He came to California during the Great Depression and made radio broadcasts starting in 1929, when he gave a 15-minute guest sermon on KNX in Los Angeles.

By contrast, in 1980, he had a $6 million budget and a staff of researchers to help him avoid early foibles.

Richards served as an evangelist in various places in the United States and Canada and during this period experimented with radio announcements in connection with his meetings.

[5][6] Throughout the years Richards' Voice of Prophecy broadcasts were marked by an opening theme song of "Lift Up the Trumpet" performed by the King's Heralds quartet and closed with his poem "Have Faith in God" each week having a new verse written.

In addition to published sermons and booklets, Richards authored the following books: His life has been the subject of two biographies: