All posts tagged Oral Roberts

  • December 22, 2009

    Oral Roberts: A Complex Legacy

    I was in my office last Tuesday, when I heard the news that Oral Roberts had passed away. I saw it on Twitter first, a tweet from a nationally-known leader and author. I quickly goggled it and found it to be true when I read the official press release on the Tulsa World website. I knew this day was coming. Oral Roberts had been retired from his service as president of ORU when I attended seminary there from 1996-1999. I felt the loss as did the rest of the ORU community and the many people who had been impacted by the life of Oral Roberts.

    I located “The Forth Man“, the one lone Oral Roberts sermon in my iTunes and began to listen and reflect on the man, his ministry, his message, and his impact on my life.

    While listening to Oral preach, I saw (again on Twitter) that Al Mohler was going to discuss the life of Oral Roberts on his radio show. As I pulled up the live feed for the radio show, I saw their call in number. So I called. I told the guy on the other end of the line that I am a pastor, an ORU graduate, and I have done some research in the area of Pentecostal/charismatic history and theology and I had some things to share with Dr. Mohler if he was interested. The guy put me on hold and then quickly came back to say that Dr. Mohler wanted to talk with me on the air. Talking about Oral Roberts and his influence with Dr. Mohler was a highlight of the day.

    I ended up putting my two minute conversation with Dr. Mohler on YouTube as a tribute.I had much more to say, but time was limited.

    Al Mohler said to his radio audience that Oral Roberts had a complex legacy. I cannot disagree. As ORU President Mark Rutland said at Oral Roberts’ Memorial service, Oral was not a perfect man, but he was a giant. As I have reflected on this giant of the faith, here is what I will remember about his complex legacy:

    1. The Pentecostal/charismatic tradition

    As I look back at my own spiritual journey, Oral Roberts has been one of the Pentecostal/charismatic voices that has influenced me. Oral Roberts’ own life dipped into the three waves of the Pentecostal/charismatic movement: (1) the classical Pentecostal movement, (2) the denominational charismatic renewal, (3) the non-denominational charismatic renewal. He has been an influential figure in each of these “waves” of charismatic renewal. He is a historical giant in the history of Pentecostalism and my faith has been enriched because of him.

    2. Great faith/passion

    The Bible encourages us to imitate the faith of our leaders (Hebrews 11:7). Oral Roberts made mistakes during his life. There are things that he did and said that I do not agree with. I am not trying to imitate his way of doing ministry. I am not trying to imitate his style, his way of teaching, his philosophy of ministry, or his spiritual journey. I am, by God’s grace, trying to imitate the faith of Oral Roberts. One of the things that made Oral Roberts such a dominate figure in my mind is that he was unique. Before he started his healing ministry under the “big tent,” Oral felt directed by the Lord to read through the Gospels and Acts on his knees and God would show Oral how to heal the people the way Jesus did. Oral put his trust in God and became a forerunner in the area of healing evangelism. His passion for Jesus and his passion to carry on the ministry of Jesus captured the imagination of hundreds of thousands.

    3. Christ-centered

    Oral Roberts loved Jesus Christ of Nazareth (as he was known to call him). His entire life was given to Jesus and Oral saw himself as a true disciple of Christ. He sought to love and minister to people like Jesus did. Oral Roberts never intended on building some great “Roberts” empire as his critics claimed. He lived to worship Jesus, preach Jesus, and serve as an instrument for Jesus to heal others.

    4. Obedience

    In his memorial service, his daughter Roberta shared just a few things she learned from her dad; one of those things was obedience to God. Regardless of how he would be perceived, Oral Roberts obeyed what he believed to be the voice of God. Oral deeply believed God called him to take God’s healing power to his generation. He obeyed and spent more than a decade traveling preaching the gospel and praying for the sick under the “big tent.” Oral deeply believe God called him to build God a university on “God’s authority and on the Holy Spirit.” Oral obeyed and Oral Roberts University has graduated over 20,000 students who have been sent out into “every person’s world.” Oral recklessly obeyed when he believed God directed him, no matter the cost.

    5. Healing ministry

    The name “Oral Roberts” is synonymous, in my mind, with “the healing ministry.” He was quintessential Pentecostal in his approach to the healing ministry. He believe that the healing ministry that Jesus began nearly 2,000 years ago continued through the life of the Church today. God used Oral Roberts to communicate this message to those outside of Pentecostalism in a way that was clear, compelling, and biblical. One of the things I picked up from Oral Roberts is that God does desire to heal people and it doesn’t matter if his healing comes through miracle or medicine. My own theology of healing is slightly different than Oral’s, but I share with him these basic truths: God is our source of healing and our God is a healing God.

    6. The Holy Spirit in the Now

    Through the 1970s, God used Oral Roberts to give clarity to the ministry of the Holy Spirit throughout the Church in its many denominational forms. He did these through conferences called “The Holy Spirit in the Now.” In doing so, Oral helped many confessing Trinitarian Christians to become experiential Trinitarians. All Christians confess a belief in God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but so many had only experienced the Father and the Son. One of Oral’s memorable phrases was “When you receive the Holy Spirit, you are receiving more of Jesus.” How true!

    7. ORU

    Oral Roberts University, the liberal arts Christian university that bears his name, will be one of the lasting legacies of Oral’s ministry. ORU has had its ups and downs, but I believe the greatest days for the university are still ahead. I am so thankful that I spent my first seminary experience there. It literally changed the course of my life. Oral’s vision was for “whole-person education” emphasizing strong academic education, physical education, and spiritual/moral education.

    8. Prosperity

    Perhaps Oral Roberts’ most well-known statement is “Something good is going to happy to you!” Oral Roberts believed that the goodness of God was not reserved only for “rewards in heaven,” but that God’s goodness could be (and should be) experience in this life. For Oral Roberts, God’s blessings included financial prosperity. This became the most controversial part of Oral’s message and one of the reasons that Oral Roberts’ legacy is so complex. This message of prosperity has caused Bible teacher and author John MacArthur to say at Oral’s passing: “Oral Roberts’ influence is not something Bible-believing Christians should celebrate.” I find MacAruthur’s statement despicable and a complete misunderstanding of Oral Roberts, his life and ministry. I have more to say below.

    9.”Seed Faith”

    Tied to his message of prosperity was his message of “seed faith” which contained three points 1) Believe God is your source, 2) Plant a seed of faith, 3) Expect a miracle. Because this very simple and biblical message has been tied to fund raising and financial prosperity, let me make a few comments about Oral Roberts and the issue of prosperity. Oral Roberts raised money with the purest of motivations. I find John MacArthur‘s comment: “(Seed faith) was a simple, quasi-spiritual get-rich-quick scheme that appealed mainly to poor, disadvantaged, and desperate people. It generated untold millions for Roberts’ empire” to be offensive, maligning, disrespectful, and unhelpful. I agree that the teaching of “seed faith” has been used by unscrupulous men to do unthinkable evil in the name of Jesus, but this was never Oral’s intent. I do believe Oral took a biblical truth and over-extended its purpose. We need to rethink the message of prosperity and “seed faith” in the light of sound biblical/historical study. However we do not need to smear Oral’s reputation in the process.

    10. Expecting miracles

    The third component to the message of “seed faith” was to “expect a miracle.” This was the title of Oral Roberts’ 1995 biography. When Al Mohler asked me to sum up Oral Robert’s life, I talked about Oral’s reminder that God is Father, Son, AND HOLY SPIRIT and that Oral Roberts gave us the hope to expect God’s power to break into our daily lives. And I am thankful he did.

    Oral Roberts University was founded on the words Oral Roberts believed God spoke to him, words that I believe did indeed come from the Lord. I am thankful to be one of “his” students, carrying on a small part of his legacy. Here are the words: “Build Me a University. Build it on My authority, and on the Holy Spirit. Raise up your students to hear My voice, to go where My light is dim, where My voice is heard small, and My healing power is not known, even to the uttermost bounds of the earth. Their work will exceed yours, and in this I am well pleased.”

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  • December 16, 2009

    Oral Roberts Died Today

    OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

    Dr. Oral Roberts, a legendary evangelist who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century, died today in Newport Beach, Calif., due to complications from pneumonia. His son, Richard, and daughter, Roberta, were at his side. The founder of Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and Oral Roberts University was 91.

    There will be a private family internment. Arrangements for a public memorial service in Tulsa are pending and will be announced soon.

    “Oral Roberts was the greatest man of God I’ve ever known,” Richard Roberts said. “A modern-day apostle of the healing ministry, an author, educator, evangelist, prophet, and innovator, he was the only man of his generation to build a worldwide ministry, an accredited university, and a medical school.

    “Beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he was not only my earthly father; he was my spiritual father and mentor. The last member of his generation in the Roberts family, he had a passion to bring healing to the sick.

    “His name is synonymous with miracles. He came along when many in Christendom did not believe in the power of God and His goodness. Oral Roberts was known for sayings such as ‘God Is a Good God,’ ‘Expect a Miracle,’ ‘Release Your Faith,’ and ‘Plant Your Seed for a Harvest.’

    “The Bible teaches that when a Christian dies, he or she is instantly transferred into the presence of God. The past few months, my father has talked about going home to be with the Lord on a daily basis. He has run his race and finished his course. Now he is in heaven, and we as Christians have the Bible promise that someday we will be reunited. My heart is sad, but my faith in God is soaring.”

    Granville Oral Roberts was born into poverty in Bebee, Okla., on Jan. 24, 1918. He began stuttering as a young child and then, as a teenager, contracted a potentially deadly case of tuberculosis. Bedfast at 17, he was carried to a revival meeting by his older brother, where a healing evangelist was praying for the sick.

    On the way, he clearly heard God speak to him, saying, “Son, I am going to heal you, and you are to take My healing power to your generation. You are to build Me a university based on My authority and on the Holy Spirit.”

    Roberts was miraculously healed of tuberculosis and stuttering at the revival meeting. His healing ministry was born several years later. “If a former stuttering, tuberculosis-ridden young Indian boy in an obscure county in Oklahoma can see the invisible and do the impossible—and still do it—so can you!” Roberts once said.

    Roberts was a legendary and beloved figure in a segment of Christianity that emphasizes healing, speaking in tongues, and other gifts of the Holy Spirit, as described in the New Testament.

    Dr. Jack Hayford, president of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, said of Roberts, “If God had not, in His sovereign will, raised up the ministry of Oral Roberts, the entire charismatic movement might not have occurred. Oral shook the landscape with the inescapable reality and practicality of Jesus’ whole ministry. His teaching and concepts were foundational to the renewal that swept through the whole church. He taught concepts that spread throughout the world and simplified and focused a spiritual lifestyle that is embraced by huge sectors of today’s church.”

    After his healing at age 17, Roberts spent a dozen years pastoring churches in Oklahoma and Georgia, and preaching at revivals around the country, while also studying at Oklahoma Baptist University and Phillips (Okla.) University.

    Then, in 1947, he founded Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association (OREA) and began conducting crusades across America and around the world, attracting crowds of thousands—many who were sick and dying, and in search of healing. Through the years, he conducted more than 300 crusades on six continents. OREA officials estimate that he personally laid hands in prayer on more than 2 million people. The ministry continues under the leadership of Roberts’ son, Richard, who has ministered in the U.S. and around the world for almost 30 years.

    In 1954, Oral Roberts revolutionized evangelism by bringing television cameras into services, providing what he liked to call a “front-row seat to miracles” for millions of viewers. Years later, he began a television program, “Oral Roberts Presents.” More than 50 years later, the ministry’s daily program, “The Place for Miracles,” continues to minister to millions on over 100 television stations, multiple cable and satellite networks, and can be seen around the world via the Internet.

    In 1958, Roberts founded the Abundant Life Prayer Group to address the around-the-clock needs of those suffering and requesting prayer. More than 50 years later, prayer partners continue to receive calls from around the world seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Over the years, they have received more than 23 million phone calls for prayer, along with astounding reports of miracles in answer to prayer.

    Roberts answered God’s call to build an institute of higher learning in 1963, founding Oral Roberts University on 500 acres in Tulsa, Okla. Longtime friend Billy Graham officially dedicated ORU four years later. In the 1970s graduate schools, including Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Law, Education, and Theology, were added. Roberts served as school president until 1993, when he became chancellor.

    In 1981, Roberts founded the City of Faith Medical and Research Center, merging the healing power of medicine and prayer. The facility closed after eight years, leaving a lasting impact on the understanding by many medical professionals of the importance of treating the whole person—body, mind and spirit.

    Roberts wrote more than 130 books, including such classics as “If You Need Healing, Do These Things,” and “The Fourth Man.” His book “The Miracle of Seed Faith” has more than 8 million copies in circulation. This book’s key principles—God is your Source, sow your seed out of your need, and expect a miracle harvest—formed a fundamental part of Roberts’ ministry and legacy.

    “After I’m gone, others will have to judge how well I’ve obeyed God’s command not to be an echo but to be a voice like Jesus,” Roberts said. “As far as my own conviction is concerned, I’ve tried to be that voice with every fiber of my being, regardless of the cost.”

    Roberts was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn, a daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca Ann and Marshall Nash; a son, Ronald David Roberts; a grandchild, Richard Oral Roberts; his mother and father; two sisters, Velma Roberts and Jewel Faust; and two brothers, Elmer and Vaden Roberts.

    He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Lindsay Roberts; a daughter and son-in-law, Roberta and Ronald Potts, all of Tulsa; as well as 12 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

    In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Oral Roberts Ministry Healing Missions Fund, as part of the ongoing goal of Oral Roberts Ministries to take the saving, healing, delivering message of the Gospel into all the world until Jesus returns. Gifts can be sent in care of  Oral Roberts Ministries, P.O. 2187, Tulsa, Okla. 74102, www.OralRoberts.com.

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