Three Generations of Listeners 'Down Under'

Australian Richard Geluk is the third generation in a family whose lives have been touched by The Back to God Hour. But Richard, 37, who works in computer graphic animation, receives the weekly messages in a way his grandparents could not imagine – via the Internet.

Richard’s grandparents, who emigrated from the Netherlands, learned about Dr Peter Eldersveld, the powerful radio preacher, through the Reformed church in Sydney, New South Wales. They became faithful listeners.

Richard’s father, Martin, first heard the radio program in the early 1960s, when he was 16 years old. He was so impressed with the messages that he requested printed copies. “This helped me grow spiritually,” he said. “The sermons made biblical doctrine clear to me.”

Inspired in part by The Back to God Hour program, Martin Geluk went on to become a pastor, serving six churches across Australia.

Now retired and living in Melbourne, Australia, he remembers his great disappointment when the local radio stations stopped carrying The Back to God Hour broadcasts. “But I continued to receive the printed messages of radio program right through my 40 year ministry.”

He has at least 1,000 copies of past radio messages on file and frequently used them in evangelism outreach ministries with the congregations he served. 

“Our children can’t remember listening to The Back to God Hour on the radio, but I ordered copies of the printed messages and gave one to each of my four children.” Martin Geluk noted. “The sermons are relevant, speak to our times, and often address current issues from a biblical perspective. Our children have found The Back to God Hour sermons very helpful as they work through these issues.

“Once in a while my sons are asked to do a reading service in their churches. They frequently select a sermon from The Back to God Hour, because they are excellent!” 

Today, Richard Geluk doesn’t have to wait for a printed copy of The Back to God Hour radio messages—he automatically receives the weekly message by email. And although no radio stations in Australia currently carry the broadcast, he occasionally listens to the audio version via the Internet.

If you live in a part of the world where there is no radio broadcast of The Back to God Hour, check out the audio or podcast version at www.btgh.org. If you’d like printed copies, sign up to receive the weekly messages each Monday by email.

Whether you are a third generation listener or new to The Back to God Hour, you don’t have to miss receiving biblical messages that explore a Christian perspective on faith and life.