I thought that this was a very well written book about Andrew Brunson being persecuted for his faith in Turkey. He was wrongly accused of being affiliated with a religious-based terrorist organization and was subsequently imprisoned for crimes he did not commit. The book did a great job walking us through Brunson’s faith journey as he is going through such hard time, from discouragement to giving everything over to God and to allow God to use him how He sees fit. He explained former President Trump’s and the US government’s role in getting him out of prison very well, with the effort being one of bipartisanship. You can feel his anguish in being totally isolated and alone, being away from his wife and kids, and the people that he ministered to. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, as much as one can enjoy a book about being falsely accused and persecuted for one’s faith.

Rating: 5 out of 5

This book was provided to me from NetGalley and Baker Books in exchange for a review.

God's Hostage
A True Story of Persecution, Imprisonment, and Perseverance
by Andrew Brunson; Craig Borlase


Baker Books
Biographies & Memoirs
Pub Date 15 Oct 2019


I am reviewing a copy of Gods Hostage through Baker Books and Netgalley:





Andrew Brunson was asked to travel to Turkey in 1993 the largest unevangelized country in the world, to serve as a missionary. Despite being hesitant because of the because of the dangerous and daunting task that lay ahead, Andrew and his wife Norine believed that this was the plan God had for them.





They dealt with a lot of threats and attacks, but they also found success in starting new churches, in a place where many had never met a Christian.




When Andrew and Norine’s work with refugees from Syria, including Kurds, gained attention and suspicion, they acknowledged the threat but they also accepted the risk that lie before then. They were determined to stay, until God told them to go.


It was in 2016, that they were arrested, the State eventually released Norine who stayed in Turkey, but Andrew was imprisoned. He was accused of being a spy as well as accusing him of being amongst the plotters of the attempted coup, he quickly became a political pawn whose story soon circulated around the world.


I give God’s Hostage five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

A refreshingly honest prison narrative: it took some time to appreciate what the author was doing, but I came to realise that this was a genuine account of suffering. The encouragement of this book lies not in a false view that God removes all pain and doubt, but in the truth that he is with the believer in the midst of suffering. This book is a powerful demonstration that God's grace is sufficient.

This book was written very soon after the events it records; a sequel detailing the lessons learnt after reflection would be interesting in several years (perhaps decades) time.

A fascinating modern missionary story—very encouraging read!

Looking back on my years of homeschooling, it feels like I grew up on missionary stories. We always had one or two each school year (and sometimes a lot more!), alongside the ones Mom read aloud to the family now and then of a quiet evening. This year, I was privileged to read two books co-written by Craig Borlase; this one, and Defying Jihad. Both were impactful, stories I doubt I’ll forget for quite a while.

I feel like Brunson’s story is somewhat unique, because you don’t often read about missionaries who are sent to prison—that’s just not a thing that happens, right? But, as we’ve seen in the past with Corrie Ten Boom, or Martin and Gracia Burnham, it does happen now and then. Of course, we hear stories like Brother Yun or Richard Wurmbrand, but those things happen in places remote and unconnected from us…right?

Well, as Andrew Brunson found out, it sometimes does happen to us. And he discovered it could be quite challenging! His faith was severely tested in prison, yet through that struggle, he learned he could rely on God—even when he couldn’t feel the Lord’s presence.

This book was a great encouragement to me. I hope that if I’m ever in a position like this, I’ll be able to stand strong in my faith and know that no matter what, God is still there working.

If you’d like a bit of background for the current Turkish/Syria conflict, I think this would be a very helpful story. It’s also faith-building because even though Brunson was pushed to the depths of depression, and even considered suicide at several points, God came through for him and helped him. Though it could have been told as a story of despair, it isn’t—the hope shines through, even in the darkest places. I loved that. And I’d love to have a copy of my own on the shelf one day!

I requested a free review copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

An incredible true story of one mans faith which was tested to its limits whilst he and his wife were serving as missionaries in Turkey.
He became a political pawn in a high stakes standoff between Turkey and his home country the US. His story made both national and international headlines around the world, and clearly explained how he was wrongly accused and hen used by a regime in order to further its political ambitions. After being held in several prisons, in extremely difficult conditions his case was pleaded for before God and various US officials. His love for God, his family and the people he served through outreach and the church he pastored is very evident and he is indeed a great inspiration.
A very engaging read, that was both encouraging and enlightening.
Highly recommend

I’m really conflicted about this book. I found the first two-thirds or so depressing. But it was also very interesting and in parts encouraging. I was vaguely aware of Pastor Brunson’s story as it was played out in the news, and this book did a very good job of filling in the details. It was impressive learning about a missionary that had spent so many years in a Muslim country. His love for the Lord and the lost is beautiful and challenging. Mostly though, it details his deep inner struggles often without letting us in on his victories.
Ultimately I think the problem lies in the editing of the book. It focuses so much on his fear and loneliness that for the majority of the book it excludes all else. It certainly was easy to empathize with him, but I started to wonder what the point of the book was. It’s not till the very end that we learn about his constant daily surrender to the Lord, and only in a sort of flashback do we get a glimpse of how close he grew to the Lord in prison.
Then it appears that he and I have some significant doctrinal differences. He appears to believe in direct personal revelation. Several times he pins his hopes on a ‘revelation’ about his release, and when those don’t come true his faith is called into question. The following struggles make up most of the book. Then at the very end after he is released he tries to explain why they didn’t come to pass.
In the end, his decision to yield to the Lord, no matter what the cost, is truly inspiring. The way the story was told though made it a book that I didn’t enjoy reading.
I received this as a free ARC through NetGalley and Baker Books. No favorable review was required. It was my pleasure to provide my honest opinions.

"God's Hostage" by Andrew Brunson is a true story. Andrew and His wife Norine were asked by their mission organization to go to Turkey as missionaries in 1993. They set up a church and also helped many refugees from Syria. They often encountered people who had never heard about Jesus. Many people there did not know how to become a Christian. Many people in Turkey are Muslim and the Muslim religion is very strong there. Their work in Turkey always put them at risk. In 2016 Norine and Andrew were arrested. Norine was released after about 2 weeks. Andrew was held for a longer sentence. He encountered many trials while in prison. He was accused of many false charges ;such as, being a spy, of starting a coup, and any other possible charge . This book is really inspiring . How did Andrew survive being in prison? I commend Andrew for sharing his story in this book. I know it was not easy to relive the difficulties of his imprisonment. It is good for people to be aware of how unfair it is to imprison and charge someone like Andrew with unfair charges. I appreciate netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. I am not obligated to give a positive review. I highly recommend this book. It is very riveting. I will be posting my review on facebook, Goodreads, my blog, CBD.com, and also share it with our church staff.