Pt 2: Rick Hoppe + the Tennis Player

[00:00:00] We're our hope is to inspire everyday faith conversations. I'm Jess and I'm Abby. Today we're thrilled to continue our conversation with Pastor Rick Hoppe. If you didn't catch part one, make sure to start there. Rick has served in ministry over 20 years from senior pastor to university professor

[00:00:22] and has recently authored his first book which we do have linked in the show notes below. He's married to his wonderful wife, Nancy and has four children. Rick currently provides the local council and a crisis intervention for listeners of Caleb and Air 1 radio networks.

[00:00:41] One of the things that Jess and I admire most about Rick is his humility. He approaches each conversation with equality. Never thinking that he's better than anyone else. His goal is to point people back to God not judge. Today Rick shares some more great stories and advice.

[00:01:00] As an athlete, Rick has an impactful story about a couple used to coach. Let's jump back into that story and hear what he has to share. So I, uh, this one lady, um, delightful lady. When you have consistent lessons with people,

[00:01:25] you start to get to know them and they start to get to know you. And so this particular lady married, it's amazing what they'll share. She, um, I taught her and then I taught her husband. I'm teaching her husband. And you know, how's my wife doing?

[00:01:45] She loves your lessons. Bob, Bob, Bob, blah, blah, blah. And I, she's doing fine. So we've had, we have a few lessons with the husband. And he starts telling me they're struggling in their marriage. He started telling me he had an affair. She doesn't know about the affair.

[00:02:06] He's telling me what he does because he's a, he's a singer. And he goes on his things all the time and he goes all different places. And he's just unloading all of this between the hitting sessions. Wow.

[00:02:20] And I share with them, I share with them, you know, do you have any concerns about the afterlife? Do you have any concerns about where you're going to go and totally had a chance to share the Gospel with them? Didn't didn't get saved, it didn't agree with everything.

[00:02:39] And he was, yeah, I could tell you're a person of faith. And I just, I know I need to make some changes and a good disgrace is I can't believe my wife is still with me. And yeah, those are just incredibly incredibly open conversations.

[00:02:53] And again, people for everybody has a recent man. Everybody has parents. And they think it's the symptom, right? I think it was my marriage issue. Even when I talk to people like that on the tennis quarter, you know, in the gym or have discussions.

[00:03:14] I try to tell people, you know, everything he was said about your marriage, the concerns you said about your son and the concern you said about your sister and law, those are all absolutely important. But can I just maybe raise up the light pole?

[00:03:30] Maybe the main issue with maybe your relationship with the Lord. Would you be willing to talk about that bone because I didn't do another discussion, which is, yeah, you know, made opportunity like I had with the tennis quarter that jumped.

[00:03:42] And he just shared it because it was a couple lessons I had before, and he was right as chair. And I think to that what to, I think as we grow, and I really want to be a learner until I die, I've kind of heard almost everything.

[00:03:58] So nothing, number one doesn't surprise me. Number two, I'm really not better than anybody. Just because I have committed a certain sin and I still screw up every day. I'm not surprised and I love when people can fight in me or share with me concerns.

[00:04:19] Kind of like you even just shared a little bit of just about perfectionism. It's like, oh, good. Yeah, I should go with that too. But there's kind of a level playing field. Yes. And no respect is lost because you've devolves that to me. Mm-hmm.

[00:04:36] Yeah, that's so important as somebody, yeah, trying to share their faith and have those vulnerable conversations to, yeah, to just know we can't, we aren't the judge. We, we can't judge them. All we can do is point back to God, point back to God.

[00:04:53] I'm just, I'm just thinking all the little seeds along the way. But yeah, to be, to be open and accepting and just loving people really well. Yeah, but I think it is maybe a lifetime of learning how to not be judgmental.

[00:05:08] So thank you for, for bringing that up and pointing it out to me. And maybe just some of our listeners too. That's so helpful. Mm-hmm. You'll think every time, no. I tell my people, I tell people, I'm a recovering person.

[00:05:24] What are you interested in by am I recovering because they're the eye-chirping? Try to get saved on my own again and say my curse. Mm-hmm. Now, Rick will you? We've kind of alluded to it a little bit, kind of your line of work.

[00:05:40] And what that means you get to do on a daily basis. You have some stories from work. But I want to talk a little bit about how, even though it sounds like what you do is in a realm that, you know,

[00:05:55] while I don't find myself in that kind of situation, even though we might feel like that at first glance. Really, some of the stories you have from your work are extremely relatable and transferable into our day-to-day interactions. Yeah.

[00:06:12] So, I'm, again, I'm a part of the 30 people and I'm one of 12 pastors. And I have a headset on hours in the day. And so when people hear, hey, if you want to call, okay, love.

[00:06:25] You know, we have pastors who love to talk to you and pray with you. So they'll initially contact the first quote-and-colt line of defense, which is our care team.

[00:06:33] It's about 20 men and women who just, how my name is, you know, and maybe I could you please pray for my dog, my daughter to the back. To, hey, my husband just left me. Bye. Because you please help.

[00:06:50] And they have to transfer all those calls to us as pastors. So there's several of us that are already on ready status. And it's essentially a call center in that sense. And so, a lady yesterday called and she was stressed out about her marriage.

[00:07:12] Stress out about her finances. And just lost hope. And so, I think again, this is the opportunity that I have. And we all have to share the good news of the gospel with people. Yeah. This particular lady, new the Lord.

[00:07:33] And to be able to unpack, okay, is it okay if we talk about what God thinks about you right now? Because she had shared a little bit of her story with me at how she had come to Christ early on.

[00:07:46] And so, being able to unpack, you know, there's no condemnation for those of us in Christ Jesus. The Lord is, you know, every single ever said that you've ever committed. And never will commit Jesus Christ's bed for all of them.

[00:08:02] He loves you, you're an object of His grace. So, you know, the opportunity that all of us have to meet people where they're at in whatever difficulty they're in. It's completely transparent. I might be on a phone most of the time.

[00:08:19] But wherever we're at, I mean, goodness, it's just ever. There's people, you guys are going to reach it all never reach. There's some, there's people here in this podcast, they're going to be in unique places. Acts 17 talks about this.

[00:08:33] God places in specific places, specific times, so that men would see God. And so, you just never know, you know, and so the opportunity that you and I have to share is amazing. And in my job, it's a lot of encouragement. It's probably 50% of you guys evangelism. Okay.

[00:08:55] I probably share the gospel over 50% of my calls. I over 75% I share the gospel with people where they believe us and probably. I don't want to, I can, I can demo our company, but 50% of the callers at least. They don't know the word. Yeah, I don't think.

[00:09:20] Which is amazing that you're reaching all kinds of people. Believe us, I don't believe us, yeah. Yeah, I mean, you get to call it from Kansas. My next calls from Canada. My next calls from Florida. My next calls from Minneapolis.

[00:09:33] I mean, I literally had a call yesterday from a lady. This is hilarious. The lady calls me. We'll call her Lisa, that's under name, but we'll call her Lisa. She calls me. She's discouraged. She's downcast. I unfold the gospel with her.

[00:09:51] I share with her, you know, the love of Christ and she's very receptive. And then I found out. She's me. She lives in Hawaii. And I said, wow, I said, I'm going that Hawaiian. I'm going that Hawaiian a few days to celebrate my graduation from medical school.

[00:10:08] Tell me what I should do there. See, again. So I mean, just it was, and then after she shared that, we talked some more about life. We're such a part of it. We're she's out with God. So, just never know.

[00:10:26] This conversation reminds me of another conversation we've had. Actually, I don't take me way back to one of our very early interviews with Justin Gasper. You know, I was just thinking about that same conversation could happen with the drive-through attendant. Yeah.

[00:10:44] That same conversation could happen with that door to door sales person. You know, whatever situation we find ourselves in, it's like God is saying, you know, hey, I've got these people in your bath for a reason. You know, invest in them. Be curious. Be curious. Yeah.

[00:11:05] So, that by what they've got going on, we're concerned to have. Yeah. It's going well. Absolutely. Well, I think to, you know, I've had some great things going to my life. I've had some hard things and it just a quick story.

[00:11:22] When I was going through a hard time probably 10 years ago, I got life coach and this is a true story. He sat with me for an hour and then we prayed. Did Lord, thank you for a great blah, blah, thank you for all this.

[00:11:33] And please help Rick to shut up. Because when you speak for 20 blah blah, blah years and by point is the reason why I'm telling you that is because the Lord also used some of that hard stuff to teach me to listen.

[00:11:57] And so, being able to listen to people and see so many things that their soul is dealing with. Yeah. Provides many endroads. Again, back to your connections comments that you go shared that we have a chance to reach in their life. Yeah. So, because I didn't listen.

[00:12:16] I still don't listen. See, I can tell you, just interrupt me. I just interrupt you. You know? I love people better. I think today because I'm genuinely more interested in them. I also listen better. Still learning. I'll start with the light diet, but Rick, you are an author.

[00:12:36] Part of the premise that what you wrote your book on is exactly what you're talking about now. I think, right? And some of the challenges in life that led to the birth of this book.

[00:12:49] And you were just saying how you've been able to relate with people because of what God's brought you through. Well, you share with our listeners first about your book, maybe what inspired, inspired it.

[00:13:02] And then maybe a time that you've been able to relate to someone and have a faith conversation because of that experience. Yeah. Well, first of all, the first book I wrote was called Refilia Soul. It's basically a devotional. Just to help people.

[00:13:19] And the book I believe you're talking about Jess is it's called, it'll be called the Triapet Grace. I believe it's almost there done. And a couple decades ago, I'm like, you mentioned performance. I'm an athlete. Yeah.

[00:13:35] And for me when I became a Christian, I knew I wanted to serve God and he was supposed to love God. So it's so big on right? I was in a great church and great people. And but it was very, very, I grabbed onto the imperatives.

[00:13:49] The imperatives of scripture. Mm-hmm. And I'm sure you guys know this. And a lot of the Bible is broken up like the book of Ephesians is all about what Christ did. And then the last three chapters, four five and six as well. We're supposed to do.

[00:14:04] Colossians wanted to do what Jesus did, three and four were we're supposed to do. Theologians called the indicted before the imperative, whatever. And any of that. For me, I have been a Christian over ten years and it's finally got burnt out. I had the Lord's my witness.

[00:14:22] I wasn't in any deep sins. I was in the typical stuff. I need to be a love my wife better. Love my kids better. I need to not be lazy. Whatever. And so I got burnt out. Doing all the things I was doing, leading teaching preaching,

[00:14:38] and marrying, marrying people. And I got so burnt out. I finally got discouraged. A wife was discouraged, never seen me. I never been this way. I used to be all the time. I'm going to discourage man. It's not good up. You know, you know all things you cry.

[00:14:52] It's very blah, blah, blah, blah. Yeah. No matter fact, I didn't have enough categories in what people look like burnt out or depressed. So I finally got depressed. And for me, I wasn't like put in a hospital.

[00:15:05] For me, my discouragement and even, you know, a few weeks of depression was I knew the Bible had the answers. I got to find them. I'm discouraged and I'm depressed and I'm burnt out. I got to find the answers.

[00:15:16] And so I went and finally, my wife and I sat down with a pastor. And after an album packing my life, he looked at me and he said, Rick, you're living your life in a courtroom. God's faith-sealing judged and condemned by God, by others and by yourself.

[00:15:40] What you need is a big dose of God's grace and Psalm 34-22 which says those who put their open hem shall never be condemned. So that was the crack I needed, which I called, I was in 1998. I call it the hardest and best year my spiritual life

[00:15:58] because that's the year that I truly learned really learned about the grace of God and really the essence of the gospel. Because by the way, I haven't been in burnout into discurs like that in over 20 years. Akejiza is... There's no other reason.

[00:16:13] There's no other reason why I should be here talking to you. But by the grace of God. And so therefore, I was in the people I have not talked to. I've had over now, I think it's we're looking at almost 20,000 conversations on the phone

[00:16:30] or in person with people. And so many of you guys, so many of them are about what I just shared with you. And a lot of people either don't know the Lord or people who do know the Lord and you don't understand the grace of God.

[00:16:48] And just back on the treadmill, just give it just a serve more, do more, love more. You know, it's such a moron. It doesn't help them because we're not resting and what Jesus did. We're resting and what we're doing. And so that's what the book is really about.

[00:17:05] And I'm really hopeful that God wants to use it. And I just love it. That's really... And so that was, you guys, that was 14 years into my Christian experience. Okay. Right? I mean, yeah, ladies, I know Greek and Hebrew. I have my seminary degree. I'm more than...

[00:17:26] I got discouraged. I had theological morons to go to, to help me and that got me through. What about the people that we talked to every day that don't? They don't have the depressed, they're discouraged, they don't know why.

[00:17:41] And so that's a tremendous opportunity to share our faith with people to show them because even though we're great sinners, we have an amazing Savior. Yes. Let me tell you what He did. Let me tell you what He's all about.

[00:17:57] So really, all my life now, my parenting, my marriage, has some of the aroma I'd like to think of the grace of God because it's what the Lord did in my life and He continues to do. And I don't have it.

[00:18:15] I don't have, like last year, last year, this is the start of this other sidebar. Last year in January, you guys. So Justin, I'd be... I prayed in January. You know, they'll pray on Ephesians 3. You know, I want to do a buff of the Lord.

[00:18:32] All you ask, or imagine it. You all right? I pray that. That's a January. At the end of January, I'm playing pickleball. And I pull a disk in my back. Last year, over 20 caraparact heat adjustments, over 20 times on a decompression table with my hips and stir-ups.

[00:18:53] All right, X-rays. The reason I'm telling you this is this. You're an answer to that prayer, by the way. Everybody else have been able to share that story with. God showed me how physically weak and spiritually weak I am so that I truly can trust in

[00:19:12] his power and get to experience his power. So because quite frankly, this story just told you about the triumph of grace and all that it's... and I'm not trying to be a Pharisee.

[00:19:24] It's really about how I screwed up and how I was depressed and how I was discouraged and how I was downcasing, how I was burnt out. And the only way I got out of it was God's showing me what he had already done for me.

[00:19:36] That's how much God's love me. And so... And if that's the only message that we share with someone who's going through a hard time, I mean, man, that's a plenty. That's a great, a great takeaway for someone just to know.

[00:19:53] Like, oh, yeah, maybe it's okay that I don't have it all together. And maybe it's almost better if I don't have it all together. And the sense that that means that I can give it over and invite the Lord into my life

[00:20:08] because he can... I'm stronger with him. Yeah, sure. Well, it depends as the objective for all of us, then weakness is our strength. Like, we are weak, he is strong. It's like good things to all.

[00:20:22] Like Paul said, I've told him his sisters that that was one of the hardest years in my life last year physically because of that. Sure, yeah. And thank what we're sitting here with without acting. No, I'm so sorry. I think about this morning.

[00:20:40] Well, Rick Truthfully, I mean, that could be how we end our podcast, how I end our episode with you. But if you were to leave our listeners with anything else, even just a little take away

[00:20:54] something for them to be considering and even put into action this week as they go out and consider sharing their faith. What would you share with them? Yeah, no thanks so much for having me on. Thanks for the questions. I think they're great.

[00:21:09] I think we've touched on some of these, but I would say... I'd say number one, I have a few of them. Number one, BU. We don't have to turn on some evangelistic cringe, evangelistic food that we go into. Right? Oh, I'm sharing my faith.

[00:21:23] I think BU, love Jesus and BU. I think, secondly, be genuinely interested, obviously, in them. People know when you love them, people know when you care for them. And I think just being genuinely interested in them. And I think this is expressed and even praying for them.

[00:21:43] When you share your faith, I think me and my head was called an arrow prayer and I think me and my one before I went to the king I prayed. It seems like it was just right then when he did that and praying for their so I think

[00:21:54] thirdly, humble ourselves. I think he said earlier, one of you said, you know, conversations not condemnation, but within a cancel culture. And we don't always have to be right. We can believe what we believe and we can be convinced about what we believe.

[00:22:12] It's okay if you disagree with me. I still love you. Two more. I think stay away from religious intimidation. For speed of three, 15, he talks about sanctified crisis, Lord and Your Arts. I always being ready to give any answer, really the ideas.

[00:22:31] Some verses say defense is really an answer for the hope that is in you. And then he says, with gentleness and reverence. I think the more explosive or the more substantive we are in the gospel, like if you're

[00:22:47] talking about, you know, in not our favorite topic, the more intense the topic, the gentler we should be. Just a comment. I'm the last, you know, we're great sinners. We have a greater Savior. You know, we have an amazing Savior. He lives with me.

[00:23:09] He walks with you and me and he wants to show himself. And so we're great sinners, but we have a greater Savior. And the message we have is for the world. And what you guys are doing, what you're doing, what we all have a privilege to do will

[00:23:30] be, will not be necessary in heaven, right? You have a time stamped ministry. I do to share the gospel. Yeah, right. This one we're done. We see the effects in heaven, but there's no more great commission in heaven.

[00:23:47] Thank you for listening to the Ask But My Faith podcast. We'd love your supporting continuing to bring you encouraging and inspiring stories. Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you're listening. And you can learn more about us and donate at AskButMyFaith.com.

[00:24:02] Not plus you to speak as you go out and share your faith.