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Welcome to the well
At the well we meet with Finnish spiritual adults three times.
Today we have our first meeting with Riku Rinne who is
an engineer of computer science and technology from Nokia.
God called him to His ministry less than twenty years ago.
From that time on he has visited different schools
as a youth worker meeting young people and preaching gospel.
Riku Rinne is also a musician, author and is married with 3 children.
Welcome to the well Riku Rinne - Thank you Anna
I already shared something about you and what you have done.
“Who would you say you are?”
Riku Rinne is an ordinary Finnish man and in some ways quite boyish.
I have wanted to keep this going life style.
I am most comfortable with young people.
What are you learning at this time of your life?
I am learning about being human more than ever.
When you have been a born again Christian 23 years,
you notice that humanity is the subject of learning -
very meaningful.
The Bible talks a lot about humanity.
I am finding that more and more in my life.
What do you dream about?
About love, such love which lasts and works everywhere.
I want a century old love story with my wife.
I dream about love between father and his children and friends.
Of course about God's great love
so that I could live and experience love with Jesus.
What thing are you sure about?
Jesus has risen and He has died for me and I am on my way to heaven.
Many people recognize your voice in the radio.
You visit different schools and young people know your face.
You have also written many books.
Tell me what kind of arms you were born into?
My fear started when I was between11 and 12.
At that time I was interested in supernatural things which are now
more widespread as we have more movies, books, Internet available.
Reason to get scared.
For myself it started with horror movies and a vivid imagination.
I started to get generally interested in supernatural things,
spiritualism media, books,etc.
During my youth I spent time with that.
Then I experienced odd feelings and fears;
I felt like somebody was following me.
I don't need to explain further. It was life of fear, life behind shadows.
I was embarrassed to talk to anybody, least of all my parents.
Only my buddies knew about these dark things.
Then I got to know Helena, who is my wife today.
She had become a born again Christian a couple months ago.
This was first encounter with light and darkness.
In this way, the road to freedom started.
Because of Helena's prayers I became free and my chains were broken.
I was invited into God's arms, those arms that will never let me go.
The Heavenly Fathers' arms is a mighty place to live and to be;
it's the place where you can find life.
When you were very small, did anybody talk to you about God?
Helena was the one who told you the gospel.
Yes that's true.
Our family was as ordinary Lutheran family as it can be.
The Bible was sitting on the self, these things were respected.
God was not anyway mocked.
My father's background shows these things were on hand.
As a young boy he was singing Salvation Army's songs.
He was lived in that type of circles.
Respect for spiritual things emerges from there.
My first spiritual memory rises from the school,
particularly my second grade teacher, who was likely a born again Christian.
The faith and morning devotions was represented in such a lovely way.
At that time in schools, spiritual devotions was clearly spoken
in a classroom by the teacher.
From there I received my first spiritual seed.
But otherwise spiritual inheritance was quite minimal as a child.
What other memories you have from your childhood of Tampere?
I have close memories connected with sports.
Both my mom and dad were top- ranking athletes all their lives.
In my family sports played an essential part.
I remember my father placing his speed skates into this rack
in order to sharpen them.
It was so fantastic to look your own father to win championship of
500 meters of Finland's speed skating.
I have great splendid memories of my parent's speed skating career.
That was my strongest memory and fights with my sister.
Were you proud of your parents?
Yes, I was proud of my parents. I have never been ashamed of them.
Healthy humanity has grown from the example of my parents.
I can be proud of that, many people can't.
At that time was Tampere safe or unsafe for a young chap like you ?
Yes, it was quite safe. I don't remember anything special.
Some kind of cider intoxication at the age of 12.
Can you imagine I have never been drunk in my life!
Only one experience, 3 bottles of cider with my buddies.
After drinking everything was spinning round and round in my head.
And then we went to city to hang out
I remember there could have been a dangerous situation.
But fortunately I did not drink anything more than that cider.
Tampere has been the place where I have felt most at home.
I lived there till I turned 20 .
Then you got interested in supernatural things.
Can you tell me why ?
On hand curiosity the other there was lots of supernatural material on hand.
You saw movies read papers, books , listened people's stories.
Perhaps curiosity on the other hand spirituality.
Every one of us long for spirituality; answers for life.
Perhaps I didn't find answers.
This drove me to look for all kinds of interesting things.
I didn't see anything bad about that.
Because I didn't believe in personal evil.
Jesus was some kind of teacher among others.
The reason was curiosity and emptiness.
I have heard about a “spiritual law” what you eat, you want more of that.
Did this happen to you?
When you ate, read that type of material looked for answers from occultism.
All this started to suck you in!
Of course.
During my high school years after school, I went often to library.
I could spend spend 3-4 hours finding books of para psychology
and eastern religion.
Looking them over and over sometimes even borrowing them.
I spent plenty of time on these things and my interest grew bigger and bigger.
I wanted to try if I could move things by the power of my own thoughts
Or could I see humanoids descending on my yard?
See supernatural things what others couldn't see!
The reality of supernatural world became stronger.
I started to believe that there is something what we can't see.
All my youth I had this kind of belief.
Very innocently, but looking back perhaps it was not so innocent!
Did something come against you?
Did you stumble for something, humanoids?
I can't prove it here but the memories and mental pictures created
strong feeling from those times Somebody was near.
Somebody approached through books, perhaps it was my thinking!
You get the feeling it is coming towards you.
What was it ,why was it?
There was odd feeling something is near.
To wake up in the middle of night for nightmares ,
feeling that somebody is in the room.
Experiences: can things move?
Although I didn't see things moving but somebody came near.
Supernatural was present.
With my buddies we made experiences by meditation
looking for connection with something somewhere.
We felt like cold mass started to flow into the room.
The atmosphere and temperature changed in the room. It twas scary.
To this day I don't know was that my imagination or
was it really happening!
But when you keep this kind of thoughts in your head,
young people of today or myself;
the boundary of the truth starts waver in your own head.
I need to ask, you are so involved with young people
when you went to confirmation school.
What kind of memories you have from there?
Didn't they talk about living God and the other side of the heaven?
We had a really nice confirmation school, lots of music.
Both our pastor and youth worker were good guitar players.
The message was so nice. The camp was nice.
I don't seriously remember to stop and think about faith:
existence of good and bad.
Staying at the camp was nice and there were girls.!!
Then you met Helena what happened with these supernatural things?
When I run into Helena first time I am not going to details.
On our first actual date 13 of July
we were walking in the streets of Tampere .
She talked one and a half hour about her life her faith as a human being.
That somebody could open up so deeply, touched me very much.
First time in my life I met the person and I was able to see inside of her.
She was so open honest as a human being.
First this impressed me deeply.
After that the things she had talked about affected me
My own bad feeling started to grow and grow.
I realized that letting go either way is going to happen.
Then all of the sudden in the middle of the conversation
I saw myself strangling Helena.
It was like video going in front of my eyes
although I kept my hands in my pocket and I was looking straight at Helena.
The feeling was so terrible, panic took over.
Somebody tried to influence me outside of my body.
The girl whom I had loved most so far in my life.
How could I get that type of feeling I want to get rid of her.
I was in total shock.
Helena was looking at me long time and asked what's going on?
I couldn't say that to the girl whom I just started dating with,
I got this feeling that I have to strangle you.
This was truly a panic situation.
However, I forced myself to tell her what I experienced.
Luckily Helena had grown in her faith so much she was able to say ;
we need to pray. After she prayed I felt better.
I was broken free from that situation.
After the weekend she went back to Helsinki continuing her studies.
The whole week I felt awful fear anxiety took over.
I made a decision there is something in my life ,what I want to get rid off.
After the week passed I went to meet Helena in Helsinki.
I told her; if your Jesus can really help me,
I want to get rid off what scares me , what possess me!
Helena prayed for me once more.
This caused a tremendous struggle, I felt huge pain inside of me.
I collapsed on the floor thinking I am going to blow up.
Helena continued praying and praying.
When the words of Finnish Lutheran girl were not sufficient,
she started to speak beautiful strange heavenly language.
I was surrounded by tremendous power. I felt the power of prayer.
Suddenly like lightning strikes the door opened and
a bright light penetrated my body.
In that one single moment all the bad, all the anxiety chains etc,
simply disappeared.
The most supernatural thing was that they simply disappeared.
They have never come back. I can't say how it happened.
It was something like what Elijah experienced: storms,
earthquakes quiet breeze of the wind.
I experienced the quiet breeze of the wind.
I believe God's Holy Spirit filled that room
I was lifted by the arms of Holy Spirit,
I got saved and was a born again.
I didn't realize that until later. One week later I wrote the date
25.9 83 at the cover of my New Testament.
During those moments my deep faith was born.
This was a very strong experience, which turned your life around.
There might be people looking at this program
who have books of occultism. What did you do with those books ?
Fortunately most of the books came from library.
What ever I had left I destroyed them
and I threw out all my porno magazines.
Nowadays young people get so much information from the computer.
What was your family's reaction about the news that
you became a born again Christian?
They thought I am losing my mind!
I got very little compassion from my friends.
Later on I had a talk with my parents. They felt fear.
Fear that I don't turn into religion where I would really lose my mind.
I think that is very wise from parents.
To keep on eye where children and young people go to look for
spiritual truth because there is so much available.
People got confused when I became a born again Christian.
Very often people who have a strong converting experience,
they become eager to talk about It's hard to keep it in. What about you?
I have always been enthusiastic and it has continued 23 years.
God will take care of crazy people.
I have always been enthusiastic about faith.
I started my journey very seriously right at the first meters.
I didn't have anything else in my mind but faith and that was so inspiring.
"I have allways been enthusiastic about faith.
I started my journey very seriously right at the first meters." - Riku Rinne
You mentioned your parents reaction.
Was there something you needed to give up or
were there people who rejected you?
Yes, a few in my family, but I don't want to talk about that in publicly.
Rejection was very painful to me
and I hope God will bring them back to my life.
One big thing was leaving the rock and dance band by name Domino.
We played were with Hanoi Rocks and Popeda
we accompanied Paula Koivuniemi, Mikko Alatalo etc.
I was so involved with music.
This was a big thing for me.
I had good deep ralationship with the boys of the band.
February 83- I told the band members that
my heart is not with this type of music but in gospel music.
Band members had already anticipated for me leaving the group.
My band members had a fine reaction about
my becoming a born again Christian.
But this was a big thing for me, leaving behind of 8 years with my buddies
with whom I had a good deep relationship.
Since I was 12 years old music filled my life.
How important music is to you?
I have always created music.
Music is very important, music is my” air hole.”
Through music I can let go off my feelings. To this day I listen music.
Did you find spiritual music that you liked?
At Kansanlahetys in the beginning of 1980 it focused at praise music,
'praise you ' piece number 1, 2 and 3.
1983 hit piece “My happiness is to be near The Lord '
also music by name “Flames”
Yes, I found lots of music what I liked.
Did you find your own type of music to work with?
I have always had heavy rock type music near my heart.
Heavier music suits me and suits my voice the best.
Nowadays it is easy to listen to all kinds of music.
I am fine with everything.
When you became a born again Christian,
what kind of dreams you had for the future?
Of course I dreamed about family,
I have always been very family oriented.
Then I had a feeling perhaps God could use me need me for something.
This was fall -83 my first autumn as a Christian.
I had a itching feeling that God is going to speak about something.
And it happened.
Kansanlahetys had a meeting at the old church of Tampere.
It was Tuesday night and Helena and I went to that meeting.
We went forward to alter to be prayed for.
This elderly evangelist lays her hands on us and
had a prophecy for us; “God's strong power is upon you ,
God's tremendous brightness shines on you.
God is going to use you mightily.”
This was big for young Christian ... help ...what am I going to do !
How this elderly evangelist can experience these
tremendous things for us.
We didn't feel anything special, but it was so good to be there.
Thinking about all things that has happened in my life.
Touching to think that God's Holy Spirit made known to us
already 1983 that God has a plan.
"Touching to think that God's Holy Spirit made known to us
allready 1983 that God has a plan."
What kind of dreams you had concerning your career?
Through my music it was technology and electronics that interested me.
I applied admission for the school of theology but I was not accepted.
I was the sixth in waiting list.
I applied for admission for the school of technology at Tampere
where I was accepted, but because Helena was in Helsinki,
I started the school of technology in Helsinki.
I became qualified engineer, not graduate in engineer.
When I didn't have anything else I concentrated with technology.
I was an engineer for 7 years at a firm in Tampere.
What was the best thing about your work?
First of all it was a very interesting work.
Projects with aviation, talking with pilots, secret documents,
secret places like in Bond movies or 'mission impossible'
only few had any knowledge about this.
Trying to develop the safety of Finland,
working with hornets from U.S.A.
This was dream job for the young man.
I really liked it; crazy exciting world.
What would have happened if you had been accepted at
the school of theology?
I guess there been different things going on in my life.
Listening to you it's clear you have this everlasting passion for God.
What was so conclusive about becoming Cristian;
why you have like a huge flame burning for God?
The answer is The Bible. I read and read and I still do.
I needed to read the whole Bible through.
I think I did that in one year or so.
My first passion was the Bible.
That was the foundation.
When I came home after school I read one or one a half hour the Bible.
Helena was looking at me how can you read so much?
The word of God became so dear to my heart.
I wanted to grow in my faith.
God has touched my life so deeply which is not going to go away.
I feel like “Christ in you, the hope of the glory.
If Christ lives in your heart, it is never going to go away.
Let's talk about “Christ in you, the hope of glory “ next time.
Thank you for the first meeting Riku Rinne !
Translation: Marjatta Suurnäkki