A Sea Of Red

Televangelism empire in chaos over family split

By GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press Writer
Sat Jan 31, 12:49 pm ET

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. – Once one of the nation's most popular televangelists, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller is watching his life's work crumble.

His son and recent successor, the Rev. Robert A. Schuller, has abruptly resigned as senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. The shimmering, glass-walled megachurch is home to the "Hour of Power" broadcast, an evangelism staple that's been on the air for more than three decades.

The church is in financial turmoil: It plans to sell more than $65 million worth of its Orange County property to pay off debt. Revenue dropped by nearly $5 million last year, according to a recent letter from the elder Schuller to elite donors. In the letter, Schuller Sr. implored the Eagle's Club members — who supply 30 percent of the church's revenue — for donations and hinted that the show might go off the air without their support.

"The final months of 2008 were devastating for our ministry," the 82-year-old pastor wrote.

Full Article: http://tr.im/e2c0

Some select quotes that jumped out at me:

It's a problem common to personality driven ministries. Most have collapsed or been greatly diminished after their founders left the pulpit or died.
Members often tie their donations to the pastor, not the institution, said Nancy Ammerman, a sociologist of religion at Boston University. Schuller, with a style that blends pop psychology and theology, has a particularly devoted following, she said.

"I don't see a scenario for maintaining a TV-based megachurch anymore. The days of doing that in the models of Schuller and Jimmy Swaggart and Oral Roberts are over," Schultze said. "It's amazing to me that the 'Hour of Power' was able to keep going as long as it did."

I think it's obvious why those stood out.

You let your daughter on the Hills and now look what happens

Yeah, things sure fell apart on John Osteen's church after his sudden death.

This has been going on for months. From what I remember, Schuller Jr. didn't really resign. He was forced out of the pulpit first. The Hour of Power people didn't like how he wanted to take the ministry in a new direction

However, where his father's preaching tends to be heavier on psychological reference and lighter on scriptural reference, Robert A. Schuller's messages rely considerably on scriptural reference, hermeneutics, and apologetics, making the role of "positivism" secondary and more in line with mainstream evangelicalism.

So they forced him out. He later resigned after that. The old fogies at Crystal Cathedral didn't like a young whipper-snapper shaking up things, so figured they could rest on their laurels. Apparently, they can't.

Sly Fox wrote:Yeah, things sure fell apart on John Osteen's church after his sudden death.

Things seem to be doing well at Liberty after Jerry Jr. took over, and at TRBC now that Jonathan's there... Sure, neither of them has stepped up and entered the political arena, like their father. I'd gladly do it for them, but I didn't get enough time to talk to Jonathan last time I saw him...

Ed Dantes wrote:This has been going on for months. From what I remember, Schuller Jr. didn't really resign. He was forced out of the pulpit first. The Hour of Power people didn't like how he wanted to take the ministry in a new direction

However, where his father's preaching tends to be heavier on psychological reference and lighter on scriptural reference, Robert A. Schuller's messages rely considerably on scriptural reference, hermeneutics, and apologetics, making the role of "positivism" secondary and more in line with mainstream evangelicalism.

So they forced him out. He later resigned after that. The old fogies at Crystal Cathedral didn't like a young whipper-snapper shaking up things, so figured they could rest on their laurels. Apparently, they can't.

Was this quote actually in the article? Because it's a direct quote from Wikipedia. Is that how articles are being written these days? You would get an F if you did something like that in school.

ALUmnus wrote:

Ed Dantes wrote:This has been going on for months. From what I remember, Schuller Jr. didn't really resign. He was forced out of the pulpit first. The Hour of Power people didn't like how he wanted to take the ministry in a new direction

However, where his father's preaching tends to be heavier on psychological reference and lighter on scriptural reference, Robert A. Schuller's messages rely considerably on scriptural reference, hermeneutics, and apologetics, making the role of "positivism" secondary and more in line with mainstream evangelicalism.

So they forced him out. He later resigned after that. The old fogies at Crystal Cathedral didn't like a young whipper-snapper shaking up things, so figured they could rest on their laurels. Apparently, they can't.

Was this quote actually in the article? Because it's a direct quote from Wikipedia. Is that how articles are being written these days? You would get an F if you did something like that in school.

You're right, it was from Wikipedia. Thankfully, I was not writing a term paper, and I was posting on 'FlameFans', which I assumed did not have as rigorous academic standards. This is from Fox News, which I am choosing to submit instead of the wikipedia quote. As I said before, the Hour of Power people didn't like how he wanted to take the ministry in a new direction:

Schuller said in a statement ... that he and his son, Robert A. Schuller, "have different ideas as to the direction and the vision for this ministry."

"For this lack of shared vision and the jeopardy in which this is placing this entire ministry, it has become necessary for Robert and me to part ways," Schuller said.

His kid was in Laguna Beach on MTV...that kinda expressed where his head was at IMO

Hold My Own wrote:His kid was in Laguna Beach on MTV...that kinda expressed where his head was at IMO

Which one was his kid?

jcmanson wrote:

Hold My Own wrote:His kid was in Laguna Beach on MTV...that kinda expressed where his head was at IMO

Which one was his kid?

it was only on the first season

The Cathedral was featured on the MTV television series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County during Season 1. The Reverend Robert A. Schuller is the father of a former cast member on the show, Christina. She sang a duet with her sister during the church service on the show.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Ca ... ar_culture

I can't stand to listen to Robert H. I remember one episode of the show -- yeah, I said 'episode' and not 'sermon' -- where he expounded for 25 minutes about thinking happy thoughts. This was sandwiched around a guest appearance by a surprisingly fat Val Kilmer who basically mumbled the equivalent of "I like God stuff" and then sat down so he could eat another box of Twinkies.

If I want smoke blown up the ol' tailpipe, I'll squat over a campfire.

RagingTireFire wrote:If I want smoke blown up the ol' tailpipe, I'll tune into Joel

FTFY

I have no opinion about Blinkie Osteen. I've only seen him speak once and I was too distracted by the fact that his eyes and mouth don't work at the same time to pay any attention to what he said.

RTF makes me laugh.

RagingTireFire wrote:I have no opinion about Blinkie Osteen. I've only seen him speak once and I was too distracted by the fact that his eyes and mouth don't work at the same time to pay any attention to what he said.

Ever see the movie The Legend of Bagger Vance...I SWEAR he looks just like that kid blinking all the time