Dr. Bob Rodgers Biography: Age, Ministry, Wife, Books & Legacy

Contents

Dr. Bob Rodgers is an American pastor, author, and broadcaster based in Louisville, Kentucky. He is best known as the senior pastor of Evangel World Prayer Center, a congregation of over 9,000 members, and as the founder of Bob Rodgers Ministries. Over more than three decades in ministry, he has become one of the most recognized voices on prayer and fasting in the Charismatic and Pentecostal world, influencing pastors and believers across five continents. He holds a Doctorate in Ministry from Oral Roberts University and is the author of more than 60 books, including his best-selling title The 21 Day Fast.

Rodgers is also the founder and president of Word Broadcasting Media, a Christian media network that reaches viewers and listeners across 54 television stations, 7 radio stations, and the only broadcast Christian TV station in Israel and the Middle East. Together with his wife, Margaret, he has built a ministry footprint that spans 47 nations.

Early Life and Background

The specific details of Dr. Bob Rodgers’ early life, including his birth date and hometown, are not widely documented in public records. What is clear from his ministry biography is that he grew up in a faith context that shaped a deep hunger for spiritual discipline, particularly prayer and fasting.

He pursued formal theological education at two respected institutions. He attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, before going on to Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. Both schools are known for their Charismatic and Wesleyan-Holiness roots respectively, which helps explain the blend of apostolic fire and pastoral care that defines his ministry.

In May 2002, he received his Doctorate in Ministry from Oral Roberts University, a milestone that marked decades of ministry already well underway by that point. His academic background gave him theological footing, but it was fasting that became his defining spiritual practice — and the source of what he describes as his clearest calling from God.

The 40-Day Fast That Started Everything

Before Evangel World Prayer Center became what it is today, Bob and Margaret Rodgers began their ministry with something unusual: a 40-day fast. It wasn’t a marketing strategy or a church growth tactic. It was an act of consecration. And during that fast, Rodgers says he heard a clear word from God: “Reach the poor of your city.”

That phrase didn’t stay on a vision board. It became the foundation of their work in Louisville. Within years of beginning their ministry, the Rodgers established The Lord’s Kitchen (TLK), a community outreach program born directly out of that calling. The Lord’s Kitchen opened on Christmas Day 1988 and went on to serve over 3 million meals to the hungry. For Rodgers, fasting and feeding others weren’t separate things. They were the same heartbeat.

This origin story is important because it explains why prayer and fasting aren’t just ministry topics for Dr. Rodgers. They are the autobiography of his calling.

Ministry and Career

Evangel World Prayer Center

Dr. Rodgers has served as senior pastor of Evangel World Prayer Center in Louisville, Kentucky for over three decades. The church has grown to more than 9,000 members and now includes over 20 extension churches across Louisville and the surrounding areas. These extension churches are intentionally focused on inner-city outreach, connecting Sunday worship to Monday ministry in real, practical ways.

The church describes itself as multicultural, and that identity runs through its leadership and programming. Under Rodgers’ leadership, Evangel WPC has become known not just for its size but for its emphasis on prayer, fasting, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Visitors and church members regularly speak about the atmosphere of expectancy that defines their gatherings.

Word Broadcasting Media

Dr. Rodgers is the founder and president of Word Broadcasting Media, one of the more wide-reaching Christian broadcasting networks built by a local pastor. The network currently operates across 54 television stations and 7 radio stations, including AM, FM, and shortwave frequencies.

One of its most distinct assets is Channel 21 (WBNA) in Louisville, Kentucky. But perhaps the most remarkable part of the network is its presence in Israel. Word Broadcasting operates the only broadcast Christian television station in the Holy Land, bringing gospel programming to viewers across Israel and the broader Middle East. Rodgers’ commitment to Israel stretches back more than 50 years, long before broadcasting was part of his ministry portfolio.

Together with his wife Margaret, Rodgers co-hosts Word Alive, a Christian television program that extends their pastoral teaching beyond their Louisville congregation.

Church Growth International of the Americas

In 2005, the late Dr. David Yonggi Cho, founder of Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea, personally asked Dr. Rodgers to lead the exploratory committee for establishing Church Growth International of the Americas (CGIA). This was a significant appointment, given Cho’s standing as the pastor of what was for many years the largest church in the world.

In October 2006, the first CGIA conference was hosted by Evangel World Prayer Center in Louisville. Rodgers went on to serve as president of Church Growth International Fellowship (CGIF) — a global network of ministers committed to evangelism, church planting, and the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The Americas arm of the organization focuses specifically on North, Central, and South America, with the goal of building fellowship rather than forming another denomination.

Books and Publications

Dr. Rodgers has authored more than 60 books, making him one of the more prolific writers in the Charismatic pastoral space. His writing is practical, faith-driven, and almost always tied to the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, and financial stewardship.

Notable Titles

The 21 Day Fast — His best-selling title, which has guided thousands of believers through extended fasting. The book frames fasting not as punishment but as a pathway to breakthrough.
101 Reasons to Fast — A comprehensive resource for believers who want biblical and practical grounding for fasting as a lifestyle.
100 Days of Unbroken Prayer — A prayer devotional designed to build consistency and depth in personal prayer life.
How To Get Out Of Debt In 50 Days — A practical, faith-based guide to financial freedom rooted in biblical principles.
Patterns of Prayer — A study on the different models and forms of prayer found in Scripture.
America Fasting for Revival — A call to corporate fasting for national spiritual renewal.
Forbid Not to Speak with Other Tongues — A Charismatic-perspective defense of speaking in tongues.
The Season of the 12 Basket Blessing — A faith-building book rooted in the miracle of Jesus multiplying loaves and fishes, focused on supernatural increase and financial breakthrough.

His books are available through Bob Rodgers Ministries and major book retailers. The 101 Reasons to Fast PDF has circulated widely online and remains one of the most searched fasting resources among Charismatic and Pentecostal believers.

Personal Life

Marriage and Family

Dr. Bob Rodgers has been married to Margaret Rodgers for decades. She is not a background figure in the ministry. Margaret co-hosts Word Alive alongside her husband and has carved out her own focus within the church, particularly in empowering women. Her contribution to the church’s direction is consistently acknowledged in Evangel WPC’s official materials.

Together, Bob and Margaret have three children and seven grandchildren. They live in Kentucky, and despite the scale of their ministry, they present a family-first identity that runs through their public statements and church culture.

Outside ministry, Dr. Rodgers’ biography describes him as someone who enjoys sports, hiking, flying, and anything with an adventurous edge, a detail that gives a fuller picture of the person behind the pulpit.

Margaret Rodgers’ Role in Ministry

It would be incomplete to tell the story of Bob Rodgers Ministries without giving weight to Margaret’s role. She has been a co-leader, co-host, and co-founder across nearly every major ministry initiative. The Lord’s Kitchen, Evangel WPC’s outreach growth, and the Word Broadcasting network all carry her fingerprints. In a ministry culture that can sometimes sideline pastors’ spouses, Margaret Rodgers has been a working partner from day one.

Theology and Ministry Philosophy

Prayer and Fasting as Lifestyle

If you want to understand Dr. Bob Rodgers, start with fasting. It’s not a peripheral topic in his ministry. It’s the lens through which he reads Scripture, makes decisions, and trains other leaders. His entire ministry trajectory began with a 40-day fast, and he has been teaching fasting ever since.

His approach is apostolic and Charismatic, rooted in the belief that fasting activates spiritual authority, opens doors for breakthrough, and creates the conditions for genuine revival. He doesn’t teach fasting as a transaction with God — more as an alignment. When you fast, you’re saying to God that you mean it.

This emphasis on fasting has made him a go-to resource for pastors and intercessors across five continents. His The 21 Day Fast has been used by churches as a collective spiritual practice, not just individual devotion. That’s intentional. Rodgers believes fasting is as much a community discipline as a personal one.

Commitment to Israel

Dr. Rodgers’ support for Israel is decades old. For more than 50 years, he has demonstrated what his ministry describes as a “steadfast love for Israel” through prayer, financial support, and the establishment of the only broadcast Christian TV station in the Holy Land. This places him within a strong Christian Zionist tradition that sees Israel’s spiritual significance as central to eschatology and global mission.

Charismatic and Apostolic Identity

Evangel World Prayer Center sits clearly within the Charismatic and Pentecostal tradition. Dr. Rodgers’ theology embraces the baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, healing, and apostolic ministry. His connection to Church Growth International — the fellowship founded by David Yonggi Cho, anchors him in a global network of leaders who share this theological framework.

His teaching style in seminars and conferences is known for being accessible without being shallow. He is described consistently as someone who moves in the prophetic while remaining grounded in practical biblical instruction.

The Lord’s Kitchen

The Lord’s Kitchen (TLK) is perhaps Evangel WPC’s most visible contribution to Louisville. Founded as a direct outgrowth of Dr. Rodgers’ 40-day fast and the calling he says God gave him, TLK opened on Christmas Day 1988. Since then, it has served over 3 million meals to people in the inner city.

Beyond meals, the ministry has expanded to include services for veterans and other underserved populations. The Lord’s Kitchen is one of the largest outreach ministries in Kentucky, and it operates as the visible proof of what Rodgers’ spiritual convictions look like in practice.

Inner-City Extension Churches

Evangel WPC’s over 20 extension churches aren’t suburban satellite campuses. They are intentionally placed in and around Louisville’s most underserved communities. This structural decision reflects the same calling Rodgers received during his 40-day fast. The church is built to move toward need rather than away from it.

International Ministry

Dr. Rodgers has ministered in as many as 47 nations, including South Korea, Mexico, across Europe, Asia, and throughout Africa. His international reach is built primarily on two things: his teaching on prayer and fasting, and his connection to Church Growth International.

His influence on the Korean church is notable. His relationship with Dr. David Yonggi Cho is a significant thread in his international biography. The fact that Cho specifically asked Rodgers to establish the Americas chapter of CGI speaks to the kind of trust and theological alignment between them.

Through Word Broadcasting’s 54 TV stations and its Israel-based channel, Rodgers’ ministry also reaches audiences he has never physically met. Broadcasting has extended his pastoral voice into homes across the Middle East that no conference tour could reach.

Criticism and Controversies

Dr. Rodgers’ long ministry has not been without controversy. Two episodes in particular attracted significant public attention.

The 2021 Election Sermon

In January 2021, a Sunday service at Evangel World Prayer Center went viral after Rodgers delivered what became known as an imprecatory prayer. From the pulpit, he called curses of weakness, poverty, and suffering on those he said had stolen the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The video spread quickly and drew sharp criticism from Louisville faith leaders across denominations.

Local pastors, including representatives of the Justice and Freedom Coalition, publicly condemned the language as incompatible with Christian witness. Rodgers later clarified that his intent was to “curse demonic forces” rather than individual people, and that his prayers were aimed at national healing. The episode remained divisive.

Civil and Financial Lawsuits

In 2021, Daystar Television Network filed a lawsuit against Evangel World Prayer Center and Dr. Rodgers, claiming the church owed approximately $1.1 million in unpaid broadcasting fees accumulated over roughly eight years. The church reportedly attempted to settle by offering to air Daystar programming on its Israel-based network and to provide “Spirit of Israel” Bibles. Daystar declined and pursued the lawsuit, which was eventually settled in 2022.

Separately, a civil lawsuit was filed in 2022 involving claims of undue influence and financial misconduct connected to a wealthy elderly woman with Parkinson’s disease. That case also reached a settlement before going to trial. The specifics of both settlements were not made fully public.

Rodgers has not made extended public statements on either legal matter beyond what was reported at the time.

Legacy and Influence

Whatever one makes of the controversies, the scale of what Dr. Bob Rodgers has built across three decades is hard to dispute. A church of 9,000 members with 20 extension campuses, a media network spanning 54 TV stations and 7 radio stations, a feeding ministry that has provided over 3 million meals, a globally recognized teaching library of more than 60 books, and relationships with some of the most significant figures in 20th and 21st century Charismatic Christianity — that is a body of work that speaks for itself.

His influence on fasting as a corporate and individual spiritual practice is probably his most lasting theological contribution. For many pastors and intercessors around the world, the first serious resource they encountered on extended fasting came from Bob Rodgers. His The 21 Day Fast continues to be widely recommended in Charismatic, Pentecostal, and non-denominational church circles globally.

His relationship with David Yonggi Cho also places him in the lineage of a particular stream of Holy Spirit-centered church growth that shaped global Christianity in the second half of the 20th century. Being asked by Cho to head Church Growth International of the Americas was not a minor appointment.

Interesting Facts About Dr. Bob Rodgers

He has been committed to Israel for more than 50 years, making his work there one of the longest-running strands of his ministry.
The Lord’s Kitchen opened on Christmas Day 1988, directly after his early 40-day fast, as a literal response to the calling he says he received from God.
He enjoys flying, hiking, and sports alongside his pastoral work, a side of his personality that rarely surfaces in ministry biographies.
His church’s broadcasting network is now one of the few local church-based operations to operate a television station in Israel.
He was hand-picked by Dr. David Yonggi Cho in 2005 to lead CGI of the Americas, a fellowship designed to replicate the church growth principles Cho pioneered at Yoido Full Gospel Church.
Dr. Rodgers received his Doctorate in Ministry from Oral Roberts University in May 2002, decades into a ministry career he had already been building for years before that credential arrived.
His book 101 Reasons to Fast has circulated widely as an informal PDF resource and remains one of the most searched fasting guides in Charismatic circles.

Timeline

Year	Event
Early ministry years	Bob and Margaret Rodgers begin ministry with a 40-day fast; receive calling to “reach the poor of your city”
Late 1980s	Founding of Evangel World Prayer Center in Louisville, Kentucky
December 25, 1988	The Lord’s Kitchen opens on Christmas Day as an outreach of Evangel WPC
1990s	Word Broadcasting Network established; begins acquiring radio and TV stations in Louisville
May 2002	Receives Doctorate in Ministry from Oral Roberts University
2005	Dr. David Yonggi Cho appoints Rodgers to head the Church Growth International of the Americas committee
October 2006	First CGI Americas conference hosted at Evangel WPC in Louisville
Ongoing	Ministry grows to 47 nations; Word Broadcasting Media expands to 54 TV stations and 7 radio stations
Ongoing	Establishes the only broadcast Christian TV station in Israel and the Middle East
January 2021	Viral sermon controversy after imprecatory prayer against alleged election theft
2022	Both the Daystar lawsuit and civil misconduct lawsuit reach settlement
Present	Continues as senior pastor of Evangel WPC; over 60 books published; Lord’s Kitchen has served over 3 million meals

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Dr. Bob Rodgers?

Dr. Bob Rodgers is an American pastor, author, and broadcaster based in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the senior pastor of Evangel World Prayer Center, the founder of Bob Rodgers Ministries, and the president of Word Broadcasting Media. He is best known globally for his teaching on prayer and fasting, particularly his best-selling book The 21 Day Fast. He holds a Doctorate in Ministry from Oral Roberts University and has ministered in 47 nations.

What is Bob Rodgers Ministries?

Bob Rodgers Ministries is a global outreach organization founded by Dr. Rodgers to advance prayer, fasting, evangelism, and compassionate service worldwide. It operates alongside Evangel World Prayer Center and distributes books, teaching resources, and media content. The ministry also oversees Word Broadcasting Media, which reaches viewers across 54 TV stations and 7 radio stations, including a Christian TV station in Israel.

What are Dr. Bob Rodgers’ most popular books?

His best-known work is The 21 Day Fast, a practical guide to extended fasting used by individuals and churches globally. Other widely circulated titles include 101 Reasons to Fast, 100 Days of Unbroken Prayer, How To Get Out Of Debt In 50 Days, and Patterns of Prayer. He has authored more than 60 books in total.

What is the Bob Rodgers fasting teaching about?

Dr. Rodgers teaches fasting as both a personal and corporate spiritual discipline rooted in Scripture. He does not present fasting as a way to earn God’s favor but as a way to align with God’s purposes and break through spiritual obstacles. His resources outline the biblical basis for fasting, practical guidance for different types of fasts, and testimonies of breakthrough connected to sustained prayer and fasting.

Who is Dr. Bob Rodgers’ wife?

Dr. Rodgers’ wife is Margaret Rodgers. She has been his ministry partner from the beginning of their work together. She co-hosts the Word Alive television program, has helped lead Evangel World Prayer Center, co-founded Word Broadcasting Media, and is known for her work empowering women in the church. Together, they have three children and seven grandchildren.

Does Dr. Bob Rodgers have children?

Yes. Bob and Margaret Rodgers have three children and seven grandchildren. They live in Louisville, Kentucky, where Evangel World Prayer Center is based.

What is the Lord’s Kitchen and who founded it?

The Lord’s Kitchen (TLK) is a community outreach ministry founded by Bob and Margaret Rodgers as part of Evangel World Prayer Center. It opened on Christmas Day 1988 and has since served over 3 million meals to people in need in Louisville’s inner city. It is one of the largest outreach ministries in Kentucky and also serves veterans and other underserved populations.

What is Dr. Bob Rodgers’ net worth?

Dr. Bob Rodgers’ net worth is not publicly documented. He leads a large church, a media network, and a publishing ministry, but he does not feature prominently in wealth reporting among American pastors. Any figures circulating online about his net worth are unverified estimates.