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Dr. Lester Roloff

Lester L. Roloff was born on June 28, 1914 in Dawson, Texas. He grew up there on a cotton farm. At the age of 12, he was saved, and at the age of 18, he surrendered to the Lord’s call to preach. Acting upon this sacred calling, he entered Baylor University. While he was there, he paid for his room and board by milking a Jersey cow he had brought from his parents’ farm. He graduated from Baylor and attended Southwestern Seminary for nearly three years. During this time, he pastored two part-time churches. He then pastored four full-time churchess before the Lord called him, in 1951, to be a full-time evangelist. He conducted evangelistic campaigns across the nation in giant specially made tents, in churches and in city auditoriums. He began the Family Altar Program on May 8, 1944, which at one time was heard on more than 140 radio stations across America.

Roloff Evangelistic Enterprises, Inc. (“Enterprises”), was founded by Brother Roloff in June, 1951, as a Texas non-profit tax-exempt corporation, to coordinate all the Roloff ministries. As a result of the vast radio ministries and Brother Roloff’s extensive travels in evangelistic meetings, combined with his love for people and concern for their hurts and problems, he started homes for them. These were homes for individuals who were experiencing problems because of alcohol and drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, rebellious teenagers, many of whom were not wanted by their parents, and people in trouble with the law. Many of these people were sent to the Homes by the courts and/or brought by their probation officers.

Since the beginning of the first home, the City of Refuge, in 1956, thousands of men, women and teenage boys and girls have come to a personal relationship with Christ and have been delivered from drugs, alcohol and sin habits of all descriptions. The Homes started by Brother Roloff include:

The City of Refuge (for men),
the Jubilee Home (for women),
the Lighthouse (for younger men),
the Rebekah Home (for teenage girls),
the Anchor Home (for teenage boys),
the Bethesda Home (for teenage girls),
and the Peaceful Valley Home (for retired Christians).

The last work he helped to start was a mission work with American Indians, called Regeneration Reservation, which is located at Fort Thomas, Arizona.

Beginning in the early 1970’s and continuing into the early 1980’s, the State of Texas Department of Human Services attempted to regulate the Homes and require licensing by the State. Brother Roloff believed strongly that the State should not regulate any Church or its ministries in any fashion. To agree to allow the State to regulate the Homes would have meant that the residents could not legally be required to attend church services, among other things. Since the mission of the Homes was to help those in need by instructing them in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, this was an unacceptable situation. Consequently, a long court battle was waged. This included hearings in the District Court, the Texas Supreme Court, the Federal Court, and the Texas Appeals Court. Although some victories were won, some of the judges, commenting that the Homes were being well run, ruled that the State did have a right to regulate the Homes which were serving the younger boys and girls. Later, the Supreme Court of the United States refused to hear the case, which allowed the lower court’s ruling to stand. This forced the closing of the two children’s homes, Rebekah and Anchor. This move broke Brother Roloff’s heart.

During the litigation, on advice of Christian legal counsel, the ownership and operation of the Homes in Corpus Christi was transferred from The Enterprises to the Corpus Christi People’s Baptist Church, which had been founded by Brother Roloff.

While on his way to a week of evangelistic services in various states,
Brother Roloff was killed in an airplane crash on November 2, 1982.

Later, Brother and Mrs. Raymond Palmer became superintendents of a new home for young girls in Corpus Christi, but because of State interference, moved the operation to Mississippi where they presently operate Happiness Hill Home For Girls. Their daughter, Cheryl, was one of the four girls who lost their lives along with Brother Roloff when his plane crashed.

Under the direction of Brother Scott Murphy, the Regeneration Reservation continues to minister to the American Indians in Arizona.

Another work, the Lighthouse Prison Ministry, was started in 1997 by Brother John Downs, a graduate of the Roloff Homes in Corpus Christi. He has regular services in the Harris Country Jail and in prisons near Houston, Texas, including inmates on Death Row.

Because of their Christian quality and excellent track record,
these ministries are a major part of our financial outreach.

The Enterprises continues the mission established by Brother Roloff by broadcasting the “Good News” of Jesus Christ through the Family Altar Program, using Brother Roloff’s recorded messages. We feel it is important to keep Brother Roloff’s pulpit ministry before the people in a day when many pulpits have become weak. This nation needs a strong consistent message that stands for truth and right. We still believe like Brother Roloff and we are committed to getting out the Gospel he preached and that was the basis for the entire ministry.

On February 16, 1993, the National Religious Broadcasters posthumously inducted Brother Roloff into their Hall of Fame. This award is presented to an individual who, “for a significant period of time, has made an outstanding contribution in the field of Christian broadcasting with the highest of standards and faithfulness to Christ, of whom it can be testified or who can testify... ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith’”. This Hall of Fame Award is the National Religious Broadcasters’ highest honor. During the ceremony, Brother Roloff was described as “a man with a backbone of steel and a heart of gold.”

Information on the ministry is available in the quarterly publication of The Family Altar News. If you do not receive this publication, please request it by writing to the address below or contact us on the internet at www.roloff.org. Be sure to tune in regularly to the Family Altar Program if it can be heard in your area. You can also hear it on the internet at
http://www.ksky.com/ - Mon-Fri 1pm CST
http://www.good-news.org/ - Mon-Fri 8:30am EST, Sun 3pm
http://www.bju.edu/wmuu - Mon-Fri 4:15am & 11:15pm / Sat - 8:45am & 1:32pm EST
http://www.clis.com/fbn - Mon-Fri 5:30am & 10:30am / Sun 5am & 10am EST,

Brother Roloff often said, “Pray for us once a day and write us once a month.” Please continue to do so. Gifts to the ministry of Roloff Evangelistic Enterprises, Inc. are tax-deductible.