Memorable Monday #41

Happy Monday!

The purpose of memorable Monday is to showcase a book that you’ve read in the past and share how/why it has stuck with you.

This week I’m featuring:

Amazon | Goodreads

So I generally share a lot of fiction but I also have a lot of memorable nonfiction in my past. I want to say I was in either middle school or early high school when I got my copy of this from a friend. If I’m being honest, at the time before I opened this book I was quite naive to the persecution Christians faced around the globe for their faith. Sure, I’d heard it existed at church, but it wasn’t until I read specific stories of individuals who were martyred for Christ that my eyes were opened to just what that reality meant. To say this book was an eye-opener for me is an understatement. There are a few other books that are similar to this that are out as well. It’s a difficult but important read.

About the Book:

Jesus Freaks by dc Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs, is a companion volume to dc Talk’s album of the same name. It is a book for teenagers about martyrdom, containing dozens of profiles of figures ranging from Stephen, whose martyrdom is described in the Book of Acts, to “Anila and Perveen,” two teenage Pakistani girls and Christian believers. In 1997, Perveen was killed for running away in order to avoid marrying a Muslim man; Anila was imprisoned for helping her friend escape. In an introduction to the book, Michael Tait explains its purpose: “In a world built on free will instead of God’s will, we must be the Freaks. While we may not be called to martyr our lives, we must martyr our way of life. We must put our selfish ways to death and march to a different beat. Then the world will see Jesus.” The book’s design is hip and easy to read, and its summary of Christian persecutions that continue today is useful–and frightening.

About the Author:

Formed in 1987 by Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max Smith, DC Talk was one of the most popular bands throughout the 1990’s. Together the band has released five studio albums: DC Talk (1989), Nu Thang (1990), Free at Last (1992), Jesus Freak(1995), Supernatural (1998), and Solo (2001). The group unofficially disbanded in 2000, with each member attempting their own solo projects. Ever since, DC Talk has been on hiatus indefinitely, and they have yet to officially break up or reunite.

The Voice of the Martyrs is a non-profit, inter-denominational Christian organization dedicated to assisting the persecuted church worldwide. VOM was founded in 1967 by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, who was imprisoned 14 years in Communist Romania for his faith in Christ. His wife, Sabina, was imprisoned for three years. In the 1960s, Richard, Sabina, and their son, Mihai, were ransomed out of Romania and came to the United States. Through their travels, the Wurmbrands spread the message of the atrocities that Christians face in restricted nations, while establishing a network of offices dedicated to assisting the persecuted church. The Voice of the Martyrs continues in this mission around the world today through the following main purposes:
Our ministry is based on Hebrews 13:3:
“Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.”

 

Now it’s your turn!

Share the name of a book you read in the past and why it was so memorable to you in the comments below!

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