Robert Schuller Interview (page: 4 / 7) Crystal Cathedral	Print Interview

There was a crucial moment in your fundraising when you asked John Green for one million dollars. I think you described it as the most ecstatic event of your life.

Robert Schuller: Yes. It was Maundy Thursday in the year 1977, I believe.

When I hired the architect, Philip Johnson he said, "You need a building to seat three thousand." "Yes." "And you want it all glass?" "Yes." "How much money can you afford to spend?" I said, "Nothing. I don't have anything. But," I said, "It's your job to design a masterpiece. If you do your job, the masterpiece will attract financial support - smart people, sophisticated people, successful people. They'll take a look at it and say, 'That building must be built! It should stand on planet Earth.'"
[ Video ] Low High    [ Audio ] Quicktime	[ Key to Success ] Passion

When he submitted the plan, I took a look at it and said, "Wow!" I say no idea is worthwhile if it doesn't start with a "Wow!" If it's got a wow, it'll go. I just had to find the people who would be turned on by it. I went to this man, John Green, whom I'd never met. I knew he was wealthy, I knew he gave a million dollars to the YMCA. I showed him the plans, and he said "Wow!" He may not have used that actual word, but his reaction was a wow.

I said to Mr. Green, "I have no money. It will cost probably seven million. I've got to raise that money, but people won't take me seriously. If I had a lead-off gift of a million dollars, I think they would. Would you give the million?" He said, "I'd like to, but I can't." So, I said, "May I pray before I leave?" "Sure," he said. And out of my mouth came one of the most remarkable prayers. I did not coin it, I did not create it, I was just a spokesman for the Eternal Spirit. I said, "Dear God, I'm so thankful that he wants to do it. He said he'd like to, but he can't. Can you figure out a way for him to do what he'd like to do but can't? Amen." And the next morning, he called and said, "I don't know how, I don't know when, but the building's got to get built. I'll give you the million, somehow, sometime." And in 60 days, he did. And so I was off and running. It was the most ecstatic event of my life.
[ Video ] Low High    [ Audio ] Quicktime	[ Key to Success ] Perseverance

It's quite a phenomenon that the building was paid for before it even opened, wasn't it?

Robert Schuller: Yes, because I am a very good business person. I started with $500 dollars. Today, after 40 years, I'd say our property is worth well over $100 million, and we have no debt. That's the reason I have succeeded.

I have said this to every President in the Oval Office, starting with Nixon, and to President Clinton only three weeks ago. I have said that we should never plan long-term debt if we're running a non-profit business, because the interest of the debt doesn't have value. You don't report it to the IRS. Profit making corporations are a totally different ball game.

So we never did have debt. When we came to building this cathedral, I was stuck with having to practice what I preached. I just set a goal, that we would raise the money, and that we would be debt free when we dedicated it. It darned near killed me, because this was 1977, and inflation was 30 percent that year, then another year at 30 percent, and then another year 33 percent. The prime interest rate went up to 22 percent while we were trying to keep the cathedral debt-free. If you can't borrow the money, then you have to go out and collect it.

So the building, instead of being seven million, it was 20 million. I said to President Carter, whom I respect and love, I said, "I'll take the blame for the first 10 million, but the second 10 million is our country's fault." Inflation -- 30 percent of 10 million -- boosted it to 13, and then 30 percent, you're up to 16 million, so we went to 20. Not my fault. And, I had taken the first million dollars from a man, and promised I'd build the building. If you take cash from somebody, you have to deliver, or you're ruined for life as a person with no integrity, no character.
[ Video ] Low High    [ Audio ] Quicktime	[ Key to Success ] Integrity

It was unbelievable pressure, and I had to deliver.

What was it like the first day you preached in the Crystal Cathedral?

Robert Schuller: I really can't remember. I think I was numb. There was a media event, such as I had never been involved in, and I had to perform. I didn't have the privilege of being able to sit back and look and watch and listen and applaud, or laugh or cry. I was on-stage.

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