31 Facts About Oral Roberts

Granville Oral Roberts was an American Charismatic Christian televangelist, who was one of the first to propagate Prosperity Gospel Theology.

Oral Roberts was ordained in the Pentecostal Holiness Church from 1936 until his transfer to the United Methodist church in 1968, a controversial relationship that ended in 1987 when his credentials were revoked.

Oral Roberts is considered one of the forerunners of the charismatic movement, and at the height of his career was one of the most recognized preachers in the US.

Oral Roberts's ministries reached millions of followers worldwide spanning a period of over six decades.

Oral Roberts became a traveling faith healer after ending his college studies without a degree.

In 1945, Oral Roberts resigned from his pastorate in Shawnee, Oklahoma, to hold revivals in the area and attend Oklahoma Baptist.

Oral Roberts suggested they pray about it, and unexpectedly, decided to accept.

Oral Roberts conducted evangelistic and faith healing drives across the United States and around the world, claiming he could raise the dead.

Oral Roberts appeared as a guest speaker for hundreds of national and international meetings and conventions.

In January 1955, Oral Roberts held a "salvation and healing" campaign in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Oral Roberts was bitterly assailed by the Sunday Express for the hysteria and traffic jams of 20,000 people that packed big Wembley stadium and playing field.

Oral Roberts left behind a residual campaign fund in South Africa of $37,000 less expenses, with the hope that "his campaign will save 100,000 during the coming year".

Oral Roberts ran direct mail campaigns of seed-faith, which appealed to poor Americans, often from ethnic minorities.

At its peak in the early 1980s, Oral Roberts was the leader of a $120 million-a-year organization employing 2,300 people.

Oral Roberts was a pioneer televangelist, and attracted a vast viewership.

Oral Roberts began broadcasting by radio in 1947, and began broadcasting his revivals by television in 1954.

From 1968 through 1987, Oral Roberts was a member of the United Methodist Church's ministry.

In 1977, Oral Roberts claimed to have had a vision from a 900-foot-tall Jesus who told him to build City of Faith Medical and Research Center, and the hospital would be a success.

In 1980, Oral Roberts said he had a vision that encouraged him to continue the construction of his City of Faith Medical and Research Center in Oklahoma, which opened in 1981.

In 1983 Oral Roberts said Jesus had appeared to him in person and commissioned him to find a cure for cancer.

Late in March 1987, while Oral Roberts was fasting and praying in the Prayer Tower, Florida dog track owner Jerry Collins donated $1.3 million.

Oral Roberts stirred up controversy when Time reported in 1987 that his son Richard Roberts claimed that he had seen his father raise a child from the dead.

Oral Roberts's organizations were affected by scandals involving other televangelists and the City of Faith hospital was forced to close in 1989 after losing money.

Oral Roberts was forced to respond with the sale of his holiday homes in Palm Springs and Beverly Hills as well as three of his Mercedes cars.

Richard Oral Roberts resigned from the presidency of ORU on November 23,2007, after being named as a defendant in a lawsuit alleging improper use of university funds for political and personal purposes, and improper use of university resources.

Richard Oral Roberts continued in his role as ORU chancellor, helping in the leadership of ORU along with Billy Joe Daugherty, who was named as the executive regent to assume administrative responsibilities of the Office of the President by the ORU Board of Regents.

Richard Oral Roberts continued as the ORU chancellor until his death, but in 2009, eleven months before his death, handed over the leadership of ORU to its incoming president, Mark Rutland.

Oral Roberts was married to Evelyn Lutman Fahnestock for 66 years from December 25,1938, until her death from a fall, at the age of 88, on May 4,2005.

Oral Roberts died of complications from pneumonia on December 15,2009, at the age of 91.

Oral Roberts had been "semi-retired" and living in Newport Beach, California.

Oral Roberts was interred next to his wife at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma.