Pat Robertson began CBN as a Christian variety show that brought the audience interviews, testimonies and informed them on culture changes that were not conducive to the church. CBN covered the daily news and events of our world and that which would affect the church.

During the 80’s and early 90’s people were turning to the new age/occult and Wicca for answers. There were many who appeared on the program that had a good contribution and were able to give the gospel through their testimony of being saved from the occult and other religions. Much of the reporting was of personal experiences with Christ.  The programs also featured many who had a testimony of being delivered from these deceptions.

The owner and host of the 700 club, Pat Robertson is well known throughout Christianity and in some places well respected. Robertson openly endorses charismatics, all of them, with no discretion. And he has had nearly every fringe charismatic on his program showing his agreement with them. People like Benny Hinn, Copeland, Rodney Browne, etc. covering everything that called itself revival.

Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network News Report of August-September 1996, endorsed the Pensacola revival, “Thousands of pastors have visited the church and report that their own churches are being affected by the 'Pensacola Outpouring.” The report also mentioned David Yongi Cho, pastor of the world's largest church in Seoul, South Korea, received a vision concerning this revival in 1991. God revealed to Cho that He was going to bring revival to America and that it would begin in Pensacola. In the aftermath these failed predictions are forgotten except by the few who are sentinels.

 Robertson often welcomes “Word-Faith” teachers on his 700 Club television show as well as those who were involved in the signs and wonders movement, those who claim to be apostles and prophets like Peter Wagner and promotes Bill Hamon.

Todays 700 club is hosted by Pat Robertson, his son Gordon Robertson,  Terry Meeuwsen with news anchor Lee Webb.

Robertson is known for diagnosing people over his TV program with what he calls the “word of knowledge.” God would start speaking to Robertson and begin healing each day at the same time on his TV show with the theme music each day. He would see people being healed of a certain illness and call it out loud only to have them believe God is healing them or for them to claim it. Rarely was a name of any mentioned or details given, it was general, but it prompted many to call and believe in the healing power of God. The end justified the means. But this is not what the word of knowledge is or how it operates according to the Bible.

One could say that Jesus had a word of knowledge when being directly engaged with the Samaritan woman at the well. Or when he spoke to people what the Scripture said about a  situation in their life to remedy their sin. But this is not how it operates on the 700 club.

A former employee describes Robertson’s "Word of Knowledge” performance in James Randi’s book, “The Faith Healers:” "There was nothing "mystical" to understand; it was simply "statistical". Robertson's little faith-healing procedure is a charade -- he simply "calls out" an illness and predicts its cure, and with millions of viewers the statistical probabilities are that someone will have the disease named and that they will naturally recover. People put their faith in the belief that God speaks to Pat. (James Randi, The Faith Healers, 1989, p.201)

While I don't agree with James Randi's cynicism he has spoken for the numerous people that watch and can see through the antics that are presented as genuine Christianity and the power of God.

“(Gerry) Straub relates a non-miracle he witnessed while still a believer in the ministry he worked for. He describes Robertson, at the close of a "700 Club" videotaping, shaking hands with members of the studio audience: "He stopped when he reached a man sitting in a wheelchair ... Pat ... laid hands on him as everyone prayed for healing ... at Pat's urging the man stood up. The people cheered as the man took a couple of very shaky, small steps. While everyone applauded God, I feared the man might fall. The next day we showed the nation the miracle (on the "700 Club" broadcast). I simply wanted to know if the old man in the wheelchair was permanently healed by God or if he temporarily thought that he was healed. A few weeks later I had an assistant track down the man's family in order to see if the cure had lasted. He had died 10 days after his visit to [the Christian Broadcasting Network]. We reported his "healing" but not his death. (James Randi, The Faith Healers, 1989, p.201)

This is the typical theatrics people see from Christian TV, but they will never know about the people that present as those who received the healing power of God. What I find it interesting is the emphasis is always on miracles and rarely on someone getting a revelation that Jesus is God in the flesh and have an understanding of the gospel to be saved. After all isn’t this what their TV show is supposed to be about? Evangelism! Unfortunately the focus is on the sheer power God He is supposed to exhibit through the cameras to all the onlookers who are willing to believe for it by their faith at that moment Robertson calls out the sickness.

Robertson says, one of the eight laws ruling the secret kingdom is "The Law of Miracles." On the one hand he admits that a miracle represents a "contravention of the natural laws" by Gods' Yet he claims there is another law, the Law of Miracles, that God cannot override but must obey in order for a miracle to occur. He says that the power of God is at our disposal "if we know the rules of miracles.” (Robertson with Slosser, Secret, p. 182)

This sounds more like Christian Science than Bible teaching. Jesus did not teach a method or law. This is what happens to those who become unbalanced in their Bible reading and focus on one area. This is not teaching Christian doctrine. This becomes like a teaching of a force which one can use if they discover how to “make it happen.” “And you can perform miracles if you but understand the power of God and the laws . . . that unlock God's power... the basic principles that enable you to understand and experience the flow of God's energy.' In short, God uses the spoken word [spoken by us] to translate spiritual energy-sheer power-into the material .... We speak to money, and it comes. We speak to storms, and they cease . . . when you confess blessing . . . and success, those things will come to you. (Pat Robertson with Bob Slosser, The Secret Kingdom 1982, pp. 62, 65, 69)

Pat Robertson: "I suppose we could ask the same question of Jesus. God sent Him to be the Messiah of Israel and King of Israel; why did He fail the first time around and get crucified?" (Bob Slosser, "The Election According to Pat Robertson," in Charisma Christian Life, October 1988, p. 56.)

Robertson has presented himself as an evangelical, and at times he may be, but at other times he is not. There was an ecumenism that affected his view that far outweighed and evangelistic influence on his ministry. He stated “Pope John Paul stands like a rock against all opposition in his clear enunciation of the foundational principles of the Christian faith” (Pat Robertson, The Turning Tide (Word, 1993), p. 279.)

A rock that accepted Mary as co- redemptrix? That was one of the more Catholic Popes in modern times? Hardly acceptable for a real evangelical. But certainly is for the neo-evangelical that he was becoming and influencing others in. It was Robertson that introduced and led the way into this new era of ecumenism with Roman Catholicism, something that genuine evangelicals would never have entertained.

This rock is actually the title the Catholic church gave to Peter whom they believe was the foundation of the church. Thus, a succession of Popes are instated as the head of the church worldwide.

This rock whom Robertson called Pope John Paul II, had issued a statement October 23, 1996 that evolution was a theory acceptable to the Church. Evolution is certainly not a foundational principle of the Christian faith.

Neo- Evangelical leader Pat Robertson (along with others) who looked favorably to Rome had nothing to say about this statement. By their silence they showed they were neither Protestant nor biblical. Robertson was incapable of speaking up against a blatant heresy that challenged the very foundation of Christianity. This is what happens when one becomes ecumenical, they stand side by side working with those on social issues, when it’s necessary to speak up on something that is clearly unbiblical and wrong, they no longer can speak.

In October of 1995 Robertson was at the head of an ecumenical procession to attend a Catholic mass to honor Pope John Paul II. Discussing his meeting with the Pope, he called John Paul II, “very warm” and “a humble and caring servant of the Lord.” Robertson wrote in a letter, “I believe the time has come where he must lay aside minor differences and focus on the common ground of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” Later Mr. Robertson was quoted in the New York Times in November of 1995, saying, “We all admire the Holy Father tremendously. We all want to build bridges with the Catholic Church.”

Salvation through indulgences and allowing a man in place of Christ on earth are no small differences. The common ground was not our faith but in working for a moral change in society, something the non religious could join with if they wanted to. The church was further led down this ecumenical road being removed from the warnings in Scripture of a different gospel (Gal. 1:6-9) and those who do not bring this doctrine         (2 Jn.1:10).

The Vatican Information Service, October 23, 1996- the Pontifical Academy's annual meeting held at the Vatican (October 22-26), is dedicated to the theme "The Origin and Early Evolution of Life: Reflection on Science at the Dawn of the Third Millennium."

“The pope reminded the Academy that the Roman Catholic Church has long given tentative approval to the theory of evolution. He cited a 1950 papal encyclical entitled "Humani Generis" by Pius XII, which "considered the doctrine of 'evolutionism' as a serious hypothesis, worthy of a more deeply studied investigation and reflection on a par with the opposite hypothesis. ... Today, more than a half century after this encyclical, new knowledge leads us to recognize in the theory of evolution more than a hypothesis. ... The convergence, neither sought nor induced, of results of work done independently one from the other, constitutes in itself a significant argument in favor of this theory."

The god they claim used evolution to create is not the God of the Bible. Evolution is the exact opposite of the Bible’s teaching in Genesis; where the world was created perfect and then fell under sin.

ECT (Evangelicals and Catholics Together) was launched in 1994. Robertson abandoned an evangelical Protestant position, to support ECT: The Christian Mission in the Third Millennium." Church leaders like J.1. Packer, Pat Robertson, and Bill Bright knew better and lead the way into this evangelical ecumenism. Others like Chuck Colson did not know any better. But these were the ones the church looked to as leaders, Christians trusted their judgment, others like Bill Hybels (pastor of Willow Greek Community Church) joined them.

Pat Robertson's' then had the Christian Coalition whose intent was to Christianize America. Promoting "traditional moral values. Nothing wrong with that if it was kept in the right perspective, as only believers with a new nature have the ability to live out the morality in the Bible. "But it brought confusion as the lesser “Great Commission.” The new hope that "America can be restored" through social morality was the foundation of the Christian Coalition. Together with Catholics, Mormons, Moonies and followers of other religions- they were all called people of faith, with the common goal of making America moral again. Robertson said: "We must lay aside certain Protestant differences to join hands to support those things upon which we all agree . . . .” (from the form letter sent out by Pat Robertson responding to inquiries concerning his signing of ECT.)

Pat Robertson: "The mission of the Christian Coalition is simple," It is "to mobilize Christians -- one precinct at a time, one community at a time -- until once again we are the head and not the tail, and at the top rather than the bottom of our political system." Robertson predicted that: "the Christian Coalition will be the most powerful political force in America by the end of this decade." And, "We have enough votes to run this country...and when the people say, 'We've had enough,' we're going to take over!" (http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7027/quotes.html)

Ralph Reed (the former director of Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition) said, "An emerging partnership of Catholics and Evangelical Protestants is going to be the most powerful force in the electorate beyond the 1990s . . . [bringing together] people of faith" for the common good of the nation.”

The only thing they have taken over is the air waves on Christian TV. America has since gone to liberalism/nationalism/neo socialism in many ways. The dominionism agenda of Robertson and the Christian Coalition was a failure because it was of the flesh. What it succeeded in was furthering the ecumenism agenda with Rome and other religions.

Robertson’s story becomes an iconic representation of modern evangelicalism, along with the likes of the embarrassed Ted Haggard the president of National Association of Evangelicals and apostle under Peter Wagners dominionist agenda. This is the kind of leadership that we have allowed in the church and because of this we have paid a price, our being led astray from the message we are to preach and seeing the true power of God that is to follow.

Pat Robertson had stated in an interview in the Buffalo News The Church is moving from a millennial viewpoint to a kingdom-now philosophy” (op. cit. Discernment Newsletter Volume 17 Number 2  March/April 2006)

Robertson became part of the word faith movement, uniting with teachers that held to a latter rain perspective with dominion theology. Robertson had claimed to believe in a literal rapture, but also held that there would be a great revival that will result in a godly society run by the Church. In his keynote address to the Dallas `84 convention for Bob Weiners' Maranatha Campus Ministries, Robertson made reference to the late John Lennon's song, Imagine, where a world of peace would have no religion. Paraphrasing Lennon, Robertson said:

Now, you say, "That sounds like the Millennium." Well maybe some of it does, but some of it we're going to see.” (Pat Robertson video tape of speech at Dallas '84, on TBN. Op.cit. Vengeance is Ours Al Dager)

Considering how the world is today, it is far less likely to see any of this in our lifetime, especially when the Bible said otherwise. It has always been a promise that would accompany the millennium and there is not a hint of any of these being a rule of thumb before.

Robertson believed just like other dominionists and their eschatological cousin reconstructionists. Jesus will not return until after the Church has taken control of society “Now what do you do? What do I do? What do all of us do? We get ready to take dominion! We get ready to take dominion! It is all going to be ours—I'm talking about all of it. Everything that you would say is a good part of the secular world. Every means of communication, the news, the television, the radio, the cinema, the arts, the government, the finance—it's going to be ours! God's going to give it to His people. We should prepare to reign and rule with Jesus Christ.” (Pat Robertson, speech at Dallas '84. . Op.cit. Vengeance is Ours Al Dager)

Robertson’s prophetic track record that was broadcasted from the 700 Club is like a washed out road filled with pot holes. He is known for “God told me” warnings with punishments, disasters and judgment. He is consistently inconsistent in his accuracy. These are a few instances:

After Orlando, Florida, city officials voted in 1998 to fly rainbow flags from city lampposts during the annual Gay Days event at Disney World, Robertson issued the city a warning: "I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you. ... [A] condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It'll bring about terrorist bombs, it'll bring earthquakes, tornadoes and possibly a meteor."

Robertson would represent God as ready to judge the many because of the few at the drop of a hat.

Robertson: "[I]f I heard the Lord right about 2006, the coasts of America will be lashed by storms"

From the May 8 edition of the Christian Broadcasting Network's The 700 Club:

LEE WEBB (anchor): Scientists warn that a Katrina-size hurricane would have a devastating impact on south Florida. Hurricane season, of course, begins June 1, and storm simulations from the National Hurricane Center suggest south Florida's location would make it hard to weather a monstrous storm. That's according to Knight Ridder newspapers. A Katrina-like storm could surge the deep swamps along the coastline through Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and beyond. Scientists also warn such a hurricane would shut off power for months in that region, and the winds could crush roofs, office buildings, and kill residents who refuse to evacuate high-rise condominiums. Hate to hear that. I was born and raised in that area, Pat, and I'm afraid they're right. The population there has grown dramatically in the last decade alone.

ROBERTSON: It has. And, you know, I go away at the end of each year to pray, and if I heard the Lord right about 2006, the coasts of America will be lashed by storms. I think we're going to see some really serious storms. And this warning from the storm center, one of the experts in Miami is just one of them. They're talking about storms up the East Coast, and there is a very real possibility of a tsunami or serious flooding and storming in the West Coast, as well. I am sure those in New Orleans are praying that such a thing has happened to them won't happen again. But one more hard hit without those levees being set up, and New Orleans may be part of history.

“If” is a important word when hearing about judgment.

From the May 17 edition of The 700 Club:

ROBERTSON: Well, ladies and gentlemen, I have felt strongly that the coasts are going to be lashed by vicious hurricanes this year. Also, there may well be something as bad as a tsunami up in the Pacific Northwest. Certainly the eastern -- or, excuse me, the Pacific plates are -- looks like they're tearing apart. There are all kinds of evidences of earthquakes, volcanoes, et cetera, going on in the Pacific. Now, if that comes our way, it's going to be devastating. So we're positioning supplies in California. We've got supplies positioned in Florida. We'll have others, and, of course, we have a major presence in the Gulf right now. We're there because we feel the Lord wants us to help people. We feel it's our duty to help the poor and the needy. And so when you contribute $20 a month to The 700 Club, you are saying, "I care about people. I care about my neighbors, I care about my friends, I care about those who are suffering." We're sending out -- we have 60 or 70 trailers right now, which is a small fleet, but we've got a number. …we have been in Florida helping those people that last round of hurricanes. We helped those -- major, major relief effort in the Gulf. Well, that's what you do when you join The 700 Club. And we're just asking people to help, to say, "Help us to help those less fortunate."

Robertson's comments were documented by the Associated Press in a May 17 article. The U.S. was not hit with a single tsunami, Robertson on Tuesday cited last spring's heavy rains and flooding in New England as partly fulfilling the prediction (January 02, 2007 Associated Press)

Media Matters For America, Thursday, May 18, 2006, http://mediamatters.org/items/200605180016. This article includes a video clip of Pat Robertson and Lee Webb.

Robertson told citizens of a Pennsylvania town that they had rejected God by voting their school board out of office for supporting "Intelligent Design." "I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city," Robertson said on his "The 700 Club" TV show.

"And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there," he said. (November 2005)

Yet God spared Nineveh – so does Robertson have a Jonah complex? We would be happy to at least have the Intelligent Design as an alternative to evolution. Yet if you endorse the Pope who endorses evolution then even intelligent design is not an acceptable option.

Pat Robertson said  that God has told him that a terrorist attack on the United States would cause a mass killing: late in 2007

Robertson said God told him during a recent prayer retreat that major cities and possibly millions of people will be affected by the attack, which should take place sometime after September.

"I'm not necessarily saying it's going to be nuclear," he said during his news-and-talk television show "The 700 Club" on the Christian Broadcasting Network. "The Lord didn't say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that."

Robertson said God told him during a recent prayer retreat that major cities and possibly millions of people will be affected by the attack, which should take place sometime after September.” (Religious Broadcaster Pat Robertson Predicts Horrific Terrorist Attack on U.S. in 2007 Tuesday, January 02, 2007 Associated press Also http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16442877/

So according to God, via Pat, there will be an attack on American soil that is similar in magnitude to, but not necessarily, a nuclear attack. Be on the lookout in the months of September through December 2007.

Robertson added: I have a relatively good track record,: he said. Sometimes I miss.

No, You miss always, I cannot recall one that he got right ,though portions of it may be applicable. Such as the re-election of Bush in 2004 which is the only portion he got right, even though he did say it would be an easy win and it was not.

Jan. 1, 1980, Robertson reported that God had told him that the Soviet Union would invade several Middle Eastern nations, seize the world’s oil reserves and throw the United States and Western Europe into economic chaos, igniting a worldwide conflict.
1981, Robertson predicted a global economic collapse between 1983 and 1985. (better late than never - right?)

There are many more examples of near prophetic misses, better understood as false. You would think there would be improvement on these statements over the years but they are just as off now as they were when he began.

In a 1984 televised sermon Robertson shared about this, "God spoke through a word of prophecy in May 1968, and said, ‘I have chosen you to usher in the coming of My Son.’

Robertson announced that the Christian Broadcasting Network will provide worldwide coverage of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. (Sermon on Satellite Network Seminar, Word of Faith Outreach Center, Dallas, TX, Dec. 9-12, 1984, as cited in "The Freedom Writer," 1986)

If this is the same voice Robertson heard his prophecies from it should be questioned- for it said I have chosen you not the network. As if God would chose a single person for this, especially when the whole church is to return with Jesus as he establishes the kingdom on earth. This does not make biblical sense.

This in someway explains Robertson’s pseudo- pre-trib position, pre-millenial position which cannot be the case if you are to be here to introduce the second coming.

It’s now been over 40 years since this was spoken to Robertson. And he has plainly abandoned his pre millennial viewpoint. We should expect this to take place soon —but I don’t think we need to wait to know whether or not the Lord has spoken.