End of era for Crystal Cathedral

For the first time in 57 years, one of America's most recognizable mega-churches, the Crystal Cathedral ministry, founded by preacher Robert Schuller, no longer has any ties to the Schuller family. CBS News correspondent Brian Rooney reports.

[@aaronkemp7789]

"I'd rather grow too big and then implode." How about just being faithful with what God has given you to do?

[@gilramon4]

I grew up and live in Israel, Robert Schuler was a genius. I admire him. I can only say that I know everything about the promised land and he had a vision that related to my country Israel.

[@deniselford2]

My grandmother watch his and I started watching him with her and noticed right away the joy he had talking about God and the joy he had with his sermon

[@robertt7069]

Yes, Its NOT the building - Its the MESSAGE

[@rolandp.7073]

Unfortunately Sheila and the other family members who forgot that this was a church - not a family business - in my opinion, destroyed the Cathedral Cathedral. Money, power, greed and fame can do that. Bobby is doing a good job one mile down the road with the CC congregation and hopefully this family can heal.

[@a1chemist1]

Roland P. Listen to some of Bobby’s sermons. All about “I did this or that”

[@josephparker646]

@@a1chemist1 currently I would tell people to transition to the Today's Walk tv ministry if you want solid biblical preaching. Here's a link to an example from Today's Walk kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIismX6AgNCjhMU

[@douglaslett7504]

How many times have a person built something great and their kids destroyed it !

[@e952ct]

Robert H. screwed it up more by making his daughter and not Robert A. the lead pastor.

[@Dan-uv5lw]

I agree

[@josephparker646]

Robert A. tried to save the church and his son bobby actually followed through with essentially his father's debt cancellation plan for the church.

[@daveb.4460]

e952ct yep

[@Beardman29]

Totally not true! The father did everything to try and groom his son to replace him. His son was more interested in the glitz and glamor of being a big shot than actually running a church. He even set him up with his own church in South Orange County as a training ground. My parents and I were members of that church. He totally mismanaged it. Trust me, at that time in his life, the son was not they guy.

[@anb740]

This church was doing fine until Schuller Sr. forced his son out, and allowed his lunatic daughter to eventually take over. Her changing over the entire worship service into a contemporary praise band disaster completely ruined the church. Bobby Schuller came in and changed the worship style back to traditional. Despite the growing number of people coming back to the church, it was too late. You see the results.

[@myfz6]

many mega churches today hire bands professional ones and they don't care if they are a christian or not as long as the music can make people feel something shout or get emotional they have done their jobs. Churches today have learned you have to have AWESOME MUSIC or the people won't come or STAY or PAY $$ Tithes & offerings. That is why you see these churches today DECKED OUT with HIGH $$$$ SOUND SYSTEMS w/ LIVE STREAMING services QUALITY Matters as well.

[@bubbadon7540]

Pushing his son out was not Christian.

[@nivid01]

Spot on! Gee, I miss the Hour of Power the way it used to be!!!

[@Lauren-vd4qe]

how did he force his son out

[@danielloganbill]

What happened to sharing the Gospel as it appears in scripture and being a good steward of what God has given you? If you cannot believe that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man, and that he died in your place to bear your punishment for sin, and that he was raised to life to rule over the world to come, YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN. If you call yourself a Christian but have no inner struggle with sin, YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN! They lost the faithful message and squandered God's gifts!

[@myfz6]

i doubt very seriously this family was not smart enough to PUT away some MONEY somewhere in 57 years of service and with the biggest mega church for all those years if he is broke somebody sure was STUPID

[@PInk77W1]

They opened in feb 1980 and the building was paid for. So between 1980 and2013, 33yrs they acquired $58,000,000 in debt ? Bad management. It’s the spending stupid.

[@SenorZorrozzz]

I’m not a congregant. I do know a little about him. I firmly believe that Robert Sr. began his decline after his head injury. The man was never the same after that. They then made one mistake and failure came after another. You could see that his body and mind were slowed. They couldn’t cover it up, it was that obvious. People talked about it. After that, the attendance dropped! That was the beginning of the cathedral’s descent. It seems that he relied on repeating what had worked in the past, but times change. He didn’t have a plan for what would happen if he became ill. However, the services should have basically, remained as they were. So he did have his points. The subject matter for couples in the 1990s was changing. His congregation of WWII generation Californians was aging, shrinking.

[@johnnylongfeather3086]

How’d he get hurt

[@hwoods01]

"End of an era...." -- wrong title.. It's the beginning of a new era!

[@Dan-uv5lw]

I do listen to Robert (Bobby) Schuller from his Shepherd's Grove.

[@garyragin9966]

But look at the thousand upon thousands of people's lives that was changed through this ministry. That's fruit added to his account.

[@tonyblougoutas4988]

This guy was a motivational speaker with the trappings of Christianity, without the substance, that is why it failed

[@josephparker646]

and Ironically now the only son has the strongest ties to the current ministry leadership as his own son is the current senior pastor.

[@EMERALD451]

How can someone have NO income?

[@1mugler.778]

Leeches they're called also

[@BakaPetal]

This is no longer the case. Robert Schuller's Grandson, who is every bit the inspiring pastor his grandfather was, has taken over the 9 30 services, and the church is returning to it's musical and message roots that Schuller Sr. started. The church is moving location at the end of the year, but the congregation grows weekly as more people realize things are coming back into shape.

[@a1chemist1]

Blossoming Fitness coming back into fiscal shape. These folks are heretics. Sorry to say.

[@anb740]

Too little, too late. Sheila Coleman decimated that church with her lunacy and rock-n-roll music.

[@Lauren-vd4qe]

not the case; it was sold to catholics

[@CrimsonFury006]

It was sad that both internal struggles and the Great Recession caused Crystal Cathedral Ministries (now Shepherds Grove) to go under. The Hour of Power was such a great show, watching it with my mom growing up. One good thing about the outcome, The Crystal Cathedral now has new life and, thankfully, still as a church (as Christ Cathedral), thank you Diocese of Orange. Before they bought the church, it was rumored to be converted into a shopping mall. Such blasphemy if that would have happened to such a beautiful structure.

[@metalox88]

CrimsonFury006 I would rather have a mall than the dumbed down plug and play Catholic Church.

[@alphonceassenga9247]

@@metalox88 stop the hate

[@bcgrittner]

Years ago the Hour of Power was, generally, worth watching. Senior handed the reins to Junior. Junior offered a good sermon. I read there was some squabbling within the Schuller family. Junior left to form his own ministry. Daughter Sheila Coleman took over. She quickly lost me as a television viewer. Things went downhill from there. The Hour of Power from the Crystal Cathedral had its day. Its day has ended.

[@PInk77W1]

Rome wins again Long live da Pope

[@rockvilleraven]

I used to watch the Hour of Power, because Robert Schuller was positive, motivating and not doing stuff I don't like such as playing Candid Camera at Gay pride parades and exploiting them to raise money for their ministries. But like all televangelists, they get into some kind of scandal or controversy. Right now I'd rather go to a church service live than waste my time with any tv preacher. I've never met any of them I really like.

[@rockvilleraven]

The scandal that did it for me was that Schaller's wife needed food delivered by limousine, give me a break. If I needed stuff like that I could care less how it got here even if it was in a beat up Chevy pick up truck..

[@a1chemist1]

What does ‘positive thinking’ have to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ?

[@svetlanaparker5448]

Great church 😊❤️ God Bless Chrystal Cathedral. Angels 😇

[@rob0576a]

Don't believe a word she says. She should never have been put in charge of the crystal Cathedral. ..she offered? Yeah sure she did.

[@anderander5662]

Televangelists are an 80s thing...

[@lindaellen808]

Seems unbelievable it has come to that.

[@Mark-sj3xb]

Hour of Power was nothing more than show business. Schiller was a great stage actor. It was just like what you see on Joel Osteen today. Lots of guest celebrities speaking from the pulpit just tickling peoples ears. Very little to do with preaching against sin. All about how you can use God to get what you want on this earth.

[@stu6097]

the Schueller message was based on the power of positive thinking based on Norman Vincent Peals message not so much preaching against sin and that was ok. "All things are possible thru Christ who strengthens me". That a good message to preach. Not every church has to dwell on sins to be Christian in nature.

[@josephparker646]

I can see about 4 television ministries that are actually filling the void that the bankruptcy caused. look up Today's Walk, InTouch Ministries, Turning Point, and Touching Lives. Each one of those currently has a larger audience now than what the Hour of Power had in its prime and all of them are also revamping to be responsive to social media as well.

[@s.k.6616]

There comes a time to retire on top. He missed his window.

[@Catholicdadof4]

I remember Robert Shuller's only son was on the MTV reality show Laguna Beach several years ago. It seemed scripted when he gave his daughter a Bible for her graduation. I thought, is this her first Bible? He had a beautiful home on the beach. It seemed odd to for a pastor to have such a home. I am curious what caused him to be estranged from the family. Sometimes money and power can taint a message; God will test us and only the faithful will remain. We all could learn something from Job

[@TheJakeman789]

Good. It needed to end.

[@themidnightbones]

Family Dysfunction. God Bless. I pray for this family's healing.

[@fcontitwo]

,,,love ,will always save the day ")

[@josephparker646]

Dr. Roger Spradlin of Valley Baptist Church and the Todays Walk broadcast is much better off fiscally than the Crystal Cathedral. Dr. Spradlin has always been a humble man as his ministry continues to grow and financial obligations are met. The Pastor who has the reach that the schullers wished they still had is from a pastor who still remembers his roots in Oklahoma.

[@josephparker646]

the new largest international evangelistic venture is led by Dr. Roger Spradlin of Valley Baptist Church of Bakersfield who actually put into the church budget the operations expenses for their Todays Walk broadcasts. Their distribution structure actually requires that Valley Baptist be able to pay for their broadcasts prior to airing so Todays Walk will never be in the same boat as the Hour of Power was.

[@PInk77W1]

They will fall apart in no time. Study history. Study Mars Hill church in Seattle. Many many mega churches have already fallen apart. Catholicism has lasted 2000yrs.

[@josephparker646]

they actually are on a much different financial footing than the crystal cathedral as they follow a strict operating budget, and do not use the cult of personality method to leadership.

[@PInk77W1]

Joseph Parker who are “they” ???

[@josephparker646]

"They" is referring to Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield.

[@Incasport]

Investigations: The second last generation of Schuller Family come to the US from Germany went all family Catholic ..! i do not understand why change to protestant...but still a Good Human pastor ..

[@rob0576a]

Sheila schueller should have remained a primary school teacher because she can only communicate at a primary level.

[@youngimages2000]

So sad...

[@stu6097]

The church was originally built by having a big dream and borrowing money. I think they got used to dreaming big and borrowing lots and it got out of hand. Not enough money coming in to cover the debts when great recession hit. Up until the "great recession"2008 everyone was convinced the good times were going to keep coming.

[@HiHi-dd1xi]

I heard a universalist approach to God interview between pastor Robert and Billy Graham. Made me question both

[@charlesthomas9960]

They were not universalist…I followed both men closely my entire life as they held up the atonement of Christ as our only way for life…for eternity. ☝️✡️✝️

[@sandyjuntunen4088]

I don't know about Robert but I never heard Billy Graham not be very specific that salvation is through Jesus alone, His death on Calvary & the full gospel message. He was no Universalist.

[@chrisallen7911]

Robert denounced his title of Christian because he thought it would turn people away. Politically correct but Spiritually damning. Christ in Matthew 10:33-34 Says, Whosoever denies ME before Men, I will also Deny before my Father who is in Heaven. That was the end of the Schuler ministry as we knew it. They had become an industry (shopping mall, theater, etc) instead of a Ministry.

[@Lauren-vd4qe]

the jnr did that? thats heinous

[@UsulJon]

It's more about the church than Christ.

[@Xceles618]

Education does a lot of damage to filling the pews with stupid people.

[@joeydelrio]

I am surprised so many are coming out to defend mr schuller. Why do so many love this guy? This gentleman loved money and nothing else. How many mercedes, mansions and million dollar salaries does someone need? I love when schuller was asked why he didnt use all the money to feed the hhungry rather than build such a lavash church “there will always be people starving” guess he didnt consider charity a very important christian virtue. Would it not be great if after they had built the church, they passed the offering plates and they came back empty and the assembly responded “this big church will always need money” lol, but luckily for mr schuller they werent greedy lovers of money like him.

[@SuperShandy777]

agree! greed

[@batmanong]

MAN I KNOW AND MET THE SCHULLERS AND SAW THEIR HOME. PROVE WHAT YOU SAY. PROVE HE HAD MERCEDES MANSIONS AND MILLION DOLLAR SALARIES... YOU MUST BE TALKING ABOUT OTHER PREACHERS , BUT THIS WAS NOT AT ALL ROBERT H SCHULLER. THEY HAD A HUMBLE HOME IN ORANGE , CALIFORNIA, AND LIVED OFF MINIMAL AND ONLY NECESSARY MEANS. MONEY FOR BUILDING THE CAMPUS AND CATHEDRAL? IT FED AND PAID FOR THE LABORERS WHO BUILT IT , THE LABORERS WHO FED THEIR FAMILIES , GAVE THEM A HOME, PAID FOR THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION , WHILE THESE LABORERS LEFT THEIR WORK OF ART BEHIND ON CAMPUS FOR THOUSANDS , LIKELY MILLIONS OF VISITORS TO FEEL THE GREAT POSITIVE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY AT THIS PLACE OF WORSHIP. THESE MILLIONS BECAME BETTER PEOPLE AND HELPED FEED THE POOR ONE BY ONE IN THE NOOK AND CRANNIES AND UNSEEN PARTS OF SOCIETY. THIS PLACE IS MORE LIKE A CENTRAL COMMAND, NOT THE DIRECT SPOON FEEDER BECAUSE HUMAN'S NEED TO BE FED IS NOT JUST PHYSICAL FOOD! BUT SPIRITUAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL FOOD. THIS PLACE COVERED IT ALL AT ITS PEAK AND PRIME. YET AGAIN THIS PLACE DURING SCHULLER'S TIME HAD A MINISCULE BUDGET COMPARED TO LARGER AND GLOBAL RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH OR LATTER DAY SAINTS-MORMONS. R.H.SCHULLER HAS DRAWN MILLIONS TO CHRIST THROUGH A MUCH MORE OPEN AND POSITIVE HEALTHY PATH ... THAN THE FEAR AND SICKNESS INDUCING METHOD USED BY GRUMPY SELF-RIGHTEOUS CHURCH LEADERS , WHICH WAS SO OPPOSITE OF CHRIST - WHO WAS ESTEEM BUILDING ON ALL, A WALKING GLOW OF LIGHT, A MIRACLE WORKER, AND LOVE AND POSITIVITY WAS THE FOUNDATION. HE DID GET ANGRY IN A CORRECT WAY, AND THIS IS WHAT I AM DOING RIGHT NOW. PROVE EVERTHING YOU SAY ABOUT ROBERT HAROLD SCHULLER - BEFORE YOU TALK. I CAN PROVE MINES.

[@mykaelprincebanks7822]

batmanong , what went wrong ?

[@AJ1952Chats]

AMEN!!!

[@fwily2580]

Delusional, all of them.

[@felixniederhauser7799]

The Schuler teachings where against the Bible, best example is Schuler's daughter as a pastor.The Bible is clear on that one. God bless the Schulers and may have mercy on them. Amen.

[@a1chemist1]

Felix Niederhauser don’t go there. That’s the least of their heretical views.

[@stevendaniel5649]

Robert abandoned it. Sheila destroyed it. Bobby will save it.

[@a1chemist1]

Steven Daniel all heretical, every last one of them. When you say, “save it”, you don’t mean spiritually. You mean financially v

[@Malignus68]

Sheila's nickname should be "Eve".

[@belamoure]

Lilith ?

[@PointyTailofSatan]

So many religious scammers now, the original scammers can't compete.

[@Dan-uv5lw]

Sheila destroyed the Hour of Power.

[@PInk77W1]

The dad did

[@anb740]

Her dad started it by ousting his son. Then Sheila finished it off with her ridiculous music choices. When you start singing music by Aretha Franklin (literally) in a church service, you’re signing the church’s death warrant.

[@louisedost8476]

One of the best preachers ever!!!!❤❤❤❤

[@ugthemcnandala5641]

Good riddance to bad doctrine

[@rosu5726]

Load of crp

[@SuperShandy777]

such greed!

[@1yuvan]

What pope? Roman Caths are headless! No king in Rome-Babylon

[@PInk77W1]

Rome wins again Long Live da Pope