Oral Roberts Ministries

There was no way on earth it could be done. Therewere no blueprints…no plans…no human exampleto follow. You just can’t get from where he started towhere he ended his earthly life 91 years later. Not byany road that man could build.But as a young man, Oral Robertsfound the One who makes a way wherethere is no way—Jesus Christ of Nazareth.As he chose to follow Jesus…oneday at a time, one step at a time, tinyseeds of faith began to multiply…andimpossible dreams turned into miracles.Humble BeginningsBorn in a two-room house to EllisMelvin Roberts—an itinerant preacherfather—and Claudius Priscilla Roberts—aCherokee Indian mother whoprayed for the sick, Granville OralRoberts came into this world in tinyBeebe, Oklahoma, on January 24, 1918.The fifth child of a family who hadno worldly goods to offer him, OralRoberts was born into a spiritual heritagemore precious than gold. Mama andPapa Roberts loved God with all of theirhearts. Oral has often said that, as a boy,he thought Jesus lived in his home. Everymorning he heard his parents pouringtheir hearts out to God in prayer.Oral was the son of a promise. Thenight he was born, his Cherokeemother, known as Mama Roberts,was called on to come to a neighbor’shome and pray for a sick child.Sensing that the child she was carryingwas “a special child that wouldhave God’s anointing,” she made apromise to God that if He would healher neighbor’s child, she would givethe Lord her child—the black-haired,blue-eyed baby boy she had prayed for.The neighbor’s child was healed.And Mama Roberts returned home,knowing her child would somedaypreach the Gospel. But preachingthe Gospel was the last thing OralRoberts wanted to do, growing up inPontotoc County, Oklahoma. Speaking,alone, was a difficult enough taskfor many years of his life.Oral was a stutterer. His name, meaning“spoken word,” seemed in itselfsomething of a cruel joke. One day,Mama pulled him on her lap, as shehad done many times, and said, “Oral,someday God will heal your tongueand you’ll preach the Gospel for Him.”Papa prophesied many times, that oneday he would hold huge revivals.Leaving Home—Teenage YearsAs Oral grew older, he also developeda passion for sports. There weregreat dreams of athletic fame, universitystudy, a law degree, and a career inpolitics. Setting his sights on becomingGovernor of Oklahoma, at 15, he wasrecruited by a former teacher to playbasketball in Atoka, Oklahoma, a town50 miles away. Finally, the chance fora new life had come!Atoka appeared to be all Oral Robertshad ever dreamed of. Living in alocal judge’s home, he studied dili-Oral and his brother, Vaden3

A healing line at one of Oral’s tent meetingsin Tampa, Florida, 1951trying to propose to me, you’d bettertalk to me in the English language.”He did. And she accepted. And onChristmas Day 1938, the partnershipof a lifetime began.The Healing Ministry andNurturing a DreamWith Evelyn now at his side, forthe next 12 years Oral continued onhis path of pastoring, studying, andpreaching wherever he could—evenon street corners. Still, there was thefeeling of discontentment inside. Alwaysin his mind were God’s wordsto him, “You are to take My healingpower to your generation” and thecommand to “Build Me a university.”But Oral Roberts didn’t know how todo either one of those things.Oral had the habit of reading hisBible every day before leaving homefor school. One day, he forgot. Comingback inside the house, he openedhis Bible and began to read at randomfrom 3 John 2, “Beloved, I wish aboveall things that thou mayest prosper andbe in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”Though he’d read the Bible at least 100times before, this was a revelation fromGod! When he called Evelyn and readthe verse to her, she challenged himwith, “That isn’t in the Bible.” “Oh yes,it is, Evelyn. We’ve just never seen it before.If this verse is right, then I’ve beenpreaching wrong. God is a good God…and I must preach that to the people.”God is a good God. Oral’s eyes hadbeen opened to the truth of God’sWord, and there was no going backnow. About that same time, Oral hadan encounter with a farmer in hischurch. Something in the man’s actionsreminded him of a principle hehad learned as a boy, farming with hisfather: when a farmer plants a seed inthe ground, he always expects a harvest.Oral began to realize that the samelaws that applied to nature could beapplied to the Word of God in thearea of sowing and reaping…plantingand expecting a harvest. Scriptures tosupport it were there in God’s Word,scriptures Oral had read many timesbefore, but never understood until now.Years later, Oral would put a nameto his discovery of the Bible way Godmeets people’s needs—“the principlesof Seed-Faith.” Luke 6:38 would becomea foundation stone in his ministryas he shared the 3 “keys” toSeed-Faith living: look to God as yourSource, plant a seed out of your need,and expect a miracle…a concept thatwould revolutionize millions of lives.Not long after, Oral Roberts beganto get his first glimmer of a God whowanted to bless and prosper His people.He shut himself away with God for30 days—reading and studying HisGospels and Acts—and by the end of30 days, Jesus had become so real toOral that he knew that he knew that heknew how to obey God! He saw thathis ministry and the ministry of Jesuswere to be one and the same. “Myministry was to come against the samefour things that Jesus was against—sin,demons, disease, and fear—emphasizingthe same power that Jesus did—themiracle-working power of God.”Shortly thereafter, Oral Robertsrented a building in Enid, Oklahoma,where he now lived, and invited thepeople to come and witness the healingpower of God. He put three “fleeces”(prayer requests that he had to see fulfilled)before God so that he would be certainthis was truly the direction Godwanted him to go. #1—For there tobe at least 1,000 people in attendance.#2—For there to be enough money topay the rent. And #3—For at least oneperson to be healed in a way that hewould know and the people would knowit was God’s healing power at work.Twelve hundred people attended theservice. When the offering was takenup and counted, there was enoughmoney to pay the rent—with $3.03 leftMay 1951, St. PetersburgAn altar call in Stockton, Californiaover! After Oral Roberts preached hisfirst healing sermon ever—If You NeedHealing, Do These Things (see page 8 toorder)—people flooded to the front forprayer, many testifying on the spotthat they’d been healed. One person inparticular proved beyond a shadow ofa doubt to Oral and to those in attendancethat she had indeed been healed.An elderly woman, whose arm hadbeen crippled for nearly 40 years, beganwaving it about with joy, shouting withhappiness, “God has healed me!”Oral began holding healing meetingsevery Sunday afternoon. “How do youheal people, Oral?” people have oftenasked him. “I can’t heal anyone,” hereplied. “Only God can heal. I’m just(continued on page 9)6

Abundant Life BookstoreThe Miracle of Seed-Faithby Oral RobertsIn this best-selling book, Oral shares a life-transforming biblical messagethat has touched the lives of millions. You, too, can make yourlife a continuous cycle of giving and receiving, and begin expectingmiracles in your life. Book $7 LC105Prayers for Seed-Faith Livingby Oral RobertsBorn out of Oral’s life experiences, the prayers in this book can helpyou express your heart to God and open the door to God’s abundantanswers for your every need. Book $4 LC193Staying Strong in the Lordby Oral RobertsOral shares the importance of allowing God’s Word to grow in ourhearts, so that it can give us strength when we face the stormsof life. Book $4 LC26Best-Loved Tent Sermonsby Oral RobertsThis collection of six classic sermons from the days of Oral’s tentcrusades includes such favorites as “The Fourth Man,” “Samson andDelilah,” and “If You Need Healing, Do These Things.” Book $7 LC291The Complete New Testament on CDwith personal commentary by Oral RobertsIn this digitally remastered CD set, Oral shares his personal commentaryon every book of the New Testament. Included: The Gospels(24 CDs), The Acts of the Apostles (8 CDs), The Epistles to theChurch of Jesus Christ (35 CDs), and The Revelation of Jesus Christ(7 CDs). 74-CD set $125 LC1850If You Need Healing, Do These Thingsby Oral RobertsWritten in 1947, from the first healing sermon Oral preached, thistimely message remains a powerful tool to help you learn how torelease your faith for healing! Book $7 LC120The Ultimate Voiceby Oral RobertsOral draws from his lifelong relationship with the Lord to sharepowerful principles for learning to hear and follow the still, smallvoice of God speaking to our spirit. Hardback Book $25 LC2382To order, go online at www.oralroberts.com/bookstore,or call 918-495-7777an instrument that He uses to helppeople release their faith for a miracle.”With many churches unable tocontain the size of Oral’s crowds,he began traveling the roads ofAmerica with a canvas tent. As wordof the healing miracles spread andthe size of the crowds grew into thethousands, ever newer and biggertents had to be purchased. Finally,Oral purchased what became knownas the “tent cathedral”—an enormouscanvas tent large enough toseat 12,500 people inside, whilethousands more could gather aroundthe outside and watch the serviceIn 1949, evangelist Rex Humbardencouraged Oral to film the crusademeetings for all America to see. Televisionwas new in those days, and Oral’stelevised healing services caused a sensation!Never before had people been ableto see a healing service right before theireyes in their own living rooms.Soon, thousands of letters beganpouring in from the United States andCanada to Oral’s offices in Tulsa, and by1957, he was receiving some 1,000 piecesof mail a day. Through the letters thatcame in, Oral Roberts knew he was feelingthe pulse of America. Then in 1958he established the Abundant Life PrayerGroup to accept calls for prayer 7 days aweek, 24 hours a day—a ministry thathas never been interrupted to this day.The Time Has ComeFor years, as Oral carried with himGod’s command to build Him a university,he would often stop his carin front of a farm at 81 st and Lewis insouth Tulsa. He and Evelyn, and whatwas by now a family of four children,would all join hands and pray that Godwould hold onto that piece of propertyuntil Oral could find the way to buildGod a university.Operating in faith, he spent hoursvisiting with university leaders, professors,and students, and speaking witharchitects who had built such schools,immersing himself in the history and operationof many colleges and universities.But with all of the knowledge hegained, still he did not know how tobuild God a university. How wouldhe finance it? Where would he findthe faculty and staff to help him buildit? And who would want to attend auniversity run by Oral Roberts?ORU—The Birth of a DreamTwo pastors in Denver voluntarilygave Oral $1,000 each to help begin.Oral deposited the money and waited onGod. God spoke to him again, and whatHe said to Oral Roberts that day is planteddeep in the heart of every student,staff and faculty member. “Raise upyour students to hear My voice, togo where My light is dim, where MyOral’s television healing servicescaused a sensation.

Oral Roberts Universityvoice is heard small, and My healingpower is not known, even tothe uttermost bounds of the earth.Their work will exceed yours, andin this I am well pleased.”Oral knew that God’s universitywas to be—what else?—differentfrom any other. First, it was to bebuilt on God’s authority and on theHoly Spirit. Second, it was to provideyoung people with a threefold, wholeperson education—body, mind, andspirit—an entirely new conceptin education. The mind was to beeducated to the fullest degree possible.The body was to be trained physicallyin a way that would promote healthand soundness. And third, the spiritwas to be emphasized above both themind and the body.Despite the opposition on so manyfronts, Oral simply continued to dowhat he believed God had told himto do, in the spirit Mama Roberts implantedin him so many years before:“Oral, obey God and stay little in yourown eyes,” she said, “and God willbless the world through you.”One day as Oral was walking andpraying, literally groaning and cryingout, “Oh God, help me,” as heprayed in the Spirit—the heavenlylanguage that he has taught millionsto understand—words…concepts…began coming to him that he hadnever thought of before. Beforelong, God had given Oral Robertsrevelational knowledge of how tobuild Him a university! Not everyexact point, but a great overallbreakthrough into the knowledgeand ability he needed to do whatGod called him to do.Opened in 1965, Oral RobertsUniversity stands as a testament toone man’s reliance on the revelationknowledge of the Holy Spirit and thecertainty that God still speaks.1 24 5 61. Oral and Richard Roberts with Elvis 2. Oral and Evelyn Roberts with Johnnyand June Carter Cash. 3. Richard Roberts performing on a Prime-time Contactspecial 4. Oral and Richard Roberts with Gladys Knight 5. Oral Roberts and JerryLewis 6. Richard Roberts with Roy and Dale Evans and Louise MandrellPrime-time Contact Specialswith Celebrity Guest StarsOral was a pioneer in religious television,being the first to film live healingservices in his crusades, and for manyyears producing a 30-minute Sundaymorning televison program. But in 1968,God began stirring Oral in the areaof reaching people in a way differentfrom any before. After much prayer andconsultation, Oral announced his planthat, in addition to the regular Sundaymorning program that would continueto air, he was going to begin airingquarterly Prime-Time Contact Specials.They would include an element of entertainmentgeared at reaching a newgeneration of people with the Gospel.Programs were often filmed on locationin places like Hawaii, London, Alaska.Oral’s son, Richard, joined his dadon the programs as a featured singer.As other Specials followed, they includedsuch well-known celebrityguests as Pat Boone, Dale Evans, AnitaBryant, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lewis,Lou Rawls, the Lennon Sisters, BurlIves, Shari Lewis, and Tennessee ErnieFord.Ratings showed that nearly 10 millionpeople viewed the first ContactSpecial. With ratings steadily risingthereafter, they reached an all-timehigh of almost 40 million viewers in1973. The Contact Special in 1971,celebrating Valentine’s Day, was nominatedfor several Emmy awards.Merging Medicine and PrayerEven as a young man suffering fromtuberculosis, Oral Roberts never separatedthe importance of medicinefrom prayer. He knew that medicine,by itself—limited in its scope—couldnever bring healing into people’s lives311

Later YearsIn 2005, Oral’s beloved Evelyn diedafter an unexpected fall. They had beena “healing team for God” for more than66 years of their lives. But rather thangrieve himself to death, or just sit downin his rocking chair, Oral made thispromise at his darling wife’s memorialservice. He said, “I’m going to make anew commitment of my life. I’m notgoing home to sit in a chair and witheraway the rest of my life. I’m going todo God’s work ‘til the day I die!”And that’s exactly what he did untilthe day came when, with his son anddaughter by his side, he went home tobe with the Lord—December 15, 2009.Oral and Evelyn12Oral and Richard Roberts along with Dr. Jim Winslow at the City of Faithconstruction site.in the way God wanted it withoutcombining it with prayer.In 1977, God began speaking toOral Roberts that he was to mergetogether God’s healing streams ofmedicine and prayer…and he wasto build God a new kind of medicalcenter, calling it the City of Faith.Years later, an official from theAmerican Medical Association toldOral, “You’ve affected the AMA forever.There was no talking about mergingmedicine and prayer until you camealong…and you were right.”The City of Faith1. In May of 2009, theOklahoma Governor andboth branches of thestate legislature wantedto honor Oral for all hehad done through theyears for his home stateof Oklahoma. Oral addressedthe assemblyand received their honorgracefully and humbly.2. Letter of condolencefrom President BarackObama12 13

Because of Oral and Evelyn Roberts’ commitment to God and toeach other, the world will never be the same. We—who love themand have been so affected by their ministry—will forever honor theirlives lived in the joy of taking God’s healing power to the world.12For a Seedfaithgift of$20 or moreCelebrating the life and ministry of Oral Roberts31. As Oral prophetically spoke—fromthe time Richard was a teenager,right up to the day before his homegoing—thedouble portion anointingwould be on his son. RichardRoberts preaching in Nicaragua.2. Lindsay and Richard ministeringon The Place for Miracles. 3. JordanRoberts delivering food to hungrychidren in Nicaragua.In this inspiring DVD honoring and celebrating the lifeof Oral Roberts, you will see his daughter, Roberta, andhis son, Richard, talking about Oral’s miraculous healingfrom tuberculosis, his dedication to bringing JesusChrist to others, the special times they had with theirdad, and the powerful lessons they learned from him.Also included: a moving video chronicle of Oral’s life andministry, and words of inspiration from Marilyn Hickey, Creflo Dollar and others.Request your DVD today. Call 918-495-7777, or go to www.oralroberts.com/bookstore.14

COMING SOON!Or al RobertsA Legacy of Healing and FaithA hardback photo-essay book that covers theministry and impact of the foremost healing-evangelistand educator of the last half of the 20th century.Or al RobertsA Legac y of Healing a nd FaithP.O. Box 2187 • Tulsa, OK 74102-2187918-495-7777 • www.oralroberts.com