Hour of Power
Hour of Power is a weekly American Evangelist television program broadcast from Shepherd's Grove Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California, near Los Angeles. It is one of the most watched religious broadcasts in the world, seen by approximately two million viewers. It was formerly broadcast from the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California.
| Hour of Power | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Hour of Power |
| Genre | Protestant television |
| Presented by |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 51 |
| No. of episodes | 2,662 as of February 7, 2021 |
| Production | |
| Production locations | Irvine, California |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | First-run syndication |
| Original release | February 8, 1970 – present |
The program was founded and first hosted by Robert H. Schuller.[1] It is currently hosted by Bobby Schuller,[2] who is Robert H. Schuller's grandson.
The program is normally one hour long, but some networks broadcast an edited 30-minute program.
History
The program first aired on February 8, 1970, as a church service of the Garden Grove Community Church (Reformed Church in America). By the 1980s, it was the most-watched weekly religious program in living rooms across America.[3] It was originally hosted by the elder Schuller; the younger Schuller hosted it from 2006 to 2008.
On July 9, 2008, the presidency of the church was shifted from Robert H. Schuller to his son-in-law, Jim Coleman. On October 26, 2008, it was announced that Schuller had removed his son, Robert A. Schuller, as teaching pastor, but allowed him to remain as the Crystal Cathedral's senior pastor. Robert H. Schuller said that he wanted to take the ministry in a different direction and for the foreseeable future would use guest speakers for the weekly services rather than his son.[4] Well-known speakers who were used in the early stages of the new format included Lee Strobel, John C. Maxwell, and Bill Hybels. On November 29, 2008, the church announced that the younger Schuller had resigned.[5]
On October 18, 2010, the board of the Crystal Cathedral filed for bankruptcy in Santa Ana, California.[6][7]
On March 10, 2012, it was announced that Robert H. Schuller and his wife, Arvella, would be leaving the church. The following day their elder daughter, Sheila Schuller Coleman, announced at the morning service that she would also be leaving the church, therefore cutting all family ties with the Crystal Cathedral and Hour of Power, stating that "This is the last Sunday we will be worshiping in this building."[8] The ministry's successor, the Rev. Bill Bennett, said that the ministry would continue but using a more traditional service.[8] In June 2012, the Rev. Bobby Schuller, the son of Robert A. Schuller, started preaching on a voluntary basis. In February 2013, Bobby Schuller was named as pastor for the Hour of Power. The Crystal Cathedral congregation was renamed Shepherd's Grove in 2013. Financial considerations dictated a move to a smaller property soon after, as well as a decision to sell the Crystal Cathedral, to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange for 49 million dollars. The diocese plans to spend over 100 million dollars on structural repairs and alterations necessary to adapt the building for Catholic services. When completed, it is to be rededicated as "Christ Cathedral". Following the move from the Garden Grove campus, services were held in the former Catholic church in the fall of 2013. The congregation moved to Irvine Presbyterian Church in April 2018 after it was sold to real estate developers.
Broadcasts
The program airs in the United States mainly using paid programming time on Freeform (TV channel), the Trinity Broadcasting Network/The Church Channel, Hillsong Channel, and recently Daystar (TV network). along with about 100 stations through individual contracts. The program also airs over the American Forces Network.
In Canada it is carried on VisionTV.
In Europe it is broadcast on VOX in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, on RTL in the Netherlands and was formerly broadcast on Sky One in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
In the Middle East it is carried on METV in Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
In Australia, it is seen on the Australian Christian Channel and Network Ten. It is also broadcast weekly on radio.
It is broadcast in New Zealand on the Prime network and Shine TV.
It is broadcast in Hong Kong on NOW TV Channel 564, TVB Pearl, and Hong Kong Open TV.
The Hour of Power telecast, filmed in the Crystal Cathedral's main sanctuary, at one point attracted 1.3 million viewers from 156 countries.[9] Under current Pastor Bobby Schuller, the program attracted 2.2 million viewers worldwide each week.
Finances
Beginning in the late 1990s, the ministry struggled financially after it borrowed money to build a visitors' center.
The 2008 revenues for the program were nearly $5 million lower than revenues for 2007. As of early 2009, the church planned to sell more than $65 million worth of its Orange County property to pay off debt:[5] 150 acres (0.61 km2) in San Juan Capistrano, California, and an office building in Garden Grove, California.[10] Due to their financial situation, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange purchased the Garden Grove campus.
References
- "Robert Schuller Dies: 'Hour Of Power' Televangelist Founded Crystal Cathedral". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- Kopetman, Roxana (August 21, 2016). "Bobby Schuller is new 'Hour of Power' pastor". Orange County Register. Freedom Communications. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- "Crystal Cathedral, the original evangelical megachurch, has a conversion to Catholicism". Los Angeles Times. July 21, 2019.
- Sam Quinones (October 26, 2008). "Schuller ousts son from show; He cites a 'lack of shared vision' on the future of the ministry, which he had handed over less than three years ago". Los Angeles Times.
- "Family spat divides televangelism empire; 'Hour of Power' church struggling due to recession, change in leadership". Associated Press. January 31, 2009.
- Wahba, Phil (October 18, 2010). "Televangelist Schuller's megachurch files for Ch 11". Reuters.
- "Crystal Cathedral megachurch files for bankruptcy". The Associated Press.
- "Crystal Cathedral divided as Schullers leave, changes planned". Los Angeles Times. March 12, 2012.
- "Hour of Power pastor Robert Schuller retiring". The Star. Toronto. July 11, 2010.
- Deepa Bharath (January 25, 2009). "Crystal Cathedral to move on without a Schuller". The Orange County Register.
Further reading
- Ron Rokhy (30 June 2013). "Crystal Cathedral holds last service before relocating". NBC Southern California. NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
The Crystal Cathedral, which sold its campus to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange in 2011 due to financial troubles, held its final service on Sunday before swapping facilities with a nearby Catholic sanctuary.