Let me tell you about my friend Dr. Matt Prince. In the 80s and 90s, Matt had a show called “The Answer Line” on Joy620 WRJZ. Dr. Prince would often field questions from the listenership about theology, eschatology, marriage or parenting. He would tell stories from his experiences in the court room – as a lawyer. He would share experiences from the pulpit, as a pastor and professor.
I began listening to him even before I came to faith in Christ. Even though I wasn’t a Christian, I felt like I was listening to someone with whom I could have a deep spiritual conversation.
Something Dr. Prince said, at the end of his show, on a Tuesday afternoon in 1992, caught my attention, and has stuck with me to this day. He had spent the show talking about how someone is saved; he’d presented the Gospel. To end, he’d said, “Hell is a real place, folks. It’s awful. I love you. I don’t want you to go there. Trust Jesus. He loves you more than I do. He’s God in the flesh. He died for you on the cross so that you could be with him in Heaven. Remember I don’t want to go to Heaven without you. And God-willing, I’ll see you next time on The Answer Line.”
Dr. Prince’s sign off left a profound impression on this young, would-be talk show host. When I came to Faith in Christ on May 6th, 1992, God immediately began moving my heart toward a career in Christian radio. Less than a year later, on March 15th, 1993, I joined the team at Joy620.
Back then it was Joy62, WRJZ Christian Family Radio. And Dr. Matt Prince was one of the first to welcome me aboard.
He mentored and discipled me, as he had many other young men. Many times did we sit eating a chicken sandwich at Buddy’s Barbecue, and Matt would pull out a pen and start drawing an eschatological chart. He shared with me so much wisdom, continually up to his death in 2003.
Not many people have a mind and a heart as devoted as his was. Part of fulfilling my calling here at this radio station is to pass along some of the great wisdom I learned from Dr. Matt Prince. I am so thankful God orchestrated our meeting and allowed Dr. Prince to play such a major role in my life.
Today, pause and remember those people who have poured into your life. Thank God for them and pass it on.
In other words, learn it, love it, live it.
Bob Bell
