TV preacher dies

Former megachurch pastor Robert Schuller has died in Southern California. The TV preacher who hosted the Hour of Power was 88 years old. His show reached as many as 20 million viewers a week while his glass cathedral filed filed for bankruptcy in 2010, just a few years after Schuller's son took over the pulpit.

Schuller Claim Slashed

Robert Schuller won't be getting the $5 million he claimed he deserved from the bankrupt church he founded. A California bankruptcy judge cut the claim against Crystal Cathedral Ministries down to about $600,000. The judge decided Schuller was only entitled to a year of compesation. He stepped down as senior pastor in 2005 in the midst of a scandal.

New Name for Megachurch Sanctuary

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange says it will now call the former Crystal Cathedral in southern California Christ Cathedral. The megachurch facility, founded by televangelist Robert Schuller was sold for more than $57 million after going bankrupt. The new name was selected out of more than 4000 suggestions made by Catholics in the area.

New Name for Crystal Cathedral

Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral is getting a new name. The California church went into bankruptcy and sanctuary sold to the Catholic church. A new name for the unique facility will be announced Saturday. What's left of the Evangelical ministry is paying $150,000 monthly rent to the local Catholic church.

What Brought Down a Megachurch?

Did sibling rivalry led to the downfall of Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral here.

Schuller Leaving Ministry

Robert Schuller is resigning from the board of Crystal Cathedral and his Hour of Power TV show, just a month after the church's sanctuary was sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. Last week, Schuller's daughter and two sons-in-law were removed from the board. Schuller retired in 2006 and the megachurch filed for bankruptcy in 2010.

Hour of Power Changes

Three relatives of Robert H. Schuller are out jobs at the Crystal Cathedral. The church's board voted to oust the Rev. Robert H. Schuller's daughter and two sons-in-law. They were involved in the production of the church's Hour of Power show. Old shows will run for a few weeks during the reorganization.

Irony of Request Seemingly Lost of Schuller Family

Members of the Crystal Cathedral in Southern California are upset over an email sent to the congregation asking that food be brought to the founder's wife, Arvella Schuller, who is sick. But rather than having people come to their home, the Schullers asked in the email that donations be dropped off at the cathedral's Tower of Hope - where the Schullers' limo drivers could then pick it up. The request even specified what type of food was acceptable.  After leading the church into bankruptcy, court documents now indicate the family took nearly $10 million out of the church's endowment funds.

Megachurch Sold

Chapman University is buying the Crystal Cathedral in Southern California for $50 million. The megachurch is in the same amount of debt and was forced to get rid of the property. The church founded by Robert Schuller filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a year ago. Schuller and his family have been accused by creditors of profiting from the church will bills went unpaid, which they have denied. The deal won't be finalized until next month.

Schuller Gets Vote Back

After getting criticized for the move, the board of the Crystal Cathedral has given founder Robert H. Schuller his voting rights back. The California megachurch is going through bankruptcy and announced there will be five new members added to the board.

Megachurch Responds to Stories about Founder

The Crystal Cathedral says it's not true. A spokesman for the megachurch says Robert H. Schuller was not voted off the board of the ministry, even though Schuller's son has said that he was voted off. Robert Anthony Schuller had said his 84-year-old father was booted off after proposing putting adding more seats to the board. But the spokesman says Schuller is now board chairman emeritus. However, the church spokesman admitted that Schuller lost his vote and now has only a non-voting position.

Selling the Crystal Cathedral

Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral plans to sell its sanctuary in Orange County, California to pay off its debt and emerge from bankruptcy. A real estate investment group is interested in buying the campus, though the buyer's identities have been released. The church owes about $7.5 million. Some 150 staff members were let go and the congregation has dropped to less than 5,000.

The Show Must Go On

Bankruptcy apparently won't stop Robert Schuller's church from trying to put on it's annual Christmas program. The Crystal Cathedral is known for the elaborate production, but will need court approval to do it this time. Church officials had earlier announced it was canceled, while with admitting it owned creditors as much as $100 million. There is a question as to whether there is enough time to pull it off, even if the court agrees.

Megachurch Salaries Questioned

Objections are being raised over the large salaries enjoyed by members of Robert Schuller's family by the Trustee handling the bankruptcy of the Crystal Chathedral. CFO Fred Southard is given a $132,019 housing allowance while the youngest of Robert H. Schuller's daughters gets $70,000 for producing the Hour of Power broadcasts. Another family member gets $55,000 just for scheduling musical guests. There is a question as to why Southard gets any salary at all, since the church also has an accounting staff. Court documents show that the Schuller family members made more than $1 million in salaries even as the Southern California church owes more than $7 million to creditors.

Pay Cut at Megachurch

Robert H. Schuller will take a 50% pay cut from the founder of the Crystal Cathedral.
Businesses have sued the southern California megachurch for more than $2 million in unpaid bills. The church has been trying to sell off property and has laid off workers and cut "Hour of Power" from some broadcast TV stations to close a $55 to $70 million budget deficit.

Schuller Taps Daughter

Robert H. Schuller is turning control of his megachurch to his daughter. Sheila Schuller Coleman will take over the Cathedral of Praise in Southern California from the 83-year-old pastor, although the senior Schuller will serve as chairman of the church board of directors. The church has recently had financial trouble, running a $55 million budget deficit. It's being sued by four large creditors and hundreds of others are owed millions of dollars.

Getting to Know.. Robert Schuller

1926: Born in Alton, Iowa

1950: Earns bachelor of divinity degree from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan

1950: Ordained a minister of the Reformed Church in America

1950: Marries Arvella DeHaan

1950: Serves as pastor of Ivanhoe Reformed Church in Chicago 1955: Founds the Garden Grove Community Church in Orange County

1961: Dedicates the first walk-in, drive-in church.

1968: Dedicates the Tower of Hope, a 14-story office and counseling center 1970: Begins broadcasting the Hour of Power TV ministry

1980: Dedicates the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California

1980: Launches The Glory of Christmas pageant

1985: Launches The Glory of Easter pageant

1986: Becomes the only nonarchitect to be elected to the board of the American Institute of Architects

1989: Mikhail Gorbachev invites Schuller to speak on a telecast to the entire Soviet Union

1996: Declares his son, Robert A. Schuller to be his successor

2003: Completes $40-million International Center for Possibility Thinking

2006: Announces he is turning over Crystal Cathedral leadership to his son, Robert A. Schuller

2006: Turns over leadership of the Crystal Cathedral to his son, Robert A. Schuller

2008: Removes his son as preacher on the church's weekly Hour of Power and Robert A. Schuller soon resigns from leadership at the Crystal Cathedral

2009: Robert A. Schuller announces his company has acquired cable network AmericanLife TV from the Unification Church

2009: Announces that eldest daughter, Sheila Schuller Coleman, will take over leadership of his ministry

Megachurch Meets with Creditors

Leaders from the Crystal Cathedral met with vendors and creditors yesterday to apologize for failing to pay them. Several businesses have filed lawsuits against the Crystal Cathedral stating that the megachurch owes them more than $2 million. There are as many as 185 creditors waiting in line to be paid. The church, founded by Robert Schuller, has put various properties up for sale, fired employees and cut its Easter pageant.

Megachurch Hit with $2 Million Suit

The Crystal Cathedral is being sued for more than $2 million in unpaid bills. The Southern California megachurch led by Robert Schuller produces the Hour of Power TV program each week. Several vendors claim the church owes them tens of thousands of dollars for services provided during the annual Glory of Christmas extravaganza. Crystal Cathedral has a $55 million budget deficit.

Megachurch Not Paying Bills

Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral owes tens of thousands of dollars it hasn't paid to the people who help to produce the megachurch's Christmas and Easter pageants. Leaders of the Southern California church have said revenues are down 27% in the last two years and the church is facing $55 million of debt. One vendor who is owed $20,000 has designed props, decorated sets and provided wigs and special makeup for the productions for 25 years.