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.

Explore messages from the archive, or help tell this ministry’s story by sharing a memory for the family to review and publish.

From the ministry archive

The Witness (or Record) Of Jesus

The risen Christ shows Thomas his healed hand as other disciples witness in quiet wonder.
© By One Spirit Ministries

I was told recently by a Christian minister that the infallible witness of the resurrection of Christ is the fact that the apostles touched him after he had risen from the dead. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life" (I Jn. 1:1). It’s true, they did physically touch Jesus after he had risen from the dead. Thomas even put his hand into the wound in his side, and felt the nail scars in his hands (Jn. 20:27). And as Peter stated, "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty" (II Pet. 1:16). So yes, this was proof positive to the apostles, and also to approximately five hundred others, according to the apostle Paul, that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead (I Cor. 15:6). So what I was informed of (and certainly not for the first time) was that we now have their record in the scriptures as positive proof that Jesus did rise from the dead. Well that’s all good and fine, but I’m just the type that has to know a thing for myself in order to be fully persuaded, especially about something that bears eternal weight. After all, the Bible says "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (Jn. 3:16). I really need my own personal certainty of the matter, with those kind of stakes in the mix. And the truth is that God felt the same way, and provided a living, powerful witness for us to have as that certainty. As far as that goes, don’t we need some kind of certainty that Jesus even came here to begin with? I think so, and the Bible in fact says the same: "This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth" (I Jn. 5:6). So then, it is not the Bible that bears witness of Jesus coming to this world, but rather the Spirit of God. Or at least that is what the Bible tells us. So since the scripture says that "the Spirit is truth,” does that mean that the Bible is false? Of course not, it’s the Bible that tells us what the true witness is. But the point is, the Bible lets us know that we need to have something more than the Bible to let us assuredly know that Jesus indeed came to this world. That is unless the Bible is the Spirit of God. Come on now.

So since we’ve established this, let’s go back to the resurrection. Let’s see what Jesus said about what it would be that would bear witness of him (life, death, resurrection, and priesthood). “But when the Comforter is come, even the Spirit of truth that proceedeth from the Father, he will testify of me: and ye also shall bear witness" (Jn. 15:26,27). Now understand that the words ‘witness’ and ‘testify’ here are the exact same Greek word [mar-too-reh’-o ], so it’s just two ways to say the same thing. So even though the apostles saw and touched Jesus after he rose from the dead, they still needed tangible evidence once he ascended out of their sight on a cloud, that he did go back to heaven and become the high priest and mediator of the new covenant. After all, no one followed him to heaven, neither saw or touched him there. Jesus clearly stated that the evidence of these things would be the holy Ghost, which would be sent back from heaven to them. To these things agreed the apostle Paul: "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God… Whereof the holy Ghost also is a witness to us” (Heb. 10:12,15). But to bring this point home, let’s go back to I John 5 where we left off: “For if we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God that he has testified of his Son. (what is the witness? The Spirit [remember?] - vs. 6). He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son" (I Jn. 5:9,10). The word ‘record’ here is also the same Greek word as ‘witness’ and ‘testify’ (mar-too-reh’-o - as in Jn. 15). So again we see definitively that it is the Spirit that is the witness, or record of Jesus, period [life, death, resurrection, and priesthood]. The Bible is not enough, nor the words of the apostles recorded therein: but rather we must receive the same witness of Jesus that they received from heaven, and that they also wrote about. The apostles specifically told us that God’s Spirit was and is the witness, or record, or testimony of Jesus Christ. And lest we define believing on Jesus of ourselves, Jesus made it clear what true believing would manifest: "He that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.]” (Jn. 7:38,39). So in conclusion, it is receiving, or being baptized with the holy Ghost with the sign of speaking in tongues; which is both the witness of our faith in Jesus, and also of his resurrection from the dead. Amen.

From the Preserved Writings of Lary R. Hale

By One Spirit · Media library

Videos & songs

Broadcast 50Open on YouTube

Loading viewer…

Broadcast 50

Jesus Is All

More broadcasts

From the ministry’s YouTube archive. Visit the channel for new uploads.

Selected Broadcast 50: Jesus Is All

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