By One Spirit — Holy Ghost Ministry

Lary and his beloved dog Champ welcomed by Jesus into a radiant garden of flowers, waterfalls, and golden light
Remembering the ministry and teachings of Lary R. Hale

Faith carried forward

By One Spirit is a lasting home for Holy Ghost ministry, preserving the teachings of Lary R. Hale and the memories of the people whose lives he touched.

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The Magnitude of Faithfulness

A shepherd holds a lost lamb tenderly on a hillside above a sunset valley.
© By One Spirit Ministries

When it comes to measuring the true fiber of a person I just don’t think there is anything more telling than the loyalty, or faithfulness of someone’s heart. Jesus told us in regard to what we do with our money, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Mat. 6:21). The obvious connotation there is that our heart is revealed by what we do with our money. By the same token our loyalty is revealed by what we do in our relationships. The reason that Jesus gave us the example of adultery in regard to a legitimate reason for divorce, is simply because adultery is an evident act of betrayal, or unfaithfulness (Mat. 19:9). Adultery isn’t the only act that can manifest betrayal of the marriage covenant, but it is an easily recognized and acknowledged example. If our heart is loyal to our husband or wife we just don’t commit adultery, nor do we want to. But loyalty and faithfulness is tried in all of our relationships, not just marriage. If someone commits something that is important to them to our confidence, and we tell it to someone else, then we have been disloyal and unfaithful in our relationship with that person. So what exactly is the problem there? Obviously someone’s heart is not faithful, and if our heart is unfaithful to a person then our heart is unfaithful to God. It really is that simple. God gives us relationships in this life and he expects us to cherish and value them. We won’t be here long, and how we deal with one another in this lifetime will determine whether we are saved or lost in the end (Mat. 7:12). So relationships are very, very important; and we should fear God with much honesty and humility of heart in how we treat them. Our loyalty in relation to those we have in our sphere of living are tried in many ways, and it is very integral that we honestly understand what is acceptable and what is not, in terms of maintaining faithful relations with those around us. In short order it is safe to say that nothing should cause us to forsake our loyalty to someone and our relationship with them unless they have just become wicked, and we must avoid them in order to not be a partaker of their wickedness. Even then we should not forsake our love for someone, and we should maintain prayer for them and demonstrate love to them when it is possible to do so.

Everyone has problems and struggles, and that is one of the biggest reasons WHY everyone needs those around them to be loyal to them in love and understanding, rather than to withdraw from them. The apostle Paul drove this point home clearly: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:1,2). James told us, “For in many things we [all offend]” (Jas. 3:2). In light of this statement it should be no surprise that it was he who gave us the following heartfelt instruction: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed” (Jas. 5:6). Only when someone has become defiant about holding to a wicked thing should we break our relationship with them and withdraw from them. But even if we find ourselves in that circumstance we should consider and heed the admonition of the apostle Paul about such things: “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (II Thess. 3:14,15). If someone has turned to wickedness, our objective becomes to win them back to holiness, and that cannot be done if no love at all is shown to them. If we fail the way of righteousness then we are severed from fellowship with God, but he never ceases to seek for our restoration and redemption. If he did then we would all be in a lot of trouble, neither would we have any way out of that trouble. Possibly the greatest of all the promises of God is not limited to the condition that we are doing perfectly at all times, or that we never fail in a big way: “For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). If God were not faithful in his undying love for his children who have fallen into disobedience, Jesus would not have given us parables like ‘the lost sheep’ and the 'lost coin’ found in Luke 15.

I see far too much disloyalty in relationships among God’s people, and I see far too many excuses used for this failure. There’s even the excuse of “preferring the Lord over everyone,” and it is usually a stink in the nostrils of God. As I stated previously, the only time preferring God over someone means that you withdraw yourself from them, is if and when they have simply become wicked. If you have made that determination you had better hope that God is also in agreement with your defining of 'wickedness.’ If we make the wrong determination in these things it will invariably create a space in our heart where God’s love cannot dwell, and that can only lead to something bad. A prime example of 'something bad’ in this case would be what Jesus warned us about: “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another… And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Mat. 24:10,12). That kind of thing doesn’t happen overnight my friend, and it only happens while someone thinks they are walking in love just fine. There’s just far too much disloyalty in relationships among God’s people, and far too many flimsy excuses and self-deceptions to support it all. A whole lot of folks need to read, believe, and heed what the scriptures say about how the love of God behaves in our lives: “[Love] suffereth long, and is kind; [love] envieth not; [love] vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up… Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (I Cor. 13:4,7). I believe if we want God to suffer long with us, and to bear and endure us; it makes real good sense that we should be that way with one another. After all, the scriptures do tell us that we reap what we sow, and Jesus clearly told us that what we do to one another is what we are doing to him; whether for good or for bad (Gal. 6:7; Mat. 25:40,45). He made it equally as clear that how we deal with one another will determine how we fare on the day of judgment (Mat. 25:34,46). I don’t think it’s a good idea that we should lean on unacceptable reasons to leave off loyalty in our relationships that God has given us in this life. Jesus is called “Faithful and True,” and if we plan on hanging out with him for eternity we are going to have to be called the same by him (Rev. 19:11; Rev. 17:14). I’ve written a lot on this topic in the last several months. I’m beginning to wonder how many more times I can write the same article in a little different way. Time will tell. God bless.

From the Preserved Writings of Lary R. Hale

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In loving memory

Lary R. Hale

Lary smiling with his beloved dog Champ
Lary with Champ

A Hero Finally Rests.

Lary Redman Hale of Louisville, KY entered into his greatest joy, the presence of King Jesus himself, welcomed by the cheers of angels and the saints of God on Sunday night, April 21, 2024.

What the outside world would see as the untimely passing of a humble, local minister, heaven saw as the triumphant finale of a valiant warrior's life. He fought the good fight, having kept the faith, and received what Christ himself called "The Champion's Wreath of Victory".

Lary was born November 13, 1954 to Marvin and Norma Hale. Being the youngest of his siblings ensured he had lots of time with his loving mother, from whom he undoubtedly developed his profound sensitivity, heartfelt sentimentality and emotional comfortability - characteristics that were trademarks of his life. He grew up surrounded by cousins and classmates that became his best friends.

At his 50 year class reunion he was overjoyed and excited to catch up with so many of them, smiling and laughing more than he had in a long time. He would often tell stories of how he treasured those times as a young boy riding bikes, shooting B.B guns and playing with his childhood dog Peanuts; all while getting into assorted harmless mischief. He cherished the time he spent living on his parents houseboat and helping his dad, a united states marine veteran, take care of the boat and dock.

His relationship with his dad was only strengthened in their later years as they watched boxing matches almost every weekend for the remainder of his dad's life. He admired his brother Gary for his athleticism and industrious attitude, and thought his sisters Vicki and Mila had hearts of gold just like his mother. In his teen years Lary developed three of his lifelong loves: swimming, cool cars and lifting weights.

Some people said Lary was part fish because of how well he swam, but Lary would correct them, he was actually part dolphin. As a young man he managed a health club where he helped multiple people lose weight and counted that a huge joy. He loved nature and taking photos of it, honing his skills and knowledge in cameras. His vocabulary was second to none and he enjoyed learning new words and using them especially in his writings.

Before he passed he still exercised as much as his body would allow and he longed to return to the ocean and the white sands of Destin, Florida.

Like most disenfranchised teens in the early 70s, Lary indulged in countless vices that left him empty and searching for more. Although his long black curly hair, loud clothes, muscles and muscle cars made him the envy of the boys and the heartthrob of the girls, none of these things satisfied his heart. He pursued a college education briefly, desiring to be a marine biologist or philosopher but found that this was not what he was missing either - he longed for true fulfillment.

Depressed, empty, and feeling hopeless, Lary heard about a particular beautiful girl he had a crush on that was attending a small church where the "Spirit of God" was changing people's lives. After wondering why someone like her would attend a church like that, he began to attend also.

After a few months, he made a simple prayer on his hands and knees, saying "God I can't stop smoking, drinking, raging or any of the other countless vices I have - but if you can set me free from these things, I'll know you're real and that you want me to serve you". The next morning Lary woke up and described the next few hours as "walking on air" realizing he was, in his words "delivered" and never going back to those vices.

This began his life long commitment to glorifying Jesus, the king of glory, for how he transformed Lary's life from darkness to light. Lary would marry that same beautiful girl, the love of his life, Fay Kustes, and they would have two sons together, Benjamin Isaac and Elisha Daniel. Lary's greatest joy in life was being a husband and father.

He was happiest when he was sharing what he was learning in the bible with his family, and teaching them that knowing God was simplistic and yet powerful - that God was not merely a religious concept, but a powerful savior on a day to day basis. As Lary made it his life's goal to find "the lost sheep", he would tap into his multifaceted creativity that went largely underappreciated.

Lary produced well over a thousand episodes of gospel presentations: self-producing, mixing, editing and encoding both a radio and television show. Between the two, he broadcast for over 30 years. All of this in the analog age, where self produced radio and TV shows were nearly unheard of, especially without any budget whatsoever.

Lary was an evangelist in Louisville and southern Indiana, being asked to preach and teach in multicultural and multi-generational churches across the city. The churches he was most loved and welcomed by were the African-American Baptist and Pentecostal churches that loved and welcomed his passionate, excitable and action packed style of preaching.

Once the dawn of the internet came, he immediately worked to have a website published, making his literature and gospel teachings available. Eventually he'd use social media to teach, preach and encourage believers all across the world. He would spend every night praying with and encouraging christians from every nation until the end of his life. Many of which saw him like a second father and all of whom greatly mourn his passing.

Even though he produced over a thousand episodes of media, taught in multiple churches, mentored in multiple countries, and had multiple printed works of literature, he considered his greatest life's work to be his two sons. One of their earliest memories is Lary saying "the most important job in the world is not preaching the gospel, it's raising kids in the gospel". This threaded through his entire life.

In his final week on earth, he reminisced on his life saying "I see my life as the highest success, because my life's work are my two sons, who I am so incredibly proud of - not for their natural achievements but for their love, humility and personal faith in Jesus that is not only evident in their lives but also in their love. Because of them, I know my life is a true success - and I credit Jesus for all of it".

His sons today see him as the most successful man they will ever know. He succeeded in loving them and never hurting them. Leading them and never controlling them. Being there for them and never leaving them. He was a man that would apologize quickly, forgive quickly, and always encouraged his sons to "get up and go from here". He succeeded in teaching them faith, hope and love in a world starving so badly for all three. His ministry lives on in them.

The lives of everyone touched by their lives are forever indebted to this humble, prayerful man of faith.

He is preceded in death by his father Marvin, mother Norma, sister Mila, sister-in-law Marlene, nephew Adam, aunts, uncles, treasured cousins, and his beloved dog of 18 years, Champ.

Until they are reunited in the glory of heaven, he is survived and will be missed by his sons, Benjamin and Elisha (Katrine), his wife of 30 years, Fay, his brother Gary, His sister Vicki (Dan), his cousins, nieces, nephews, his friends, and those that called him their pastor and teacher.

"The righteous perish, and no man lays it to heart: merciful men are taken away and no one considers that the righteous person is being spared from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: he shall rest in his bed, having walked in uprightness." Isaiah 57:1&2

A life in pictures and film

Watch the tribute video shared with Lary’s obituary. It brings together moments from his life and footage of the man so many loved.

Video hosted by Tribute Slides through Newcomer Kentuckiana.

Original obituary at Newcomer Kentuckiana

Memories of Lary