December 16, 2009
Oral Roberts Dead at 91
His life was one of great successes but also much controversy.
Oral Roberts Dead at 91
His life was one of great successes but also much controversy.
SUMMARY: Oral Roberts, a pioneer in televangelism who founded a
multimillion-dollar ministry as well as Oral Roberts University, died on Tuesday
at the age of 91. Hospitalized after a fall on Saturday, Roberts died in Newport
Beach, California of complications from pneumonia. He had survived two heart
attacks in the 1990s and a broken hip in 2006.
He broadcast his revivals on television, a new frontier for religion when he
started in the 1950s. He was a forerunner of the "prosperity gospel" which has
come to dominate television. According to this theology, those who give to
God get things in return. Jack Hayford of the International Church of the
Foursquare Gospel said, "If God had not, in His sovereign will, raised up the
ministry of Oral Roberts, the entire charismatic movement might not have
occurred."
Roberts overcame tuberculosis at age 17 at a revival meeting where a healing
evangelist was praying for the sick. He said he not only overcame that illness,
but he was healed of his youthful stuttering. He also said he then heard God
tell him to build a university. In 1947 he began an evangelistic ministry in Tulsa
in which he prayed for the whole person -- the body, mind and spirit. That
philosophy earned him the "faith healer" label, though he protested, "God
heals -- I don't."
Rocky times hit his ministry in the 1980s with controversy over his City of Faith
medical center, a $250 million investment that folded, and a widely ridiculed
proclamation that God would "call me home" if he failed to meet a fundraising
goal of $8 million. A law school he founded also was closed. In 2007 his son,
Richard Roberts, who succeeded him as ORU president faced allegations of
spending university money on luxuries at a time the university was $50 million
in debt. Richard Roberts then resigned, and a billionaire businessmen helped
keep the school afloat.
The Rev. Billy Graham said he recently spoke to Oral Roberts by phone and
that Roberts told him his "life's journey" was ending. "Oral Roberts was a man
of God, and a great friend in ministry. I loved him as a brother," Graham said.
(Picture of Oral Roberts from photobucket.com.)
To read the entire article, click on this link to NEWSVINE.
COMMENT: There are those people who say that one should never speak
ill of the dead, but in the interest of Christian truth, it is important to mention
some shortcomings in the ministry of Oral Roberts. He certainly can be
credited with accomplishments such as being a pioneer in televangelism and
the founding of a university. However...
The so-called "prosperity gospel" the way it is usually practiced was/is a scam.
To encourage worshippers to send in money with the ill-founded promise that
God would bless them with more money than they gave should be illegal
besides being immoral. If the prosperity gospel is valid, those preachers who
preach it should be able to have all their financial needs met directly from
God by giving God their own contributions and not have to rely on other
people.
Jesus was not a rich man Himself ("The Son of man has no place to lay his
head." Matthew 8:20), and he never promised to make everyone financially
wealthy. It is enough to know that God takes care of us in His own way. ("The
eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You
open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." Psalm 145:
15-16)
The other point that needs to be addressed is the practice of a healing ministry.
If Roberts' ministry was so effective, why did he need to build his own hospital?
Why did not all sick people begin flocking to his revivals and put hospitals and
doctors out of business? Why did Roberts himself suffer two heart attacks and
a broken hip?
Jesus, who had a legitimate healing ministry, still acknowledged the role that
medical personnel play in our lives. ("On hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is not the
healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.' " Matthew 9:12) When ill, let us
sincerely pray to God with all our hearts, but remember that God can and
does heal us through medical science, if it is His will.
Assuming Oral Roberts repented of his sins and trusted Jesus for forgiveness
and salvation, he is at this moment in heaven with the Savior. Only in
Paradise can he, and we, be truly wealthy and healthy.
**************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Are poinsettias poisonous?
**************************************************************************************
multimillion-dollar ministry as well as Oral Roberts University, died on Tuesday
at the age of 91. Hospitalized after a fall on Saturday, Roberts died in Newport
Beach, California of complications from pneumonia. He had survived two heart
attacks in the 1990s and a broken hip in 2006.
He broadcast his revivals on television, a new frontier for religion when he
started in the 1950s. He was a forerunner of the "prosperity gospel" which has
come to dominate television. According to this theology, those who give to
God get things in return. Jack Hayford of the International Church of the
Foursquare Gospel said, "If God had not, in His sovereign will, raised up the
ministry of Oral Roberts, the entire charismatic movement might not have
occurred."
Roberts overcame tuberculosis at age 17 at a revival meeting where a healing
evangelist was praying for the sick. He said he not only overcame that illness,
but he was healed of his youthful stuttering. He also said he then heard God
tell him to build a university. In 1947 he began an evangelistic ministry in Tulsa
in which he prayed for the whole person -- the body, mind and spirit. That
philosophy earned him the "faith healer" label, though he protested, "God
heals -- I don't."
Rocky times hit his ministry in the 1980s with controversy over his City of Faith
medical center, a $250 million investment that folded, and a widely ridiculed
proclamation that God would "call me home" if he failed to meet a fundraising
goal of $8 million. A law school he founded also was closed. In 2007 his son,
Richard Roberts, who succeeded him as ORU president faced allegations of
spending university money on luxuries at a time the university was $50 million
in debt. Richard Roberts then resigned, and a billionaire businessmen helped
keep the school afloat.
The Rev. Billy Graham said he recently spoke to Oral Roberts by phone and
that Roberts told him his "life's journey" was ending. "Oral Roberts was a man
of God, and a great friend in ministry. I loved him as a brother," Graham said.
(Picture of Oral Roberts from photobucket.com.)
To read the entire article, click on this link to NEWSVINE.
COMMENT: There are those people who say that one should never speak
ill of the dead, but in the interest of Christian truth, it is important to mention
some shortcomings in the ministry of Oral Roberts. He certainly can be
credited with accomplishments such as being a pioneer in televangelism and
the founding of a university. However...
The so-called "prosperity gospel" the way it is usually practiced was/is a scam.
To encourage worshippers to send in money with the ill-founded promise that
God would bless them with more money than they gave should be illegal
besides being immoral. If the prosperity gospel is valid, those preachers who
preach it should be able to have all their financial needs met directly from
God by giving God their own contributions and not have to rely on other
people.
Jesus was not a rich man Himself ("The Son of man has no place to lay his
head." Matthew 8:20), and he never promised to make everyone financially
wealthy. It is enough to know that God takes care of us in His own way. ("The
eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You
open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." Psalm 145:
15-16)
The other point that needs to be addressed is the practice of a healing ministry.
If Roberts' ministry was so effective, why did he need to build his own hospital?
Why did not all sick people begin flocking to his revivals and put hospitals and
doctors out of business? Why did Roberts himself suffer two heart attacks and
a broken hip?
Jesus, who had a legitimate healing ministry, still acknowledged the role that
medical personnel play in our lives. ("On hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is not the
healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.' " Matthew 9:12) When ill, let us
sincerely pray to God with all our hearts, but remember that God can and
does heal us through medical science, if it is His will.
Assuming Oral Roberts repented of his sins and trusted Jesus for forgiveness
and salvation, he is at this moment in heaven with the Savior. Only in
Paradise can he, and we, be truly wealthy and healthy.
**************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Are poinsettias poisonous?
**************************************************************************************
3 Comments
mhgdairy said...Oral Roberts and his ministry focused on the here and now.
His motivation can only be known by him and God. But to this outside observer
he appears to be much like Balaam, whose true god was money and financial
gain. Balaam wanted to work God for his own gain. Sound familiar. Oral
Roberts told his followers God would cause his death if they didn't pony up
some cash.
During that time God's Word was preached. We can only hope that the Word
of God spoken by Oral Roberts was blessed by the Holy Spirit. It is not the
man who delivers the Word but the Word (Jesus)that saves.
anonymous said...The problem with these so-called fatih healers is that they
do not approach healing scripturally, i.e. the elders of the church annointing
the sick with oil, prayer and use of medical knowledge. I think that Roberts
and all the pietists/enthusiasts have nearly ruined the faith. Many people have
either a view of Christianity as a big show, or they think of it as a scam. Both
views gain much of their credence from these so-called televangelists.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if a good Lutheran program had the media impact
of these people? God does prosper his sheep as he sees fit. He also subjects
them to trials, even if they are faithful such as Job. We should be thankful for
both!
anonymous said...Oral Roberts WAS a thief he stole the peace with Jesus
my mother in law had . Saying it was her faith That was not good enough for
her to be healed of her sickness.He was a thief.who wanted more of her
money . and could care less how he got it.
mhgdairy said...Oral Roberts and his ministry focused on the here and now.
His motivation can only be known by him and God. But to this outside observer
he appears to be much like Balaam, whose true god was money and financial
gain. Balaam wanted to work God for his own gain. Sound familiar. Oral
Roberts told his followers God would cause his death if they didn't pony up
some cash.
During that time God's Word was preached. We can only hope that the Word
of God spoken by Oral Roberts was blessed by the Holy Spirit. It is not the
man who delivers the Word but the Word (Jesus)that saves.
anonymous said...The problem with these so-called fatih healers is that they
do not approach healing scripturally, i.e. the elders of the church annointing
the sick with oil, prayer and use of medical knowledge. I think that Roberts
and all the pietists/enthusiasts have nearly ruined the faith. Many people have
either a view of Christianity as a big show, or they think of it as a scam. Both
views gain much of their credence from these so-called televangelists.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if a good Lutheran program had the media impact
of these people? God does prosper his sheep as he sees fit. He also subjects
them to trials, even if they are faithful such as Job. We should be thankful for
both!
anonymous said...Oral Roberts WAS a thief he stole the peace with Jesus
my mother in law had . Saying it was her faith That was not good enough for
her to be healed of her sickness.He was a thief.who wanted more of her
money . and could care less how he got it.
This plant, commonly displayed during the
Christmas season, is not a health threat to
humans or pets. The worst that could happen
if a human or pet were to eat a large number
of the plant's leaves is possible nausea or
vomiting. A U. of Pittsburgh study of over
22,000 cases of poinsettia exposures found
no deaths and only 4% requiring medical care.
Source: Bottom Line (December 15, 2009)
Christmas season, is not a health threat to
humans or pets. The worst that could happen
if a human or pet were to eat a large number
of the plant's leaves is possible nausea or
vomiting. A U. of Pittsburgh study of over
22,000 cases of poinsettia exposures found
no deaths and only 4% requiring medical care.
Source: Bottom Line (December 15, 2009)
| LSI stands for the Lutheran Science Institute, an organization of WELS and ELS Lutherans interested in science and health issues with a special emphasis on the creation and evolution controversy. This blog's purpose is to search the Internet to find articles of interest to Christians. Views expressed are those of the author (Warren Krug) and are not necessarily those of the Lutheran Science Institute, Inc. |