My Tribute to Kenneth E. Hagin 1917-2003 Sept. 19,2003 11:30 A.M. eastern
With bittersweet tears I sit in my office at the church I pastor in eastern Kentucky and search for words to express my gratitude and admiration for the greatest man I ever met. I never heard of Kenneth Hagin until summer of 1975 shortly after my new birth in March of that year, and I refused to read any books until reading the New Testament through because I wanted to compare what any man wrote with what the Bible says. I have read all of Brother Hagins books ( except for some possible recent ones I have not yet obtained.) I use his twenty six lessons books on Prayer, Faith, and The Holy Spirit and His Gifts as texts, to teach from, and I have yet to find any instance where his writing, ( taken in context ) contradicts scripture. The first of his books I read was " The Authority of The Believer" and I quickly saw that this preacher knew some of the answers to questions I had concerning my own deliverance and conversion experience. I attended a meeting where his son Ken Jr. ministered at the Christian Bookshelf in Herrin, IL and discovered the Hagins had started a Bible Training Center. I packed my wife, two kids, and a "few" meager belongings in our old Cadillac and headed out for Broken-Arrow OK. to be Bible Trained, as I knew I was called to full time ministry. Thus began chapter one of our journey of faith, leaving behind our recently purchased house, my parents, and fifteen years of alcoholism; and journeying forth to attempt to fulfill the ministry call felt deeply in my heart and soul.
Rhema Bible Training Center in summer 1976 consisted of two buildings. The administration building, which was a former office building being quickly converted to office space and a couple of class rooms maybe twenty by forty feet, and a "warehouse" with a small wood platform and bare concrete floor and folding chairs just large enough to seat all three hundred sixty or so students. Actually it probably was capable of seating five or six hundred for seminars. In the class rooms we were taught each day in smaller groups by Ken Jr., Dr. Ken Stewart, Bob Yandian and other great teachers of the Word and then moved to the warehouse to be taught by Bro. Hagin. My wife and/or I always ran to get front row seats at those sessions and stood outside the doors VERY early at seminars and camp meetings to get front row seats hoping he would get close enough to spit on us and some of what he had would rub off on us. We departed to return to my hometown after graduation in 1977 but soon returned when the second year program was started in 1978, after the birth of our final child. While attending second year Rhema and for several years thereafter I contracted all the floor covering work at Rhema and thus got close enough to Bro. Hagin to be known by name by him, as I worked in his office as well as his home on several occasions, and he frequently walked about the campus observing the work being done. He was always so quiet and rarely spoke more than a pleasant greeting at those times and I later heard him preach, " the less you speak the less to repent of!" I am sure only Ken Jr. got to hear it if he had any complaints about the construction and Ken was left to play the "bad" guy! and be sure it got done right.
How vividly I remember at homecoming 79 he and Ken Jr. playing softball on the class of 75 team, as they were a small class, and myself being drafted to umpire the championship game, ( 75 Vs 76 ) as our team ( 77 ) had been eliminated by the 76 class ( totally Luck. ) Late in the game, score close, Bro. Hagin was coaching third and waved a runner home, which I called "out" at the plate. THAT is the only time I ever heard him say anything negative about anyone and it was I! He would have done Billy Martin proud the way he charged down that base line screaming " you're Blind! you're Blind!" and got in this umpires face and pled his case strongly! How I kept from withering in my shoes and changing the call I do not know. He finally walked off mumbling "gotta pray for that boys eyes" That was also the only time I personally know of Bro. Hagin ever being wrong. The runner was OUT!! LOL Class of 76 won the game and the trophy and I am sure Papa Hagin eventually forgave me. This guy hated losing! In the early eighties I was laying carpet for my in-laws in Winston-Salem, NC. I terribly injured my back and was virtually paralyzed and almost unable to breathe the pain was so intense. I called Rhema and asked the switchboard for Bro. Hagins office. When his secretary Doris answered I asked if Bro. Hagin was in, and miraculously I heard him say "hey Jimbo whats up?" I could barely speak, but managed to explain I needed prayer. He said a quick little prayer about thank you Lord according to First Peter 2:24 Jim was healed, etc. then said "hurry back we got lots of carpet to lay." After this brief call my wife Sheila says " whatcha gonna do?" I was sure hoping a VERY STRONG ANOINTING would flow down that phone wire and ZAP me back to FEELING healed but as usual Bro. Hagin spoke the WORD. I learned for sure that day the power is in the WORD. He told us that continually didn't he? I acted on first Peter 2:24 that day and continued to install floor covering for many years.
I have seen websites, etc. criticizing the faith message but like him, I would rather believe God for a million and get half of it then believe God for nothing and get all of it! I am convinced the consistency, the balance, and the truth of the teaching I have received from Kenneth Hagin has kept me strong in the faith and free from the power of darkness, and will continue to do so till I finish my course. What an honor, and how blessed I have been, to sit at this mans feet and be taught the WORD, by precept and example. Thank God his books and tapes we will always have.
His fight; He fought well! His course; he stayed true! His Lord he is with!
Papa Hagin, I am thrilled for you but I miss you. See you soon,. Love Jimbo
Kenneth E. Hagin 1917-2003 The greatest man I ever met. Fondly remembered and sadly missed by the Jim Giles family. 9/19/03
P.S. Please support Rhema with prayer and finances. Make it stronger than ever! yours In Him, Jim
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