Living the
Legacy
When my family sits down to discuss the history, current state, and future of our religious heritage, it is quite uncommon to need a pen, some paper, a recorder, and an agenda. In fact, this kind of conversation is most likely to happen around our dinner table. Although we’ve told the stories to each other hundreds of times, we’ve never really thought to share these thoughts with the rest of the world, until now.
In the few pages that follow, I will try to share some insight and inspiration from the most influential people in my life. Normally, they have their own columns in this magazine, but I made the editorial decision to mold all of our pieces into one biographical interview.
In preparation, I actually broke the cardinal rule of journalism, but I did no research. I wanted to see my life and my family with the freshest eyes possible. I wanted an authentic look at my family’s faith, a raw picture of personal beliefs that truly transformed several generations. I pray that you enjoy this journey, for this is our story of living the legacy.
N-PURSUIT:
So when I think about history, I like to know how it all started. Take a few minutes and tell me about the beginning.
BOB HOOPER:
Well, my mother’s sister, Goldie, told me Bible stories as far back as I can remember. My mother would also read from the Bible. Even from a young age, I remember believing in guardian angels. I knew there was something watching over us. Whenever I was alone or scared, I just knew there was someone out there who could help.
My grandparents had raised their children to believe in God even though all of their kids didn’t go to church. We would go to Grandma’s house for dinner on Sundays and Papa would retell what the preacher had taught. Sometimes I would go to church with my grandparents, but when Daddy turned his life around and really got the family seriously involved in church, he put off all his old habits and everything. So around thirteen was when I dedicated my life to the Lord and made a public commitment.
After we became committed to going to church, I really felt strongly about getting into music. I’ve only played music in church. We listen to other types of music and we’ve had opportunities to go elsewhere, but E.C. Briggs (my music “mentor” many years ago) prophesied over me and said that God would give me talent and He would use me and my family if I would keep my life dedicated to him. I was to never let my music and my talent go anywhere else. I still believe that today. I gave Him my talent and it is His from now on. The gift and the calling is without repentance. Good, bad, or indifferent – that’s what our family has always done. We believe it; we live it – no ifs, ands, or buts about it. That’s the foundation of our legacy.
N-PURSUIT:
So we can’t take credit for starting it, all we’ve done is keep it going.
BOB:
Yeah, we’ve gotta keep it going and that’s what we’re gonna do. We are taking what was given to us and we are improving on it. I do stuff all the time that my grandparents were unable to do – build churches, bless people, keep churches going, and all that. Even if it doesn’t look like it’s going right, we keep going because all the votes haven’t been counted. You’ll never know how many lives have been reached or changed by our heritage. We were born into it and so we think that this is the only way to go. Only time will tell what my kids and grandkids will do with the foundation I’ve tried to hold onto and give to them.
N-PURSUIT:
So true. In different areas, we’ve all done more for the Lord than the generation prior to us. Bill, what about you?
BILL WATSON:
I was born and raised in the Assemblies of God church. My dad grew up Baptist; my mom was a Methodist. She was actually the instigator of the denomination change because she knew there was more to the Lord than she was getting. She began to really seek God. She felt led to get her family involved in the AG. In the fall of 1961, I actually made that commitment one Sunday morning in children’s church.
In our family, you never did ask, “Are we going to church?” We just knew that we were going to church. Even if we were sick, Mom and Dad would take us to the preacher and the prayer line. One of my earliest memories in grade school is when our health teacher lined us up and asked us our name and the name of our doctor. I didn’t know how to tell her that I didn’t have a doctor. My doctor was Dr. Jesus.
Even at an early age, even before I knew what my personal relationship with the Lord fully meant, I was sensitive to spiritual matters. I feel like I’ve always known right and wrong. I believe more emphasis was put on what not to do instead of what to do, but we still knew the importance and consequences of our actions and behaviors. We were taught obedience, not only to Mom and Dad, but also to the Lord. We knew that we were supposed to obey and reverence Jesus. My mom and dad showed us how to live a life with the Lord, a life of prayer – they exercised the Scriptures in their hearts and lives. Because I’ve seen it performed, I’ve always believed that if we trust in the Lord, then He will direct our paths.
N-PURSUIT:
We do the best we can and ask Jesus for help with the rest. We’ve hinted at this, but I’d like to elaborate on our family’s willingness to learn from others’ mistakes.
BILL:
Yeah, we always wanted to reverence and obey Mom and Dad. We didn’t always do it, but we wanted to. So when they would say that they wanted what was best for us, we believed it. Especially growing up, I would see other people do things and think, “I want to do that.” But I know there’s no way I could’ve gotten away with what other people got away with. In the end, obeying Mom and Dad saved me a lot of trouble and a lot of heartache.
I think the Lord is the same way. We need to always be willing to accept His guidance and then do our best to obey. He wants and knows what’s best for us if we are only willing to do as He asks. I know that my parents’ obedience to the Lord transformed their lives, and I am just as certain that my obedience has really changed my life too.
N-PURSUIT:
That’s exactly what we’re talking about. It’s about changing a heritage. We don’t have to deal with the same things our parents dealt with. They changed the legacy they handed us and now we live that legacy and pass it on, hopefully on a deeper foundation, to our children. Is there anything you would add or say differently, J.B.?
J.B.:
We’ve pretty much covered it all. I can add that my very first memories are in church pews. Actually, the first ones are of sleeping under church pews, but my life’s history is centered around church. Momma and Daddy took me to church and had me dedicated when I was seven days old. In the last forty-nine years, I can honestly say that I haven’t missed over twelve or fifteen Sundays. Life always has been and always will be about the Lord, His work, and His church. We are here and we have paid a pretty, hefty price to be here. We want to see the Kingdom of God established and flourishing. If that means that the work of the Lord consumes us, then our sacrifice is well worth it.
N-PURSUIT:
Amen. Let’s move on to probably my favorite question. If you had the chance to tell the generation that has gone before you anything, what would you say?
BOB:
When I look back, I know that I was raised in a really strict church environment. There was more emphasis placed on actions, not faith. Instead of teaching about Christ and Him being crucified, they taught something that bordered on legalism. In my opinion, they made Christ of none effect. (See Galatians 5:4) There were so many limitations and traditions on your salvation, that it was almost impossible to believe that you were loved and accepted by the grace of God. It was good that the church held great convictions against things like smoking, alcohol, divorce, and the like; but it was never taught that salvation didn’t hinge on that sinful, or on that possibly sinless, action. So many people have been hurt because the church didn’t clarify this.
N-PURSUIT:
Do you think some people gave up on the church and gave up on God because of the rules that were being set?
BOB:
I kinda do. Some of these rituals and regulations are putting us under the laws of bondage, not the laws of liberty we find in Christ.
It would have been completely different had the church approached this teaching in another way. Just like with your children. There is a major difference in teaching them right from wrong and then disowning them when they don’t seem to meet your unrealistic expectations. If the church would’ve let people sit under and hear the Word of God, I believe the Lord and the conviction of the Holy Spirit would have given the people the power to change their lives.
N-PURSUIT:
Right. It wasn’t the church’s place to tell people where the grace of God ended. Bill, anything to add?
BILL:
Well, I can’t add much else because Bob nailed it on the head. I grew up in that church – a different address, different people, but the same spirit. It was hard to be a Christian. You were always afraid that you weren’t doing enough. Three times a week at church, I would look for a trap door to hell. It had to be there, but I never found it. It was always emphasized that one mistake – just one – could keep me from getting to heaven. My teachings of heaven were never centered on Jesus Christ and my faith; the teaching I knew was completely of rules and conditions and little else.
J.B.:
Well, we say it all the time, but it’s so true. Mankind wants to be told exactly what to do and what not to do, but there are some things that are not that simple. Society wants to know that if something is good, then they can overindulge in it. But, if it’s bad, then society wants to completely forget its existence. Most things are not like that. God has strict right and wrongs for all vital issues, but the Lord leaves many things to the discretion of the believer and the convictions that he or she holds.
N-PURSUIT:
I think we are finally getting a generation of Christians who are becoming more content to teach conviction and self-discipline. I think we still want cut-and-dry answers, but we are learning that those are few and far between.
BILL:
Well, we must remember that not all things are good for us. Many things can be lawful, but they’re not good. The Lord wants better for us than that.
N-PURSUIT:
And we are slowly learning that. Since many people have been set free from legalism, I believe this generation is privileged to move past it into other areas. Our new areas still have many obstacles to overcome, but I believe we are showing progress.
J.B.:
Well, we hold a unique perspective. Sometimes without legalism, we can’t comprehend liberty. But we also can’t let too much liberty allow us to forget or forsake responsibility and accountability.
N-PURSUIT:
Well, that’s all we’ve got time for this time. In our next issue, we will share some more thoughts from this “rare” interview. Next time, we are going to discuss the current state of the church and the future of Christianity, not only for our family, but for our world.
God Bless.
Author: N-PURSUIT Interview
Issue: Summer 2007
Scripture References:
Galatians 5:4
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