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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Repentance and Baptism

Paul prays with the Ephesian disciples as nonfigurative spiritual light fills their joyful gathering.
© By One Spirit Ministries

"And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve" (Acts 19:1-7). Here we see one of the detailed accounts in the book of Acts where it is broken down to us how it was that certain people came to be born again. Jesus made it clear that the new birth was about receiving the Spirit of God, and Paul nailed it down really tight when he said, "Now if any man have NOT the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Jn. 3:5; Rom. 8:9). The Pentecostal community of today has largely adopted the school of thought that a person RECEIVES the Spirit when they "get saved," and that they "come into the fullness of it" when they are baptized with the Spirit and speak in tongues. It is also called "two works of the Spirit." Well, I agree that there are two works of the Spirit, but those two works are 'being conceived' of the Spirit, and then being 'born' of the Spirit; just like it is with the natural birth. Romans 1:20 tells us that the creation is made in the likeness of the spiritual realities of God, so it's no coincidence that there is a sowing of seed and conception of life before one is actually born into this world. But let's get back to these men at Ephesus. The scripture says that they were 'disciples,' which means that they were following the true God as well as they knew how. They acknowledged that they had not as much as heard about the holy Ghost, so it is evident that they had not 'received' the Spirit. The reason they had not heard of the holy Ghost is because it is also evident that they had been instructed by Apollos, who was at Ephesus in the previous chapter, and of whom the scripture tells us; "This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John" (Acts 18:25).

These men that Paul found said that they were baptized with John's baptism, but Paul perceived that they had not heard of Jesus, or of the baptism of the Spirit that Jesus died and rose to administer. Somehow Apollos knew of the baptism of John WITHOUT knowing what John preached WHEN he baptized those who came to him, which simply was as follows: "I indeed have baptized you with water: but he [Jesus] shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost" (Mk. 1:8). The scripture also tells us that Apollos did get upgraded to the knowledge of Jesus and the baptism of the Spirit: "And he [Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly [completely]" (Acts 18:26). These disciples at Ephesus had obviously been instructed by Apollos BEFORE he learned of Jesus and the holy Ghost baptism that he baptizes with. Paul discerned that they were men of faith, and that is why he asked them if they had received the holy Ghost since they had BELIEVED. He was certainly aware that receiving the Spirit was and is the new birth experience, and he didn't want these men to miss out on it. Anyway, after Paul had baptized them in the name of Jesus [as he was still baptizing in water at that point, though he did cease from it afterward - I Cor. 1:17; Eph. 4:5], and laid his hands on them in prayer, they RECEIVED the holy Ghost AND they spoke with other tongues. What this clearly shows us is that RECEIVING the Spirit and being BAPTIZED with the Spirit are one and the same. It was that way at Pentecost, as Jesus had told his followers that they COULD NOT receive the holy Ghost until AFTER he went away; and Pentecost was after he went away (Jn. 16:7; Acts 1:4,5; Acts 2:4). This incident at Ephesus was well after Pentecost, which only demonstrates to us that God is an unchanging God, even as the scriptures declare to us plainly (Mal. 3:6; Jas. 1:17). God did not implement the new birth as the baptism of the Spirit and then change it at some point to something BEFORE one is baptized with the Spirit. Neither did he furnish the supernatural sign of speaking with other tongues to EVERYONE who received the holy Ghost at Pentecost, and then change that sign to 'no sign' at some point.

There is a sowing of seed [faith] spiritually as there is with conception in the natural realm, and there is the reality of that seed coming forth to the birth; as with the natural process of birth. The men at Ephesus already had faith in the true God, and that faith came forth to the birth the day that they met the apostle Paul. Nobody "got saved" first. Nobody "accepted Jesus as their personal savior," and nobody made a verbal confession of Jesus being the Lord. They BELIEVED ON Jesus with all their heart and the result was receiving, or being baptized with God's Spirit; even as Jesus said it would be (Jn. 7:37,38). To cause people to believe that they are born again and have the remission of their sins by means of these modern 'Christian' teachings, is both false and seriously damaging across the board. Jesus did not teach those things, and neither did his apostles. A lot of folks today try to insert the modern Christian teachings of "getting saved," etc., into the passages in Acts where it says that someone or many someones believed on Jesus, but there is no mention of them speaking with other tongues. The fact that Luke did not detail and break down in every case the whole process of HOW people received the Spirit when they believed on Jesus, and that they spoke with other tongues; is simply because he and everyone that he was writing to ALREADY KNEW how the process went. It would have been ridiculously redundant for him to have done so every time that he made mention that people believed on Jesus. No my friend, there simply is no place in the scriptures where these modern 'Christian' teachings on being born again, can be found. They have been invented by man, and they declare that God IS a changing God. What IS in the Bible about the new birth that Jesus died and rose to provide, is what we have seen expounded accurately and honestly FROM the Bible here today. If we want to go where the holy Ghost is trying to lead God's people, we need to get on God's program; and OFF of Christianity's program (Jn. 16:13; Rom. 8:14). Of course if we decide that we "love the praise of men more than the praise of God," we do have the option of sticking with Christianity's erroneous program (Jn. 12:43). Amen.

From the Preserved Writings of Lary R. Hale

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Jesus Is All

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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