| Bob Hoskins | |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Evangelical |
| Nationality: | American |
| Birth Date: | 1936 4, mf=yes |
| Birth Place: | Ponca City, Oklahoma |
| Period: | 1987 - Present |
Bob Hoskins (born April 15, 1936) is an American Christian missionary, author, and the founder of OneHope (formerly known as 'Book of Hope International') in 1987.[1] He has spent the majority of his life serving as a missionary in the Middle East, Africa, South America, Asia and Europe.[2]
At age 19, Hoskins met Hazel Crabtree at a church event where he was preaching in Little Rock, Arkansas. Four years later, on September 5, 1959, Hoskins married Crabtree in a ceremony in Sacramento, California before leaving for the mission field abroad.[3] Immediately after marrying, Bob and Hazel begin their service as missionaries, working on the continents of Africa and South America and in the mission fields of France and Lebanon. Hazel wrote a book about their experiences as missionaries in Africa called Honeymoon Safari, which was released in 1963. They spent their next ten years traveling as missionary evangelists in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Since the founding of OneHope, Hazel, who was a partner in the ministry, worked closely with the organization, especially in ministry to girls and women. Hazel wrote another book called And I Sat There in February 2014. On June 22, 2015, Hazel Hoskins died at the age of 81.[4]
Bob remarried and resides in Hillsboro Beach, Florida with his second wife, Helen. They travel together extensively, visiting partners of OneHope around the world. Hoskins has been diagnosed with and survived cancer three times. and is also partially blind.
He is a founding board member of the Museum of the Bible, as well as being Ambassador at Large for the 4/14 Movement.
In 1964, the Hoskins' planted churches in the Middle East and North Africa. The ministries they established under the name Middle East Outreach included correspondence courses, radio ministry, a seminary, and the establishment of missionary outreach to that area of the world.
In 1965, Bob and Hazel moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where they lived and raised their three children. While in Lebanon, Bob launched The Way of Life Literature Ministry, with 400,000 people enrolled in their correspondence program within ten years.
After 15 years abroad, Hoskins returned to the United States with his family in 1980. They relocated to Miami, Florida, where Bob assumed the presidency of the newly formed Life Publishers International; a literature ministry. He continued leading Life Publishers until 1996, when the denomination he was affiliated with sold the publishing entity to Zondervan Publishers.
In 1987, Hoskins launched 'Book of Hope International ministries'. As the ministry expanded beyond print to digital media, the ministry was renamed OneHope. OneHope's mission statement is ''to affect destiny by providing God’s eternal Word to all the children and youth of the world.'' [5] The organization's work spans across all continents and focuses itself mainly on Scripture engagement among children and youth. It does so through print, digital and film. As well as cooperating with local churches and the encouragement of church planting.[6]
The first 968,000 Books of Hope - customized, Bible-based children's publications - were delivered in 1987 to every schoolchild in El Salvador at the request of the country's Minister of Education.[7] [8] The ministry grew exponentially as new opportunities around the world became available.
In 2004, Bob's son, Rob Hoskins became president of OneHope and expanded its outreach through new media formats including films, digital programs, apps, and other platforms. OneHope also provides resources to partners ministering to illiterate or pre-literate children with programs such as The GodMan, an animated film about the life of Jesus and God's Big Story picture cards.
Hoskins has authored books including All They Want Is the Truth, which has been translated into multiple languages.