CONNECTIONS WITH RICH & BOBBI
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From broadcast studios, to conference halls, to subways, streets, and park benches, Rich Homeres and Bobbi Hamlyn have traveled across our country for years, meeting and interviewing people of all walks of life! With a heart for uniting people in the joy and oneness we have in Christ, they strive to share stories far and wide – to encourage, inform, and point listeners to our Savior. They now bring their God-given talents to First Love Radio.
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How many startling “coincidences” does it take to consider that something might not be an “accident,”& to decide to look deeper? -Eric Eichinger-Part 1
Pastor Eric Eichinger explains the startling parallels that drew him to explore the path across the world of the Scottish Olympian Eric Liddell, featured in the film, “Chariots of Fire!” Finding that the film only scratched the surface, he’s chronicled Liddell’s inspiring life in his book, “The Final Race.” Curious “coincidences” leading Eric Eichinger to follow Eric Liddell beyond “Chariots of Fire!”-Pt 1 “It’s easy to do the right thing when everybody is looking. But to do that right thing when nobody is looking”- Could we make these choices?! - Eric Eichinger-Part 2
We’re hearing about the story of the famed Olympian Eric Liddell, beyond his glory shown in the “Chariots of Fire” film- brilliantly portrayed in the book “The Final Race”! Author Eric Eichinger shares some of the fascinating insights he discovered while following the footsteps of this amazing life of faith. If Eric Liddell of “Chariots of Fire” was a hero in London after winning Olympic Gold, how did he end up in China during World
War II? - Eric Eichinger-Part 3 Although many in Scotland and the UK reverenced him as their hero and champion, Eric didn’t bask in his Olympic fame. Author and Pastor Eric Eichinger is our guest, & he continues sharing about Eric Liddell’s fascinating life journey, as brilliantly portrayed in his book, “The Final Race!” From the heroic national cheering in England of Olympic victory at the 1924 games in Paris, to virtual obscurity in China, Eric Liddell set his eyes on his greater calling. - Eric Eichinger-Part 4
That calling was to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who have not heard this life saving message in Far East. Pastor Eric Eichinger author of the book “The Final Race,” is our guest. He shares some of the interesting insights he discovered while writing this biography about Eric Liddell. In America we have the freedom to obtain & read Bibles, & share our faith. But, how did this man in West Africa come from many generations of Muslims to Jesus?!
Our guest comes from Mali, West Africa. Mali is 90 percent Muslim, with Christians making up just 2% of the population, and is listed as 29th on Open Doors World Watch List of the top 50 countries where Christians are most persecuted for their faith. “It took a lot to trust God. It took a lot of toil, it took a lot of pain, and suffering allowing things to happen in my life that I regret to this day.”
-Matthew Costa To many, life in the inner-city can be extremely rough. The homeless population has risen dramatically, with crime and substance abuse plaguing their community. Our guest today came out of this lifestyle and shares how the Lord gave him a new lease on life! He’s Matthew Costa. “I’m living in hell five years, & I tried to escape from the Communists …” - Linda Eve - Part 1
In 1975, the communist Khmer Rouge regime came in to Cambodia and began to carry out a horrific genocide. Soldiers relocated most of the population to forced labor camps. Malnutrition, torture, and mass executions led to the deaths of an estimated 25% of the total population - 1 ½ to 3 million people. One person who endured these unthinkable hardships was Linda Eve! From Cambodia’s “Killing Fields” and Buddhism to America and Christianity - “I was still confused!”- Linda Eve - Part 2
On our last podcast, Linda Eve shared her heart-wrenching story of how, in Cambodia, she went from almost becoming a medical doctor to being relocated to a forced labor camp by the Communists. She told how she escaped by walking nearly 100 miles on foot through jungles, and avoiding mine fields! She finally reached America- now what?! Escaping from the Killing Fields of Cambodia to America–only to go back?! - Linda Eve - Part 3
On our last few podcasts Linda Eve has been our guest, sharing her story, from her 5-year captivity in a labor camp by the Communist regime in the late 1970's, to freedom in America! Now, on our concluding visit, Linda talks about why, after escaping death, she is willing to give up her life to go back! “I was a minister for five years before I was saved...” - Pastor Arthur Mellon
Our guest on this podcast is Pastor Arthur Mellon. He serves at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church of Hayward, CA. Pastor Mellon talks about the interesting paths the Lord took him on before calling him to become a pastor and start this church. But most importantly, he looks at how he discovered He wasn’t saved – and the importance of examining who you’re learning from! From chemists in Silicon Valley
to cavemen in Nepal – Answering his call! - Dr. Paul Nelson God took him from the field of Biotechnology as a doctor in chemistry to the ministry, & has stretched his journey to the Philippines and to Nepal, changing him forever! He’s Dr. Paul Nelson, associate pastor at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church of Silicon Valley, in Morgan Hill, CA. From construction of buildings to construction of souls - Meet Pastor Mike Orlicky!
Pastor Orlicky shares on our podcast how he was an ironworker in construction, and at first, had no desire to be a pastor or to marry a pastor’s daughter. Tune in & hear how God changed his heart on both accounts – and how God only has a Plan A! “It was in every part of life.You feel ‘Big Brother’ is watching you-this was reality…” Hans Shapp-Pt 1
During the night of August 13, 1961, the East German government closed off the border from the West. Hans Shapp grew up in East Germany during this time & tells his story of suddenly being cut off from the West & living behind the wall. But did he find real truth & freedom when he reached the other side? “It was the greatest thing that I ever have felt, and I felt so free-inwardly and outwardly-it was amazing!” Hans Shapp-Part 2
On our last podcast, Hans Shapp told of his life growing up behind the wall in East Germany during the 60's & 70's under Communist rule, & then of suddenly being deported to the West! It was like a child having free run in a candy shop - neon lights glowing in the night skies,music blaring from the discotheques,drugs & alcohol-Did these bring Hans happiness,peace, & true. “Before the change, we smuggled Bibles and we smuggled books to secret believers and churches there...”-Hans Shapp-Part 3
We’ve been visiting with Hans Shapp, who’s been sharing with us how he came out of East Germany during a time when barriers of barbed wire and concrete walls blocked off the West, to what he thought was freedom. But it wasn’t until he was introduced to Jesus that his life really changed-including becoming a smuggler! “A lot of people don’t go to church…So, we have to go to them...God’s OWN land is EVERY land-they all belong to Him-and they NEED THIS MESSAGE!”-Hans Shapp-Part 4
In our concluding talk with Hans Shapp, he shares more about his adventures as he goes across the highways and byways of life in different lands to share the Gospel wherever he can- even back to those discos he once frequented! “…People coming up to you and saying, ‘I really want to know what this means!’ - a guy that’s dressed in Muslim garb comes up to you and says that in India!”-Pastor Leigh Prater
Leigh Prater,our guest on our podcast,shares about serving the Lord as a dad with a houseful of kids, a pastor ministering to a congregation,& a missionary visiting various countries throughout the world! He serves as an associate pastor at Beth-El Baptist Church in Morgan Hill, CA. “I was taken aback, the first trip that I was there, in seeing their reverence towards God...!”-Brother Stephen-Part 1
We’re visiting with the infectious Brother Stephen, who draws from his experiences, sharing from his heart the wonder & kinship he felt when traveling overseas for the first time, with a missions group! He is preparing to go into full-time ministry as a pastor. Adventures in sharing his faith – from cowering behind his father as a child, to springing forth around the world as a Pastor-in-Training! – Brother Stephen-Part 2
We’re continuing our visit with Brother Stephen who’s preparing to go into full-time ministry as a pastor. In our concluding talk with him, he shares about the powerful influence that his dad had on his life, & how it indirectly took him on an eye-opening mission trip to the Philippines! “I grew up right on the beach, right on the ocean, in Coney Island, right next to the Boardwalk...” -Joe Jacowitz-Part 1
Today we begin an extraordinary story of a young Brooklyn Jewish boy who grew up right next to the boardwalk on Coney Island, in NY, and how the Lord changed his heart to follow Yeshua-Jesus-as his Lord and Savior! He’s Pastor Joe Jacowitz, the president and founder of First Love Ministries, and the pastor of Christ Bible Church. “I had six years of intense training in Hebrew school but they did not teach us the Scriptures...!”-Joe Jacowitz-Pt 2
So how does the Lord grab a hold of the attention of an intense young Jewish Marine who’s been studying to become a Rabbi, and shake up his faith with one question?! Joe Jacowitz continues his fascinating story of how God turned his spiritual journey upside down, leading him to become pastor of Christ Bible Church and founder and president of the Christian outreach First Love Ministries! “If there’s no Heaven or Hell, as the Rabbi said, why am I here in this world?! As the Bible teaches, let us then just eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. What’s the purpose of life?!...” - JoeJacowitz-Part 3
We’re continuing with the testimony of Joe Jacowitz, as he shares his earth-shattering experience of how God revealed to him that Jesus is the Messiah and that eternal life comes only through Him! Joe, who grew up as a Jew, is currently the pastor of Christ Bible Church and president of First Love Ministries. “I was so filled with this desperate desire to know that my sins would be forgiven, to know that I would be in heaven when I die...”-Joe Jacowitz-Part 4
We’re continuing with our visit with Joe Jacowitz as he shares his compelling testimony of how a Jewish boy from Brooklyn joined the Marines and, through various circumstances, found himself in a quandary regarding his relationship with God. We left off with Joe madly driving away from the base, desperately lamenting before the Lord! “We’re all murderers, we’re adulterers, we’re worshippers of false gods…we’re all the rest! And, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, I’m in trouble...’”-Joe Jacowitz-Part 5
We’re continuing to hear from Joe Jacowitz as he shares his testimony of how the Lord changed his heart as a Jew to follow Jesus. We left off when Joe was in the Marines, & a young Christian named Bob was showing him about the Messiah in Joe’s own Bible! But Joe wanted more proof and asked Bob to go with him to visit the Rabbi. So off they went.... “I hated Christians more than anything! I thought it was just a big joke and a fake and they’re not real, they’re all hypocrites...” Joe Jacowitz-Part 6
Joe Jacowitz has been sharing his incredible story of how God changed his Jewish heart, as a Marine Sergeant, while being witnessed to by a private named Bob, who was sharing from the Scriptures that Jesus was the true Messiah. But Joe had his doubts because of his past, particularly after having persecuted a soldier in his platoon named Metcalf... “I had not known how the reconciling grace of Christ not only reconciles us to God but to one another...”-Joe Jacowitz- Part 7
We’re again continuing to visit with Joe Jacowitz. He’s been sharing how God changed his life as a Jew growing up in Brooklyn, NY, as he joined the Marines, moved up the ranks to become a sergeant, and then, surprisingly, found his true Messiah, Jesus, and became a totally “new creature in Christ!” “What makes you think that you’re a Christian, because the Bible says, ‘by their fruits you will know them?...’”-Joe Jacowitz-Part 8
Well, again we’re continuing to listen in on the adventure of Joe Jacowitz’s life-changing story as he shares it as only he can! If you’ve missed any part of it, or would like to listen again, they’re all posted on our website at connectionswithrichandbobbi.com. So, now let’s jump in where we left off! “I just had this deep longing and craving in my heart to be able to preach and teach the Word of God in a way that would feed the sheep!” - Joe Jacowitz - Part 9
We’re continuing our visit with Joe Jacowitz, who grew up as a Jew & was on his way to becoming a Rabbi. His life took a dramatic turn while he was in the Marines & he became a Christian! He instead felt called into the Christian ministry & became a pastor! This is where we’ll pick up his dramatic story... “The very first thing I responded with was a very profound, silent, prayer- ‘HELP!’”-Joe Jacowitz-Part 10
We’ve come to our concluding episode of our visit with Pastor Joe Jacowitz and his thrilling story. We left off where Joe and his wife were attending the orthodox Jewish wedding of his niece. Next day at the Rabbi’s dinner, all eyes were on him as several rabbis and other Jewish leaders confronted Joe as a Jew who had become a Christian! - “Why have you left us?!” “I’ve always loved Jesus but I didn’t like to go to church. And, also, I didn’t really understand the cross...”-Johan Schep-Part 1
We’d like to introduce you to a Dutchman from Holland named Johan Schep. He shares the story of himself as an adventurous young man who felt caged in and needed to be set free... “As my own life was changed, renewed, in my own heart, peace flooded like a river; when my soul came to rest, I had room for other people...”-Johan Schep-Part 2
We’re continuing our visit with Johan Schep, a Dutchman from Holland who found himself living in a little hut in the desert in Israel. Listen to his story of where it led him when he made an important decision, “I started to following the right boss - Jesus!” “God is building His church! People are being born again-from Jewish and Arabic backgrounds, & now, among many guest workers!”- Johan Schep – Part 3
We’re continuing our visit with adventurer Johan Schep, a Hollander living in Israel, who changed from a wanderer seeking freedom to a wanderer sharing the pure joy of TRUE freedom with everyone he meets… “Sometimes you might be a link, and you might not see the end results. But, don’t be discouraged as long as you are that one link!”-Johan Schep-Part 4
We’ve come to our concluding visit with Johan Schep from Holland who was living in Israel when we met him. In this episode he presents a challenge! He shares about living a totally fulfilled life rather than a superficial one, using effectively all the gifts God has given him… “…The way that He has changed me, I look back and say, ‘Lord, You’ve been so faithful!’ Because…I’ve come through a lot of things in life - I could’ve just gotten lost!”- Evangeline Rodriguez - Part 1
We’re traveling by phone to the New York City area to visit with a dear, passionate sister in the Lord! She’s Evangeline Rodriguez-and she explains her interesting journey,which has taken her from a zest for life, to a greater zest for NEW life - in Christ! “If my husband is going to leave me and if it is Your will, I cannot stop him. But, I’m not also going to stop my relationship with You, Lord...” Evangeline Rodriguez - Part 2
We’re continuing our phone conversation with Evangeline Rodriguez, who lives in the New York City area. She’s been telling us about working on Wall Street, living what she thought was the good life - until the Word of God completely changed her! “Everybody shut down but I have to work! I work in the hospital. He’s a mailman, he has to work...”- Evangeline Rodriguez-Part 3
We’re continuing our phone conversation with Evangeline Rodriguez, who lives in the New York City area. Evangeline had changed jobs from working on Wall Street to working in a hospital. And, after several years of serving there, she found herself living and working in the U.S.’s epicenter of the pandemic! “We need to live in Christ each day of our lives. We need to live our lives because this could be our last day here...”-Evangeline Rodriguez-Part 4
We’re continuing with our concluding phone conversation with Evangeline Rodriguez who now works in a hospital in the New York City area. She talks about some of the challenges there are in her job with the pandemic, but also the opportunities she has to share her faith! “I was taken aback, the first trip that I was there, in seeing their reverence towards God...!”-Brother Stephen-Part 1
We’re visiting with the infectious Brother Stephen, who draws from his experiences, sharing from his heart the wonder & kinship he felt when traveling overseas for the first time with a missions group! He is preparing to go into full-time ministry as a pastor. Adventures in sharing his faith – from cowering behind his father as a child, to springing forth around the world as a Pastor-in-Training! – Brother Stephen-Part 2
We’re continuing our visit with Brother Stephen who’s preparing to go into full-time ministry as a pastor. In our concluding talk with him, he shares about the powerful influence that his dad had on his life, & how it indirectly took him on an eye-opening mission trip to the Philippines! “Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me…”-We WANT to be thankful, but how can we be, in such difficult times?!-Pastor Joe Jacowitz
To help us to reflect on Thanksgiving, particularly as children of God in these most challenging times, we’ve called on Pastor Joe Jacowitz, pastor of Christ Bible Church in Pleasanton, CA, and president of FirstLove Ministries, to share his thoughts with us! “Revival is the work of the Holy Spirit, & does just what the name says-it revives us!”-Joe Jacowitz
We’re talking with Pastor Joe Jacowitz, the president and founder of First Love Ministries, and the pastor of Christ Bible Church in Pleasanton, CA. Our topic is Revival! And, during these times of social unrest and uncertainty, are we ripe for revival? “The countdown happens and the cheers just erupt everywhere! They jump up with joy, they jump up with smiles...”- Dana Williams
Operation Christmas Child is an exciting project that happens yearly as an outreach of Samaritan’s Purse! Even amid a pandemic, they are actively involved, wanting to collect more shoe boxes than ever before because children need hope more than ever! On the phone to talk about the exciting project is Dana Williams, the Media Relations Assistant Manager for Samaritan's Purse “Oh Happy Day! Oh happy day, when Jesus washed...my sins away!” Singing for the Lord-Miss Lillie Knauls-Part 1
“Oh Happy Day!” is a gospel song by the Edwin Hawkins Singers that made it to the top of the charts during the late 60's and early 70's worldwide! Lillie Knauls, who is our guest, was one of those singers, who herself has been used mightily by the Lord! Miss Lillie, as many know her, with her radiant smile and festive hats, was also a singer featured on the Bill & Gloria Gaither Homecoming television program, videos, and tours. “Happy Birthday, Jesus!...”- Singing with joy & wonder in our hearts to the Lord-Lillie Knauls-2
This is Christmas week and to help us celebrate, giving thanks and praise to God, is Dove award recipient Lillie Knauls! The effervescent Miss Lillie – smile, hat, & all – shares about what’s truly important at Christmas,in word & song! And what a treat – she was a regular singer featured on the Bill & Gloria Gaither Homecoming series! “My Jesus I Love Thee, I know Thou art mine…”-From the Phone Co. to traveling overseas to television, Miss Lillie’s adventures following the Lord-Lillie Knauls-Part 3
As we enter a new year, we’re continuing our visit with Lillie Knauls, who’s known for her performances as a member of the Gaither Homecoming friends & as a singer on the #1 hit song, “Oh Happy Day.” She explains how she came to sing in many of the most prestigious venues throughout the world! “Soon and very soon we are going we are going to see the King - I believe...”-And until then, how do we live our lives?-Lillie Knauls-Part 4
On our last few podcasts, we’ve been visiting with the vibrant Miss Lillie Knauls, known for singing on the hit, “Oh Happy Day,” & the Gaither Homecoming TV programs, videos,& tours! In our concluding talk with her, she shares about how she followed God’s will for her life, how she keeps going, her ministry to singles, and more! “The message of Christianity is being pushed out. It’s being discredited. And, there’s a rewriting of history...” Brian Bush - Part 1
Brian Bush is our guest. He’s a news and biblical correspondent in the Middle East who has lived in Jerusalem for over 25 years. He gives us a firsthand perspective of life in the Holy Lands. |
