What happened to the Crystal Cathedral?

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” -Matthew 10:27


It is sad when you see events unfold just like you knew they would, and you had no power to stop them. Over the last couple of years, events at the Crystal Cathedral have led to an embarrassing scandal, divided family, and bankruptcy.

As a member of the congregation many years ago, it was my honor and joy to be a volunteer to what I considered an important, quality ministry. Though I always felt that Dr. Robert H. Schuller was too much of a showman (and frankly, not a very good listener), I thought he had a unique message that needed to be heard. For too long, people approached their relationship with God in defeat. Schuller's approach was, once upon a time, to put the accent more on the notion that we now can stand forgiven of our shortcomings, and find joy in the knowledge that God's love is ours. With that knowledge, we can be confident, move forward, and find ways around us to (in his words) "put strong wings on weary hearts."

I loved that message, and spent countless hours at what was first Garden Grove Community Church, and then the Crystal Cathedral. Eventually, I even went to work for them.

I was aware that Schuller wanted his son to take the place over when he "retired," and while Robert A. Schuller wasn't quite up to his dad's charismatic abilities, I thought he could improve in time. He seemed to come off more like one of the Beach Boys instead of a minister. Whenever he would lead the congregation in a scripture reading, I half expected him to say "Now let us turn to our Bibles and read from the gospel of Brian Wilson."

But I also began to see the writing on the wall. An elitist core grew around Dr. Bob, especially after an accident in the Netherlands that gave him a severe conk on the head. Staff members with great talents were passed over for promotions or placed in positions below new ones created for other family members. The Consistory, the guiding board of church policy was made up entirely of "yes" men, and no one was allowed to offer valid objections to any of Schuller senior's ideas. A cemetery? No problem. A bell tower? Check. Buy up all the neighboring homes so we can have a parking lot? Bye bye community. One by one, every request was allowed, and the ailing senior pastor continued to expand the property unchecked.

Meanwhile, the children began their reign of terror. Son-in-law Paul Dunn took over the Glories of Christmas and Easter as if he had any idea how to produce a quality stage production. He drove them into the ground, with awful staging, awkward scripts, and Vegas show tricks. My favorite was the firework arrow shot that had some very weak connection that I never quite understood.

Sheila took over the Academy, without any academic experience or qualifications. Jeanne took over publishing for the Hour of Power, and eventually programming. Gretchen went on staff booking music talent. Even Carol, whom I had the most respect for because she and her husband held out from joining in on the nepotism, finally came on board.

I probably wasn't the finest employee. My family fell apart while I was there, and I blamed many at the cathedral for helping it do so. I was also new to communications, and wasn't the best speller in those days before spell checkers. One day, while on vacation with my girls, I got a call from Joyce in my office warning me that inside man Fred Southard was going through my office looking for reasons to cut my budget. When I returned, I found out he had suceeded: I was jobless.

Over the years, hundreds of people who would have been considered an asset to any well managed organization were driven away, or died from the stress. Ole Nordberg, Ken Almeida, Bain Fischer. Great financial guys with great faith. Pianist and Orchestral conductor/arranger Johnnie Carl lost his sanity that ended up driving him to suicide during an argument with one of the Schuller girls.

The saddest for me was the loss of my friend, Don Fontana, who was one of the greatest church choral leaders of all time. The problem? Well, true that Don had a disorder that slowly took away his mind, but I believe the constant barrage of orders he received from family members far less qualified exacerbated his condition. Even after leaving the Cathedral, Don was still able to give years of outstanding service to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. The quality of choral music "under glass" was never quite the same.

"Possibility thinking" was Schuller's hallmark, and it served him well as he built the church. At the time he never took a salary: his only income was from book sales. But as greed, mismanagement, and self-anointed leadership replaced the once dynamic and now ailing senior pastor, improprieties began to abound. First class airfares and even SST tickets were all rationalized as "important for ministry," and housing allowances for everyone became the family norm.

Any objections were met with tantrums and power struggles, and when Robert A. tried to steer the church back to a more bible-centered message, he was thrown to the wolves. To object to anything was considered "negative thinking," and therefore not worth heeding.

At times, I feel a bit like I played a role in a Dickens novel. Amid all the discord, hurt, and obstacles this drama has played, I can say that I came out pretty well. Disappointed in the actions of those who should have led the development of a congregations faith, I walked away hurt, but eventually stronger in faith.

Still, my heart aches for those who were my friends who have gone away hurt, jaded and with diminished faith in God. God had nothing to do with this. It was solely the acts of men and women who put their own wants before those of His.

I am sorry for the family that still remains hardened against their true calling. It is a story that has played thousands and thousands of times throughout history. Good people, who have convinced themselves that they are entitled, and abuse their responsibilities.

Schuller was constantly reminding us that when God is behind an idea, nothing is impossible. Mountains can move. That is so true. But here is a mountain made from the stones of hardened hearts. Overcoming that mountain may well be the most difficult challenge anyone can ever face. "But with God... "