When reading the story of Esther, it is clear God purposely placed Esther in her position as queen of Assyria during a vital time in Jewish history. Her presence resulted in saving the lives of untold numbers of Jewish people. Her realm of influence was instrumental in making a difference in the time and place in which she lived.
Recently, I learned one of our own Oklahoma Free Will Baptists received a promotion holding great potential to impact his realm of influence. Many across the denomination know Brad and Sherri Hanna. Brad, the son of Billy and Beverly Hanna, left Georgia to attend Randall University in 1990.
I was privileged to be Brad’s pastor while he attended college. Brad was a talented young man and faithfully served the Lord and our church, Calvary Free Will Baptist in Norman, Oklahoma, as the youth pastor throughout his college years. During that time, he married Sherri (Ellis), and they began their ministry in Texas. From Texas, they moved to Edmond, Oklahoma, and planted a church under the Oklahoma State Missions Board. The Oak Hills FWB Church remains a vibrant church today.
Influenced by Ernest Harrison Jr., the Oklahoma Free Will Baptist executive director who was also an Oklahoma National Guard chaplain, Brad joined the Oklahoma National Guard in 2001. He accepted a full-time position in 2005 after his first deployment to Afghanistan. In 2011, he was deployed to Afghanistan again. Chaplain Hanna has served our nation and his calling to the chaplaincy faithfully, steadily moving up in rank and culminating with his most recent promotion to colonel.
While all this is praiseworthy, Chaplain Hanna recently accepted an assignment worthy of recognition among all Free Will Baptists. In August, he reported to Arlington, Virginia, to assume new duties as chief of Army National Guard Religious Affairs at the National Guard Bureau. In this role, he will serve as the senior chaplain for the director of the Army National Guard (a 3-star general), serving all the chaplains in our 50 states and four territories. He will be the sole National Guard representative to the chief of chaplains at the Pentagon.
All I can say is wow!
Knowing Brad through all these years and having witnessed him boldly present his faith in Christ to military personnel, I am very excited God has placed him in this strategic position of influence at this critical time in American history. Just as He did with Esther, could it be God has placed Chaplain Hanna in this influential position for such a time as this?
I tease Brad by telling him I sure didn’t see this potential when he came to college. The truth is, I absolutely did see God had His hand upon Chaplain Hanna and felt in my heart—even back then—God would use him in great ways.
May God’s richest blessings be upon the Hanna family as they continue to faithfully serve wherever God leads. Thank you for your service, Colonel Hanna!
About the Writer: Mike Wade served 16 years as executive director for Oklahoma Free Will Baptists and as the editor of the Oklahoma Promoter magazine. Learn more about the ministry of Free Will Baptist chaplains: fwbnam.com/chaplaincy.
