Why Did you Stay a Hacker?

[Justice1976]

I don't use anything I learned at HAC today. I left there in 1981 -- graduated too! I realized in the last year there that I wasn't going into "full time Christian service." I was much too invested to quit at that time, so I stayed and graduated. I went home and worked construction the following year and pretty much just wandered aimlessly for a year. I went on back to a public university, got another degree, then a post grad degree and started my real adulthood. God has been so very good to me.

But I look back on those HAC years and often think, "I thought I was too smart to be in a cult, but I guess I wasn't. I don't think HAC was a full fledged cult, but as the CIA said about Hunter's laptop, "It bore the marks."

I don't really regret going there. In some ways I think it matured me, for I was extremely immature when I went. Some of the rigor gave me confidence in years to come that I could accomplish a bunch if I just didn't quit.

I guess, the truth for me is that I stayed because I really didn't have anywhere to go or another life I could lead. It took along time for me to get to another place. I still remember my first night there in the early fall of 1976, when Bro. Hyles came to the old chapel and challenged us all not to ever quit. "Get your dictionary and cut out quit!" I went all in, so I guess that was effective for me.

But at bottom, I do wish that I hadn't gone. It delayed my career choice and those were years that could have been better utilized. But it is what it is. I know there was a purpose. I'm 66 now and I still wonder a little what that purpose was, but God is good through the trials. He really is.

Enjoy today!

 

[abcaines]

I attended the Campus Church of PCC from December 83 to October 85. I was not a student but I knew many. I also knew a lot of staff.

PCC has changed over the years; my wife and I went there for Wednesday services a couple weeks ago... It's a whole different vibe than I remember. Of course, Wednesdays during summer break probably carries a different vibe all together.

The atmosphere was very warm. One of the staff pastors chatted with us for a time. I mentioned we were in CMA and he asked what I ride. When I told him I ride a Goldwing, he said Pastor Redlin does as well. When I saw him sitting not far away, I went over and talked to him. His Goldwing is similar to mine. I thought that was so cool.

I always thought PCC has been in kind of an odd position, wanting to be identified with the fundamentalists but still being genuine. Even back in the day, there was an air of balance with them and even though I am different than what I was then, The foundation of what I am today was set by my time there.

I understand the positive aspect of your time at HAC. But it turns out that HAC is a very different place than what was presented to me back then.

 

[Justice1976]

I attended the Campus Church of PCC from December 83 to October 85. I was not a student but I knew many. I also knew a lot of staff.

PCC has changed over the years; my wife and I went there for Wednesday services a couple weeks ago... It's a whole different vibe than I remember. Of course, Wednesdays during summer break probably carries a different vibe all together.

The atmosphere was very warm. One of the staff pastors chatted with us for a time. I mentioned we were in CMA and he asked what I ride. When I told him I ride a Goldwing, he said Pastor Redlin does as well. When I saw him sitting not far away, I went over and talked to him. His Goldwing is similar to mine. I thought that was so cool.

I always thought PCC has been in kind of an odd position, wanting to be identified with the fundamentalists but still being genuine. Even back in the day, there was an air of balance with them and even though I am different than what I was then, The foundation of what I am today was set by my time there.

I understand the positive aspect of your time at HAC. But it turns out that HAC is a very different place than what was presented to me back then.

I could be wrong. I have been "out" of that orbit for many years. But unless a lot has changed, I would respectfully say that comparing PCC with HAC is VERY apples to oranges. In retrospect, going way back to the mid-seventies, PCC might have been an excellent choice for me. There seemed to have been a temperance of a lot of the stuff that HAC took to the limit. The crazy stuff. I don't know, but I think you can have standards without insanity.

Looking back on it, I think the founding of HAC was the beginning of the downfall of Jack Hyles. He had already built a mega church, but when he figured out that he could enlist a couple of thousand "students" that he could (literally) command and work them to the bloody limit, the results and the effect on him were intoxicating. I mean, what CHURCH had that as their growth engine? I think that's what gave Bob Gray (Jacksonville, FL) and Curtis Hutson the ideas to do likewise. It didn't work out so well in those locations, but I do think at some point Hyles realized this was the game changer to get the MEGA numbers that they probably still lied about. I mean, did they ever have a big day, attendance goal that they failed to meet? I think the same people who were counters then went on decades later to be mail in ballot counters in blue states -- we just keep counting until we hit the number we need?

The seventies were like the perfect storm for him to make that happen and a lot of lives would never be the same -- his included.

 

[abcaines]

Yes. Very much apples and oranges. Of course, I didn't realize it at the time. I was made familiar with HAC, Sword of the Lord, Hammond Bus Ministry, etc. at the time.

To me, all of fundamentalism was one homogeneous system with churches in general agreement. Of course as I grew in my perspective, I began to recognize the differences.

 

[Jo]

I don't use anything I learned at HAC today. I left there in 1981 -- graduated too! I realized in the last year there that I wasn't going into "full time Christian service." I was much too invested to quit at that time, so I stayed and graduated. I went home and worked construction the following year and pretty much just wandered aimlessly for a year. I went on back to a public university, got another degree, then a post grad degree and started my real adulthood. God has been so very good to me.

But I look back on those HAC years and often think, "I thought I was too smart to be in a cult, but I guess I wasn't. I don't think HAC was a full fledged cult, but as the CIA said about Hunter's laptop, "It bore the marks."

I don't really regret going there. In some ways I think it matured me, for I was extremely immature when I went. Some of the rigor gave me confidence in years to come that I could accomplish a bunch if I just didn't quit.

I guess, the truth for me is that I stayed because I really didn't have anywhere to go or another life I could lead. It took along time for me to get to another place. I still remember my first night there in the early fall of 1976, when Bro. Hyles came to the old chapel and challenged us all not to ever quit. "Get your dictionary and cut out quit!" I went all in, so I guess that was effective for me.

But at bottom, I do wish that I hadn't gone. It delayed my career choice and those were years that could have been better utilized. But it is what it is. I know there was a purpose. I'm 66 now and I still wonder a little what that purpose was, but God is good through the trials. He really is.

Enjoy today!

Well said.

I attended in the 70s and graduated before you. When most people reach their 60s, they have a bit more time to look back and wonder over their decisions. I was ready to leave after my sophomore year and had a heart-to-heart talk with my father. My parents were not IFB and rarely attended church but most of my relatives received their masters from secular colleges. My father said, "I see a change in you. I think you should finish." His response surprised me since we knew it was unaccredited. Part of his decision may have involved the fact that he'd already spent some money on my education., another part, hopefully, was that he saw that I had matured. I graduated, and he retired from teaching shortly after that. I could have pursued another degree at an accredited college but when I could have, I didn't. Initially, most of the members of my family wanted me to attend an accredited college, get a degree, and then attend a Bible college. Part of the draw for me was my friends from church who were going to Crown Point with me. I have some good memories and know I can't change the past.

I was fortunate to meet some very good people at church who have supported me most of my adult life. I was unfortunate to meet a few scoundrels, too. But that's another story.

 

[Justice1976]

Well said.

I attended in the 70s and graduated before you. When most people reach their 60s, they have a bit more time to look back and wonder over their decisions. I was ready to leave after my sophomore year and had a heart-to-heart talk with my father. My parents were not IFB and rarely attended church but most of my relatives received their masters from secular colleges. My father said, "I see a change in you. I think you should finish." His response surprised me since we knew it was unaccredited. Part of his decision may have involved the fact that he'd already spent some money on my education., another part, hopefully, was that he saw that I had matured. I graduated, and he retired from teaching shortly after that. I could have pursued another degree at an accredited college but when I could have, I didn't. Initially, most of the members of my family wanted me to attend an accredited college, get a degree, and then attend a Bible college. Part of the draw for me was my friends from church who were going to Crown Point with me. I have some good memories and know I can't change the past.

I was fortunate to meet some very good people at church who have supported me most of my adult life. I was unfortunate to meet a few scoundrels, too. But that's another story.

I was there from 1976-81. Did our time overlap?

I hope you are healthy now.

Enjoy today!

 

[Jo]

I was there from 1976-81. Did our time overlap?

I hope you are healthy now.

Enjoy today!

Perhaps we passed each other in the hallway. Feel free to message me your real name, and I'll let you know.