As a ninth-grade student in a small town in Alabama, God became real through Christ in great part because of Dr. Haggai. He led a crusade in our high school stadium, out of which it is believed the evidence of a rare and true revival was experienced. It was soon after that crusade that my wife attended another one of his crusades held in nearby Birmingham where she made a profession of Christ as her Master.

Because of a friendship born with my parents while in my hometown, I continued to stay in touch with Dr. Haggai. I was blessed to get to know Mrs. Haggai and their son, Johnny, at that same time.

While finishing my graduate work at seminary, Dr. Haggai invited me to join the newly formed Haggai Institute as his ministry moved global. Though it turned out that it was not God’s call on me to join the Haggai Institute staff, God continued to use Dr. Haggai throughout my ministry.

His influence on my life and ministry is beyond the limitation of this brief tribute, but it was his influence that helped shape the vision for my life and our church, Perimeter Church, to “attempt something so great for God that it’s doomed to failure unless God be in it.” It was his influence and direction which shaped a “new approach” to the structure of our global ministry – moving primarily to equipping indigenous church leaders, versus only supporting American missionaries.

Perimeter Church, as well as my life, have been shaped in countless ways by Dr. Haggai. I would hate to think where my ministry and our church would have been without the friendship, instruction and insights of Dr. Haggai.

So I am uniquely honored and blessed to have been a disciple of Dr. Haggai. His ministry will live on through my life and ministry as well as untold numbers of people like me and ministries like Perimeter. Few will be as worthy of his Master’s words to him entering glory, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”

In 1995, after having read several articles about Dr. John Haggai along with reading his book, How To Win Over Worry, my quest was to meet the man who had already traversed down the road that I sought to travel. Subsequently, he graciously invited me to the Haggai Institute for lunch where the staff received me with much warmth and honor. As I walked into the office, I was greeted by his rich, raspy voice full of grace and grandeur. His experience and gentle words breathed life into my dreams of innovatively reaching the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was as if he was reminding me to, “Attempt something so great for God it’s doomed to failure unless God be in it.” After much conversation, Dr. Haggai said that I reminded him of himself when he first launched out to achieve a seemingly impossible dream. He spoke of a few individuals who believed in him and encouraged him to establish what is now Haggai International.

Later that year, Dr. Haggai accepted my invitation to speak to an assembly of leaders of the Global Visionaries Network where he tremendously impacted the attendees. He is visionary leader whose leadership, passion, and integrity transforms lives. Dr. Haggai also has ministered on numerous occasions to our congregation at Cross Culture Church bringing practical wisdom and insight. He is an amazing communicator with an ability to connect with people from all walks of life.

In 1996, my family was vacationing in Maui, Hawaii. When Dr. Haggai found out that we were traveling to Maui, he invited us to the Leadership Training Center. While there, we learned firsthand the kind of impact H.I. was making all over the world. Leaders from across the globe were being trained to become better equipped to effectively influence their cultures with the Gospel. I must admit that after sitting in on the first session, vacation became secondary for me. I observed an attribute of Dr. Haggai: he has a gift of drawing out latent, God-given potential from people. Undoubtedly, his vast knowledge enables him to help people actualize their potential.

On another occasion a few years ago, I invited Dr. Haggai over to our home for lunch. It surprised us that he drove himself to our home. We laughed as Dr. Haggai joked about some of his encounters with the police on the road. He said whenever they caught him speeding, he would occasionally pull the senior citizen card to get out of trouble. As we continued to enjoy our fellowship, my family took turns extracting wisdom from him on things such as marriage, family, and ministry. Dr. Haggai has become family to us; our children even call him “Grandpa.” We are honored that he has shared life with us at memorable moments. In fact, he wrote the charge at my daughter’s wedding.

God is so gracious to have blessed me with a dear friend who has made such a dynamic impact all over the world helping people see God through the eyes of the unique cultures He created. It is my honor to continue partnering with H.I. to end Gospel poverty.

I have no words to be grateful for all that Dr John Haggai’s obedience has brought into my life. My whole way of living was impacted by the vision that God gave him and to which he was obedient. His example of passion and obedience inspired my life, taking me out of the channel of a religion without passion or love for souls, to the urgent need to please God and use all my resources until my last breath to announce the gospel. I thank God for his life and ministry and I hope one day when we find ourselves in the presence of the Lord at “Haggai corner” to see him again and enjoy the glorious presence of whom we love and serve, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

His legacy will continue to impact lives in the world until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now Dr.Haggai is enjoying the glorious presence of the Lord.

Carmen Zapata
Lawyer and Missionary
HAGGAI Latin America Team
Managua, Nicaragua

Haggai Institute has giving the great impact to my personal life, ministries and even my professional career. I attend HI class in Maui back in 2008. It was one of the best training I have ever had in my entire life. This all possible because of the faithfulness, passion and sacrifice of one great man of God, John Edmund Haggai. May he enjoy the eternal life with our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ. One day, when I return to the Lord, one thing that I would like to do in heaven is to meet and thanking John Haggai for what he has done in to my life and many others.

Rev. Dr. Anton Tarigan
Indonesia