Mickey Starling
reporter3@greenepublishing.com
Hannah Odiorne grew up in Madison as a "generational Christian." Her long line of family ties to the church ensured that she knew all of the important facts about her faith. She had been told that Jesus loved her, forgave her and would take her to Heaven one day.
For most of her youth, Odiorne considered herself to be a normal Christian who attended church regularly but spent much of her time living a double life. "I had one foot in the church and one foot in the world," said Odiorne.
What brought her to a breaking point was a number of stressful events, which included going through a difficult break up four years ago. "I started partying and doing whatever I wanted to," said Odiorne. "In the midst of this, I came to the end of my rope and realized I couldn't do life on my own. On the outside, I looked great, but on the inside, I was a mess."
While still grappling with her brokenness, Odiorne began trying to develop a relationship with Jesus that she had never experienced for herself. "One morning, around 5 a.m., I had a vision of Jesus holding me and I sensed His tangible presence," said Odiorne. "He told me, 'You are mine. You can either let this [brokenness] define you or refine you'." For Odiorne, the choice was simple. In the midst of her brokenness, she began what she describes as a "pursuit of the lover of my soul."
Though she had felt a calling into ministry as a young child, Odiorne pursued a career in nursing after graduating from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) in 2018. She spent the next six months working at Tampa General Hospital on the complex medicines floor. However, the calling she felt in her heart was unrelenting and her career became increasingly unfulfilling.
With a growing hunger for the presence of God, Odiorne found herself responding to Isaiah 6:8, where Isaiah surrenders to God, saying, "Here am I, send me." A short time later, Odiorne had an opportunity to join Iris Global Missions, which has schools of ministry all over the world.
Odiorne's group went to Mexico, where she allowed her hunger for God to deepen. "I prayed for Jesus to take anything out of my life that wasn't from Him," said Odiorne. "I didn't want to be deceived any longer. The more I prayed, the more I saw that Jesus had been carrying me through every pivotal moment in my life. I began to see the right conception of God as my Father. He already knows everything, so we don't need to go through the motions to perform for him."
Odiorne credits some of her spiritual growth to the focus of the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, which she is currently attending in Redding, Calif. "Their focus is to help us identify who we are in Jesus," said Odiorne. "We learn the value of what is in us and how we can reach the world through the presence of God."
It is the pursuit of God's presence, especially through worship, that has made Bethel a household name in the Christian community. Odiorne notes that some have misunderstood this ministry, claiming that they are focused on supernatural manifestations. "Signs and wonders are not our goal or purpose," said Odiorne. "We desire to be in His presence. Signs do often follow where His presence is, but Jesus is the goal."
Recently, Bethel has found itself in the midst of controversy concerning the death of a young child whose parents are part of their ministry team. The parents asked the church to support them in believing God to restore her life. Pastor Bill Johnson agreed to the request, sighting numerous occasions in the Bible where the dead have been raised.
Bethel recently celebrated a miraculous recovery of another young child who was deathly ill. Some have accused the church of commanding God to heal, but Johnson insists that the church is simply declaring what God has already said.
Odiorne sees no basis for the controversy, but sees a pattern of selective believing as part of the real problem. "It's engraved in us to believe the parts of the Bible that are comfortable to us," said Odiorne. "We put God in a box. We allow the fear of what people think to overcome the finished work of the cross, which includes the possibility of raising the dead. We should never submit to fear, because that is the same as giving up your rights as a son or daughter of God. The moment we submit to fear is the moment we are defeated."
What Odiorne sees as an epidemic in the church is the acceptance of religion over relationship. "How can we walk through the motions of Christianity and not choose a relationship with Him?" said Odiorne. I believe God's heart breaks because His bride sometimes turns away from Him, not walking in what He paid for. We are often in competition with each other, rather than playing on the same team."
Odiorne's time at Bethel has taught her many things, but nothing more important than pursuing God's presence. "You only need one encounter with Jesus to change the sphere of influence around you," said Odiorne, who would be quick to tell you that she has been changed. "If I can be changed, anyone can," said Odiorne. "For those of you who want to be radical, be radical about something that brings revival all over the world."