Schuller Still Penning Possibilities : Televangelism Scandals Slow Printing Pace

The Rev. Robert H. Schuller, one of the nation’s most popular televangelists, is used to competition and the vagaries of public taste.

So on Tuesday, the last day of the American Booksellers Assn. convention in Anaheim, the minister of Garden Grove’s Crystal Cathedral was one of six authors autographing free copies of their books for convention delegates.

Cartoonist Draws Crowd

More than 150 of the interested and faithful lined up during Schuller’s one-hour shift for his latest, “Success Is Never Ending, Failure Is Never Final,” a figure ABA officials said was more than respectable for the four-day gathering that drew more than 25,000.

But across the aisle, about 300 lined up to meet cartoonist Matt Groening, best known as the author of the irreverent strip “Life in Hell,” and pick up his latest collection, “School Is Hell.”

It has been like that for Schuller and other religious broadcasters and authors over the past 18 months, since the televangelism scandals began with revelations of PTL founder Jim Bakker’s Florida motel tryst with church secretary Jessica Hahn.

Thomas Nelson Publishers has printed only 134,000 copies of Schuller’s “Success,” compared to 400,000 copies of his last book, “Be Happy, You Are Loved.”

“We sold this book much differently,” said Frank Couch, national accounts manager for Nelson.

“We’ve been more conservative” in the first few printings of “Success,” Couch said. The company has had to “take into account the mood of the religious book-buyer . . . and there seems to be a great deal of suspicion today” as a result of the various scandals, even toward those national figures like Schuller who have not been tainted.

“We’ve all been hurt by it,” Couch said.

But ever the “possibility thinker,” Schuller shows no signs that his formidable publishing career--25 titles, 11 million copies in print--is slowing, despite recent cutbacks at his broadcast ministry and pledges to scale down activities outside his congregation.

“I won’t be writing less,” he said in a brief interview after the autographing session.

In fact, Schuller said he was committed to four more books for Nelson, including his next, “Self Respect: Your Power and Your Glory,” which is finished in rough draft, and an autobiography.

As the president and several representatives of his publishing company looked on, Schuller chatted, held hands, had his picture taken and prayed with delegates. Some told Schuller that they had taken advantage of the proximity of the convention to visit the Crystal Cathedral.

Monica Hilferty of Chelsea House Publishers of Broomall, Pa., asked Schuller to inscribe a greeting to her 92-year-old grandmother, now living in a nursing home, “who never misses your show.”

“You’ve been such an inspiration to me,” said Marsha Blake of Blake’s Bookstore in Carmel, explaining later that the small business, “a dream come true,” was founded on Schuller’s “possibility thinking” philosophy.

When one delegate mentioned a personal failing, Schuller boomed, “If you’re not perfect, you’ll be easier to get along with!”

As usual, Couch said, Schuller’s ministry is expected to play a key role in marketing his latest book.

The weekly “Hour of Power” ministry has purchased 16,000 copies of “Success” at the author’s discount. Also, Schuller based eight of his broadcast Sunday services on chapters from the book, which is offered through the mail at full price.

“Our best promotion is his broadcast,” Couch said.

Thus far, Schuller ahs made a number of promotional trips for the book, Couch said.

“Of all our authors, he’s always been most willing to do work for us,” he said, “we’ve worn him out.”

Staying Closer to Home

As a result, the most recent tours have concentrated on major markets and the number of stops at each city has been reduced.

Schuller repeated that he planned to stay a lot closer to his congregation, a pledge he made after announcing recent layoffs and leadership changes at the broadcast ministry and the church.

“I’ll be doing much less time on the road,” he said, “lecturing at churches, lecturing at conventions. I will be spending less time on autograph parties.”