Dr. Roy Harthern is an international Bible teacher. His wife, Pauline is a popular speaker and a talented author. They have preached in many countries of the world. Dr. Harthern was born and educated in England.At a very early age, he learned to play the piano and the accordion and as a musician, he traveled with his father, who had an Apostolic ministry in the U.K. and in America.Roy also played the piano for Smith Wigglesworth in a crusade in his hometown.
Dr. Harthern started his ministry in 1945 with the Assemblies of God in Great Britain, but from 1946 to 1949, he had to interrupt his ministry when he was enlisted and served as an officer in the British Army.After leaving the army, he traveled with the Assemblies of God Home Missions team and in October 1949, he sailed to the United States of America where he continued his ministry.
He married Pauline in January, 1951. Pauline was dedicated as a baby by Stephen Jeffreys–the famous healing evangelist, and was converted at a very early age.Her parents pastored an Assemblies of God church in London for 22 years.Her mother was converted under the ministry of George Jeffreys, brother of Stephen Jeffreys.George Jeffreys founded the Elim Foursquare denomination.Before her conversion, Pauline’s mother was billed as the leading opera singer in Britain.Pauline’s parents sailed to America and had a successful ministry before they returned to England to retire.
The Hartherns began their ministry as evangelists in America and Europe.Dr. Harthern served as Youth President in the Peninsular Florida district of the Assemblies of God, which included over 200 churches.He also served on the national youth committee for the denomination. The Hartherns pastored churches in Jacksonville and West Palm Beach in Florida and in Beaumont, Texas.During his ministry in Florida, he served on the Presbytery Board (ordination committee and board of directors) in the Florida district of the Assemblies of God for 18 years. In 1970, they pastored Calvary Assembly in Orlando, Florida.In 10 years the church grew from 260 to over 7,000.For several years, Christian Life magazine acclaimed Calvary Assembly as the fastest growing church of all denominations and the largest Assemblies of God church in America.They had 5 services every Sunday with 2 additional buildings for overflow attendance to accommodate the crowds.Before they left in 1981, Pastor Harthern raised over $5,000,000 in cash to build a new 5,000 seat auditorium. During their pastorate at Calvary Assembly, Charisma magazine was launched.The magazine is now the largest Pentecostal-Charismatic periodical in the world.The burden for the magazine was given to Stephen Strang, who was a reporter for the Orlando Sentinel newspaper and a member of the church.Mr. Strang now owns Charisma Publishing Company, a very successful ministry.The Hartherns also started Christian TV – Channel 52 in Central Florida and built Calvary Towers, a high-rise for the elderly.Calvary Assembly also pioneered the Jesus Festivals, an annual event near Disney World that attracted up to 30,000 people. Pauline has written the following best-selling books:“Miracles From My Diary”, “From Tragedy to Triumph”, “The Blessings of Forgiving” and “Speaking Creative Words”. For several years, her monthly article in Charisma magazine was voted the most popular.In 1977, she was also voted the second most popular writer of all religious and secular magazines, including all the major city newspapers in the State of Florida.The judges said that she would have received first prize if her articles were not all religious. In 1988, Pauline received the award, “The Ultimate Woman in Florida for Christian Excellence in Ministry”. This unsolicited recognition was given for her “outstanding commitment and dedication to preaching, teaching and sharing the Word of God and the love of Jesus Christ”. Every week at Calvary Assembly she attracted over 1,000 people to her class.There were several other classes held in the church building at the same time, including a class held by her husband. During his pastorate at Calvary Assembly, Dr. Harthern served on the board of Church Growth International.He traveled with Dr. Yongi Cho, who pastors the largest church in the world in Seoul, Korea.With Dr. Cho, he taught the principles of church growth to pastors and church leaders in several countries of the world.Pauline Harthern was the first woman to speak to the pastors and leaders (men and women) at Dr. Cho’s church and was the first woman to speak at a nationwide, interdenominational convention of pastors-leaders and wives in Australia. Since 1981, the Hartherns have been involved in a worldwide Bible teaching ministry.They are the parents of 3 daughters – Suzanne, Leanne (twins) and Elizabeth.Suzanne is married to Benny Hinn, the healing evangelist.Charles, their son and eldest child, was murdered in 1990.While that was a painful experience, God taught them His answer for grief and they have been able to minister to many people who have experienced grief.
In December 2001, Dr. Harthern had terminal cancer and total kidney failure.The doctors gave him 12 hours to live.The Lord visited him in the hospital room every night and promised him, among many other promises, that He would heal him.On the 50th day, the doctor said, “I don’t know what to say. You have 2 brand new kidneys and I know you have not had a transplant. Also, there is no trace of cancer anywhere in your body.” The Hartherns believe that they have a great and an exciting life and ministry ahead.
