Pat Robertson: A Life, A Legacy Part 2

CBN.com Lee Webb interviews Pat Robertson and David Harrell about Pat's new biography, Pat Robertson: A Life and Legacy. In part two, Pat talks about the role of faith in his family and his business ventures. To purchase the new book, go to ShopCBN. Also, read more books by Pat Robertson.

To read part one, click here.

ED HARRELL:  The thing about Pat, that makes him so interesting, and so frustrating to write a book about is that he’s into so many different things.

PAT ROBERTSON:  God made me an entrepreneur.  I’ve just been able to create institutions with relative ease.  And that’s His doing.  I’ve said, I give Him the credit, all the bad stuff I take the blame, give Him the credit for the good stuff.

LEE WEBB:  Pat, the hallmark of any good business man is his ability to get up the next morning after a business deal hasn’t gone well and keep on charging.  Has that served you well over the years?

PAT ROBERTSON:  I’ve had desperate disappointments.  It hasn’t been easy.  The Apostle Paul says, "Through much pressure we enter the kingdom of God."  The word pressure, I love the Greek word, ‘thillipsis’, which is pressure, you translate ‘tribulations’… there’s pressures.  And I’ve had unbelievable pressures.  I’ve got to meet a payroll.  Right now, we have over 1000 people.  I’ve got to pay their salaries.  I mean, I don’t have to.  But there’s got t be enough money to do it.  And then I’ve got a university, there’s another 500 – 600 people.  And then overseas, we’ve got probably altogether maybe 3000 employees.   Got to have the money for them.  Got to pay the electric bill.  Got to do all the things you have to do.  Every day.

LEE WEBB: Pat, what would you say is the goal of your life?

PAT ROBERTSON: I think the real thing is to please Jesus.  This is what it’s all about. To know Him.  And to please Him.  We have an audience of One.  That’s the way I’ve always looked at things. It makes life a lot easier.

LEE WEBB: When you come into the studio each day, what’s the one thing you want to viewer to know about God that they didn’t know before?

PAT ROBERTSON:  I think I want them to see His glory, and understand Him.  That’s what I’m trying to do.

ED HARRELL:  It’s a powerful driving force.  You just have to be careful that you’re hearing correctly.

PAT ROBERTSON: That’s right.  I’m asking God for direction. I’m giving my burdens to Him.  I’m explaining the problems and asking for His advice.  It’s His deal.  It’s His ministry.  It belongs to Him I lay the burdens on Him.  It’s a lot easier. My secret is every day; I spend time with the Lord.  Every day.

ED HARRELL:  You have good relations with your children, who are wonderful, by the way. 

PAT ROBERTSON:  They’re very precious, and I’m proud of them.  Not only them but the grandchildren, I’ve got 14 grandchildren.  They all know the Lord.  They’re all very sweet.  They’ve all be brought up quite well, so I must have done something right as a father.

LEE WEBB: It’s interesting, the time you spend with the Lord… it seems I’ve heard each of your four children say, it’s your prayer life that has inspired them the most.

ED HARRELL:  Everybody says he listens to Dede more than anybody else.

PAT ROBERTSON:  I do listen.  Dede and I pray together, when we have really serious issues, we get together and pray and I ask God to speak to her and speak to me, and we compare what God is saying.  And one time, there was an issue where I said, "Lord what should we do?" and the Lord said, "Listen to your wife!" and I said, "Dear, what do you want to do?" So we did what she said.

LEE WEBB:  As people talk to me about working here, and they marvel at your longevity in the ministry.  The question inevitably comes up about retirement, and the response I always give is, "I don’t believe that retirement is in Pat Robertson’s vocabulary."  Am I right?

PAT ROBERTSON:   Not so far.  You know, Lee, I’ve kinda wanted to rack it up.  I’ve had some health issues where they’ve given me medicine that was just absolutely tiring me out, I was exhausted all the time.  I was just thinking, as soon as I can just hang it up, go sit in a rocking chair,  the better of it’d be.  But after they fixed my heart, for better or for worse, I’ve come back stronger than ever.

LEE WEBB:  That’s the part of your life that I find the most amazing.  I’m quite a bit younger than you are, I have the same condition, and when I saw you come in here a few months ago after that recent surgery, I stood there in amazement.  But I came away with the assumption that, you really had to be here in order to recover.  Am I right about that?

PAT ROBERTSON: Well, it sort of is, yes.   Yes.  This is my life,  and I love it.  But, I don’t mind going home, to be with him when the time comes.  So, I’m in no hurry to leave.  Paul said, "I am in a straight betwixed two.  Whether to depart and be with the Lord, which is far better, or to remain in the flesh which is needful to you."

LEE WEBB: Pat, what would you like your legacy to be?

PAT ROBERTSON:  I think what they said about David, "He served the Lord in his generation."  I’ve lived a very good life, I can’t complain.  God has really blessed me in every way known to man, beautiful family, wonderful grandchildreb, a lovely situation and marvelous people working with me.  It’s just been a good thing.

ED HARRELL:  Well Pat, it’s a great story.

PAT ROBERTSON:  Let me show this, on the camera…  It’s called, well, that’s an easy title.  "Pat Robertson" and it’s got a picture of this smiling guy on the front cover.

PAT ROBERTSON:  This is a monstrous book.  How many pages is this thing?

ED HARRELL:  It’s about 500 pages, it’s about 120 pages of footnotes.

PAT ROBERTSON:  You worked for a couple of years.  This is indefatigable.  So congratulations; and I hope it’s successful with the general public.

Read part 1 of Pat Robertson's interview.