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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Obedience and Judgment

Three friends share a warm conversation at a table beside a garden doorway.
© By One Spirit Ministries

So many people in Christ have their own personal commandments and rules that they try to apply to everyone else, and it does nothing but cultivate a judgmental spirit in them and separate them from the love of God that's in Christ; which love we are commanded to have for one another without condition (Jn. 13:34). The commandments of God can be confirmed by the scriptures, and are for everyone; but all of these personal rules that people have are between them, their conscience, and the Lord; and they should not be applied to everyone else. I asked someone in Christ yesterday if they were on facebook, solely for the purpose of staying connected and remaining in touch about the things of God. Their reply? "Well, we started out like that, but the Lord has weeded all of that out of our lives." I didn't pursue it any further because I could see that he just didn't understand that ANY venue of communication can be used for good, or it can be used for evil. I've heard a lot of this stuff about facebook and other such social media sites from a lot of people in Christ. Stuff like, "Well, facebook and all that kind of stuff is just a source of gossip and idle chatter." Well, if you can't get on the internet and communicate with people in an edifying way without sinning, that just tells me where you're at. If that's your level of maturity in Christ then go with what you need to go with, but don't try to measure me by your own personal standards. Nonetheless that is what people will invariably try to do, and it's nothing but a judgmental religious spirit. The apostle Paul dealt with similar issues and this is what he said about such things: "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand" (Rom. 14:4,5). And again he said, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean" (Rom. 4:14). In the same writing he also said this: "But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ" (Rom. 14:10). You can't find anything in the Bible that can confirm that believers shouldn't be on facebook or other social media sites. Yet I feel it when someone tells me something like that, and they're basically writing me off in their mind for my 'spiritual immaturity' of being on facebook or the like.

This spiritual malady also applies to a vast number of things not mentioned here, but this one is fresh in my mind and I felt it needed to be addressed. A lot of folks think they are being 'separate' from the world when actually they are only obeying a 'separatist' religious demon that is OF THIS WORLD. The Pharisees of Jesus' time had their own rules that became traditions that they applied to others with a judgmental spirit, and Jesus leveled them for their loveless mindset: "Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say , with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition" (Mk. 7:1-9). Then he went on to explain the real problem: "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man... For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man" (Mk. 7:15,21-23).

God's people need to understand that saying with clarity. Facebook doesn't defile anyone, not if their heart is purged from sin. I don't gossip or engage in idle chatter on facebook or any other internet venue, ever. I use these things for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even as I do with all things. I even use it for some other stuff occasionally, all of which is clean before God. Some folks feel the need to 'fast' from facebook sometimes, and that's their own personal business. Myself, I live in a 'fast' from everything that would lead to defilement, so I just continue to carry on with business as usual, and without sinning to boot. If professing followers of Jesus Christ would "purify [themselves] even as he is pure" on a constant basis, they would find that there's a lot of things that they can do that are not going to defile them (I Jn. 3:3). It reminds of me of one brother in an elitist Pentecostal sect who said, "When we get to the new earth we'll be able to hug a sister without 'getting a sensation.' " If you can't hug the opposite gender now without it being a lustful problem, I'm not so sure whether you're on your way to glory or not. But it is inevitable that those who have attained unto any level of freedom in Christ are going to be judged by those who think they are somewhere that they're not. The apostle Paul said it this way: "For why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?" (I Cor. 10:29). While it's true that the scriptures instruct those with knowledge to not flaunt their freedom before those who do not understand, it is also true that we cannot become "the servants of men," being imprisoned by the judgmental spirits of those who would rather imagine themselves to be ultra-spiritual than to actually grow to maturity in Christ (Rom. 14:15,20,21; I Cor. 8:9-13; I Cor. 7:23). In the end, I strive to follow the admonition of the apostle Paul on these kinds of things: "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink [liberties]; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another... Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth" (Rom. 14:17-19,22). Hopefully this short explanation of such things will benefit someone. 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