Dream on!!!

I loved this blog post from Bishop Isaccs. Instead of writing about it I just thought I would paste it! POWERFUL thoughts that have stirred my spirit!!

Our Need To Dream BIGGER Dreams…Posted by Bishop Bill November 01, 2008 In 1999, I had just gone to North Georgia as State YCE Director and Carl Richardson came to our Winter Prayer Conference to speak. In one of the sessions he made this statement--"In order for you to go where God wants to take you, you must learn to dream bigger dreams and think bigger thoughts than you are thinking right now!" The words so resonated in my spirit that I was lost to the rest of his message and my mind began to wrap around the question--"how does one dream bigger dreams?" Later that day at lunch, I positioned myself near Brother Richardson and posed the question--"how do I dream bigger dreams?" He challenged me to consider spending time with people who I felt thought BIGGER than I did. He also encouraged me to consider possibilities that were beyond my perceptions. Looking back now, I consider those moments some of the pivotal moments of my leadership career.So, here is my question for you... Do you dream BIG dreams about your life, your family, your career, your marriage, your ministry? It is so easy to fall into the trap of settling for status quo--to take the easy road and stay where you are. Remember this, God did not prepare your life for status quo...He is calling you to greater heights and things that are yet still beyond your wildest imaginations! There is a new ministry waiting to be born in your spirit. There is a new plan for revitalizing your marriage if you are willing to take the chance. There is a new strategy for winning your family to Christ but you have to allow you present mindset to change...to grow..to dream! Almost every neat and cool thing you enjoy today was the result of someone dreaming an improbable dream of "what can be!" Sometimes when I fly a commercial airplane and feel the lift of the jet off the ground, I wonder--"did Orville Wright and his brother Wilbur imagine this would be the result of their dreaming?" The list is endless of dreamers who dared to challenge the status quo and consider the possibilities of what could be. There will always be the critics who will ridicule your dreaming and think it is unwise or ill-advised but they are merely distractions...you have to keep dreaming--despite your detractors!Author Jim Collins (Good to Great) recently said in a conference I attended that good leaders need some "white space" time on their calendar without a phone, a PDA, a computer and interruptions. Each leader needs time to dream, to imagine, to think and to consider what could be. In those moments will come the ideas that change your world. He's right and good leaders will have to fight for those moments but we never regret them because our souls were made to dream, to imagine and to consider. Our Creator God is Himself a dream, a person of imagination. I know because I see from my window today the fruits of His imaginative thought--a tree that grows from a seed to heights of more than 25 feet, a squirrel who can leap and jump from limb to limb, the steam that rises from the melting frost which lays upon the grass, etc."When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near." -Michael HammerTake some time this week and make a list of your dreams, those thoughts and imaginations which seem beyond your reach...write them down and tuck them away in your Bible near the verse Matthew 19:26--"With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Dirty Hands!

"He's still working on me. To make me what I ought to be. It took him just a week to make the moon and the stars; the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient He must be...He's still working on me."

The words of this song still ring in my ears! A song that I learned in Children's Church years ago still hold true. I recently attended the Eastern Campmeeting for the Church of God in SC and The Perry's www.perrysministries.com/2007A/about.html were singing! They sang a song titled "The Potter Knows the Clay" which grabbed my heart strings. I was reminded that "He is the Potter and I am the Clay." While they sang they showed a video. In that video there was a picture of a potter's hands working on clay. In that picture I noticed that His/her hands were very dirty. I have been thinking/chewing on this for a while and I am thankful that His hands are still getting dirty not just in my life but for all of humanity.

I remember from scripture that a crowd was ready to stone a lady who was caught in the act of adultery when Jesus showed up and wrote something in the dirt (His hands got dirty), I am reminded that at the healing of a blind man, Christ spits in the dirt makes a clay and wipes it in the blind man's eyes (His hands got dirty), Jeremiah reminds us that the potter "crushes" the clay at times to start over (His hands get dirty). I could go on and on but I think you get the point. This past Sunday two people came down to the altar and gave their hearts to Christ. The young couple wept and I know that His hands were dirty as He crushed the clay! In my own life the potter still has me spinning me on the wheel and is working on me. The past few months of my life have been difficult (spiritually, emotionally, and mentally). Yet I am convinced that it is just the potter making me, crushing me, and starting over in me that I might be used for His glory. I am open to whatever the potter wants to make out of me as long as He gets the glory. I am seeing some victorious days now and I am thankful that the Potter knows the Clay!

Praise the Lord that His hands still get dirty for humanity and that He is still working on me!!!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOO Cocks!!

This game is the hardest game of the year on me. I grew up in the years before SC was ever in the SEC and have always pulled for the Vols and the Gamecocks. The two teams rarely met on the field prior to Carolina's entrance into the conference. I had the best of both worlds! I could sing Rocky Top and 2001 all at the same time. Then in 1992 South Carolina entered the SEC and I began to have a hard time. I have Tennessee sweat shirts, watches, etc. But I also have Carolina sweat shirts, watches, etc. Last year the Vols beat the Gamecocks in overtime in Knoxville. (Melissa, Nolan and myself were all there) After such a heart breaking loss last year I decided that I was going all out for the Cocks this year! I am forever thankful that I did. Tough game for the VOLS but...Go Cocks. We will wait and see about next year. Prediction...Fulmer's back next year!

The BIG 30~

Today has been my 30th birthday! I thought that I would have a hard time with it but it has not been to bad. Millions have already turned 30 before me and made it! I too will make it! Lots have happened since my last post...Bowden fired at Clemson, Garcia the new QB at USC, Fulmer in the Hotseat at Tennessee, the financial system of the U.S. on a roll-a-coaster, my dad turned 50, and I made butter and butter milk with a widow in my church. Many other events but too many to name!

I took some time this morning to look over my life. I learned that the past 5 years I have been allowing life to live me instead of me living life! That is going to come to an END! I am going to take more time for my family, my friends and for myself. It is TOO easy to allow the ministry and the church become the priority instead of what really matters. I have a great wife, wonderful son, and the best parents and grandparents a man could ask for!!

Yesterday and today has been the the SC Church of God State Ministers meeting. It was really nice to see friends from all over SC that I only get to see a few times a year. These men and women have become like family to me. I truly love our ministry family in SC. Melissa and I are excited to be elected onto the SC Church of God Youth and Christian Education Board again. For the past two years we have served on the Board of Directors of the Church of God Home for Children. We are going to miss serving the students and the Superintendent (Roger and Pam Childers) but look forward to the future. We both love the ministry of the Youth Department and look forward to working with our new youth director and his wife. (Greg and Becky Copley)

I will be blogging tomorrow so check back later. Happy Birthday to Chad Putnam (my brother in law also turning 30) and Debra Perkins Harris (life long friend also turning 30) tomorrow! Pray for a couple of friends of mine Scott and Tyra King as they are going through a rough place in life right now. There baby was born premature and they all need our prayers!

Serving Him...Scottie

Hurricane Ike...

What is going thru her mind in this picture...

You write the caption...

Pray for all of those in Galveston and those in the Gulf Coast!!!

The General's Book

If you are a pastor and have not picked up a copy of the General's book then you need to!

This book not only assists the pastor in structuring a church but it is also a fire starter. I could almost see and hear Dr. Culpepper's father as he wails in prayer at the altar of that old country church! I could almost hear the urgency in his voice as he looks at Dr. Culpepper and says,

"Son, you have lost the edge. You began as a pastor with a big dream, but it has been rough. Your heart is beaten up. You're discouraged. You are busy, but not very effective. You have learned to act like a preacher but you're empty. You've lost your burden for lost people. Your prayer life is in trouble. No tears punctuate your preaching. You're not hungry for God like you used to be. You know how to say the right things and push the right buttons; but like Samson who shook himself, you don't know the Spirit is gone. The anointing is not fresh. Your fire has gone out. You have left your first love. You must get the edge back."

What a word. I have felt just like the words that the General's father uttered to him. Empty, busy, not effective, tearless, shaking myself and not finding the Spirit! WOW! I love the transparency of Raymond Culpepper. I pray to God that we the Church of God will rally around one another and help each other through these "pit" times in life. I have been so busy working for God that I failed to simply serve God. To act as a waiter and serve Him with my praise, self discipline, worship, fasting, reading, meditating, etc. As the elder Culpepper said, "you must get the edge back." We as ministers of the Church of God MUST GET THE EDGE BACK. Attitude reflects leadership. If I am not Serving God, (as mentioned earlier) but am always just busy and non effective then I am training God's people to do and be the exact same thing. Therefore we birth a generation that is like those who we can read of in Judges 2:10. "...and there arose a generation after them that did not know the Lord nor the works He had done..." God Have Mercy!!! Help and Forgive as we have grown cold and continue to try to do Your work with our might and power instead of by Your Spirit. Rebirth us that we may become, "Like a Mighty Army!"

VOLS loose in OVERTIME!!!

The Vols beat themselves in L.A.!

Three missed field goals and not holding onto the stinking football is NOT the way to win games! The offensive line is not looking good, and the new quarterback is struggling to hit a moving target! The defense seemed to be dog tired in the forth quarter. Might need some extra conditioning! I hope this is not a l- o- n- g year.

I have nothing else to say.

Myrtle Beach!

We went to Myrtle Beach at the end of July and had a great time!! We left Sunday night after church and came home on Wednesday morning early. Of course we couldn't miss a service at church... :) We had to get away for just a couple of day as we had not taken anytime off since the spring.

Most people think that our work at Youth Camp, attending and working at Campmeeting and then the General Assembly are just great times of vacation and get away. HAHAHA...We did work three weeks of youth camp but there was NO rest. Youth camp is physically exhausting but is eternally rewarding! Anyway...

The Beach...

This was Nolan's first trip to the beach and he loved it! I will put more pics up later! He loved the water. I was exhausted from holding on to him, fighting the current, and having waves crash on top of us both. Melissa would hold him for a little while but he is HARD to hold onto when his is "fwimmin!" He love sitting on the beach and playing in the sand! I do not see how he does it but he acted like there was no sand anywhere on his body but he was covered! I cannot take that feeling!!! His favorite part seemed to be when he was sit on the sand in the crash zone and let the waves splash him around! We had a wonderful time. Just seeing his eyes and hearing him talk of it has been worth it all! God blessed us with a wonderful, beautiful, and happy 3 year old! More pics of Nolan to come!!

General Council Item 13: Women on the Church Council

My last post focused on all of the great things that happened at the General Assembly. As I have had several emails from friends and the post from Dr. Cheryl Johns I want to revisit an issue. Women in the local church, what is their role?

In our denomination we have ladies who serve as pastors of local churches but cannot serve on a church and pastors council. A woman can be the spiritual leader but cannot have a voice in a business meeting that is called the pastor's council? This seems to be an oxymoron of some sort. I just ask someone to explain this...

Also there are ladies who serve on State Youth and Christian Education boards and we have ladies serve on many boards that are under appointment of the International Executive Committee in the Church of God but cannot serve on a local church board? This just seems like an injustice.

We expect the ladies to give financially and support the local church and the International church but have no voice in how that church is administrated? Ladies are training our ministers at Lee University and at the Church of God Theological Seminary but cannot walk hand and hand with the same ministers that they train? Nora Chambers, the first teacher of the Church of God BTS (Bible Training School), could train men and women, teach men and women scripture but could not serve on the pastors council?

We have looked to ladies to raise money to keep the doors opened on our churches for years but they cannot serve on the council? The Willing Women Worker Band, Ladies Aux, and now Women's ministry have sold quilts, hot dogs, chicken plates, peanut brittle, etc but are not worthy to serve on a pastor's council?

Is all of this because we were trained but were trained with a bias? Have we failed to look at the Historical Context of the scriptures that we use to keep our spiritual mothers and daughters behind a veil? Have we said to our ladies you can walk in your prophetic anointing and prophecy as scripture says, "your sons and daughters shall prophecy..." but wear this veil and lets hide behind our traditions and misinterpretations. Dr. Kym Alexander writes a couple of thought provoking pieces on her blog about women and the Church of God. Check it out here, http://www.keahisttheology.blogspot.com/

I am praying and seeking God that He would show me His heart in this. I am reminded of Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. " Any thoughts?

General Assembly 2008: TEXAS STYLE

The Church of God General Assembly was one of the best I have attended! The services, business meetings, Teen Talent, Lee University Alumni get together, etc were all wonderful. The Spirit of the Lord was wrenching hearts to the point that it reminded me of a quote from the book "Like A Mighty Army." Dr. Charles Conn says that the spirit was moving and "GROWN MEN CRIED." In our business meeting the Spirit convicted hearts, called for the body to repent, and blew a fresh wind over us. I know in my spirit that God was giving us a Malachi 4 move. Malachi 4 reminds us that in the last day God will send the Spirit and will turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children and the hearts of the children back to the fathers! This was taking place at our Assembly. I feel like hearts merged for the greater good and progress is taking place!

I enjoyed all of the services but the World Missions service was special to me. Seeing how the Church of God is in 169 countries and the Word of God is piercing darkness just moved me to the point that this grown "boy" :) cried. I wept during the parade of flags as Ken and Karen Anderson moderated. This was truly a God moment for me as I watched missionaries and delegates from all over the world poor into the Alamo Dome. To think that I have a small part of this brings me to tears. I know I am not on the mission field with them but the money I give, the prayers I pray , as well as the other resources are there! God bless World Missions! I am truly blessed to know our denomination has such a strong missions department!

This makes me wonder, with all of the talk of cutting the tithe of tithe, if we as ministers feel as if our local church is more important than the (for the lack of better terms) the holistic church. I am just chewing on some of this stuff. I hope our motives are pure! I am really struggling with this whole issue but am excited b/c I trust our G.O. and the new committee to be fair and impartial. I feel like God ordered the steps of these men to lead us and restore us. I just hope our motives are pure and we are not just reacting to years of no action. I love the Church of God as it has given me a home and a vehicle for ministry. I have a sincere burden for it!

On a lighter note...Thanks to Gary Ray, Phil Cook, Paul Conn, and all of those who put the Lee Alumni party together! I was late to the get together and most had already left but I was able to meet up with some special people in my life who lingered! Brent and Sarah Stephens, Travis and Kelly (mail box stuffing is a federal crime!) Johnson... :) Josh and Joyce Lane, Phil Cook, Matthew and Jennifer Propes, Billy Humphrey, John and Lisa Lowery, and so many others!!!! (Sorry if I didn't name you but please its 3:30 am and I should be in bed!) I love seeing and reconnecting with old friends!

Teen Talent seemed to go over like p-nut butter! SMOOTH!! Some of the best talent I have heard and seen in sometime! I love teen talent. As a product of it, from my teenage years, at the Gap Hill Church of God and the best minister of music in the Church of God Danny Knight, Teen Talent holds a special place in my heart! Danny played a major role in my life and instilled into me a love for music. He has a few gray hairs with my name on them :) but his constant love and support played a major role in who I am today. We had a teenager from North Walhalla in Teen Talent and we supported him but Melissa and I found ourselves going to watch students who were not apart of us b/c we just love it! The awards ceremony was PHENOMENAL! Excitement still fills the air when the emcee takes the mike! One could fill the electricity in the air when he/she sees all of the state flags, banners, t-shirts etc flying and being paraded as the ceremony begins.

Oh yea since I am taking of all of the feelings that overwhelm one at teen talent, we can't forget the feeling of seeing chubby 30-50+ year old state youth directors chasing the teen talent winners and runner-ups from their state up to the stage to have the picture made! (I can say that b/c I'm chubby) There is no sight any more funny than seeing grown men who have not run in YEARS trying to sprint to the stage and keep up with a teenager or an entire youth group running! I Love It!!!

Great Assembly this year and I look forward to Orlando in 2010! So until then...lets watch and pray!!!

Chasing Rainbows!

I have heard many people say that they chased their rainbow and found their pot of gold. Sometimes I have found my pot of gold and at other times and have just found a "pot" when I got to the end of the rainbow.

I am almost convinced that chasing a rainbow or chasing a dream is an ok thing to do! Many times (maybe most times) the rainbow is not really about what you find at the end of it as much as it is about the journey that you are on while you chase. Life is about the journey. A friend of mine told me recently not to let the fears of the unknown keep you from chasing the dream, the rainbow. If at the end all you find is a port-a-john it is ok because you have followed your heart, chased your dream or chased your rainbow.

Look at Moses' life. He chased the rainbow of a land that flows with milk and honey! At the end of his life he did not get to experience the milk and honey(pot of gold) but he was able to look back at his journey. Does this make him failure? I think not... Let dig into his story!

Looking back he (Moses) saw a pillar of fire by night and could remember a cloud by day! He could tell the story of the Red Sea opening and the dry land under his feet. He could share how God provided manna, quail and other food on the journey. He could shout about how water flowed from a rock not once but TWICE in his journey. He could tell his story about seeing God on Mount Sinai! His journey brought him to a place where he not only seen God through the cleft of the rock but watched God carve into tablets His commandments! The shoes that did not wear out, the clothes that did not become thread bare, the battles won while his hands were raised, the tabernacle that was built, the ark of the covenant that was dedicated, the presence of God that was so real and all of this was on his journey. This was not at the end of the rainbow...It was during the journey toward the end!

Encourage yourself not to get caught up with the end of the rainbow but enjoy the journey for all it is! You never know where your dream is going to take you so just follow your rainbow! If you find a port-a-john at the end of it then thank God for a place to get rid of the junk (waste) that you have picked on the journey! :) There is always a pot at the end of a rainbow we just do not know which one! Be thankful for them both!

Catch Up...

Youth Camp!!!

I am sorry it has been so long since I have posted but most of June and July are spent in Church of God Youth Camp for the Hager's!

I Love Youth Camp! I believe that Youth Camp is the greatest evangelistic arm that the Church of God has going! The spiritual statistics from youth camp are greater in number than all of the state evangelism team reports all year. This is not a slam on the evangelism department at all it is a boost for the ministry of CAMP. I was filled with the Holy Ghost, accepted the call into ministry and engaged to my wife all at SC Church of God Youth Camp! My youth camp memories are held close to my heart and are some of the best memories I have! The closest friend I have (My wife Melissa) is a youth camp relationship. Tray Brown, George Forrest, Bobby Forrest, Tonja S. West, Jessica Ashe, Josh Childers, Jamie and Diana Sharpe, Alison Standridge, Amy Elizabeth Harris Robinson, Shane and Candy Stone, Mike, Sandra, Ashley, Derek and Melissa Wooten, Eddie Hardee, Mark Daniel, Joe Grice, Neal Nolan, Neil Dubose, Al Sims and Chad Jordan are just a few names to mention that are life long friends that I found at Youth Camp! I loved the days of the pepsi wagon at the upper ballfield, the softball games played under the lights, the only mixed drink that the Church of God allows the "Suicide", when girls in culottes could drive a teenage boy into full hormonal explosion. (That was all the leg we could see back then) the chicken dance, the hokey pokey, the smell of East Tab, dorms without air conditioning, snow cones, the old white dorm on the hill (Hill Top for all of those who remember), guys raking the slats on the doors of hill top all day and night, no golf carts, the laughter, sneaking out and hiding under the chapel all night with the Griffis' kids and others, the services with Chuck Ramsey and others, Winning Mr. Youth Camp, best all around camper, and MARK MAULDIN! OH Youth Camp. My all time favorite memory is asking my wife to marry me during fun time of Mini Week seven years ago and all of the retired camp ground resident coming to fun time to watch. Oh the memories. I now am having the opprotunity to pastor people who were youth camp friends while growing up in camp! I love it!!! Kids lives are changed forever b/c of YOUTH CAMP...enough of that...If you want more camp memories just call and we can chat...

Campmeeting 2008...

Raymond Culpepper, Tommy Bates and Perry Stone in the evenings and Doug Small in the mornings. We had it all in SOUTH CAROLINA~~~ Great BIG shout out to our Overseer T. Propes on the line up! Best one in SC in YEARS. The music was good, the services were all awsome and catching up with friends was priceless!

Forth Of July was great. We had our parents and grandparents over and we grilled burgers, ate watermelon, and churned homeade ice cream. It is always great to be with the fam! Here is the latest pic of the fam. Enjoy!!!

Memorial Day Weekend...

Yesterday, as I have done the past three years, I cancelled our evening service at church and we moved venues to Biggerstaff. Biggerstaff is a 5 acre lake front retreat area. We grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and our church people brought all of the trimmings! We had a huge turnout!! I am not sure of the exact number but I know that it was much larger than our normal pm service. The kids played ladder golf while some of the men tried their hand at horse shoes. Most all the teens and kids were swimming and fishing. One family (who manages a rafting company) brought some rafts and we played around in the boats. We brought the crowd together after dinner and had a 15 min. devotion and singing service. After the service...back to the water, games, swimming, etc. We had a great time. Our church loves the Lake Service.

Today we have taken it easy. We went to the lake and hung out with Melissa's family. Nolan went "Fwimming" and almosted "brownded" when he slipped in 2 foot of water. He was fine considering he had on a life jacket. His jacket has a back flap on it that flips a child on their back so they can float and also serves as a pillow for their head.

I have lost 15 lbs since last Friday on my new diet. I am excited on this new journey. I am getting ready to put down the laptop and grab my bicycle for a short ride. Please pray for me as I try to take care of myself!

Indiana Jones...

The Last Crusade should have been the last cursade!!!! While it was nice to see some familiar faces this movie was a let down! I am disappointed! If you have not seen this movie yet a better title would have been...

Indiana Jones: National Treasure meets E.T. !

Top Ten Things About Pastoring in the Country!

10. One dozen of farm fresh eggs given by a church member every Wednesday night.

9. Fresh Chow Chow! Goes great with pinto beans, greens and corn bread.

8. Fresh jars of honey given by a 93 year old church member who still robs her own beehives!

7. Warm pound cake given by members...chocolate, vanilla, lemon, etc.

6. Fresh (muscadine, apple, grape and peach) jelly/jam given by members durning autumn.

5. PEAR PRESERVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. Garden fresh vegetables given by members from late May to early October!

3. Hot loaves of bread freshly baked by some of our senior citizens

2. Fresh meat given by a cattle farmer in our church! He pays tithe on the slaughter!

1. Freshly picked and baked strawberry pie (which I am eating now) from members!

Here we go!!

I am not sure about this blogging stuff but I thought I would give it a try. I am not a man that is full of wisdom but I am rarely speechless!

I have been studying today for service tonight. I have been using the old book "He Chose the Nails" by Max Lacado and digging some awesome sermon material out of it. I am building my own sermons/teachings off of some of his ideas. But today I was reading and had a thought come to mind and I just put the book down!

Think on this...IN this life we all have had someone who "paved the way, cleared the path" for us. Be it on a job, in the church...somewhere along the way, someone walked the road we are on before we got there. Many pastors and members built the church that I pastor now, my parents paved the way for me into adulthood, etc... Somewhere someone did the same for everyone.

The path that Jesus took, from Pilate's Court to Calvary, (the Via Dolorosa) was the way that Christ whispers to us, I am clearing a path for you. If you need hope, healing, love, mercy, joy, or whatever...Christ has already cleared the path, paved the way and now all we have to do is walk in His footsteps and it (0ur miracle) can be found!. Just a thought! HE PAVED THE WAY!