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Richard Rossi (born, March 2, 1963, Pittsburgh, PA.) American filmmaker, actor, musician, and healing evangelist. A child prodigy, he bagan playing guitar on stage for money at age seven, amazing music critics with sophisticated jazz arrangements. As a teenager, he became a born again Christian, and developed a large international following for his unique brand of gospel rock, touring the world as a rock and roll preacher, usually in tandem with songwriting partner Johnny Walker. His story was featured twice on Pat Robertson's 700 Club and in the CBS documentary "Teen's Songs Turn Youth to God." The music from this period in his work is on the award-winning album "New Wine." Rossi was a pioneer in creating Christian rock for churches and a forerunner of contemporary praise and worship styles.

He moved to Lynchburg, Virginia at age 18 to study the Bible at Jerry Falwell's fundamentalist Liberty University, where he earned a Bachelors and Master's degree in Biblical Studies. In his sophomore year, he eloped, marrrying classmate Sherrie Plaugher on May 11, 1984 in a Lynchburg courthouse. In his senior year, he started his first church, "The Fellowship," which became the subject of controversy for faith healings, exorcisms, and speaking in tongues, practices frowned upon by the University.

In 1986, he returned to his hometown of Pittsburgh and started First Love, a charismatic church. He rented movie theaters and showed films as an evangelistic outreach. In 1988, his daughter, actress Karis Rossi was born. The following year, dramatic faith healings occurred again and became the subject of articles in the Pittsburgh Press and other newspapers. Richard's second child,singer-songwriter Joshua Rossi was born in 1991. In April, 1991, Richard was reportedly suffering depression and isolated from media and followers. Charisma magazine attributed the depression to flashbacks of childhood abuse Rossi suffered as a young performer.

In September, 1991, Rev. Rossi began nightly broadcasts of his controversial radio show "Rich Rossi Live." The Post Gazette reported fierce opposition to Rossi from established clergy, who said the miraculous signs and wonders occuring were not biblical. Rossi's healing services grew from 200 to 2,000. Notable healings of heart ailments, back pain, and the curing of a Pittsburgh Symphony member of cancer were reported on television. The services continued to grow, necessitating renting large municipal auditoriums such as the Soldiers and Sailor's Memorial Hall and Civic Arena in downtown Pittsburgh. Rossi was criticized by other clerics for his use of rock and roll music, his casual attire, and his criticism of conventional Christianity.

In September, 1992, the FOX TV documentary "Quest for Truth" examined the healings and exorcisms in Rossi's meetings, and the church was besiged with seekers from around the world seeking a miracle cure.

In 1994, Rossi became the subject of tabloids, accused of depression, abuse of alcohol, and domestic assault. Sherrie Rossi testified the charges were untrue in a trial which ended in a hung jury. Richard was released from the local county jail after spending three months attending 12 Step Recovery meetings in prison. Rossi credits the Twelve Steps as a "vehicle of restoration." Immediately after his release, Rossi held a Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless, arranging buses to transport the indigent, it was a top story on all three major networks.

In 1996, Sherrie Rossi published the book "Assault of Justice: The Richard Rossi Mystery" defending her husband from various tabloid stories. The Rossi's trials and tribulations were the lead story on national television shows such as Inside Edition, A Current Affair, Hard Copy, and American Journal with sensational lead-in teasers such as "The young, good-looking preacher is renowned for casting out demons, but rumors persist he cannot conquer his own demons."

Richard released an alternative rock album "Full Circle" and was criticized by evangelical Christians because the album was confessional about his depression and struggles, with metaphors rather than explicit religious content.

In December, 1996, the Rossi's relocated to Hollywood, and Richard started acting lessons, studying with renowned acting teacher Milton Katselas. He acted in his first film "Jesus 2000."

In 1998, he appeared in the first-run Broadway and Los Angeles tour of "Elmer Gantry", playing the lead role in a play based on the Sinclair Lewis novel. Shirley Jones, who won an Oscar for the film version invited Rossi to her home because of his Gantry work. Richard guested on her husband Marty Ingels radio show, discussing Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

He started house churches for actors and celebrities and ABC Entertainment news called him "Pastor to the Stars." His network of house churches grew to over 600 affiliated groups, operating under the name "Eternal Grace." The name was chosen by Rossi's wife Sherrie.

In 1991, Rossi wrote and directed a short documentary film "Saving Sister Aimee" about fabled 1920's evangelist Aimee McPherson. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary short and won Best Documentary from the Motion Picture Council.

In 2005, Rossi decided Sister Aimee's story was worth telling a second time, so he wrote, directed, and acted in his feature film "Aimee Semple McPherson" starring actress Mimi Michaels as Aimee, and Ron Howard's actor-father Rance Howard as Aimee's beloved father James Kennedy. The film set attendance records in initial rough-cut screenings at the New Beverly Cinema and the Screen Actor's Guild in Hollywood. Leading magazines such as Christianity Today and Charisma praised the film as a "must-see." Richard spoke at the screenings, sharing his faith and the history and importance of healing evangelism.

References: "Filmmaker Shares Brokenness", Ed Donnally, Charisma Magazine (9/05, 10/05)

"Sister's Story", Ministries Today magazine (12/05)

"Assault of Justice", by Sherrie Rossi, Amazon, Pub. 1995

"Radio Revivalist Rattles Rivals", Ann Rodgers Melnick, Pittsburgh Post Gazette (9/91)

"Rock Assuages", Megan O'Matz, Pittsburgh Press, (9/90)

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