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. !