Show Notes
Jesus was known for the way he interacted with those on the margins of society – the tax collectors everyone despised, the lepers no-one would touch, the cripples and the prostitutes society rejected. Jesus’ teaching and interactions constantly reflected God’s heart for those who had been forgotten and left behind. So today, when we hear the Spirit as Jesus’ continuing voice, we shouldn’t be surprised that we find themselves in similar places! That is, we will be led to love the poor as Jesus did. In this episode, we talk about the revelatory work of Holy Spirit among the poor with someone who is doing just that. With his wife Gracie, Bob Ekblad lives out the heart of Jesus through the power and revelation of the Spirit. After living several years working in sustainable farming in Honduras and then studying theology in France, Bob and Gracie lead a church community known as Tierra Nueva (New Earth) in Washington state USA. Here, they come alongside immigrants, street people, addicts and prisoners to demonstrate the love of Jesus in practical and profound ways. You’ll hear about: Bob and Gracie’s fascinating story from a kibbutz in the Middle East to the cornfields of Honduras, the study halls of Paris and the streets of Washington state… How working with impoverished peasants in sustainable farming led to an unexpected request: “A lot of us are tough. Some of us are violent. We don’t put God first, but we notice you do. Could we begin our weekly farming courses with a Bible study?” Bob tells of his surprise and excitement as well as a deep sense of trepidation: “You pull out a Bible in that setting, and the people look like stray city dogs who are used to being kicked. They sleek off and lurk away, fearful of being beaten by the Bible, because that’s how the Bible has been used…” How reading the Bible with semi-literate, impoverished Latinos expanded Bob’s view of the Gospel story “When people are marginalised and from the lowest classes of society, they abandon all hope and throw themselves into a life of drinking and violence.” A defining moment in Bob’s journey towards understanding the Holy Spirit… “I see you in a circle of men in red uniforms sitting on blue plastic chairs. I think they’re prisoners. I hear the Father saying, “I love how you love my prisoners.” The shift in Bob’s ministry after receiving prayer for a healing anointing. Bob tells how Jesus’ teaching from Luke 15 became relevant for a self-confessed racist, neo-Nazi gang member in jail who wanted to learn how to get along with Mexicans. After the Bible study, a word from God and a simple prayer led to a miraculous healing for one of the jail members. The connection between hearing the Spirit and developing a heart for those who have suffered, even violent offenders. Bob shares how hearing God speak about the health conditions and root emotional problems of others revealed the kind of grace that did not require change of even faith to bring healing. In his words, “pre-emptive love doesn’t require a response – it elicits a response.”
Next Steps Join the journey to hearing God’s voice. Start your free 7-day God Conversations devotional today! Pray, promote and give. God Conversations is donor-funded and made possible through the generosity of people like you! Become a partner today. Equip your church to hear God’s voice. Join our community of ministry leaders for monthly insights and a free preview of 50 Days of God Conversations resource.
More from God Conversations with Tania Harris
You open your Bible. You read a passage you've read a hundred times before. Nothing happens. Sound familiar?
A prophetic minister told a young couple they were "a match made in heaven." She saw red flags but married him anyway. The marriage turned abusive and the "prophet" was later discovered to have been mining personal data to make his words sound accurate. On this episode, I sit down with prophetic minister David Balestri to talk about what's broken in prophetic ministry right now, and what it would take to build something healthier.
Can God really speak through animals? I know – it sounds a little out there. But what if the Holy Spirit, the great Comforter, uses all of creation to bring healing, joy and peace? In this week’s God Conversations podcast, I sit down with Dr Daniela Rizzo, a theologian who explores how God may speak through animals – and why so many of us have quietly experienced this without knowing how to explain it. From grief, to theology, to the big question “will our pets be in heaven?” – this conversation is tender, challenging and biblical. If you love animals and wonder if God might be speaking in more ways than we’ve been taught… this one’s for you!
What if God is already speaking – long before we arrive with answers? In this episode of God Conversations, Tania Harris sits down with hospital chaplain Matt Sanders to explore what it really means to listen for God in the lives of everyday people. Not in church pews. Not in polished testimonies. But in hospital rooms, juvenile detention centres, moments of grief, fear, and profound vulnerability. Matt has spent decades at the coalface of human suffering – first as a chaplain in juvenile hall, and more recently in hospital and hospice settings. What he’s learned overturns one of our most common assumptions: that spiritual conversations require religious language, right beliefs, or even a belief in God at all. Instead, Matt describes chaplaincy as a ministry of presence – the disciplined art of showing up, slowing down, and truly listening.
What if God doesn’t need us to bring answers – but to pay attention? In this episode of God Conversations, Tania Harris speaks with Rev Dr Ash Barker, whose life and ministry have been shaped by listening for God among the urban poor. From Springvale in Melbourne, to Bangkok’s largest slum, and now inner‑city Birmingham, Ash has spent decades learning one core truth: God is already at work. Our role is to notice and join in.