Lawyer Kent Hansen is under no obligation to write about God. It is not part of his job as Head of the Legal Department at Loma Linda University in California. No, he speaks and writes because he was found by God, because he is passionate about Jesus Christ and because he is convinced that anyone can live their faith as a vibrant, authentic experience.
Mr Hansen, over 20 years ago, I read an article you wrote called “Grace at Ten Thousand Metres”. I was struck by that article, and I am glad that, all these years later, I have the opportunity to meet you in person and ask you in detail how that pivotal moment influenced your life.
Let me give you a little context. I grew up in California, attended Loma Linda University and then studied law. I then returned to Loma Linda, where I worked as a lawyer and senior legal advisor to the university. After qualifying as a lawyer, I drifted away from the church a little. It wasn’t God that was the problem, but rather that I lost sight of the church’s main purpose while I was caught up in legal work for it.
At one point, I had to travel to the church headquarters near Washington, D.C. for work. I had a book with me that I thought was about time management. I started reading it on the plane. It turned out to be a Christian book about time management, in which the author presented King Saul, the first king of Israel. Although he was handsome and promising, he was spiritually unstable and began to decline rapidly. Troubles brought him down completely. In contrast, the book also presented John the Baptist, who came from a humble family but became the prophet who paved the way for Jesus Christ to carry out His work on earth. When troubles came, John remained steadfast to the end. The book encouraged me to live a calm life in which I would always remain close to God, regardless of the circumstances. This message touched me. I went to the hotel, read a little more and then again in the morning, after which I thought it would be good to pray. I had gotten to the stage where I only prayed when I needed something, such as passing a test or winning a case. I found it very difficult to pray. Looking up at the ceiling, I said, “Lord, I want to talk to you, but I don’t know how.” The next morning, I tried again. I felt frustrated because I couldn’t talk to God.
On my way back, I flew from Baltimore to Chicago and then back to California. I continued reading the book. When I left Chicago, it was 1 pm on a Thursday. The plane was still on the ground and I read the chapter “What We Pray For”. The author was discussing self-satisfaction, spiritual boredom, formalism and the issues that stem from these. As I read, God suddenly put a clear thought into my mind: “You are condemned for sin.” I was stunned. I asked, “What is my sin, Lord?”
“Pride and your busy schedule. The activities in your life are pushing Me away. They are suffocating your relationship with me and destroying your relationship with your family.” I was married and had a baby boy. Then the thought continued: “Do you think I can’t solve all your problems? Trust me!” That was it. I did nothing but stare out of the window on the entire journey to California. A few months later, I still felt as though something had exploded inside me.
What was it like when you got home?
When I arrived home, my wife told me that we needed to pick up our son from the nursery. But I told her I needed to talk to her first. “Is everything OK?” she asked. “Well, yes and no,” I replied. We went into the house and I told her about my experience on the plane. I confessed that I believed I had wasted my life and squandered God’s gifts. I used to come home late at night. We would have dinner together, put Andrew to bed, and then I would go to my office and work until midnight. I would then wake up early to make phone calls. Not everyone worked at the same pace, but I felt the need to stand out. I was successful in everything I did. I was on the board of eight different companies and organisations.
At the time, my wife was experiencing serious health problems. I admitted that I had been selfish and had not paid enough attention to her. I knew I had hurt her and asked for her forgiveness. When I asked her to forgive me, I felt as though my whole body ached. I promised her that things would be different from that day forward. After gazing at me for a long time, she said, “I was wondering how this story would end.” Our marriage had once been wonderful, but it had become ordinary and routine. She assured me that she was with me, and we prayed together.
What happened next?
The very next day, I developed an extraordinary thirst to read the Bible. I didn’t just read a few verses here and there, but entire passages. That thirst has not abated since then. I kept Bibles everywhere, just as alcoholics keep bottles everywhere. I had Bibles in my pockets, in my briefcase, in the glove compartment of my car — everywhere. I really enjoyed reading the Word of God. That was one of the major changes.
Do you remember what year you experienced this transformation?
Yes, 1989. It was 1 p.m. on 4 October.
As you mentioned, one of the consequences was that you became addicted to the Bible. Did you have a particular way of studying it? You said you read entire passages. Did you read widely to understand the context?
Yes, I read the Gospels all the time — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Luke is my favourite book. I tried reading them one after the other. After that, I would read another book of the Bible alongside it. I read whatever I liked. I also used concordances. I studied the New Testament in depth for two years. I really enjoyed it. Having grown up learning a lot from the Old Testament, I felt the need to know the New Testament as well. So I read the writings of Paul, James, and Peter. I learnt a great deal. I studied very seriously. I would read a passage or a chapter, then use the concordance to read it again, taking notes as I went, until I understood it completely.
Had you written anything before that?
Yes, I had written articles on legal topics. My town had a local newspaper in which I was a regular contributor. I wrote an article that, in a way, foreshadowed what I was about to experience. In it, I talked about the spiritual frustration of being a young father with a toddler and trying to spend time with him and rearrange my priorities. The article caught the attention of businesspeople. It was republished so many times in so many magazines that I estimate it was read by almost 500,000 people. It was titled Confessions of a Young Lawyer. I was enjoying success, but what I was discovering in my life wasn’t very pleasant.
My city was thriving and was home to many people who commuted to Los Angeles for work. After long weekends or holidays such as Christmas and New Year, the law firm where I worked often received calls from people wanting to get divorced. They spent a lot of time away from their families, and after spending more time together during the holidays, they realised that their work colleagues were their real family, while their children and spouse were strangers.
This made me wonder about my own situation, and this thought sparked a spiritual awakening. I realised that material success does not bring happiness. Even though my clients were very successful, they were very unhappy. They were millionaires, but very unhappy. They tried to solve the problem by buying more things, changing partners and having affairs. Their situation was getting worse and worse. I knew there must be another way. I knew that way and it was connected to faith in Jesus Christ. The hymns I had learnt from my parents were full of theology. I played them on the piano almost every day, both when I came home and when I left. They had kept the spark of faith alive in my heart. I believe parents should prioritise family worship, prayer and singing because that’s how they sow seeds of faith. We never know when those seeds will bear fruit. In my case, it took several decades, but it brought me back home.
Amazing! You mentioned the reactions you received to the article in the law journal. Could you tell us what reactions you received to the article published in the church magazine?
I received reactions from all over the world, particularly from lawyers, doctors, and businesspeople. Many of them had also sought success and had come to feel very lonely. They were busy and successful, but found that they were empty inside. In my case, this emptiness had begun to hurt. Finally, when God spoke to me on the plane, everything became clear. Everything had been going on in my heart and mind, but I felt Him speak to me directly and gently. My heart resonated, and I realised that this was exactly what I had been missing. There was no condemnation, only love. Whatever problem we have, God can solve it. No case is so hopeless that He cannot redeem it.
Were you able to keep your commitment to your family? How?
Yes. Among other things, I resigned from the eight boards I was on. There is a temptation to try to do as many things as possible. However, we overcome self-centredness when we take an interest in those around us. If someone tells you they have family problems and you say you will pray for them, that shows your disinterest. You should pray right then and there. Many people say, “I’ll pray for you,” as if patting you on the shoulder. If you pray right then and there, they will be amazed. I used to do this with clients on the way to the courtroom. They were surprised. I discovered the power of offering precise, timely prayers for the problems my clients were facing at that moment.
Important people in my town have told me that they can have important conversations with me. They had tears in their eyes when they said, “You really listen to us. It’s hard to find someone to talk to.” Women manage to have all kinds of relationships, but men find it difficult because society expects them to be strong and take action. But they have fears and worries too. They don’t know how to deal with certain situations and need help, but don’t know who to turn to. It means a lot when a colleague or business partner can tell them, “I’m concerned about your situation. I care about you. I want to pray for you.”
I know that you write a spiritual message every week and email it to your acquaintances. What made you start doing this?
In 1998, my sister was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and passed away three weeks later. We lived in the same city at the time, and I visited her often. I read a lot, and we would discuss what I had read. Not all of it was related to her condition. I wrote emails to about six friends. They forwarded my messages. Within three months, I had amassed a list of 200 people who were asking me to send them the email. I called these messages “A Word of Grace for Your Monday.” I currently send this spiritual article to 5,000 people around the world, from Zimbabwe to Alaska.
I also write a spiritual text for lawyers and send it out on Monday mornings. I don’t publish it on any website; I just send it by email. My goal is to help them learn something about God. It’s an electronic message they can reflect on throughout the week. It’s not just something that sounds good. I am looking for something substantial through which they can discover that God is with them, even if He speaks to them through Kent’s words. This newsletter of mine has spread enormously. It reaches law firms across the country. People share it. I am continually amazed by the responses I receive and the effect it has on people.
The message is that God will be with us in every situation. This is the central message I want to convey. God loves us unconditionally, no matter what we do. He loves us completely and cares about us. He will be with us in every situation.
We live in an uncertain world where people come and go and relationships fall apart. People want security. I want to present Jesus as a reality. I advise them to give Him a try, even if they hate God. Even if they hate the idea of God and are angry with Him because of the pain they believe He has caused them, they should tell Him how they feel. What have they got to lose? We need to be honest with God about how we feel. He can handle anything except insincerity. I recommend that people find a quiet place where they can argue with God. He can handle it. We will discover that He loves us. This approach may sound radical, and not everyone is willing to try it. But it works!
You’ve been writing about this for over 15 years! Do you feel you still have the resources?
I read and meditate on Scripture a lot.
Dr Hansen, thank you very much. We had a fascinating discussion, and I look forward to reading more about your experiences of faith.
