Hour of Power

{{Infobox television

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| alt_name = Hour of Power

| genre = Protestant television

| creator =

| director =

| presenter = * Robert H. Schuller (1970–2006)

Robert A. Schuller (2006-2008)
Sheila Schuller Coleman (2009–2012)
Bobby Schuller (2012–present)

| theme_music_composer =

| opentheme = The Hymn of Joy

| endtheme =

| composer =

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons = 51

| num_episodes = 2,662

| list_episodes =

| executive_producer =

| producer =

| location = Irvine, California

| camera =

| runtime = 60 minutes

| company =

| network = First-run syndication

| first_aired = {{Start date|1970|02|08}}

| last_aired = present

| related =

}}

Hour of Power is a weekly American Evangelist television program broadcast from Shepherd's Grove Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California, near Los Angeles. It was formerly one of the most watched religious broadcasts in the world, seen by approximately two million viewers at its peak. It was formerly broadcast from the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California.

The program was founded and first hosted by Robert H. Schuller.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/04/robert-schuller-dead-crystal-cathedral-hour-of-power-1201403384/|access-date=March 28, 2016|website=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|date=April 2, 2015|title=Robert Schuller Dies: 'Hour Of Power' Televangelist Founded Crystal Cathedral}} It is currently hosted by Bobby Schuller,{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cathedral-409279-schuller-church.html|work=Orange County Register|first=Roxana|last=Kopetman|publisher=Freedom Communications|access-date=March 28, 2016|title=Bobby Schuller is new 'Hour of Power' pastor|date=August 21, 2016}} who is Robert H. Schuller's grandson.

The program is normally one hour long, but some networks broadcast an edited 30-minute program.

History

The Garden Grove Community Church of the Reformed Church in America aired its first televised worship under the Hour of Power name on February 8, 1970. By the 1980s, it was the most-watched weekly religious program in the United States.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-20/crystal-cathedral-megachurch-conversion-catholicism|title=Crystal Cathedral, the original evangelical megachurch, has a conversion to Catholicism|date=July 21, 2019|website=Los Angeles Times}} Originally hosted by the Robert H. Schuller, his son and frequent co-host Robert A. Schuller hosted it from 2006 to 2008. {{stack|File:CrystalCathedral.jpg where the Hour of Power program was previously broadcast]]}}

On October 26, 2008, it was announced that the elder Schuller had removed his son as the program’s host and Crystal Cathedral Ministries’ teaching pastor, but allowed him to remain as the church’s senior pastor. Robert H. Schuller said that he wanted to take the ministry in a different direction and for the foreseeable future would use guest speakers for the weekly services rather than his son.{{cite news |title=Schuller ousts son from show; He cites a 'lack of shared vision' on the future of the ministry, which he had handed over less than three years ago |author=Sam Quinones |date=October 26, 2008 |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-oct-26-me-schuller26-story.html}} Well-known speakers who were used in the early stages of the new format included Lee Strobel, John C. Maxwell, and Bill Hybels.{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}} On November 29, 2008, the church announced that the younger Schuller had resigned.

File:Shepherd's Grove - Irvine, California.jpg]]

On March 10, 2012, it was announced that Robert H. Schuller and his wife, Arvella, would be leaving the church. The following day their elder daughter, Sheila Schuller Coleman, announced at the morning service that she would also be leaving the church, therefore cutting all family ties with the Crystal Cathedral and Hour of Power. That week's broadcast would also be the program's final broadcast "{{Cite news |url=https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/03/crystal-cathedral-divided-as-schuller-leave-changes-planned.html |title=Crystal Cathedral divided as Schullers leave, changes planned |date=March 12, 2012 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}} The ministry's successor, the Rev. Bill Bennett, said that the ministry would continue but using a more traditional service.

In June 2012, the Rev. Bobby Schuller, the son of Robert A. Schuller, started preaching on a voluntary basis. In February 2013, Bobby Schuller was named as pastor for the Hour of Power.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Crystal Cathedral Ministries held its final service at its namesake on June 30, 2013,{{cite news |last=Rokhy |first=Ron |date=June 30, 2013 |title=Crystal Cathedral Holds Last Service Before Relocating |url=http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Crystal-Cathedral-Shepherd-Grove-Catholic-Diocese-of-Orange-christian-christ-christianity-213774881.html |access-date=May 15, 2014 |work=NBC Los Angeles |publisher=NBCUnviersal Media, LLC}} after which it was renamed Shepherd's Grove and moved to the former St. Callistus Church on July 7, 2013.{{cite news |last=Baharath |first=Deepa |date=May 19, 2017 |title=Diocese picks contractor for Christ Cathedral's $72 million reconstruction project |url=http://www.ocregister.com/2017/05/19/diocese-picks-contractor-for-christ-cathedrals-72-million-reconstruction-project/ |access-date=1 June 2017 |work=Orange County Register}} The congregation merged with the Irvine Presbyterian Church in April 2018 after the land was sold to real estate developers.{{Cite web |date=2019-03-01 |title=Church led by Schuller grandson joins with Presbyterian church in Southern California |url=https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/church-led-by-schuller-grandson-joins-with-presbyterian-church-in-southern-california/ |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=Presbyterian Mission Agency |language=en-US}}

File:CrystalCathedralAvond.JPG

Broadcasts

The program airs in the United States mainly using paid programming time on Freeform, TBN, and recently Daystar. along with about 100 stations through individual contracts. The program also airs over the American Forces Network.

In Canada it is carried on VisionTV.

In Europe it is broadcast on VOX in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, on RTL in the Netherlands and was formerly broadcast on Sky One in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

In the Middle East it is carried on METV in Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

In Australia, it is seen on the Australian Christian Channel and Network Ten. It is also broadcast weekly on radio.

It is broadcast in New Zealand on the Prime network and Shine TV.

It is broadcast in Hong Kong on NOW TV Channel 564, TVB Pearl, and Hong Kong Open TV.

The Hour of Power telecast, filmed in the Crystal Cathedral's main sanctuary, at one point attracted 1.3 million viewers from 156 countries.{{cite news| url=https://www.thestar.com/living/religion/article/834727--hour-of-power-pastor-robert-schuller-retiring | location=Toronto | work=The Star | title=Hour of Power pastor Robert Schuller retiring | date=July 11, 2010}} Under current Pastor Bobby Schuller, the program attracted 2.2 million viewers worldwide each week.

Finances

Beginning in the late 1990s, the ministry struggled financially after it borrowed money to build a visitors' center.

The 2008 revenues for the program were nearly $5 million lower than revenues for 2007. As of early 2009, the church planned to sell more than $65 million worth of its Orange County property to pay off debt:{{cite news |title=Family spat divides televangelism empire; 'Hour of Power' church struggling due to recession, change in leadership |agency=Associated Press |date=January 31, 2009 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna28953451 }} {{convert|150|acre|km2}} in San Juan Capistrano, California, and an office building in Garden Grove, California.{{cite news |title=Crystal Cathedral to move on without a Schuller |author= Deepa Bharath |work= The Orange County Register |date=January 25, 2009 }} Due to their financial situation, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange purchased the Garden Grove campus.