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Update: ORU promised $70 million
 
By STAFF REPORTS
Published: 11/27/2007  6:30 PM
Last Modified: 11/28/2007  9:21 AM



The latest on this story: An angel for ORU


Oral Roberts University has been promised $70 million by Mart Green, whose family started the Hobby Lobby and Mardel Christian Educational and Supply chain.

The gift comes with strings attached however.

Green said ORU will recieve $8 million immediately to meet pressing financial needs.

The remainder will come after a 90-day review of ORU's practices.

Green said that ORU must demonstrate ``good governance'' before the remaining $62 million will be given.

Meanwhile, the ORU regents have voted to separate the school from the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association.

''This has truly been a great day for Oral Roberts University,'' said George Pearsons, chairman of the ORU board of regents.

During a two-day meeting that concluded Tuesday, the regents also accepted the resignation of Richard Roberts and decided to start a presidential search process that could last several months, Pearsons said.

''It was truly an amazing time,'' Pearsons said. ''Personally, I feel uplifted by all that has happened here.''

Pearsons said the regents voted unanimously to separate the school and the evangelistic association financially and legally.

The school and the association will continue to have a ''spiritual''

connection, he said.

Pearsons promised that faculty, staff, student, and alumni would be involved in the presidential search process.

By STAFF REPORTS

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Report Comment
wow, (11/27/2007 6:38:32 PM)
Thank the Lord!
Report Comment
longtimewatcher, (11/27/2007 6:40:36 PM)
This is a good start to rebuilding ORU. I think a few more steps to safeguard ORU from those who have brought it so low, and the alumni will feel safe in giving. And, we will love to do so.
Report Comment
Appreciative Alum, (11/27/2007 6:41:20 PM)
Stephen Mansfield for president.
Report Comment
curious georgette, (11/27/2007 6:41:44 PM)
What kind of input does a spiritual regent have? And will RR need to move from the compound?
Report Comment
longtimewatcher, (11/27/2007 6:42:56 PM)
not Stephen

How about Mark Rutland?

Report Comment
Frost, Cleveland, OH (11/27/2007 6:44:12 PM)
yay!
Report Comment
Randall Dunning, Garland, Texas (12/26/2007 1:20:41 AM)
Oh, be nice #366. Setting up a university is no mean feat. Setting one up that impacts lives of young men and women for the Kingdom of God is a pretty high achievement. Oral still has my respect for that. I think the story has stood the test of time and I have not seen you present any empirical data that would call the story into question. It takes more than mounting a high horse of superior scornfulness to warrant a revision of the record. Cheers!
Report Comment
Cindy, (1/6/2008 1:22:15 PM)
Please. There's ALWAYS strings attached especially when millions are involved. It just means instead of old OR and his heirs someone else is pulling them. The only diff is that it's now Mart Green's agenda instead of Oral's and Richard's. Power-junkies thrive on controlling people. Running ORU and influencing the next generation of dreamy-eyed minister wanna be's is a lot of power. I don't trust this latest bail out. ORU is just under new, but not necessarily better, management. The abuse might continue, and the ethics might not improve. I hope people watch Mart Green very carefully!
Report Comment
Kevin, Claremore (12/2/2007 9:58:21 PM)
Hey Mr. Green (in case he reads these posts) our church is trying to pay off our debts and build a new sanctuary...we only need just less than 1 million to do both. Do you think you could divert 1 million from ORU and put it to work for the kingdom in our church?
Report Comment
MIKE, OKC,OK (12/3/2007 8:15:23 PM)
Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. This is the Word of the Lord for ORU faculty and students and all who have been blessed and touched by the Lord by ORU. I believe, like as Brother Daugherty said, his heart is in ORU, my heart is for ORU also, but it's the heart of the Holy Ghost that birthed and raised up ORU and will burn out the chaff that preaches or dictates or tries to come against with a one size fits all theology that gives blanket absolution to the liberal mind set of homosexuality, lesbianism, and the abortionists. These are the last days. Ephesians 5:15-17 15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. I believe the will of the Lord is for ORU to always be led by the Holy Ghost, to be filled with the Holy Ghost, and to burn like the torch on the Campus of ORU for the glory of Jesus Christ
Report Comment
MIKE, OKC,OK (12/3/2007 8:46:19 PM)
To Oral Roberts, Matthew 5:10-12 10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you

Report Comment
Black Gal, (12/4/2007 1:40:39 AM)
363. 11/29/2007 8:32:42 AM, absolute truths, Peoria

Actually, I don't think that ORU or the Roberts' family should accept this money unless there are no "strings" attached. I think they should believe God for the money to come from elsewhere. This guy is just trying to worm his way into controlling an establishment that Oral Roberts has built and established. He's demanding that two of his family members be on the board, where will that end. Then he'll try to get his foot in even more. That is Oral Roberts' name sake and it should continue to be run at the discretion of the Roberts' family and the board they choose! God has made things happen before and the money came in before without stipulations and I believe it can happen again. What this guy is trying to do looks more like bribery than a blessing.

_________________________________

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

Report Comment
Sallie Mayes, (12/23/2007 3:13:51 PM)
It's no secret within the ivory tower chambers of the charismatic christian Higher Education community that for years dubious behaviours were being practiced at ORU by the Roberts elite. A number of highly placed ORU staff left long ago due to their insider knowledge of the goings-on there. They knew disclosure was inevitable and did not want to be associated with the fallout. Unfortunately certain of these did not learn from their experiences there and spread ORU's infectious unethical practices to the new charismatic institutions they swarmed to such as TKC&S. If Jack Hayford is wise he will expose what has gone on behind the scenes of his institution before it is likewise too late.
Report Comment
Sallie Mayes, (12/23/2007 5:23:28 PM)
Don't be fooled by ORU, TKC&S and others' so-called accreditation. It's a "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" scam as those at one school get on the accreditation team to help out those at another. That's what Peer Accreditation means!

If Jack Hayford is wise he will expose what has gone on behind the scenes of his institution before it is likewise too late.

Report Comment
SEC, Former Nanny for the Roberts (11/29/2007 1:26:04 AM)
To: #352. Get Your Facts Straight,

"#333-The home that Richard and his family have been living in is very nice but not huge and decadent, and they pay rent at fair market value. Doesn't it bother you to be such a gossip monger?"

.

why don't you get your facts straight!!!! i have lived in that house....it is huge, decadent, and very nice.....so let me ask you your question you posed because it is more appropriate to ask you, "Doesn't it bother you to be such a gossip monger?"

Report Comment
A "Quasi-Normal" ORU Alumni 98', California (11/29/2007 2:49:38 AM)
Man,

1) For starters, a whole bunch of you are act as mature as my 3 year old niece (actually, I take that back, she's more mature).

2) It's late, I'm sleep deprived, and I can't spell or use proper grammer when I'm in this state. SO I hopefully pre-empted any wise cracks on my post.

3) I loved attending ORU, I would attend there again (and I'm not necessarily some charasmatic die-hard either), and it gave me an education that was quality enough to get into medical school. Also, I met some "salt of the earth" folk there. . . quality, real, genuine Christian friends. Friends that were normal, sane, honest, and desired to found out the purpose of why God create them to live on this earth. God used the people that I met at ORU and its environment to impact/change my life and help me discover some of what God has in store for me. ORU taught me not to fear entertaining the idea of exploring my faith and not putting God in a box, but instead, to be open to what He can do (even if it's something 'supernatural') It is truly an amazing place to get an education. I feel that it is unique and depsite the "crazys" and the "scandalous" peeps that have been associated with it, there is a lot of quality people that are linked to ORU as well (we just don't make the headlines as easily).

ALL THAT TO SAY. . .

Take the meat and spit out the bones. Know that not every Christian is perfect (but should still should be held accountable for wrongs) and that A LOT of good things have come out of that beat-up and broken down university. I believe God has used and will continue to use ORU as a ray of light in this dark world. I think that having an univeristy with a charasmatic "slant" can hopefully bring balance to all the evangelical institutions out there. I hope that ORU will bounce back and thrive from all of this mess. I believe it will. . .

Report Comment
absolute truths, Peoria (11/29/2007 8:32:42 AM)
Actually, I don't think that ORU or the Roberts' family should accept this money unless there are no "strings" attached. I think they should believe God for the money to come from elsewhere. This guy is just trying to worm his way into controlling an establishment that Oral Roberts has built and established. He's demanding that two of his family members be on the board, where will that end. Then he'll try to get his foot in even more. That is Oral Roberts' name sake and it should continue to be run at the discretion of the Roberts' family and the board they choose! God has made things happen before and the money came in before without stipulations and I believe it can happen again. What this guy is trying to do looks more like bribery than a blessing.
Report Comment
john hufines, tulsa (11/29/2007 11:02:20 AM)
Dr. Billy Joe Daugherty for President
Report Comment
Randy Dunning, Garland, Texas (11/29/2007 12:09:04 PM)
Evil family empire? I think that a bit harsh and certainly uncalled for. It was Oral's obedience to God that caused the university to come into existence in the first place and for that I will always remain thankful. As for the problems and abuses, well dynastic succession has never worked well in any other area of human governance and management. Few descendants of great industrialists ever made their parents proud (Just ask mom & pop Hilton), and many successors to the throne were not fit to rule their father's kingdoms. So rather than this being some special kind of "evil" I suspect it is more an example of the folly of dynastic succession. We can all learn from this.
Report Comment
Fifty Dollar Fine, (11/30/2007 8:50:27 PM)
#365 Randy Dunning - "It was Oral's obedience to God that caused the university to come into existence in the first place"

.

You actually believe that old yarn?

Report Comment
Sad Person, (11/28/2007 8:46:14 PM)
Wow this is amazing.

If there's anything that i've learnt from this saga is this..

THERE ARE SOO MANY HATERS OUT THERE. And you reading this you are prob one of them. How sad. So quick to hate.

Shame on you all.

Yes the truth has to come out, and it will come out in time. But why do YOU HATE so much?

Report Comment
Guess What, $50, (11/28/2007 11:18:01 PM)
The closet is large, but it is not 2000 sq ft. and grandma didn't bank roll it either.
Report Comment
alumi' 95, (11/28/2007 11:57:01 PM)
you know everybody has a comment on the BOR. If you are not or have never been a Regent you don't know what they do. I thank God and God alone for the supernatural gift. If you have never walked a mile in RR or OR shoes shut up they are still men of God and yes like the rest of us they miss it too. Stop touching what you should keep your mouth off of and let God deal with them if they are wrong. None of us are God and for that I really am glad.
Report Comment
Reply To 354. Fifty Dollar Fine, , (11/29/2007 12:41:00 AM)
354. 11/28/2007 8:22:57 PM, Fifty Dollar Fine,

"So all university presidents should have 2000 sq foot closets paid for by grandma's donations.

.

Some people will believe anything."

.................................

$50, listen to me! lol. Grandma WILLINGLY gave to these ministries. Nobody made Grandma give anything. Grandma needs to "give" wherever God directs her to. It's not going to hurt her. Thank You! lol

Report Comment
Fifty Dollar Fine, (11/29/2007 12:51:08 AM)
#357 alumni- "If you have never walked a mile in RR or OR shoes shut up"

.

No, you shut up. Stop acting like a brainless christobot and think about what you are saying BEFORE you say it.

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