By Lori Klaus,
Contributing Writer
Brian and his wife, Rose, are empty-nesters who enjoy spending time with their grown children, Jessica (Travis Martin) and Austin (Becca Hennig), as well as their four grandchildren. Brian serves on CSC’s Board of Governors, in the Compassion Ministry, and on the CSC Finance Committee. He describes himself as an “engineering geek” who loves all things science as well as cooking and the outdoors. Rose is a golf enthusiast whose hobbies also include sewing, cooking and gardening.
By the time Brian Hennig was five years old, he had already lived in four different provinces. Though too young to feel the full effects of so many moves in such a short time, what he did feel keenly was his father’s absence. His dad, who worked in construction, tried to be a good father, but he was quite simply never around. The camping and fishing trips Brian’s friends took with their dads were something he never experienced, and along with missed games of hockey and playing catch, something else was missed along the way – receiving his father’s approval.
“As a result,” says Brian, “I grew up with two motivations: to be accepted and liked by others and to work hard at everything I did to be accepted by my father. I became the class clown to gain the first and began working at age ten to achieve the second. From then on, I was never without a job while in school and trying to do extracurricular activities at the same time.”
Brian’s hard work would earn him an engineering degree and lead to success in his career as a Project Engineer and Manager, but for many years he was without a rudder.
“I never thought about my future and where my life was going or where I would be after I died. I lived for the moment. I did a lot of things to give myself temporary pleasure without caring how it impacted others or even my own long-term future.”
It was in 1982 that Brian heard for the first time about someone called ‘Jesus’ and the loving relationship He offered. In time, it was with a mustard seed of faith that Brian prayed to receive Him in his heart.
“I often wonder if I really understood what I was praying about, as I knew so very little about this ‘Christian’ life and Jesus as well.”
Other than the person who introduced him to Christ, Brian knew no other Christians, had no Christian friends nor ever attended a church service other than for weddings or funerals.
“Because of this, I often struggled with sin (and temptation and the guilt that comes with it) because Satan wanted to keep me as far from God as possible. This eventually taught me a powerful lesson about mentorship and discipleship. Yet, throughout all of this, Jesus still kept a small hold of my life. Then in 1987 I met a girl whose love for Jesus was so attractive to me that I had to know more.”
That girl was Rose, and Brian fell in love with her at the same time he fell in love with Jesus. He began attending CSC every week and his mustard seed faith grew into an intimate relationship with the Lord that is still growing to this day. Brian and Rose were married in 1988.
Rose, opposite of Brian’s childhood experience, grew up exposed to the Christian faith. She recalls how at the age of three, she challenged God to prove Himself real—not in a defiant way, but out of genuine curiosity.
“Even with a faulty memory, I still remember praying with my mom as if it were yesterday, ‘God, if you really exist, get my kite down from the telephone lines.’ Seconds later my dad came in and called out, ‘Tell Rose I got her kite down!’ And with simple, childlike faith, I believed that God had made Himself REAL to me. I knew He loved me, and I would never doubt Him again.”
Since those early innocent days, Rose has grown and her faith has matured and God is still making Himself real to her. In her past there were ebbs and flows to her relationship with Jesus and times He brought her to a high place spiritually. There are still special encounters with Him, but rather than the one-time highs – those “kite in the telephone lines” experiences – her walk with God has steadied and is now characterized by continual steps upward towards Him. She has come to understand that the biggest thing God requires of her is simply her.
The question, “Am I enough?” has been one the Lord has posed to Rose. Throughout the busy years of raising her children and running her own accounting business, God said, “I need to be enough.” Now, newly retired from her accounting practice but still with many things vying for her time and attention, God’s message is still the same. “I need to be enough.”
“It has spurred me on into a deeper relationship with Him,” says Rose.
Brian’s faith has grown as well. After years of trying to earn his earthly father’s approval, it was a struggle not to carry that same burden into his relationship with his Heavenly Father.
“That is my ‘fall-back’,” says Brian, “and it manifested in me being super competitive and a workaholic.”
Through a deepening relationship with Christ, however, Brian has come to understand that his value is found in who he is as a child of God, not in his accomplishments. He doesn’t need to try harder, do more or be better. “God will never love me more, or less, because of what I DO. He loves me because of who I am.”
Brian has also discovered the power of community to help him stay on track in his walk with God, and he believes it’s something that is vital for all believers. When you’re living for Christ in a fallen world and put His agenda ahead of your own in such a “me-centered” culture, Brian has come to see that you can’t live in isolation from other Christians as he did in his early days as a believer when there was no discipleship or accountability.
“Get connected” is his message for new believers. “Find someone who is a little further along on the journey than you and on the same path.”
“I live to serve Him and am learning to understand and love Him more each day. Sure there are setbacks, but generally I am becoming more like Him. I focus on ways that I can serve Him through serving others and giving of my time, talent and treasure to His causes and where He guides me.”