A Place to Call Home

Worldwide Homecoming is an awesome thing. It’s like family coming back together again.

Family. That’s what RHEMA is all about. And as hundreds of RHEMA Bible Training Center graduates gathered together on the campus in February for Worldwide Homecoming, a big part of the family was together again. Old friends reunited, new connections formed, and RHEMA’s global impact became visually evident as never before.

Worldwide Homecoming was held in conjunction with Winter Bible Seminar. This time was extra special for the RHEMA USA classes of 1979, 1989, and 1999 as they celebrated their 10-, 20-, and 30-year reunions. We asked members of those classes to describe the impact RHEMA has had on their lives and what Worldwide Homecoming means to them. Here’s what a few of them had to say.

We are excited about being back home. It’s so wonderful. The anointing that was here years ago is still here, and we feel the effects of it. It’s been awhile since we’ve been back, but RHEMA changed the whole direction of our lives. RHEMA taught us faith, but most of all, love. If it were not for RHEMA, we feel that we would not have been able to do the things that we’ve done thus far. We’re just so grateful for RHEMA, the RHEMA family, and the Hagin family—what they have done and are continuing to do.

I don’t know if I can even put into words what it means to come back to RHEMA for Worldwide Homecoming. The anointing has been so wonderful. RHEMA is like a lifeline. It changed my life totally. All of the wonderful teachers imparted so much into me.

Pastor Hagin came to South Africa in 1977. For the first time in my life, I saw the power of God in operation. Everybody in that meeting was on the floor. In the car going to the airport Pastor Hagin said to me, “Lyndie, if you come to America, I’ll give you a bursary [a scholarship] to study at RHEMA Bible Training Center. You can’t think about it, you can’t pray about it. I want an answer from you right now. Yes or no?” I’m so glad I said yes, because a whole nation was changed. From South Africa to Africa to Europe, thousands of students were thrust into the harvest fields. And here at Worldwide Homecoming, I’m home. I’m so proud of my roots.

RHEMA is home. It’s always home, no matter where we go. We may go all over the world, but when we come back home, it feels like we never left. And when you’re always giving, it’s good to get refilled and see everybody. This is my family. And RHEMA equipped my husband and me to do the work of ministry. People always say, “There’s something different about you.” It’s because of the Lord and because RHEMA put something different in us. This is a life-changing place. Once you come here, you’ll never be the same when you leave.

Worldwide Homecoming is like coming back to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Just like you go visit your grandparents at least once a year, we come back to RHEMA—to Pastor and Mrs. Hagin. I think the best thing we learned at RHEMA Bible Training Center was not imparted through our teachers and instructors, but through Pastor Hagin. We connected with him when we were here, and God imparted through him what would help us the most later on in life. It was his motto: “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit!”

Worldwide Homecoming is just a thrill. I love the spirit of love and unity that I get to experience here. I am very thankful for the education and training that I got at RHEMA Bible Training Center—now 20 years ago. To this day, I still get out my old cassettes and notes and thank God for the Word that was imparted into me.

Coming back to Worldwide Homecoming is like coming home to us. We get refreshed. It’s so encouraging to sit under Pastor’s and Mrs. Hagin’s teaching again and to hear their hearts. We just value that. This is our home. Pastor Hagin is our pastor. And RHEMA changed the direction of our lives and changed us. Now we take what we learn here to our congregation. . . . RHEMA’s like family. And every function that we come to, whether it’s Worldwide Homecoming, Kindle the Flame, A Call to Arms, or Campmeeting, keeps us connected. It’s such a blessing.