What important content. I believe that there is no Christian who does not benefit from reading these types of books. The voice of the martyrs always has the gift of reminding me of what is true and important in following Christ. These are the type of books that I want my children to read, these are the type of anonymous heroes that someone considered important to put on a platform like this so that we can meet them, see their reality, and be challenged in our comfortable lives in countries where there are no violence or persecution like the one they experience. I remain grateful to God for his presence in each life despite any difficulties experienced and with the challenge of focusing on what is important, with the task of praying for each person in such circumstances, and the challenge of being willing to live that type of radical faith.

When Faith Is Forbidden
40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians
by Todd Nettleton; The Voice of the Martyrs
Moody Publishers
Christian
Pub Date 02 Mar 2021


I am reviewing a copy of When Faith Is Forbidden through Moody Publishers and Netgalley:


This book allows you to take a forty day journey to meet brothers and sisters who share in the sufferings of Christ. When Faith is Forbidden introduces us to a Chinese Christian woman who called six months in prison “a wonderful time.” We also meet an Iraqi Pastor and his wife just eight days after assassins' bullets ripped into his flesh, and others from our spiritual family who've suffered greatly for wearing the name of Christ. We meet former Muslim Teens whose families kicked them out onto the streets after coming to Christ.




Every one of the stops on this forty day journey offers inspiration and encouragement through the story of a persecuted believer.. When Faith is Forbidden also has space for reflection as well as a suggested prayer as you grow to understand the realities of living under persecution and learn from the examples of the bold believers you'll meet.



Todd Nettleton (host of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio) has traveled the world for more than twenty years, to interview hundreds of Christians who’ve been persecuted for the name of Christ. He opens his memory bank as well as his personal journals to share his journeys with us.



I give When Faith is Forbidden five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Are you overwhelmed by what is happening in your life or the world right now? Do you need a little encouragement? It may seem counterintuitive to read a book filled with stories of loss and persecution. But I read this book at just such a time and found it incredibly encouraging. Because it isn’t just filled with loss and suffering; it’s also filled with grace, love, forgiveness, and hope. We get to see how God sustains His people through everything. They may be suffering beatings in Ethiopia, widowhood in Tajikistan, or death in Iran, but they all speak so eloquently of God’s love. It’s beautiful. It’s encouraging. Please let me encourage you to read it.
We can learn so much from them, and this book makes that very easy. After a Bible verse, each day starts off with the longest section describing either the author’s trip or a brief biography. That’s followed by a lesson drawn from the experiences of or lessons learned by the author or persecuted believer in that section. It ends with a brief prayer and a very short personal memory or impression by the author. It would make for a good daily devotional.
The believers in this book come from a wide range of denominations. Some of the practices mentioned are rather Charismatic. The Gospel is presented as faith alone by Christ alone. I appreciated that clarity in a book about different denominations.
I received this as a free ARC through NetGalley and Moody Publishers. No favorable review was required. It was my pleasure to provide my honest opinions.

A real eye opener for most Western Christians on the suffering of Christians enduring real persecution to the point of death. You can't read this and remain unmoved and any Christian reading this should be fired up to make the most of the freedoms we still have to express our faith. Each 'chapter' includes the story of experiences with persecuted Christians then a shorter reflection and prayer. The structure works well. The only issue is that the formatting on Kindle is quite bad but that obviously won't be an issue for the published version. I'd certainly buy a copy and would recommend it for church book stalls and libraries everywhere! A must read. Recommended.

Although this is a short book I did have to rush it a bit after noticing that it's already been archived despite the official archive date being listed as 1 Mar 2021!

Thanks to NetGalley and Moody Publishers for ARC.