I’ve read many books on persecuted Christians. Every one has been hard-hitting and challenging. Somehow, this little self-published title hits home more than most. Maybe that’s because ‘Last Words of the Martyrs’ doesn’t just provide information on the suffering Church – by asking really tough questions it aims to enable “devout Christians … to get deep with our Lord and Saviour”.

The author, Jeff King, i president of US-based International Christian Concern; he has travelled to over 70 countries and has met and interviewed hundreds of believers who suffer for their faith in Christ.

The book consists of twenty reasonably short and pithy chapters, many of them focusing on one particular story of tragedy and suffering, and bringing out important truths and lessons from that story.

Sources of persecution

Militant Islam is, of course, one of the most prominent perpetrators of persecution against Christians. Islam has always expanded by the sword, starting with Muhammad. King informs us that Islam “has probably claimed more than 100 million lives, yet this information remains largely unknown to much of the world”. He goes on to say that “we are currently in history’s third wave of Jihad, Radical Jihadists (ISIS, Boko Haram, al-Shabab and a hundred others) are operating across the world with deadly effectiveness” (p.18).

But it’s not just Islam. King outlines the “volcano of hatred that erupted from the depths of hell and washed over Orissa” state in India – carried out by Hindu radicals, and at the height of which 50,000 Christians were hiding in the jungle, fighting for their lives.

Militant Islam is, of course, one of the most prominent perpetrators of persecution against Christians.

He notes the countless thousands of pastors and ordinary believers killed or imprisoned by Fidel Castro’s communist regime in Cuba in the latter half of the 20th century, also noting the incredible revival that resulted from such suffering, when “around 1989, after 40 years of prayer, God broke the lock to the door of the prison that His Church was held in, and all heaven broke loose” (p.110).

Powerful quotes

The book is packed with powerful quotes:

In the face of horrendous persecution around you, living is often “much harder than dying” (p.20).

“There is no life in what the world calls treasure. True treasure can only be discovered through pain, suffering and neediness”.

“When we allow the pain to drive us deep with the Lord, we find along with our persecuted brothers and sisters that His closeness in the desert is the sweetest thing we’ll ever know” (p.81).

“God is actually attracted to your weakness and brokenness” (p.132).

Uprooting cancers

One of the most significant lessons brought home to me was that God often allows suffering in a believer’s life to strip away his idols. “Persecution forces the Christian to identify and unearth the treasures in his or her life. As they wrestle through losing their earthly treasures, they experience a profound life change”(p.34). Those idols may be wealth (a blessing in itself, but can quickly morph into a spiritual noose), confidence, education, physical fitness, relationships, family, cultural or social standing, etc.

One of the most significant lessons brought home to me was that God often allows suffering in a believer’s life to strip away his idols.

King refers to these idols as cancers, which desperately need to be uprooted from our lives. While awful to experience, persecution helps do that, allowing Jesus to become “the highest and truest treasure in your life – what you value beyond all else” (p.142). And that is the testimony of hundreds of believers all over the world, who show a willingness to suffer, knowing it draws them closer to Christ.

What a potent witness that is to a watching world – it is indeed one of the main reasons the persecuted church is growing – while in the West, we live our Christian lives without real cost, and the affluence and comfort we enjoy have produced a weak and flaccid Church.

Life-changing

Featuring an incisive Foreword from Francis Chan, 100% of profits from the sale of the book go to support the families of martyrs. There are a few extra bonusses included, such as free mini-versions of King’s soon-to-be released devotional and his book ‘Islam Uncensored’.

‘Last Words of the Martyrs’ is a beautiful book – both encouraging and profoundly challenging – and potentially life-changing.

‘Last Words of the Martyrs’ is self-published, and is available from Amazon for £8.99 (inc p&p), or free on Kindle Unlimited.