Kenneth Hagin was a Christian minister and founder of the Rhema Bible Training Center. He was known for pioneering the Word of Faith movement, which teaches that believers can speak things into existence by faith. He died on September 19, 2003, at the age of 86, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But what was the cause of his death and how did he impact the charismatic Christianity?
A Miraculous Healing
Hagin was born on August 20, 1917, in McKinney, Texas, with a deformed heart and an incurable blood disease. He was not expected to live and at age 15 he became paralyzed and bedridden. In April 1933, he converted to Christianity and had a dramatic near-death experience. He claimed that he died three times in 10 minutes, each time seeing the horrors of hell and then returning to life. He prayed for Christ’s help and forgiveness and was healed of his paralysis and heart condition. He took Mark 11:23-24 as his life verse, which says:
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
A Pioneering Ministry
Hagin started preaching at 17 and founded his first non-denominational church in 1936. He joined the Assemblies of God in 1937 and pastored six churches until 1950. He then became an itinerant healing evangelist after he said he had an appearance by Jesus. He also claimed to have the gift of prophecy and word of knowledge. He founded the Kenneth E. Hagin Evangelistic Association (now Kenneth Hagin Ministries) in 1963 and launched a radio ministry, a school, and a magazine (now with 250,000 subscribers) to promote his teachings. He also wrote more than 120 books and pamphlets, many of which are still in print today.
Hagin is considered by many to be (after E.W. Kenyon) a father of the Word of Faith and Positive Confession movements, which teach that believers can obtain health, wealth, and happiness by speaking positive words based on God’s promises. He also taught on topics such as faith, healing, prosperity, prayer, spiritual warfare, and the Holy Spirit. He influenced many charismatic leaders such as Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, and Joel Osteen.
A Controversial Legacy
Hagin’s teachings have been very controversial both in charismatic/Pentecostal circles and in the wider evangelical community. He has been accused of heresy, plagiarism, false teaching, and manipulation by critics who say that he distorted the biblical message of grace and salvation. Some also say that he promoted a prosperity gospel that exploits the poor and the sick. Others defend him as a man of God who preached the truth and demonstrated God’s power.
Hagin collapsed at home on September 14, 2003, after eating his breakfast and smiling at his wife, Oretha. He was hospitalized in a cardiac intensive care unit but the exact cause of death was not immediately known according to Christianity Today. He died five days later at 7 a.m., leaving behind his wife, two children (Kenneth Jr. and Patricia), five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and millions of followers around the world.
Hagin’s funeral was held on September 24 at the Rhema Bible Church auditorium in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. More than 4,000 people attended the service which was broadcast live on the Internet according to Charisma Magazine. His son Kenneth Jr., who succeeded him as the president of Kenneth Hagin Ministries in 1997, delivered the eulogy. He said that his father was “a man who walked with God” who “left us a legacy of faith”.
Hagin’s ministry continues to operate under the leadership of his son and grandson Craig W. Hagin. His books and tapes are still widely distributed and his teachings are still followed by many Christians who believe that he was a true apostle of faith.
