The CBN Telethon that Broke the Mold

 In 1968 Pat Robertson launched a telethon to raise money for CBN’s new international outreach, but as the staff prepared to take the gospel around the world, a second wave of revival was breaking out, right in the CBN studio.

Pat remembers, “As the outpouring of money started coming in, we said, ‘Look, we hit our goal, but let's start praying for people.’ And when we did. The anointing came and we just started naming things and calling things, ‘In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus be healed, in the name of Jesus may you receive sight. May the cancer be healed.’ And there were miracles taking place all over this area.”

The following is the transcript from that very telethon broadcast:

ANNOUNCER: You’re watching and listening to the 1968 telethon from the Christian Broadcasting Network.

PAT: The number is 393-2505, right now ten people have found the Lord one has rededicated their life.  

UNKNOWN: Tremendous, listen, a blind lady, 63 or so years old, blind for years, had been prayed for on Christian Broadcasting last several days. Today she was in a lady’s meeting and suddenly said, “Praise God I can see!”

PAT: We just prayed and now this person can sit up. You remember that that deteriorating back? Who took that one down?

HENRY HARRISON: Here’s an answer to prayer.  Lady called three weeks ago. She was operated on for an eye problem. Three doctors have told her since prayer that their eye is completely healed.

PAT: Friends, I feel an unusual anointing of the Spirit. I just feel a sweet peace in the Spirit, and I do believe that God is still speaking to people in your homes about salvation. A 39-year-old man accepted the Lord.

PAT: Somebody just got saved on the Newport News line. Just gave their heart to Jesus as Scott was talking with them.

PAT: Jesus has come to Tidewater! These are days of glory! These are days when we’re getting a taste of Heaven! These are the days when the glory of God is filling the homes! Husbands and wives and little children are finding Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Pat remembers, “the power of God descended on this area. It was just extraordinary. One person called up and said, ‘Is this the Second Coming of Jesus?’ And we said, ‘No, it's just revival.’

Studio crew member Jimmy Jenkins was also there. “One particular night, the power of God was so strong I could not run the equipment. I could not run the camera. I started with a tear, and then more tears, and then I couldn't see the viewfinder. And I don't believe I was ever the same.”

Gordon Robertson remembers, “a lady called in and she had a baby, and the baby had a clubbed foot. So, Dad started praying for her and then the woman just started screaming on the phone, ‘I hear popcorn. I hear popcorn. I hear pop...’ In her baby's foot the bones were literally popping out and the foot became normal before her eyes.”

The 700 Club’s Scott Ross was also in the studio that day. “A man was brought into the studio once and Pat and I were on the set, and he was partially blind, if not completely blind.”

700 Club director John Gilman also remembers, “they start praying for him. Pray for him to get his sight. And the camera’s on him and-and then Pat takes uh says ‘Get up. Get up brother and start walking, in the name of Jesus.’” 

“A few minutes later, this guy’s eyes just started focusing and he saw,” remembers Scott Ross.

“I saw this,” says Gordon. “He got vision. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t 2020. But for him to go from blind to be able to see well enough to walk…these things electrified the community.”