Televangelist Schuller sells property, lays off workers, pulls "Hour of Power" from some markets

[Amerigo Vespucci]

California Megachurch Blames Recession for $8M Drop in Revenue

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — The Southern California megachurch founded by televangelist Robert H. Schuller Sr. is selling property, laying off workers and pulling its signature TV program "Hour of Power" from some markets to offset a nearly $8 million drop in revenue.

The church saw revenue drop 27 percent from roughly $30 million in 2008 to $22 million in 2009, church spokesman Mike Nason told The Associated Press. The church had projected an 18 percent revenue drop.

Church leaders blamed the decline on the struggling U.S. economy. They intend to save $4.9 million and stave off further financial collapse by selling 170 acres in southern Orange County, including a retreat and wedding center, laying off 50 employees and cutting "Hour of Power" from eight of the 45 domestic broadcast TV stations that air it.

Church officials declined to name the cities where the program would be cut because station managers have not yet been notified.

The 10,000-member church will also cancel this year's "Glory of Easter" pageant, which attracts thousands of visitors and is a regional holiday staple along with the church's "Glory of Christmas" show.

"Hour of Power," which has aired for 40 years, will continue to appear on cable networks such as Lifetime and TBN, and on broadcast TV in markets including California, Colorado, Florida and Ohio, said John Charles, director of development and public relations.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,584352,00.html

[KittyWampus]

1. before the long string of hate for Schuller logs in- Schuller is WAY more positive

and less into being judgmental than so many other religious windbags.

In fact, he's probably the nicest of the bunch.

Edit- which may be why the church is in decline. Can't compete with the real hatemongers.

[tularetom]

6. Being the best of a piss poor lot (which I'll grant you)

is really not much of an accomplishment.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Well..Isn't that special. shall we throw him a pity party?

[earthboundmisfit]

3. He could have cut back

to "HALF-hour of Power"...

[SpiralHawk]

21. LOL - that would have appeal for half-wits

My Mom likes Hour of Power, and she's a pretty shrewd judge of character, so I can't get too down on it all...

[rurallib]

4. 'Spose he took a pay cut?

[Ikonoklast]

5. Just another prosperity gospel huckster.

These guys come and go as their poularity waxes and wanes.

Warren will be on the downside one day, as will Robertson.

New guys will come up to steal all their gravy; the gullible will always be their trying to buy into heaven.

It's a good gig while it lasts.

[Lint Head]

7. All that money that could have been used to help the poor

and mis fortunate. What a waste. A crystal cathedral feeds no one.

[Zoeisright]

19. Exactly. And I'm not going to feel sorry for a multimillionaire.

That's the biggest con job in this country - the wealthy have gotten the poor to feel sorry for them. What a crock.

[The Midway Rebel]

8. Consequences of an Aging Congregation and Changing Tastes in Religion

In addition to impact on the economy, I'd suggest. There are newer, hipper and slicker evangelical preacher types these days.

[kestrel91316]

9. He spent MILLIONS building the frickin' temple of his, and used it to rake in

MILLIONS for his luxurious life. Nowhere in this picture do I see feeding and clothing the poor.

I hope the disgusting mofo and his prosperity-worshipping church go bankrupt.

[Atman]

10. Part of this makes no sense...pulling Hour of Power from markets. Don't they PAY him for that?

Am I missing something? Don't cable systems have to PAY licensing fees to carry programming, which they recoup through local advertising and the fees charged to customers? Does this mean HoP was maybe PAYING just to be given air time? IOW -- was it really a "program" or a commercial? A commercial for some bullshit Schuller was selling. Obviously the demand for the program is pretty week, or cable systems would be happy to carry his pos scam-o-rama.

.

[dmr]

18. No, they actually purchase air time, not the other way around

They pay to be on the air just like infomercials.

[Initech]

11. You know our economy is fucked when even God has a hard time staying in business.

[emilyg]

12. Duzy.

[Initech]

16. Just *BARELY* missed the deadline.

[Randall Flagg]

13. I'm not a Christian but the whole idea of the Crystal Palace

seemed to smack against every tenant of Christianity that I ever learned as a child.

[naaman fletcher]

14. every cloud has a silver lining. nt.

[JCMach1]

15. Why does a church need a PR director? Answer: when it's a corporation

Tax the bastards!

[BR_Parkway]

20. Especially when they refer to it as "revenue" - revenue should certainly

be taxed.

[ddeclue]

17. I'm sorry Holy Spirit but we're gonna have to let you go...

Hour of Power donations are down and my dad owns the company and I'm his son so.. I'm sorry but we'll have to let you go. We'll give you good references if you'd like to try at Satan, Minions & Company down the street.

Signed, Jebus..

:rofl:

[hobbit709]

22. Contrary to popular belief, religion IS the world's oldest profession.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

23. Hubert Humphrey Was Sick A Long Time And Planned His Own Funeral

One of the ministers he chose was Dr. Robert Schuller:


http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/siteindex/1978-Specials/special-1978-01-16-NBC-1.html

[tanyev]

24. The church also took a big hit in the Schuller Sr. vs Schuller Jr. feud.

Funny how the church leaders aren't laying any blame on that.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

25. Charles Stanley ("In Touch," based in Atlanta) weathered a divorce AND falling out...

Stanley's the head of First Baptist Church in Atlanta. He and his wife divorced...the church wanted to remove him, but they weren't successful. He also had a falling out with his son, Andy...also an author and Baptist minister...although the two never publicly shared the "In Touch" program as the Schullers shared "Hour of Power" (Andy made infrequent "guest appearances" and was part of the roster of the In Touch "prayer cruises" through Princess Cruise Lines).

The Stanleys have since reconciled, but the point of my posting this is that Stanley had two major "scandals" in a church that viewed them much more harshly than the non-denominational Christian church Schuller heads. In Touch also appears to continue its expansion, and has never voiced money concerns.

So it seems to be a matter of "spin control," and you're right...I think "Schuller vs. Schuller" is probably a contributing factor, and someone should have shoved some money in Robert Junior's hole so that he might have curbed his bitterness on exit. That didn't happen, so they are now attempting to move forward in the aftermath. The Stanley thing was kept as private as possible and Andy kept his mouth shut, for whatever reason(s).

:patriot: