A fiery televangelist who helped ignite the religious right before pivoting to global humanitarianism, James Robison died on May 17, 2026, at the age of 81. As the founder of Life Outreach International, he spent six decades transitioning from stadium crusades to providing life-saving resources for millions across the globe. His journey from a childhood of extreme hardship to the leadership of a global charity empire was defined by a profound shift in focus, moving from the political battlegrounds of the 1970s to a later-life mission centered on what he called love in action.

Born into the stark reality of a charity ward in Houston, Texas, his life began under the weight of profound hardship. He was the product of a forced sexual encounter, a fact that shaped his early understanding of brokenness and the need for redemption. For his first five years, he lived in the care of Reverend and Mrs. H.D. Hale in Pasadena after his biological mother, Myra Wattinger, placed a newspaper advertisement seeking a Christian couple to raise her son. This early exposure to a faith-filled home provided a brief sanctuary before his mother reclaimed him at age five, leading to a decade of extreme poverty in Austin. These formative years of struggle served as the psychological foundation for his later drive to alleviate the suffering of others. According to his official site, it was during a return visit to the Hales at the age of 14 that he experienced a life-changing conversion to Christianity, an event that set the trajectory for the next seven decades of his life.

After attending Pasadena High School and earning a degree from Middle Tennessee State University, he began his ministry as a teenage evangelist. He initially preached in small churches, but his powerful oratory style quickly propelled him to large-scale stadium crusades. In 1963, he married his high school sweetheart, Betty Freeman, beginning a partnership that would span over 63 years and become a cornerstone of his public ministry. As noted by Focus on the Family, their marriage was a central element of his life and work. During the peak of his early career, he founded the James Robison Evangelistic Association and preached in over 600 citywide crusades. These events were attended by more than 20 million people, cementing his status as a leading voice in the evangelical world.

By the late 1970s, he had emerged as a central figure in the American religious and political landscape. In 1979, he organized the Freedom Rally in Dallas, an event that is widely credited with helping launch the Moral Majority movement. This period saw him at the height of his political influence, culminating in his role as an organizer for the 1980 National Affairs Briefing, a pivotal gathering of religious and political leaders. However, the 1980s brought a significant pivot. He began to distance himself from the rigid structures of political activism, moving instead toward the charismatic movement and a focus on global relief. He famously remarked that he believed the greatest need in the world today was for people to see the love of God in action. This shift was not merely theological but practical, as he transitioned his ministry into the global relief organization known as Life Outreach International.

In his later period, he and Betty launched the daily syndicated television program Life Today, which reached millions of households worldwide. This platform allowed him to promote his evolving philosophy of unity and harmony. He often stated that unity is not the absence of diversity, but rather the presence of harmony. His humanitarian efforts became the primary focus of his legacy, particularly through programs like Mission Feeding. This initiative has provided life-saving nutrition to over 18 million children across Africa. In 2000, he launched Water for LIFE, which has successfully drilled more than 7,700 water wells in 30 nations, providing clean water to communities in desperate need. His commitment to practical aid also included the Christmas Shoe Project, which has distributed over 2.5 million pairs of shoes to children since 2008.

Even as he focused on global relief, he remained engaged with cultural analysis through the founding of The Stream, a digital platform for news and editorial commentary. He authored or co-authored over a dozen books, including the New York Times bestseller Indivisible and God of All Creation, which reflected his belief that transformed people transform the culture while standing boldly against evil. Despite his public success, he faced personal tragedy, including the loss of his daughter, Robin Robison Turner, to throat cancer in late 2012. Throughout his life, he maintained that hope would never be found in the efforts of man, but in Jesus Christ alone. He urged his followers not to hold on to religion and miss the joy of knowing Jesus, a sentiment that captured his transition from religious tradition to personal relationship.

He will be remembered as a man who bridged the gap between the pulpit and the public square, and eventually, between the political arena and the humanitarian field. His evolution from a firebrand of the religious right to a global advocate for the poor serves as a testament to his belief that personal relationship outweighs religious tradition. By feeding millions and providing clean water to thousands of communities, he transformed the concept of a crusade from a gathering in a stadium to a mission of survival in the most remote corners of the earth. His life proved that a man born in a charity ward could indeed build a charity empire, leaving behind a world that was slightly more nourished and significantly more connected through his pursuit of harmony. He is survived by his wife, Betty Freeman Robison.