Richard Roberts Discusses Leaving ORU And His Future

By LeAnne Taylor, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- In 2007, Richard Roberts resigned as president of Oral Roberts University amid controversy. Some professors were suing him and the school was facing serious financial debt. 

The school and Richard have parted ways and Richard has moved on.

Richard Roberts spoke exclusively to News on 6 anchor LeAnne Taylor.

LeAnne Taylor: What has this been like for you? Having led the school, having it carry your dad's name and now not being a part of it.

Richard Roberts: "I have a great love for ORU. I'm a three times graduate. I have a bachelors, a masters and an earned doctorate from the university, but more than that, I watched it built from the ground up. My family has raised some $950 million for that university. I have a vested interest in its future. I love ORU. I want ORU to do well. And when God spoke to me to resign, I obeyed. I didn't understand. I wanted to stand and fight. I wanted to take on my critics. I wanted to speak out on those who lied against me and those who had their own agenda, but I decided not to. I took the bible route. I took the high road. The high road is not always the fast road, but it's the best road. I kept my mouth closed and the lord said if you keep your mouth closed, you will receive that double anointing I promised you. If you keep your mouth closed and walk straight, I'll take care of you. And he has. I want ORU to do well, it bears my family's name."

LeAnne Taylor: "Now that your dad and you are not affiliated with it, what do you see for the future of the university?"

Richard Roberts: "I hope for the best. I like Mark Rutland. I'm for him. I'm praying for him. I want him to do well and I want the school to do well and I'm praying for them every day.

"I became president of the university because my father asked me to. He offered it to four others who turned him down. He wanted to keep the university strong on healing and he knew that I would keep it strong on healing and on the Holy Spirit. This ministry, which of course founded the university, has always been a healing ministry."

In just the last 12 years alone, the program, The Place For Miracles, was seen Monday through Friday night across the country.

"We've had 125,000 healing testimonies. We're seeing at least 20 documented healings of cancer every month. That's my real calling," said Richard Roberts. "Always been my first love and I laid that down for 15 years and I'm so glad to have the opportunity after these years to pick it back up again because I'm an evangelist in the healing ministry. Next month, I will conduct what the Lord has shown me is the largest crusade I've ever had in my life in Kenya and I'm re-digging wells that my father dug a generation ago.

"In 1968 he had the largest crusade of his ministry in Narobi. Remember the story of Isaac re-digging the wells of his father Abraham? Those wells had been covered over with dirt by the Philistines and Isaac came in and re-dug those wells. And the Lord spoke to my heart and said in going to Kenya you are going re-digging one of the wells your father had dug a generation ago. And the Lord has showed me it will be the largest crusade I've had so far in my life. Through my daughter, Jordon, through our missions outreach, we're taking 2 million meals for hungry children. She's taking 8,000 pairs of shoes. We're taking a medical team of doctors and nurses. They'll see up to 7,000 patients that week. My associate, Adrian, and I, whom you know will be conducting a tremendous two day ministers conference for ministers from all over East Africa, and of course a three night crusade in Hoora park which is the place where the British handed the government over to Kenya in the 1960's when Kenya gained its independence and he's showed me it's going to be the greatest crusade I've had so far. This ministry is alive and well, and I thank God for it."

Richard's ministry continues to be a family affair. His wife Lindsay joins him on the nightly broadcast and also has her own show as well. 

Their oldest daughter Jordan is also very active in the ministry.