Born in 1918 in Oklahoma and raised in the Pentecostal Holiness tradition, Roberts rose to national prominence in the 1940s as a healing evangelist, drawing massive crowds to tent revivals across the United States. He claimed miraculous healing powers through the Holy Spirit, offering deliverance from sickness in exchange for faith and financial contributions—an early formulation of what would later be known as the prosperity gospel.
Roberts was among the first religious figures to fully embrace mass media, using radio and television to bring his message to millions. His charismatic preaching style, healing ministry, and theology of divine blessing helped mainstream Pentecostal practices such as speaking in tongues and faith healing within broader evangelical culture.
In 1963, Roberts founded Oral Roberts University (ORU) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, whose stated mission is to develop “Holy Spirit-empowered leaders” to impact all sectors of society. The university became a key hub for institutionalizing Charismatic Christianity. Notable alumni include former U.S. Congresswoman and 2012 presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, as well as televangelist Kenneth Copeland—both of whom have promoted Christian nationalist politics.
Roberts was frequently criticized for his lavish lifestyle and for encouraging poor and working-class followers to donate money under promises of divine reward. On January 4, 1987, he made headlines by claiming he needed to raise $8 million or God would “call him home”—a plea that ultimately succeeded. In 2007, his son Richard Roberts resigned as ORU president amid allegations that he and his family were misusing university resources to support his lavish lifestyle.
Roberts’ legacy extended globally. One of his most influential disciples, David Yonggi Cho, adapted Roberts’ teachings to build Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea, which became the largest church in the world.
