A story on the Spanish-language services at Osteen’s Houston church

His (Not Osteen – the Spanish-language pastor’s) sermons, he said, are geared for a Hispanic audience, with references to soccer or Telemundo television stars. Witt has even shown clips from one of comedian Mario Moreno Cantinflas’ films.

Giancarlo Giraldo, 24, was raised in the Catholic Church in his native Colombia. He came to Houston in 1998. His mother, who does not speak English, first encountered Joel Osteen on television and wanted to come to the church.

Now he attends the Spanish service, often bringing up to five members of his extended family.

"Marcos Witt preaches with too much love inside of him," said Giraldo, a supervisor with a kitchen-and-bath-refinishing company. "You can just feel it," he said. "He is not boring. He is funny. He comes with jokes.

"He doesn’t make you feel like: ‘I’m the preacher and you are the listener so sit down and listen.’ "