Robert Schuller

Robert Harold Schuller (September 16, 1926 – April 2, 2015) was an American Christian televangelist, pastor, motivational speaker, and author.

Robert Harold Schuller was born on September 16, 1926, near Alton, Iowa, the second son of Jennie (née Beltman; 1891–1970) and Anthony Schuller (1882–1964).

He was the youngest of five children.

All of his grandparents were Dutch immigrants, and he was raised on his parents' farm nearby in a small, close-knit community of Dutch-Americans, without running water.

In 1927 on the day of his baptism at his family’s Reformed Church in Newkirk, Iowa, the six month old Schuller was clothed in a certain "baptismal-gown.” Years later Schuller announced that he had kept his baptismal-gown and placed it on display in his office, referring to it as his most-prized-possession. To Schuller apparently the gown had represented the day that his life had first been dedicated to God. In his later years Schuller placed an inscription beneath the gown reading: "This is the reason my life has been a success.

As a child I was dedicated to our Lord."

In 1931, just weeks before his fifth birthday a visiting uncle who was a minister had predicted that the young boy was destined to spread the word of God to many when he grew up.

Schuller called the moment that he had first heard his uncle's prediction the "single most defining moment of my early life."

After graduating from Newkirk High School in Newkirk, Iowa, in 1944, Schuller continued his education at Hope College, located in Holland, Michigan.

Schuller received his Master of Divinity degree in 1950 from Western Theological Seminary, which taught in the theological tradition and practice of John Calvin.

He was soon ordained as a minister in the Reformed Church in America.

After his ordination, he first worked at Ivanhoe Reformed Church in Riverdale, Illinois, before moving to Garden Grove, California.

In Garden Grove, California in 1955 Schuller opened what would be his first church in the area, which he called the “Garden Grove Community Church.” At the time, Schuller was trying out a relatively new concept in “church service presentation” known as the “Drive-in Church Model.“ His new church was located in the old Orange Drive-in Movie Theater where churchgoers could enjoy their church services from the comfort of their own cars.

For the benefit of those who preferred more traditional church services, he later also rented a 300-seat former Baptist church, about four miles (6 km) down the road from his new drive-in theater church.

On Sunday mornings Schuller would first preside at a 9:30 service in the Baptist chapel and then he would deliver his organ to the roof of the concession stand at the old drive-in theater where he would then preside over his second Sunday service.

As the size of the congregations grew, Schuller purchased 10 acre of land at 12141 Lewis Street in Garden Grove for a "walk-in, drive-in" church, serving both congregations.

Ground was broken September 10, 1958 for construction of Schuller's second church-home in the area, which was designed by international architect Richard Neutra.

This second church was completed in 1961, at a cost of $3 million (equivalent to $ million in ).

The dedication service was held November 5, 1961.

The design of the new church building enabled Schuller to preach his sermons to worshipers in 500 cars, as well as to members of the congregation inside the church.

Schuller's second area church was built on what was to later become a part of the campus of his future (and much larger) "Crystal Cathedral Church."

Seven years later in 1968 a "Tower of Hope" steeple structure was added onto the north side of the property.

The Tower of Hope structure rose 13 stories (approximately 130 to 150 feet) into the air and was the tallest structure in Orange County at that time.

The steeple structure was then topped by an illuminated cross which added another 90 feet to the structure's overall height.

Also in 1968, Schuller purchased a 10 acre walnut grove that had bordered on the north boundary of the then current Garden Grove Community Church property.

This new purchase of land was to enable the construction of a future much larger Crystal Cathedral on the newly expanded property.

The architectural firm of Philip Johnson/John Burgee was soon retained to draw up plans for a primarily glass church that would be able to accommodate over 2,000 church goers, which was to be built on a spot on the newly expanded church campus adjacent to the original church structure.

In order to meet the needs of the church's ever expanding congregation, the architectural firm designed a reflective glass building that could seat 2,248 people.

At the time that it was built, the church was touted as "the largest glass building in the world."

Schuller began broadcasting his Hour of Power program from the smaller Garden Grove chapel in 1969.

He made the decision to begin his broadcast of Hour of Power shortly after he had received encouragement from longtime friend Billy Graham during a visit with the popular evangelist.

The Hour of Power broadcast later continued in the Crystal Cathedral.

Like his good friend Billy Graham, the Schuller organization never became closely associated with any major scandal.

During the 90's his televised sermons were regularly viewed by an estimated audience of 20 million.

Schuller's weekly telecast of his sermons which began in 1969 was one of the first instances of such weekly televised church services, and was the world's most widely watched hour-long church service ever.

In his five decades of television, Schuller was principally known for the weekly Hour of Power television program, which he began hosting in 1970 until his retirement in 2006.

His grandson, Bobby Schuller, carries on the Hour of Power now airing for over fifty years.

During his time as a minister, Schuller oversaw the construction of two churches in Garden Grove, CA.

The first church built under his tenure was the Garden Grove Community Church chapel, which seated 500, and the second that he oversaw was the building of the much larger Crystal Cathedral, which has a seating capacity of 2,200.

The church was dedicated on September 14, 1980.