One Book Every Believer Should Read

Other Thank the Bible...

I have been doing a lot of reading as of late. Finding myself in a 3rd career very much in mid-life has created a perceived need internally to get 'up to speed' in the world of missions, missiology, and just cross-cultural Christianity in general. As a result, I have began the process of drinking through a very large and powerful firehose that has a seemingly unending supply of fresh water. If you have an interest in learning more, feel free to check out MY LIBRARY HERE or MY WEBSITE HERE.

I would like to share one of the books I've recently read that is increasingly shaping how I think about and envision God's movement in the world and what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The book is entitled, The Insanity of Obedience by Nik Ripken.

It is second in a series written by Nik. The first, The Insanity of God (which has been made into a documentary linked here tells the story of Nik and his wife's missionary service in Africa. One of the nations they served in was Somalia which to this day is among the hardest places on Earth. This first book details how, through immense suffering and personal pain, God brought he and his wife to a season of questioning His goodness and asking one of life's biggest questions... WHY? Why suffering? Why Persecution? Why Evil? Why do horribly bad things happen to faithful and good people? Why would God wipe out all believers in a place like Somalia, despite their faithfulness to serve there for 10 years? Why would God allow their son to die at the age of 16? WHY??!! Towards the end of this first book, Nik begins to explore how God brought he and his wife to a new ministry interviewing the persecuted church around the world to discover what we, as Western believers, might learn from them about what it means to be Christians. In this second book, he begins to find answers in the persecuted church to these difficult questions.

The Insanity of Obedience is the book I would like to recommend to all followers of Jesus. In this second book, Nik shares a sampling of stories taken from his interviews with persecuted believers and tries to make sense of it all. The book is often painful and difficult to read, while simultaneously being up-lifting and encouraging. Reading first-hand accounts of horrible and often disgustingly pure evil perpetrated against followers of Jesus along side their faithful witness and joyful perseverance in response is humbling and inspiring. Nik is faithful to not mis-represent the hardship and difficulty of persecution. He is also careful to not mis-represent these saints as perfect. He carefully acknowledges their doubts and fears while also expressing their joy and triumphs in seeing Jesus glorified through their suffering.

Often risking his own life, Nik has captured thousands of hours of interviews with over 600 persecuted believers from every corner of the Earth. Through these interviews he recognized that persecution is actually the 'norm' for the church and not the exception. In fact many of these persecuted brothers and sisters actually pray FOR persecution in their nation. I know this sounds completely counter-intuitive. They pray for persecution despite often being beaten, and tortured in horrible and unimaginable ways for their faith. Many of them have spent years in prison, separated from their families, and yet their testimony is that God is glorified and the church expands, often rapidly, under persecution. As a result, they pray God will bring persecution for His glory.

I find it difficult to do the book justice in a brief review/recommendation. So... I won't continue to try. All I can say is... YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!! I promise it will challenge your assumptions, cause you to pray in ways you have never considered, and to think differently about believers living under persecution around the world. Enjoy the read!!