'Going home'
The nation's religious luminaries honor him
By BILL SHERMAN World Staff Writer
Published: 12/22/2009 2:22 AM
Last Modified: 12/22/2009 9:50 AM
Nearly 4,000 people gathered at the Oral Roberts University Mabee Center on Monday afternoon to say goodbye to a major figure of 20th-century Christianity.
Oral Roberts died Dec. 15 at his home in Newport Beach, Calif., at age 91. He was buried Monday morning in a private family service at an undisclosed Tulsa cemetery.
The memorial service took place on the campus of ORU, which Roberts had called his greatest legacy. The service was broadcast live worldwide on a variety of religious television networks and Internet sites.
Roberts pioneered the healing evangelism movement of the 1940s and 1950s and the use of television ministry. Besides ORU, he founded the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association, the former City of Faith medical complex and the University Village retirement complex.
Hundreds of national and local Christian leaders attended the service.
Before the service, television evangelist James Robison, a Baptist, shared memories of a touching moment years ago in which he apologized to Roberts for being critical of his ministry.
"I feel we may have pushed you off to be an island unto yourself," Robison said he told Roberts.
"He started weeping," Robison said. "He talked about his lonely walk."
The service opened with a prayer by Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network.
ORU President Mark Rutland said that Roberts "taught us to believe in a good God, and a caring God, and a God of miracles."
"We do not today celebrate the passing of a perfect man. He was not a perfect man, he was an extraordinary man. He was a giant, who served a perfect God," Rutland said.
Spontaneous hand-clapping broke out during a video that told the Oral Roberts story, sprinkled with tributes from Jerry Lewis, Roy Clark, Coach Eddie Sutton, Presidents Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush and other notable people from the world of entertainment, politics and sports.
Roberts' daughter, Roberta Potts, said that one of her father's key characteristics was his ability to focus.
"When he was praying for someone, he had his mind on one thing and one thing only, and that was the need of the person with whom he was dealing."
Potts said the last time she witnessed that focus was in the hospital a week ago, on her 59th birthday.
"We got near the hospital room and I heard this noise. It was Dad singing. He was singing loud songs, at the top of his lungs. Then he would stop awhile, and say, 'I'm going home. Hallejuah. Amen. I'm going home.'
"We started singing with him. We had the most amazing time. It was the most amazing birthday present anyone can ever give me. That present will last me until I see him again in heaven," she said.
Richard Roberts said the story of his father's death ran on the front page of more than 800 newspapers.
He said the family has been overwhelmed with expressions of love from around the world. He read a few:
David Yonggi Cho, pastor of the world's largest church, in Korea: "His legacy will continue to bear fruit. He was a true man of God."
Billy Graham: "I will always treasure the last conversation I had with your father. I'm sure he heard the words: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.' "
Benny Hinn: "Today we celebrate the homegoing of a true man of God."
Paul Crouch, founder of Trinity Broadcasting Network: "He was a spiritual father to millions around the world. He opened the door for all of us who are now in Christian television."
His voice cracking, Richard Roberts described his father's early life in Pontotoc County, his battles with stuttering and tuberculosis, and his healing at a revival.
As a teenager, during a period of rebellion, Richard Roberts said he told his father, "Why don't you just get the hell out of my life?"
Oral Roberts responded, "That's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to get the hell out of your life."
Richard Roberts said, "He taught me how to love, and he taught me how to forgive. He prayed for the very ones who opposed him."
Richard ended his remarks by singing "Something Good is Going to Happen to You," a classic song from Oral Roberts' television ministry days. The audience joined in with him. As he sat down, everyone stood and gave him a long ovation.
Denver Bible teacher Marilyn Hickey added a healing service when she invited everyone to stand, lay hands on any part of their body that was sick, and pray for healing.
She said Oral was the first one to "blast the world" with the message of healing, for which he paid a great price.
"Now you can go all over the world and find the healing message," she said.
She said Roberts' message of seed faith can produce prosperity in times of economic uncertainty.
"God makes you a winner," she said.
"I love this about Oral, who said, 'The game is not over until I win.' But he won.
"Oral went to heaven with many victories. One of them is ORU. That's one of the major things I learned from Oral Roberts. He didn't believe in losing."
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Bill Sherman 581-8398
bill.sherman@tulsaworld.com
Copyright 2012 World Publishing Co. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Mourners gather in Tulsa to remember Oral Roberts," which was published on 12/21/2009.
