Reverend Robert Schuller, influential pastor and founder of Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA and the ministry 'Hour of Power,' died at the age of 88 on Thursday morning, his family members confirmed.
"My Grandfather Robert H. Schuller passed this morning into eternal life with Christ," tweeted Schuller's grandson Bobby, who now leads Shepherd's Grove, one of the churches that used to have been part of the former Crystal Cathedral.
Schuller had had esophagal cancer since 2013, and his church had been praying for his recovery.
"We at Hour of Power and Shepherd's Grove are deeply saddened to report that our founding pastor, Dr. Robert H. Schuller's health is swiftly declining," posted Shepherd's Grove on Facebook. "Please join us in prayer for him and the entire Schuller family during this difficult time. May our most precious Lord and Savior grant them peace and comfort as they gather at his side."
On Tuesday, Donna Schuller, the reverend's daughter-in-law, told the Orange County Register that he was growing weaker, though he was "talking normally a couple months ago ... But since the procedure, he was whispering. And later, he could barely mouth words." She added that despite the fact that he seemed to be getting weaker, he seemed to be at peace.
The Crystal Cathedral, which was started in 1955 as Garden Grove Community Church, eventually grew to have some 10,000 members, and through the growth, the ministry started the 'Hour of Power' TV show, which started airing in 1975. The TV Show reached millions of viewers all over the nation.
Eventually, however, the Crystal Cathedral came across deep financial troubles, and declared bankruptcy in 2010, and the church was sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. The church's name was changed to Christ Cathedral in 2012.
The congregation that worshipped at what was once Crystal Cathedral scattered into several congregations, the two major ones of which are Hope Center of Christ, led by Sheila Schuller Coleman, and Shepherd's Grove.
Shepherd's Grove posted the following statement regarding Schuller's death:
Statement on the Passing of Dr. Robert H. Schuller, 1926 - 2015
The Rev. Dr. Robert H. Schuller, founding pastor of the Crystal Cathedral and minister to millions over four decades through his acclaimed weekly Hour of Power television broadcasts, died Thursday morning, April 2 with his loving family by his side. Dr. Schuller had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer in August 2013. At the time of his death, he was 88 years old.
What follows are words from Robert Vernon "Bobby" Schuller, grandson of Robert H. Schuller, on his special relationship with his grandfather.
I always had a special relationship with my grandfather. He was so warm with all of his grandchildren; we all felt special. I remember he used to love calling me "Robert Schuller the Third" like it was special to him that I carried his name. That made it special for me, too. My dad is also Robert Schuller and I remember the three of us at holidays or on fishing trips talking about how to build a thriving ministry, how to reach people where they are, or debating the best way to write a great sermon. When my dad was leading the ministry, in 2006, I came to join him to bring younger adults to an aging church. During that time, my grandfather began mentoring me. I would go to the 12th floor of the Tower of Hope every week. There we were, looking at the top of the Crystal Cathedral, Angel Stadium, and Disneyland. You could see the whole world from up there. He would just pour into me for hours. We would debate (I often disagreed with him), dream, and even think through practical issues of theology. I always left feeling encouraged, like I was on cloud nine. Several times he would say, "Bobby, Oral Roberts called me a prophet. I prophesize that someday you will take over after your father!" Though the idea of picking his grandson to carry on would be no surprise to most people, I doubted the idea, mostly because I had no desire to be enmeshed in a family run ministry.
After setting out on my own, the Crystal Cathedral Congregation, now Shepherd's Grove, voted unanimously to have me return and lead the church into its next chapter. I have the incredible honor of carrying on my grandfather's legacy by teaching people that they are not what they do, not what they have, and not what people say about them. They are the beloved of God. This message is going to millions around the world as we carry on the work my grandparents and parents began exactly sixty years ago. The Hour of Power team is dedicated to keeping Dr. Schuller's legacy alive by providing our messages, old and new, to those who need to hear them most.
