Oral Roberts, Evangelist
Oral Roberts died today in Newport Beach, California. Thanks to Erin Amos for letting me know.
The following news outlets have the story:
According to this TulsaWorld article, he took a fall on Saturday and suffered some broken bones.
I’m deeply moved and still experiencing gratitude for the education I received at ORU. More thoughts will follow later.
UPDATE: The thoughts I have are echoed by fellow alum, Sarah, over at Emerging Mummy. Key quote:
“I loved Oral’s bigness. There was nothing small about the man. He was huge – even his ears were enormous.”
I like that Sarah also says, “His faith was enormous.” It’s so true. My mother and I were talking about him yesterday. The legacy that my mother and I discussed was Oral’s courage. And Sarah mentions how his final years were spent telling us all to be obedient. Let’s put it together.
Be courageously obedient to God.
That’s a good treasure to leave behind.
December 15, 2009 at 2:24 pm |
I’ll never forget the first time I heard him speak. In person, I mean. (I heard him often on the radio and on my father’s reel-to-reel tapes when I was a little girl.) It was at my first Word Explosion in 1988. He talked about being first a Christian, then a “whatever”. I went to the service because he was a celebrity; I left knowing I had been in the presence of a courageous Jesus follower.
December 15, 2009 at 2:54 pm |
I am touched that my article in the Good Tidings, which I received today, mentions him. (Don’t know why that would feel significant to me, but it does!)
February 5, 2010 at 11:01 am |
Thanks for the link, Gillian. It’s been nice to get to know you again. The Internet is amazing thing!
February 5, 2010 at 11:48 am |
Yay internets!!
I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog Sarah! You have a delightful way with words, thoughts and ideas. And your tinies are too cute!