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At the age of 81 he calls himself a broken-down missionary. But Don Cole is far from broken down. And he's still a man with a mission. Since 1971 he has been the radio pastor for the Moody Broadcasting Network. For the tens of thousands who hear his warm grandfatherly voice on Open Line twice a week, he is a light-hearted soul with a keen knowledge of the Scriptures.

Don and his wife Naomi served as missionaries in Angola for 18 years when an unexpected change in the government prevented their desired return. It was at this point in the mid-1960s that Don pursued a master's degree in English at De Paul University in Chicago. At the same time, he taught missions courses at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa, and was in high demand as a guest preacher at churches in the Midwest.

"In 1970 I was enjoying what I was doing very much," Don admits. "But when Robert J. Little retired from his position as radio pastor at WMBI after 17 years, an invitation was extended to me to take over. It didn't take me long to say thanks but no thanks. I didn't see myself as having the theological education required."

	"I'm not the only one who can offer answers for what the Bible says. Any believer can … if they will take the time to read Scripture." —Don Cole

In Don's eyes, the intellectual shoes of R. J. Little (father of popular speaker and author Paul Little) would be impossible to fill. Besides, the 47-year-old evacuated missionary still felt called to be a missionary in Africa.

But the management at Moody persisted. As far as they were concerned, the person answering callers questions on the Dial-the-Pastor program did not need to sound like a seminary professor. Rather, they wanted a winsome personality who could communicate the foundational truths of the Bible in the language of the listeners.

"When I understood that they really didn't want a carbon copy of R. J. Little, I was willing to reconsider," Don recalls. "I'd learned on the mission field how to break down difficult concepts and convey them simply. Furthermore, my wife believed this was a door the Lord had opened for me, and I take a lot of stock in what she thinks."

On August 1, 1971, as Dr. George Sweeting took over the presidency of Moody Bible Institute, Don Cole assumed the role of Moody's radio pastor. Since that day, he has sat faithfully before a studio microphone with his well-worn Bible and a genuine interest in people. It's a sincerity that is apparent to those who hear him Mondays and Thursday nights on nearly 300 stations across the nation.

In the 33 years that Don's been helping listeners understand God's Word, the title of the program changed from Dial-the-Pastor to Open Line. But that's not the only change.

"The questions people ask are different than they used to be," Don admits. "Back when I started, everybody was concerned about the validity and appropriate use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But I don't get many questions about that these days. Today, those who tune me in are more interested in lifestyle concerns than doctrine. More often than not, questions deal with relationships."

In addition to seeking answers on what the Bible has to say about getting along with difficult people, Don also fields a steady number of calls from people who have been touched by suicide. For the veteran broadcaster, no topic is off limits—except one.

"I make it very clear that I will not deal with questions related to kinky sex," Don says without hesitation. "In addition to the fact that I don't claim to be a sex therapist, there are all kinds of children who regularly tune in to my broadcasts."

It is those children under the age of 12 who Don credits with asking the most difficult questions through the years. For example, an 8-year-old girl wanted to know if people would be able to see God in heaven. Another young boy wanted to know if God wears pants.

"A common question I get from children is whether or not there will be animals in heaven," Don says with a smile. "And I tell them that I fully believe there will be. It probably won't be the family cat or our dog Mitzi, but according to the Bible the millennial reign of Christ is pictured with all kinds of animals."

Don has been stumped on more than one occasion. In fact he says he doesn't really prepare ahead of time as much as he prepares after a program. Once he knows what he needs to study up on, he will be ready to offer an explanation the next time.

"But I'm not the only one who can offer explanations for what the Bible says or what Christians believe," Don confesses. "Average Joe Disciples can offer an answer for the hope they have in Christ if they will take the time to read Scripture on a regular basis. There are also great books by people like Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, and Greg Boyd that will help curious believers defend their faith."

While maintaining his role as host of the Open Line program and continuing to write meditations for Moody's devotional magazine, Don has let go of some of his responsibilities at the Chicago campus in recent years.

Still, he keeps an active schedule. And his heart for the people of Angola continues to beat with compassion.

"Although Naomi and I have returned numerous times since we were forced to leave, since 1997 we have traveled back twice a year to that African country, and it's not just returning to teach and preach," Don says. "Over the years we've filled 30 steel containers with clothing and supplies that have been shipped to the Angolan people."

Greg Asimakoupoulos is a writer from the Chicago area.

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