 

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