Killing Christians : living the faith where it's not safe to believe

152 Pages·2015·0.86 MB·English

by  Doyle

Through the pages of Killing Christians I have heard the command of Jesus
reverberating through the martyrs’ voices, “Deny yourself. Take up your cross.
Follow Me.” The men and women who have answered that summons—whose
gripping stories Tom Doyle so movingly and powerfully shares in these pages—
are my role models. They are authentic disciples. Their thrilling testimonies have
put tears on my face, praise in my heart, fervency in my prayers, and renewed
vigor to my steps as I, too, seek to follow Him.
—ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ
DAUGHTER OF BILLY GRAHAM
WWW.ANNEGRAHAMLOTZ.ORG
Killing Christians tells real-life stories of faith in action. These spiritual
headlines from the persecuted church demonstrate there’s another, deeper story
unfolding behind the news of our day.
—CHRIS MITCHELL
CBN MIDDLE EAST BUREAU CHIEF AND
AUTHOR OF DATELINE JERUSALEM
It turns out that the “cloud of witnesses” mentioned in the book of Hebrews
apparently have some kindred spirits modeling faithfulness right before our eyes
today. If you are looking to be encouraged, challenged, and spurred on in your
own life of faith pick up this book.
—TODD WAGNER
PASTOR OF WATERMARK CHURCH,
DALLAS, TX
When I saw the title Killing Christians my heart sank and I wished that this book
never had to be written. But then I read it. I felt like I was reading accounts from
the Book of Acts. This is not about doom and despair, but about the “special
grace” that Jesus gives to our brothers and sisters in the midst of suffering. You
will be strengthened and blessed as you are moved to join hands with these
strong followers of Jesus who stand for Him even in the face of prison or even
death.
—ARTHUR BLESSITT
GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR
CARRYING THE CROSS IN EVERY NATION
OF THE WORLD
As the twenty-first century unfolds, it is looking much like the first century for
Christians. Persecution is everywhere. But, there are modern-day heroes of the
faith who are showing us how we may all live hopefully and triumphantly for
Christ even in the midst of extreme danger. Killing Christians will bless you and
you will be encouraged to stand stronger in your own journey with Christ.
—CURTIS HAIL, PRESIDENT & CEO
E3 PARTNERS & I AM SECOND
Killing Christians is a penetrating look at what’s happening on the front lines of
the Church’s greatest spiritual battle today. As in the first century, Christians are
experiencing widespread persecution for their faith in Christ. Yet, the true stories
in Killing Christians are miraculous accounts of God’s faithfulness as believers
live in the midst of ISIS, Hamas, The Brotherhood, and other terrorist regimes.
Their stories will inspire you and refresh your faith!
—DR. CHARLIE DYER
PROFESSOR-AT-LARGE OF BIBLE AND
HOST OF THE LAND AND THE BOOK RADIO
PROGRAM
Though today’s headlines look grim, the resolve of the believers you meet in
Killing Christians will inspire you and warm your heart. These true-life accounts
take you to the front lines of the war that has been declared on Jesus’ church.
Yet in the midst of this war, the saints are shining brightly and their stories will
thrill you! This book is awesome.
—RAY BENTLEY
PASTOR OF MARANATHA CHAPEL, SAN
DIEGO, CA, AND AUTHOR OF THE HOLY
LAND KEY
There are more Christian martyrs today than at any other time in human history,
which has been largely ignored by the press until recently. I am grateful that
Tom has made known these remarkable stories of courage and conviction.
—DR. NEIL T. ANDERSON
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF FREEDOM IN
CHRIST AND AUTHOR OF THE BONDAGE
BREAKER

© 2015 by Tom Doyle
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
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without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by W Publishing Group, an imprint of Thomas Nelson.
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please e-mail [email protected].
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV”
and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Scripture quotations marked are HCSB taken from the HOLMAN CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE. © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by
Broadman and Holman Publishers. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the NEW KING JAMES
VERSION. © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-0-7180-3069-8 (eBook)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014957694
ISBN 978-0-7180-3068-1
08 09 10 11 12 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1
To believers in prison, persecution, or danger
CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction · Persecution, the New Normal
CHAPTER ONE
The Pirates of Somalia
CHAPTER TWO
The Only Empty Graveyard in Syria
CHAPTER THREE
Syrian Refugee, but Not Forgotten
CHAPTER FOUR
Get Your Bible at the Mosul Mosque
CHAPTER FIVE
The Joy of a Baghdad Beating
CHAPTER SIX
A Bodyguard in Saudi Arabia
CHAPTER SEVEN
When the Brotherhood Has a Knife at Your Throat
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Gaza Strip Infiltrators
Conclusion
About the Authors
PREFACE
THE PEOPLE WHOSE stories you are about to read have endured the unendurable.
Their suffering is so profound and their lives so worthy of respect that we want
to be sure there is no mistaking the validity of what you read in these pages. In
keeping with the gravity of the circumstances and with what the survivors still
face, we’ve had to make a few changes.
The stories are not fiction. These are real people. While some stories involve
the actual locations, others do not. But with every miracle, every answered
prayer, every miraculous escape, as well as every bomb blast, each torture
session, and each painful death, all occurred as recounted in these stories.
The narrative remains true to actual events, although we’ve at times modified
such components as dialogue and physical descriptions. Each concluding
message from a persecuted believer is presented in “writer’s English” rather than
in his or her own words, so nothing is lost in the translation.
Finally, as you read, please join us and pray for these new friends you are
about to meet. Their lives are worthy of recognition, and their only request is
that none of the glory would go to them as servants. That honor, of course, is
reserved for their King alone.
Tom Doyle