John Hagee

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Pastor Hagee with his wife, Diana.

John C. Hagee (b. April 12, 1940) is the founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, a non-denominational evangelical church with more than 18,000 active members.

Hagee is the President and CEO of John Hagee Ministries which telecasts his national radio and television ministry carried in America on 160 T.V. stations, 50 radio stations and eight networks. The ministries can be seen and heard weekly in 99 million homes. John Hagee Ministries is in Canada on the Miracle Channel and CTS and can be seen in Africa, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and is in most developing nations.

He is also the president and CEO of Global Evangelism Television, which telecasts his radio and television ministry. Hagee has received numerous honors and accolades from national Jewish organizations for his unwavering support of Israel.

1 Biography
2 Personal Beliefs
3 Ministry
4 Financial Controversy
5 Books
6 Quotes
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Biography

Born in Baytown, Texas, to Rev. and Mrs. B. Hagee, John Hagee graduated from Trinity University, Texas, with a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in 1964. He was on a football scholarship and was on the Academic Dean's List. He also holds his Master's Degree from the University of North Texas in 1966. Hagee did his theological training at Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas, where he was president of his class and a member of the College Concert Choir. In 1989, he received his Honorary Doctorate from Oral Roberts University. In 2005, he received another Honorary Doctorate from Netanya Academic College in Israel. Hagee has served on the Oral Roberts University Board of Regents since 1989.

On August 26, 1960, Hagee married Martha E Hagee. They had two children, Christopher and Tish. In October 1966, Hagee founded Trinity Church in San Antonio, Texas. Hagee resigned his pastorate in May 1975. Hagee and his wife divorced in September 1975 ^[1]. On Mother's Day of 1975, Hagee founded Castle Hills Assembly, later known as the Church of Castle Hills. On April 12, 1976, Hagee married Diana M. Castro, a 24-year-old former congregant at Trinity Church. Hagee's three children with his second wife Diana Castro Hagee are Christina, Matthew and Sandy. Matthew is working on his Master's Degree in Theology and is the Associate Pastor of Cornerstone Church ^[2].

On October 4, 1987, the 5,000 seat Cornerstone Church was dedicated. Dr. W. A. Criswell of Dallas anointed Hagee and Diana Castro Hagee before the congregation.

In addition to his work for GETV, Hagee has written a number of best-selling books. He is also a well-known Southern Gospel recording artist.

[edit] Personal Beliefs

Hagee has denounced replacement theology, believing that Romans 9, 10 and 11 teaches that Jews continue to have favor with God by the election of grace without necessarily believing in Jesus. Mr. Hagee believes that the Bible commands Christians to be supportive of Israel and the Jewish people [1].

He believes that the land of Israel has never belonged to the Palestinian people. He teaches that the land was first called Palestine by the Romans, that there is no Palestinian language and that the Palestinians came from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and other Arab nations before 1948.

Hagee has said that Iran is a threat to Western civilization and does not believe that the "Islamofascist" mentality will ever respond favorably to diplomacy. He supports an American-Israeli pre-emptive strike on Iran to take out its nuclear capability and supports the Neo-Conservative movement in the United States.

Hagee's preaching is considered relatively traditional compared to some other televangelists. He asks his congregation to stand during the reading of the Biblical text prior to his sermon, and his style is often classified as "hellfire and brimstone". Hagee, like some other evangelical ministers, condemns literature such as J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter, calling it contemporary witchcraft.

Hagee denounces abortion and stopped giving money to an Israel's Hadassah hospital when they began performing abortions [2]. He has also spoken out against homosexuality.

Theologically, Hagee believes in the "baptism of the Holy Spirit", the "absolute authority of the scripture", miraculous healing, anointing with oil, baptism by immersion, the importance of evangelism, and the "worship of the Lord through singing, clapping, and the lifting of hands". ^[3].

[edit] Ministry

Hagee was awarded the "Humanitarian of the Year" award by the San Antonio B'nai B'rith Council. It was the first time in the history of San Antonio that this award has been given to a Gentile. Dr. Hagee was presented the ZOA Israel Award by U.N. Ambassador Jean Kirkpatrick. This award was given by the Jewish Community of Dallas, Texas. He was presented the ZOA Service Award by Texas Governor Mark White. Houston Mayor Kathy Whitmire issued a special proclamation in his honor declaring Pastor John C. Hagee Day. Hagee has received numerous honors and accolades from national Jewish organizations for his support of Israel.

Hagee has been to Israel twenty-two times and has met with every Prime Minister since Menachem Begin. John Hagee Ministries has given more than $8.5 million to bring Soviet Jews from the former Soviet Union to Israel. Dr. Hagee is also the Founder and Executive Director of "A NIGHT TO HONOR ISRAEL", an event which expresses solidarity between Christians and Jews on behalf of Jerusalem, the State of Israel and the United States. ^[4].

On February 7, 2006, John Hagee and 400 leaders from the Christian and Jewish communities formed a new national organization called Christians United For Israel (CUFI) ^[5]. This organization is focused on communicating the need to defend Israel, in light of biblically-based matters, with members of the United States Congress.

Hagee is the CEO of Global Evangelism Television (GETV) which telecasts his national radio and television ministry. In September 2004, Pastor Hagee merged GETV into a church called "Grace Church of San Antonio". The senior pastor of this church is identified as Pastor John Hagee himself ^[6]. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he will then transfer "Grace Church of San Antonio" into his main church "Cornerstone Church of San Antonio" ^[7]. Churches are not required to file a tax return (form 990, as GETV did).

[edit] Financial Controversy

In 2003, the San Antonio Express-News reported that, in 2001 alone, John Hagee had received over 1.25 million dollars in total compensation for his position as CEO at his non-profit corporation, Global Evangelism Television (GETV). This made him one of the highest-paid televangelists in 2001 ^[8].

According to the Form 990 that GETV filed for tax year 2003, Hagee received almost a million dollars in compensation for his work for GETV that year, which amounted to approximately 16 hours per week ^[9]. (The GETV Board of Directors, which determines his pay, consisted of John Hagee himself, his wife, his son, and a Cornerstone Church member.) However, because he claimed that he worked "80 hours a week" writing books, singing songs, meeting international dignitaries and answering the call to preach the word of God, John Hagee argued: "I deserve every dime I'm getting". Other observers, including many evangelical Christians, criticize Hagee's handling of finances ^[10]. Considering his combined pay from both donor-supported ministries (his separate church and TV ministries), his pay has been over 1 million per year.

Hagee said he was certain his finances complied with IRS requirements because he hired tax lawyers and accountants to make sure that his books complied with tax laws. Hagee said, 'We want a set of books so that when the IRS comes in here and looks they'll say, those people are clean'", Hagee said. "And I am waiting for the day that the IRS is going to come look at our books. I have spent a chunk of money waiting for them" ^[8].

[edit] Books

The Beginning of the End (1996) ISBN 0-7852-6772-7 was on the New York Times Best Seller list and was the #1 book in America in 1996 in the CBA non-fiction division

Day of Deception (1997) was also on the New York Times Best Seller List

Final Dawn Over Jerusalem (1998) was listed as the #1 book on the Best Seller List

His Glory Revealed (1999)

From Daniel to Doomsday: The Countdown Has Begun (1999)

God's Two-Minute Warning (2000)

The Revelation of Truth (2000)

The Battle For Jerusalem (2001)

Attack On America New York, Jerusalem, And The Role Of Terrorism In The Last Days (2001), revised version of The Battle For Jerusalem

Devil’s Island (2001), first fictional novel

Avenger of Blood (2002), the second book in the series

The Life Plan Study Bible : God's Keys to Personal Success (2004) as editor

The Seven Secrets: Unlocking Genuine Greatness (2004)

Life Lessons to Live By : 52 Weeks of God's Keys to Personal Success (2005) (daily devotional)

Jerusalem Countdown (2005)

What Every Man Wants In a Woman/What Every Woman Wants In a Man (2005), co-authored with his wife, Diana.

[edit] Quotes

"You will either offend the world and please God, or please the world and offend God." -Faith under Fire broadcast, (September 12, 2005)

"What is the point of having free speech if you have nothing to say?" - "How Free is Freedom?" (July 2, 2006) [3]

"Jesus did not come to the earth to start 285 squabbling denominations fighting over the Bible. How like the devil to divide Christians over the Bible." - "How Free is Freedom?" (July 2, 2006) [4]

"If you live your life and don't confess your sins to God Almighty through the authority of Christ and His blood, I'm going to say this very plainly, you're going straight to hell with a nonstop ticket." October, 2006[5]