Table Of ContentResponse to The Insanity of God
The Insanity of God is a book you could read in a single sitting but you won’t.
You can’t. Time and again you will have to stop, go aside, and weep. At times
you will weep for our suffering brothers and sisters around the world who
experience persecution for King Jesus as normal Christianity. At other times you
will weep for joy at how the gospel continues to run wide across the globe in
spite of demonic opposition. And, you will also weep as the anemic and tepid
“Christianity” of the American Church is exposed for the shameful counterfeit it
too often is. I was literally “undone” by this book. I will not be the same for
reading it. Be warned: neither will you!”
Daniel L. Akin
President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary What can I possibly say
about this book? It completely and utterly wrecked me. Half the time I found
myself sitting in heartbreaking silence on the verge of tears, and the other half I
found myself wanting to shout and dance over some of the stories. No one will
read this book and be the same person after the last page. If you want a front row
seat to the raw, potent, heart transforming power of Jesus, this book is a must
read.
Jeff Bethke
Author, Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus This is a book that every well-
meaning Christian ought to read. It gives the most comprehensive overview of
what life is like for the true followers of Jesus who are willing to pay the whole
price for following Him. Extremely touching at times. It makes you cry and it
makes you laugh. But remember they are your brothers and mine. Therefore we
have a responsibility of standing with them as part of the body of Christ
worldwide.
Brother Andrew
Founder, Open Doors International
Author, God’s Smuggler and Secret Believers The Insanity of God is a
compelling, convicting and life changing book. This true story grips you from
the introduction and keeps you reading page after page. You will weep as you
read about persecution around the world. You will fall under conviction as you
read about the commitment of Christians in dark places who risk their own lives
to share the good news of Jesus. You will be encouraged as you realize that the
power of the gospel supersedes evil and the malevolent intentions of men. In the
end you will come away with a renewed sense of faith in God who truly is
enough, even in the face of extreme persecution.
Dr. Mac Brunson
Pastor, First Baptist Church Jacksonville, FL
In his book, The Insanity of God, Nik Ripkin takes us on a journey of extreme
emotional highs and lows to demonstrate that our limited understanding of
events in our lives is only one piece of God’s larger puzzle of fulfillment and
salvation. This book puts our daily struggles into perspective and leaves us
inspired and ready for the next challenge.
Dr. Ben Carson
Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D. and Dr. Evelyn Spiro, R.N. Professor of Pediatric
Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine President and Cofounder, The
Carson Scholars Fund Author, Gifted Hands Not only was Jesus persecuted, so
are his followers to this day around the world. This is a heartbreaking, faith-
stretching, insider’s look at what it means to pick up your cross and follow Jesus.
Mark Driscoll
Founding & Preaching Pastor of Mars Hill Church Founder of Resurgence
Cofounder of Acts 29
NY Times #1 Best-selling Author The story is gripping; the crisis is universal.
John Eldredge
Author, Wild At Heart and Beautiful Outlaw We are in danger of rapidly losing
what it means to feel compassion for those held in the grip of sin on this broken
planet. After glancing at a few fleeting photos and hearing the usual review of
“today’s tragedies” on each evening’s network news, we casually top off the
evening with a little “weather and sports” before plodding off to an undisturbed
sleep. But for Jesus, the very sight of those crushed beneath the boot of the
Adversary was nothing short of gut-wrenching. He was compelled to do
something about it! Now Nik Ripken takes you on a personal, real life journey
with Jesus into the dark, back-alleys of human depravity where only Christ’s
love can overcome. With remarkable clarity, this gifted writer transports you
into a world where, through the blood-stained glass of persecution, the light of
Christ shines brightly.
Tom Elliff
President, International Mission Board
In The Insanity of God we are reminded of the power of the gospel to save using
biographical sketches that most of us in the American church will struggle to
comprehend. Deeply moving, intensely powerful and challenging describes the
stories contained in these pages. I cannot recommend it strongly enough. This
book will help you walk closely with Jesus and challenge you to take great risks
for the sake of His name.
Micah Fries
Lead Pastor, Frederick Boulevard, St. Joseph, MO
Nik and Ruth Ripken have long been heroes of mine as I have watched and
admired them from afar, drawing personal inspiration from their passion, faith,
and resilience that comes from the Resurrection Lord they serve. More than once
I have been encouraged to keep going, because they kept going, overcoming
challenges that would crush lesser souls. In this, I am not alone. Around the
world, I have met countless young missionaries who trace their pilgrimage back
to the influence of Nik and Ruth.
The Insanity of God merges the Ripkens’ story with those of hundreds of
other heroes of the faith who did not consider their present sufferings worth
comparing to the glory that will one day be revealed in them. These stories bear
telling, and hearing, and reproducing. You need to hear these stories that the
Ripkins have rescued from this world’s prisons, gulags and shadows. I pray that
they will do for you what they have done for me: encourage you to shake off
your slumber and press on to the high calling that is ours in Christ Jesus.
David Garrison
Author, Church Planting Movements A touching, deeply stirring book about the
seriousness of the Great Commission. This book rekindled my passion to do all
that God is leading me to do for the nations, to expect and attempt great things. I
am grateful for the grace that drips off every page of this great work.
J.D. Greear
Lead Pastor, The Summit Church
If there’s one thing many desire, it’s going deeper and knowing the God of the
Bible intimately. When one takes the trip of following Jesus to the ends of the
earth, having previously counted the cost, died to self, surrendered fully to His
call, they may then know the reality of 2 Timothy 3:12, “all who desire to live
godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” The Insanity of God will stretch
you to new places of trusting God for the impossible in reaching the nations, at
any cost.
Description:The Insanity of God is the personal and lifelong journey of an ordinary couple from rural Kentucky who thought they were going on just your ordinary missionary pilgrimage, but discovered it would be anything but. After spending over six hard years doing relief work in Somalia, and experiencing life
