Brant Hansen
11 min read ⭑
“Yes, there’s a cost to being his disciple, but you know what’s more costly? Not being a disciple. His way really is more restful. Lighter. Easier.”
Bestselling author and radio host Brant Hansen has found that there are a lot of things that don’t make sense in this world — except Jesus. That’s why he spends his life telling others about the Good News that God’s kingdom is available to us right here, right now, as we follow Jesus and truly trust him. Through his books — “Unoffendable,” “The Men We Need,” “Living Unoffended” and more — and his podcasts, Brant shares with winsome vulnerability about forgiveness, the inability to feel God’s presence and how to live in peace.
In our conversation with Brant, he shared the good, the hard and the funny — from his not-so-healthy proclivity toward carbmaxxing to his battle with feeling like a failure and his joy in partnering with God in his work. His words, honest and refreshing, are available here. Only at Rapt.
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
Food is always about more than food; it’s also about home and people and love. So how does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind your web bio?
Wow. Prepare yourself for the worst answer to this question in the history of Rapt. I don’t have a favorite hometown restaurant. I do have a favorite food, though. It’s not even close, really. It’s toast. Dry, burned toast. I used to eat a loaf each morning. I still think it’s the most delicious thing, but I’ve backed off, because apparently — and I did the math one day — that’s about 300 carbs before 9 a.m.
I was carbmaxxing before maxxing was a thing, and it turns out that carbs are not the best thing to maxx.
I eat the same thing every day and love it: scrambled eggs in the morning with a banana and a measly two pieces of toast. A big salad with lots of chicken for lunch. No dinner, really. I’m just not a big food guy, and honestly, this food makes me happy.
Years ago, I was diagnosed on the autism spectrum, and I’ve found many of my fellow ASD folks enjoy toast, too. Crunchy is good.
This lifestyle is only possible because our kids are grown up now. When they were growing up, we were all about dinners together. But for now, this is nice, and my wife is cool with it.
Hopefully, people will continue to read this interview after what is surely the oddest and possibly most disturbing answer to a fairly benign question!
Kristin Snippe; Unsplash
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
What “nonspiritual” activity have you found to be quite spiritual, after all? What quirky proclivity, out-of-the-way interest or unexpected pursuit refreshes your soul?
“Quirky proclivities,” you say? I’m not sure I have any except the toast thing, and I already shared about that. So that probably qualifies.
And puppets. I have a lot of puppets. I’m pretty good at puppets. I don’t want to brag about it. It’s just a fact.
But that’s it in terms of quirky proclivities. Wait. I play the accordion.
So the toast thing, puppets and the accordion. But that’s it, unless you also want to count playing the flute. I also play the flute, although I don’t know if that makes me quirky or some kind of trailblazing hero. Not that it’s up to me whether I’m a “hero,” of course. I’ll leave that for others to discuss. It’s embarrassing to talk about. I can’t believe we’re talking about whether I’m some kind of “hero.” It’s embarrassing. I’m blushing. Who brought up this “hero” thing? Can we move on?
Seriously, I do enjoy music very much. I play in a very low-pressure ’80s/’90s cover band, and my wife and I frequently host “music nights” at our home to simply play and sing with people. There’s something so very refreshing about the authenticity and vulnerability of it. Real humans, real voices, real mistakes, real laughter. Live and in person and no AI, Zoom or experts needed. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I thank God for it.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness; every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re all broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite, and how do you confront its power?
There was a point in my life when I realized I was a complete failure. At everything. I’d wasted my life and had accomplished nothing. Nothing at all.
I was sitting on a couch, sobbing, next to a woman who was trying to offer me perspective. That woman was my mom. I remember what she told me. “Brant, you’re only 7 years old. You are not a failure. You don’t need to accomplish anything.”
I don’t remember a phase of life when I didn’t struggle with that sense of failure. It has followed me like a shadow. It’s a loop that still plays in my head.
You know when it’s loudest? After I succeed at something. It’s like clockwork. Both my wife and I know this, so after, say, an important speaking gig or something, we know it’s coming.
I know it’s not rational. I know it’s not the truth. I know that “Brant, you’re an idiot” loop that can play in my head is not from the Lord. I’ve learned not to let it have power over me by recognizing it as a lie and then speaking truth to myself. I’m not a failure. I’m loved by God. The Lord is good.
I’ve learned to deliberately call truths to mind: The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. I intentionally call to mind reasons to be grateful.
I repeat Psalm 143:8 in the morning while I’m walking our dog, Cozy. I love the musicality of the King James Version: “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee” (Ps. 143:8, KJV).
That’s my prayer: Remind me again you love me, Lord. And so he does. The failure thing is a lie, and I’ve learned to recognize it as such and keep walking.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?
I’m finishing up a manuscript I’m very excited about. It’s about how the way of Jesus is simply a better way to live, here and now.
If that sounds basic and obvious, maybe it is. But I don’t think so because when I explain it to people, I keep getting, “I hadn’t really ever thought about it that way.”
The Good News, according to Jesus, isn’t about going to heaven when we die. It’s about the availability of his kingdom. It’s now open for business. We don’t have to wait. It’s not about checking off a list of correct beliefs. It’s about actually trusting him and doing what he tells us to do. And what do we find when we actually do the stuff Jesus said to do? Life is better. Seriously.
Yes, there’s a cost to being his disciple, but you know what’s more costly? Not being a disciple. His way really is more restful. Lighter. Easier. He said so.
As I talk about a lot in “Unoffendable” and elsewhere: Forgiveness is hard, sure. What’s harder? A life of unforgiveness.
A life of contentment. Genuine peace. No longer fearing death. Less anxiety. More joy. A sense of well-being, no matter what. This is all on offer. Jesus says when we “get it,” we’ll want it, like a pearl merchant who finds the deal of a lifetime.
The book is called “Take the Deal.” I’m amped about it. I’m hoping people get excited about explaining the Good News this way, in addition to talking about what happens after we die.
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Whether we’re cashiers or CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need God’s love flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?
I’m thankful for people who feel God’s presence intensely or often. I think that’s a wonderful thing.
Honestly, that hasn’t been my general experience. I wrote a whole book about this, in fact, called “Blessed Are the Misfits: Great News for Believers Who Are Introverts, Spiritual Strugglers, or Just Feel Like They Are Missing Something,” and have heard from hundreds (perhaps thousands) of readers who relate to this.
But I know that God is absolutely involved in my life, and the fact that I may not feel him around at any given time doesn’t change reality. He’s there, and he’s blessing me without question.
Sorry for what is, perhaps, a digression, but I did want to throw that out there, in case it’s encouraging to people who have similar experiences.
Someone told me God is looking for partners and always has been. So I’m honored to partner with him in my work. I have to come up with a ton of content for my radio show (about 20 things to say every day!). Each day, it’s a bit daunting. But I feel like content is the “daily bread” that I need. I ask the Lord for it. “Please give me something to say that is a blessing to people today.” Not tomorrow. Not for next week. Just today.
He has consistently delivered. I’m astonished and thankful, and reminded repeatedly that we are in this together.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you in this season?
Well, I sort of already swerved into this. I’ve learned to appreciate being daunted by my work. It puts me in a good place. I need to ask God to help me.
Taking Cozy for a walk is the trigger; I know that’s when I need to start talking to God about stuff. Cozy doesn’t seem to mind it, and there’s something about the dynamic of simultaneously leading (the dog) and being led (by God) that works for me.
I keep rehearsing all of Psalm 23, too. I alluded to this earlier: “I lack nothing” (Ps. 23:1, NIV). It really says that. If the Lord is my shepherd, well, I’m good. I have what I need for today.
And then that chapter just keeps getting better. I don’t need to fear death. I don’t need to fear my enemies. My cup is overflowing.
The best part is the end. We all suspect, I think, that someday, even if things are going well, the “other shoe is going to drop.” Somehow, God’s going to get us or something. But that last verse says that God’s goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. All of them. And then after that? I’ll dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I love rehearsing the six verses of Psalm 23. Worth memorizing. You’ll never be without them.
So yeah, goodness and love all the days of our lives. And then it gets better!
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed reality and changed your heart?
My dad recently passed away. He was a pastor his entire adult life and really shouldn’t have been. He was a frightening person. He was unfaithful to my mom, prone to outbursts of violence and a screaming narcissist.
We lived in the Midwest — Illinois and Indiana — and moved from one little town to the next as he would find a new church to lead. He was never content.
My parents divorced while I was in middle school. Then they remarried each other, then divorced again when I was a freshman in high school.
All this to say, there was some real trauma and loneliness for me to deal with, and a particular voice was incredibly meaningful to me. He was a musician from Indiana named Rich Mullins.
His music was something of a lifeline. I needed the honesty, and as you might imagine, I needed the authenticity. Desperately. I still need it.
A writer/professor/speaker named Tony Campolo meant a lot to me, too. I saw him speak about Jesus’ love for the poor at a music festival. I remember asking God if he would let me do that very thing. (And you know what? I remembered that prayer when I was going on stage at a big music festival to talk about Jesus’ love for the poor! Like, “Oh my goodness, God, you really did this for that kid who asked ...”)
Lastly, a quick word for Iain McGilchrist. I just finished his magisterial book, “The Matter with Things,” and I’ll be drawing on that work for the rest of my life. It’s absolutely breathtaking.
Certain things can be godsends, helping us survive, even thrive, in our fast-paced world. Does technology ever help you this way? Has an app ever boosted your spiritual growth? If so, how?
As a kid, I memorized Scripture. Not to attain wisdom, mind you. Not to hide the Word of the Lord in my heart. No. I did it to get points. Points were awesome at church camp or Vacation Bible School or whatever. You could get prizes. I liked that.
I got away from memorizing Scripture for, well, several decades, but I’m so back. And you know what helps? Points! I use the Bible Memory App and have told enough people about it that I should totally get referral money. But yeah, it gives me points.
Do I get to redeem these points somewhere? Like for a stuffed animal at Dave & Buster’s or something? Nope. But it would be cool if they did that.
Seriously, Bible memory apps are a great use of technology. I tell younger guys that memorizing Scripture is the most punk-rock thing they can do, and even though they don’t know what “punk rock” is, they get the drift. I mean, if you’ve got it memorized, no one can take it from you. Nobody.
It’s yours.
QUESTION #8: dream
God’s continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
We tried something crazy a couple of years ago, and we’re doing it again.
I took note of all the leadership conferences and leadership books and leadership courses and whatnot, and while those, I’m sure, are quite wonderful, it struck me that Jesus didn’t talk about leadership very much.
He talked about following all the time.
We love to consider ourselves big-time leaders — there’s always a market for that — but what if we had a Followership Conference?
We did it. It was fantastic. About 700 people showed up. We talked about how to actually follow Jesus. How to love your enemies. How to pray for people who hate you. How to be content. How to be less anxious. How to actually live this thing out.
So that’s one thing we’re working on. In April 2027, we’ll have our second Followership Conference. We’re doing it at Grace College in Indiana, and I hope it’s every bit as helpful and hilarious and joyful as the first one. What a great bunch of people.
I’m also putting the finishing touches on a book about how following Jesus makes life better here and now. There’s a cost to following Jesus, but you know what? It’s lower than the cost of not following Jesus.
His way of living is lighter. Easier. More restful. And he told us that, too. It’s a better way to live.
The book is called “Take the Deal,” and I hope it helps people think about the truly good news of the kingdom in a new, wonderful way.
There are plenty of reasons we may not feel God’s presence. Sometimes it’s because of sin, but sometimes not. We may not feel God’s nearness at times because we’re hurting, confused or weary.
When that happens, our hearts are tested.
This is what King Hezekiah experienced. The Bible says, “And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to [Hezekiah] to inquire about the sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart” (2 Chron. 32:31, ESV).
When you don’t feel God near, when your heart is tested, what comes out? What words, thoughts and behavior patterns do you notice? Whatever you find, may you know his love will never leave you, no matter how you feel.
Brant Hansen is a bestselling author of Unoffendable, The Men We Need and Living Unoffended, among others, and a nationally syndicated radio host. He also hosts two popular podcasts, the Brant and Sherri Oddcast and the Living Unoffended Podcast. Brant is known for a speaking style that is simultaneously disarming and deep, and uses his radio show, books and podcasts to provide relief for people in an age of chaos, anxiety and anger. He lives in South Florida with his wife, Carolyn.