We were lucky to catch up with Pastor Bryan Hammond recently and have shared our conversation below.
Pastor Bryan , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Growing up I didn’t have a clue about what my purpose was, so as a result, I found myself aimlessly going through life and pursuing things I thought I was called to do. But it wasn’t until I heard about God’s assignment, He has for every person He sends to this earth. For example, Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished.” Meaning, everything God the Father sent Him to this earth to do He completed it. For example, He by His death on the cross provided forgiveness of sins, healing, peace, prosperity, blessings, favor, protection, debt cancellation, and household salvation for us. As a matter of fact, not only did He finished His assignment but he also, put us in covenant with the Father God. And being in covenant means, every promise that is in the Bible is now ours and God by the Blood of Jesus swore by Himself to fulfill His commitment to us. So, when you pray and ask the Lord to show you His purpose for your life, He does it and gives you the wisdom to carry it out. More importantly, once you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart or human spirit God raised Jesus from the dead, the Holy Spirit of Jesus enters your human spirit and He directs your steps, and influence your thoughts and words and actions, and all of a sudden you find yourself. Only saying what the Father God wants you to say and only thinking what the Father God wants you to think and only doing what the Father God wants you to do. Basically, you are always at the right place at the right time, doing the right thing at the right time. And when that happen, you find yourself fulfilling your purpose in life.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I grew up in a single parent home and in a poverty-stricken neighborhood, and the only examples I saw growing up were dope dealers, hustlers and con artists. Basically, everybody was trying to get over on you in one way or another. So, I quickly adjusted my mindset and started emulating everything I saw, and it wasn’t long afterwards that I was thinking, speaking, and acting like everybody else. Also, the only thing that seemed to pique my interest were basketball and sports. So, I played every sport imaginable, and I became good at everything. But something happen along the way, and I became effectuated by movies and music and those two things started influencing my personality. Meaning, I started dressing and acting like those individuals I saw in the movies, and I started using the same dialogue I heard in those songs. As a result, my mindset and personality were shaped by those movies and songs. Well! As a result, I started hanging out with the wrong people and I started doing the wrong things. Meaning, I started using drugs and drinking alcohol and lying and cheating and hustling and doing any and everything I could to get ahead in life. But when I graduated from high school without a scholarship, I ended up going to a vocational school in Tulsa, Oklahoma and there I met some wonderful people who took me to a church, and I eventually gave my life to Jesus. And once I gave my life to Jesus, the Lord showed me my purpose in life. And now I make movies and music that use Biblical principles that helps individuals to get to know the Lord Jesus Christ. And by developing a relationship with Jesus those individuals will not have to go through the negative things I went through in life. Most importantly, my mission in life is to help individuals develop a relationship with Jesus, so that they can finished every assignment He sent them to this earth to finish.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that if I had not given my life to Jesus and allowed Him to show me my purpose in life, I would have died or ended up in jail. So, looking back I’m convinced that in order for a person to be successful in life or in order for a person to fulfill his or her purpose in life. One must develop a relationship with Jesus and allow Him by His Holy Spirit to change the way you think, speak and behave. Jesus said, “That I must be about my Father’s business,” And when you allow Jesus to take the steering wheel of your life, He will cause you to arrive to your divine destination. And you will not have to worry about a faulty GPS system. Meaning, you will not find yourself arriving to a place of being addicted to drugs, alcohol, and sex. Also, because His navigation system is perfect, you will always find yourself being kingdom minded. For example, you will heal the sick, give to the poor, visit the elderly and those in prison and help those who are in need. Most importantly, for those of you who are just starting out, my advice to you is to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. For example, before Adam disobeyed God, he and God use to spend quality time together every day. As a matter of fact, God gave Adam dominion and seed, and He blessed him. And the dominion or the authority was for rulership over this earth and everything in it, including satan. And seed, because God wanted him to live by what he sows, and He blessed him, so that he could prosper and be successful in everything he did. But you will not know what your purpose in life is, if you do not develop a close relationship with Jesus. Because Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and He is the wisdom you need to fulfill your divine purpose in life.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
I know unequivocally that the Bible is the only book, that revolutionize my life in every way. Because in it is the wisdom of God for every area of life. Basically, the Bible is the instruction manual for every area of an individual’s life. For example, family, business, work, relationships, finances, church, children, husband, wife. You name it, and the Bible has wisdom and understanding for it. Of course, I ‘am not saying, I didn’t read other material, especially when I was in high school and in college. But, for me, the Bible had the most impact. For example, in it I learn how to love others the way Jesus loves me, and I learn how to be a good son or father or friend or good employee and business owner. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by food alone, but by every Word that came out the mouth of God. And He said, my Word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your pathway. And the entrance of my Word gives light and understanding to the simple.” So, when it comes to making the right decisions for what business to start or what school to attend or what mate to choose, the Bible hands down is the best book ever written to and for man. As a matter of fact, God by His Holy Spirit will be your advocate, counselor, helper, intercessor, strengthener. and standby. And you want have to look for Him, when things get rough. As a matter of fact, He will never leave you or forsake you, and He will be a friend that stick closer than your brother, and when you are tired and you feel like you can’t go on, He will pick you up and carry you to your safe place. In fact, I ‘am reminded of a poem I once read, that went something like this. There was a man who noticed every time life got unbearable, he saw one set of footprints in the sand, and when he couldn’t go on and felt like giving up, he found himself looking at those footprints in the sand. And every time he eventually made it through those tough times. And one day he asked the Lord why He wasn’t there with him in those tough times. And the Lord answered him and said, “Those footprints you saw were me carrying you in those unbearable tough times.” So, the moral to the story is this, when we go through tough times the Lord is right there carrying us and helping us arrive to our destination. And He will always be there, whenever we need Him.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P44bwv2u_7s
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hmmndbryn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bryan.hammond.908/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/mynetwork/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BRYANHAMMOND1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pastorbryanhammond5019
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13351309/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_q_Bryan%2520Hammond
Image Credits
The network series, “Blinded by The Bag” on Amazon Prime.
