ENROLLED SENATE
CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION NO. 25	By:	Newberry, Adelson, Aldridge, Anderson, Ballenger, Barrington, Bass, Bingman, Branan, Brogdon, Brown, Burrage, Coates, Coffee, Corn, Crain, Crutchfield, Easley, Eason McIntyre, Ellis, Ford, Garrison, Gumm, Halligan, Ivester, Johnson (Constance), Johnson (Mike), Jolley, Justice, Lamb, Laster, Leftwich, Lerblance, Marlatt, Mazzei, Myers, Nichols, Paddack, Reynolds, Rice, Russell, Schulz, Sparks, Stanislawski, Sweeden, Sykes, Wilson and Wyrick of the Senate

		and

	Peterson, Armes, Auffet, Bailey, Banz, Benge, Billy, Blackwell, Brannon, Brown, Buck, Cannaday, Carey, Christian, Collins, Coody, Cooksey, Cox, Dank, Denney, Derby, DeWitt, Dorman, Duncan, Enns, Faught, Fields, Glenn, Hamilton, Harrison, Hickman, Hilliard, Holland, Hoskin, Inman, Jackson, Jett, Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Joyner, Kern, Key, Kiesel, Kirby, Kouplen, Lamons, Liebmann, Luttrell, Martin (Scott), Martin (Steve), McAffrey, McCullough, McDaniel (Jeannie), McDaniel (Randy), McMullen, McNiel, McPeak, Miller, Moore, Morgan, Morrissette, Murphey, Nations, Nelson, Ortega, Osborn, Ownbey, Peters, Pittman, Proctor, Pruett, Renegar, Reynolds, Richardson, Ritze, Roan, Rousselot, Sanders, Schwartz, Scott, Sears, Shannon, Shelton, Sherrer, Shoemake, Shumate, Smithson, Steele, Sullivan, Terrill, Thompson, Thomsen, Tibbs, Trebilcock, Walker, Watson, Wesselhoft, Williams, Wright (Harold) and Wright (John) of the House

A Concurrent Resolution saluting the life of Oral Roberts; recognizing his influence on Oklahoma; and directing distribution.

WHEREAS, the story of Oral Roberts is an Oklahoma story.  Granville Oral Roberts was born on January 24, 1918, in Ada, Oklahoma.  The fifth child of the Reverend Ellis Melvin Roberts and Claudia Priscilla Irwin Roberts, Oral Roberts grew up with a Pentecostal Christian background.  He stuttered as a child and had tuberculosis at the age of 17 but was healed of both at a revival meeting in Ada, Oklahoma.  He studied at Oklahoma Baptist University and Phillips University and became a licensed minister in the Pentecostal Holiness Church; and

WHEREAS, Oral Roberts, who married a preacher’s daughter, Evelyn Lutman Fahnestock, began his ministry as a traveling preacher before settling as a pastor in 1941.  He became famous for his mobile tent meetings which drew as many as 18,000 and was a pioneer evangelist on radio and television.  By 1969, Oral Roberts was one of America’s best-known evangelists, second only to his friend and fellow evangelist, Billy Graham; and

WHEREAS, Oral Roberts founded Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association in 1947 and has conducted hundreds of evangelistic and healing crusades on six continents.  He has also appeared as a guest speaker for both national and international conventions.  Through his ministries: Healing Waters Inc., television, radio programs, International Charismatic Bible Ministries and tent crusades, he’s ministered to tens of thousands and has laid hands on over one million people; and

WHEREAS, Chancellor Oral Roberts founded Oral Roberts University (ORU) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1963.  The campus currently has over 3,000 students, representing 61 countries, enrolled in 65 undergraduate concentrations, 14 graduate-level degree programs and two doctoral programs.  The core value of ORU is contained in their mission: to educate the whole person spirit, mind and body.  ORU is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools with over 37,000 in the alumni population.  ORU students are fulfilling the call of going into every man’s world; and

WHEREAS, Oral Roberts founded the City of Faith Medical and Research Center which opened in 1981.  It was one of the largest health facilities in the world and revolutionized the medical world’s concept of primary patient care and the importance of treating the whole person - spirit, mind and body; and

WHEREAS, Oral Roberts has written more than 120 books, including his biography, “Expect a Miracle” and the best seller “Miracle of Seed-Faith” which has nearly eight million copies in circulation.  He is also the subject of several books and many news articles which demonstrates continuing public interest in his life.  He is a lifetime member and Harris Fellow in Rotary International; and

WHEREAS, Oral Roberts made popular the phrases “Something good is going to happen to you” and “God is a Good God”; and

WHEREAS, Oral Roberts was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1972.  On Tuesday, April 6, 1982, Dr. Roberts served as the Oklahoma State Senate Chaplain, addressing the Senate and offering the invocation.  Dr. Roberts was the guest of Senator Charles Ford of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 52ND OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN:

THAT the Oklahoma State Legislature salutes the life of this famous Oklahoman, Oral Roberts, whose ministry and educational institution have benefitted our state immensely.

THAT the Oklahoma State Legislature acknowledges the impact that Oral Roberts has had on the State of Oklahoma, especially Tulsa, Oklahoma, the location of Oral Roberts University.

THAT a copy of this resolution be distributed to Oral Roberts, Richard Roberts, Roberta Potts, Oral Roberts University, the Oklahoma Historical Society, and the Oklahoma Heritage Association.

Adopted by the Senate the 7th day of May, 2009.

	
Presiding Officer of the Senate

Adopted by the House of Representatives the 12th day of May, 2009.

	
Presiding Officer  of the House
	of Representatives