The Hour of Power: Lifting Hearts on Television for 40 Years

God has helped the Hour of Power achieve each milestone and face every circumstance over the past 40 years of ministry. The number 40 holds special meaning and significance in the Bible, too, where 40 often signifies a time of preparation with a promise of bigger things to come.

- The flood came as the rain fell on Noah's ark for 40 days and 40 nights…and then came a rainbow.

- God led the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years before he gave them the Promised Land.

- Jesus fasted and prayed alone in the wilderness for 40 days before he began his earthly ministry.

- After Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, he was seen throughout his community for 40 days.

Today, the Hour of Power optimistically looks toward the future, believing with all our hearts that, as God’s people provide the lifting power necessary to keep this ministry moving forward, we will see glorious possibilities unfold.

So celebrate with us as we share with you in this and upcoming 2010 PowerLines little-known details, heartwarming stories, and turning-point events from the Hour of Power's 40-year history. May they inspire you to pray for, and continue to be part of, America's Positive Television Church to the World for many years to come!

Eagles Club: Saving Lives Through the Hour of Power

Before going on air on a morning talk show in Boston recently, the show's host told Sheila Schuller Coleman, "I remember being a small girl sitting on my parent's lap in the living room watching the Hour of Power every Sunday morning. Your father's positive message meant the world to my parents and my family. Thank you."

"You saved my life," an anonymous Hour of Power viewer writes. "I am an incest survivor. As I was going into therapy, I tuned in to your church service. Its positive message of hope got me through the difficult process of healing many traumatic childhood memories and restoring my soul and spirit."

As the televised Hour of Power celebrates its 40th Anniversary this month, testimonies like this could be multiplied a million times over.

"If I could do one thing before my life is through," says Founding Pastor, Robert H. Schuller, "I would sit down with you—one on one—and tell you the countless ways the Hour of Power has changed lives."

What makes it possible for the Hour of Power to sustain this kind of human impact and be the fourth longest-running weekly program in television history? "The Eagles Club has long been the solid foundation of the Hour of Power" states Dr. Schuller. "Nearly one-third of our operating budget is funded by their combined annual pledge. These faithful givers have seen us through many financially challenging times." Because of our Eagles Club, nearly 20 million persons hear the UP!lifting, HOPE-filled, healing message of God's love every week.

Never has America and the world needed the televised Hour of Power more. And never has the Eagles Club been more important to the Hour of Power than in 2010. Last year's economic free-fall greatly affected this ministry. (Insufficient funding as has recently forced the Hour of Power off the air on stations in twelve major U.S. cities: Madison, Wisconsin; Tucson, Arizona; Wichita, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Dayton, Ohio; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Monterey, California; Cincinnati, Ohio; Orlando, Florida; and Bingham, New York; Traverse City, Michigan; Spokane, Washington.) Yet, in spite of these losses and a substantial drop in revenue during 2009, our faithful Eagles Club members kept us alive, and the despairing hearts of many were lifted as gifts gave wings to the Hour of Power.

Saving Lives Through A Message of Hope For 40 Years

Where It All Began...40 Years Ago.

In September 1969, Robert H. Schuller visited his close friend Billy Graham at his Crusade in Anaheim, California. Rev. Graham said, "Bob, my weekly radio program is called the Hour of Decision. I think you should go on television with your powerful message and call it the Hour of Power."

So in February 1970, the foundation of what has become the longest-running, most widely viewed televised church service in the history of the world was laid when Dr. Schuller telecast his first Hour of Power program to the Los Angeles viewing area.

A year later, the Hour of Power was on in New York City. Chicago was added soon after. And by 1973, the program was seen on 12 stations across the United States.

By 1985, the Hour of Power's fifteenth year on television, it could be viewed by 70 percent of the United States' population.

Today, televised services from the Crystal Cathedral are watched by nearly one million persons weekly in the United States (available to over 200 million), across Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, the United Kingdom, Africa, Russia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, making it the most-watched televised church service on television.

With today's technology, an estimated one billion people have access to the Hour of Power's unique, positive message of love and hope originating from the Crystal Cathedral. What an extraordinary opportunity!

Let God's Love Lift You UP!

By Dr. Sheila Schuller Coleman

When children are learning to walk, to ride a bike, or to skate, they frequently fall, but they always get back up and try again. Children seem to have a resilience that we as adults sometimes lose because of life's "falls."

Recently, my husband Jim and I were visiting in Arrowhead, a California mountain resort where there is an Olympic ice-skating training facility. One day we went in, sat on a bench next to the ice, and just watched. I was amazed at the intrepid skaters of all ages— tiny little ones that looked to be no older than five years of age up to lanky teens. The girls twirled while the boys skated furiously.

Falls happened constantly, regardless of skating style, age, or gender. The glint of a skate as it hit the ice, hurled a skater into a twirl and soaring into the air...the skater sometimes landing gracefully, but just as often landing on a hip with a hard thud.

Not one of the young skaters ever cried. They always, always, always got back up, brushed off the ice, and courageously pushed off to try again.

What propelled these young athletic artists? Love of the sport and the dream of achieving a championship. Falling was simply part of getting where they wanted to be. It was an essential aspect of reaching their goal.

It has been a year of bumps and bruises. Setbacks have happened to all of us. None of us have been immune to the challenges that beset us. It's not been easy to get up day after day and keep on going, to push off again knowing we have as much chance of falling like a klutz as we do of landing a double Lutz.

Take a lesson from these young champions-in-the-making. Have you fallen? God has a hand out to help you get back on your feet. He is there to lift you up. He wants to pick you up and give you the courage to try again, to learn from your mistakes and soar—to be the star he created you to be. Let God's love lift you up over and over again. Push into your goal, your dream, your God-given destiny. God will never let you down!

The Heart of a Hero

By Mara Lee and Charles Stoffers, grandparents of Sgt. Joshua Charles Brennan (1985 – 2007)

Some day as you're strolling the Crystal Cathedral grounds, look for the "Walk of Faith" stepping stone attributed to Sgt. Joshua Charles Brennan (located adjacent to The Bronze Eagle sculpture outside the Memorial Gardens).

Joshua, our first grandchild, born May 30, 1985, was a selfless young man with a delightful sense of humor, high morals and wonderful personality. He was soft spoken, respected others, enjoyed music, and exhibited great public humility. Josh felt called to serve his country, so following his high school graduation, he joined the Army (September 2003) and fulfilled one of his fondest dreams - to become a paratrooper with the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

Josh was stationed in Vicenza, Italy, for a year before being deployed to Afghanistan (2004). Among the tragedies experienced there was the day his lieutenant was shot by a sniper and Josh made every effort to save his life. For his heroism, Josh was named Soldier of the Year for the 173rd Airborne Brigade and given a bronze star - a rare recognition for a soldier of his rank.

Following the completion of his enlistment (August 2007), Josh's plan was to attend college. But his enlistment was extended for an additional year and he found himself stationed once again in the rugged, bitter cold mountains of Afghanistan.

In September 2007, Joshua told his mother in a brief phone conversation that he wanted a Bible with more opaque pages so it would be easier to read at night with a flashlight, and shared how he was growing in his relationship with God. Attacks in the area his battalion was patrolling continued to increase and became more frequent and severe. Despite a gunshot wound through his calf, Joshua refused to leave Afghanistan, deciding to remain and do rehab. On October 26, 2007 - the worst day of our lives - Joshua's parents, Janice and Michael, received notification that Joshua had been killed in action. When his personal belongings reached home, his obviously used Bible had dirt in the binding and a family photo intact.

Joshua's memorial was one of honor and celebration. The family was overwhelmed by the love and appreciation expressed by so many - state and federal officials, enlisted soldiers, and people of all ages who lined the streets waving flags as his motorcade passed. A memorial fund was established in his honor, part to be used for a religious memorial. What we felt would best memorialize Joshua's faith and life - one of valiance, honor, love, significance and heroism - was a stepping stone in the Crystal Cathedral's beautiful "Walk of Faith." The Scripture verse we chose to inscribe on his stepping stone so appropriately reflects Joshua's heroic heart: "Greater love has no man than this. That he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

Love Strong! Believe Strong! Forgive Strong!

By Dr. Sheila Schuller Coleman

I had only been in my role as Crystal Cathedral Ministries' new leader for about a month. My first days were filled with new and exciting challenges that I had to trust God to help me navigate. I went before God and asked him daily, "What is it you want me to do? How do you want me to lead this ministry?" One evening as I was sitting down by the ocean, my feet dangling in the salty water, enjoying the light breeze and the dazzling sunset, I prayed my daily prayer of guidance from the Lord. But this night, a voice I recognized as that of my Heavenly Father penetrated my tranquil reverie and rang in my mind, "Sheila, I want you to be a strong leader!" I cringed at the words. My style of leadership is more of a team mom than a drill sergeant. But God continued, "I want you to Love Strong! Believe Strong! And Forgive Strong!" Oh! That I could do!

The more I thought about God's words - the course he had charted for the direction of my leadership - the more depth, the more wisdom I saw in these three mandates.

When praying with someone who is in the midst of enduring the pain of an estranged relationship, I have said, "Love Strong! Even though your love isn't returned. Believe Strong! That God will heal this relationship in his time. Forgive Strong! For the hurtful words and actions."

I share God's power-full words with you at the start of a new year:

• If you are lonely, feel estranged - Love Strong! "...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind....And love your neighbor as yourself" (MATTHEW 22:37-30).


• If you are afraid, worried, don't know where to turn - Believe Strong! "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (HEBREWS 11:1).


• If you've been hurt - Forgive Strong! "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (MATTHEW 6:12). Now that's a recipe for a power-full New Year!

Maria Fury “Beat the Odds” with Heroic Faith

In the blink of an eye, life can change forever... as Maria Fury discovered in the spring of 2005. Maria had worked at the Crystal Cathedral for seven years as Secretary to Dr. Robert H. Schuller. She loved her work. Life was good. She had made many friends in her time at the Crystal Cathedral and believed with all her heart that the work she was doing for Dr. Schuller, day in and day out, reached way beyond the ordinary. "I never felt like I was just doing work," Maria shared in a letter to Dr. Schuller's son-in-law, Jim Coleman. "I always felt that I was sharing God's word with millions of people on behalf of the Crystal Cathedral."

One day while at work, Maria started having excruciating pain in her lower back. By the next morning her pain was so unbearable that her husband Dan rushed her to the hospital. The doctors immediately ran tests on her where they discovered a spot, confirming a short while later that she had Stage IV pancreatic cancer (the cancer had already metastasized in her liver). So, how does someone even begin to respond to news like that? Maria responded with heroic faith! And with the "effective and fervent prayers" of many, the exercise of good-health practices while undergoing rigorous chemotherapy treatments, and leaning heavily on the support of friends and family...Maria "beat the odds" of pancreatic cancer and survived far beyond what her doctors either predicted or expected. "Stage IV is not my cancer stage," Maria used to tell Dr. Schuller who thought of her like a sister. "My cancer stage is to live, survive and work for you!" And she did... for FOUR more years!

Maria Fury's heroic faith victoriously carried her across the "finish line" on August 28, 2009 when she passed from this life to the next. And like the great Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, his friend in the faith, Maria now shouts these words with joy from heaven, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8).