Pat Robertson, religious broadcaster, longtime TV host, and humanitarian, died at his Virginia Beach home at 93. Best known for offering political commentary and prayer as leader of “The 700 Club,” Robertson’s rise to fame is based on his vision from God to create the Christian Broadcasting Network or CBN, which he founded in 1960.
He also started a legal advocacy group, a Christian university, and an international NGO specializing in disaster relief. While advertising a worldview that promotes the Bible’s inerrancy, some considered his on-air persona and business approach unconventional. Still, his legacy and influence intersect industries and interests that have broken barriers for numerous Christian leaders.
Pat Robertson was born Marion Gordon Robertson in Lexington, Virginia, in 1930. His older brother gave him the nickname “Pat.” Keeping that nickname over his birthname was one of the first conventions he would defy in his lifetime. Robertson hoped to become a successful businessman with dreams of living the life of a New York socialite, as he detailed in his autobiography, “Shout It From the Housetops.”
However, his path changed when he became a born-again Christian in the 1950s. Robertson abandoned his dream, accepting what he saw as God’s plan: to start a ministry in Christian broadcasting. Still, his start as a religious broadcaster came with challenges, starting with no money and a ruined TV station for sale in Portsmouth, Virginia.
After moving his wife and children to Virginia in 1960, he created what we know today as The Christian Broadcasting Network with about $70 to his name and a company bank account with a $3 initial deposit. His humble beginnings eventually grew into a global media ministry that would reach millions of people worldwide. In 1966, Robertson started hosting a daily talk show, “The 700 Club.” Still on air today, it’s one of the longest-running programs in TV history.
By the 1970s, Roberston secured interviews with political and military leaders like Jimmy Carter, who would eventually win the White House with the help of evangelical Christians, and the late Yitzhak Rabin, Israel’s prime minister. Four years later, Robertson was part of the conservative leadership that helped Ronald Reagan into the White House in 1980. In 1988, Robertson ran for president but lost the Republican nomination to George H.W. Bush.
With his return to CBN after the failed campaign, Robertson took the company worldwide, dramatically extending the reach of the ministry’s Christian programming to over 150 countries in more than 100 languages through satellite technology. Robertson also served as chancellor of Regent University, a Christian college he created in Virginia Beach, VA, in 1977, whose motto is to produce “Christian leadership to change the world.”
Unfortunately, Robertson suffered several health setbacks in his later years, including a horseback riding accident and a stroke. He showed resilience by returning to “The 700 Club,” set 10 days after his embolic stroke in 2018. In October 2021, Robertson announced he was stepping down as a daily host, corresponding with the show’s 60th anniversary.
However, even after retirement, he frequently made monthly appearances fielding a range of questions and topics from viewers. Despite losing his wife, Dede, in 2022 and his declining health, Robertson’s obedience, faith, and love for God never changed.
Pat Robertson leaves behind his four children, Tim, Elizabeth, Gordon, and Ann; 14 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and thousands across the CBN family of domestic and international ministries.