I knew I forgot to ask Richard Roberts something last week. We sat down for a one-on-one chat about life after scandal, debt and death. For those who don’t know, Roberts is the former president of Oral Roberts University, and son of the famous healing evangelist who passed away in 2009.
I asked Roberts about a tumultuous 2007 for him and ORU: the many allegations against him, the scandal and debt that rocked the school, his subsequent firing as ORU president, whether he’s bitter, and if he takes any responsibility for what happened.
I asked him if he ever talks to Mart Green, of the Hobby Lobby and Mardel empire. The
millionaire bailed ORU out of a mountain of debt, and dismissed Roberts from the school he’d been around and/or running for more than four decades.
I asked him when the last time he stepped foot on the ORU campus (his answer surprised me), and if ORU could survive without anyone with a last name other than Roberts leading it (wait until you hear what he said his father thought about that).
Yep, I thought I pretty much covered all the bases and asked him just about everything. Afterwards, he asked me when the piece would air. “Sunday night 10pm,” I told him. “Good,” he replied, “because I’m not preaching that night, so I can watch it.”
But I forgot to ask him if Sunday night would be too late. Not too late of an hour for
people to watch. Too late… period. After all, the world was supposed to come to an end Saturday evening. “Should we move up the air date?” I didn’t ask him. Totally forgot it. Apparently he did too.
I’m writing this on Sunday. I’m still here, and so is Richard Roberts (I think). The story still airs tonight at 10 on NewsChannel 8, barring unforeseen events… like the Rapture.
Here’s the story:
What an enlightening interview. Thanks, Mark.
Thanks Dale. A few things he said surprised me. I didn’t realize he wasn’t allowed back at the school his father founded. That’s his take on it. Mart Green, who financially rescued the school, said he’s always welcome at school events. If you read into that, “school events” could mean concerts, basketball games, etc. He’s certainly not a part of the inner circle anymore.
Thanks Mark ,
It was an informative interview & we can all thank God for redemption.
Thank you for your input.
Len Sleeper
Thanks Len.
Dear Mark,
Thank you for this article. As the above posts have written, this was an enlightening interview and a testimony of God’s redemption. I am so glad my brother in Christ is doing well. We all have been given something by God to be a blessing to others. Because of this, Richard Roberts has been missed by some of us at ORU.
I’m amazed that all these interviews never bring up the person responsible for putting ORU back on good financial footing- DR MARK RUTLAND. Richard Robers is still grabbing the headlines from this man of God that put his life on hold to help this school. So glad to hear he is leaving the school and doing what he loves most, with Global Servants, mission work.