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In a statement on Twitter, the department said that officers responded to a report of property discovered at the church on Nov. 10 and were told by church members that a “large amount of money, including cash, checks and money orders” had been found inside a wall during a renovation project.

Burglary and theft investigators responded and an undisclosed amount of money was inventoried, documented and left in the custody of the church since it had been found on Lakewood’s property, the police said.

“Evidence from the recovered checks suggests this November case is connected to a March 9, 2014 theft report of undisclosed amounts of money at the church,” the police said, adding that the investigation was continuing.

In a statement, Lakewood Church confirmed the discovery.

“Recently, while repair work was being done at Lakewood Church, an undisclosed amount of cash and checks were found,” the church said. “Lakewood immediately notified the Houston Police Department and is assisting them with their investigation. Lakewood has no further comment at this time.”

Mr. Osteen is among the country’s best-known televangelists, and his church, which holds services in the former Compaq Center, once home to the Houston Rockets, seats about 16,000 people. Before the pandemic, the church had been drawing an average of about 42,000 people to services every week, according to a church spokesman.