Suggested Book List

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Brother Andrew and Janssen, Al.  Secret Believers.  Grand Rapids, MI.  Revell Books, 2007.

Garrison, David.  A Wind in the House of Islam.  Monument, CO.  WIGTake Resources, 2014.

Garrison, David.  Church Planting Movements:  How God is Redeeming a Lost World.  Midlothian, VA.  WIGTake Resources, 2004.

Greeson, Kevin.  The Camel.  Arkadelphia, AR.  WIGTake Resources, 2007.

Ripken, Nik.  The Insanity of God:  A True Story of Faith Resurrected.  Nashville:  TN.  B&H Publishing, 2013.

Ripken, Nik.  The Insanity of Obedience:  Walking With Jesus in Tough Places.  Nashville, TN.  B&H Publishing, 2014.

Shipman, Mike.  Any-3:  Anyone, Anywhere, Any Time.  Monument, CO.  WIGTake Resources, 2013.

Swartley, Keith E., editor.  Encountering the World of Islam.  Littleton, CO.  Authentic, 2005.

The Insanity of Obedience

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Wise Sheep Among the Wolves

All Christian disciples have one thing in common: as they carry the gospel across the ocean and across the street, persecution will become the norm for those who choose to follow Jesus. How believers respond in the face of persecution reveals everything about their level of faith and obedience.

The Insanity of Obedience is a bold challenge to global discipleship. Nik Ripken exposes the danger of safe Christianity and calls readers to something greater. The Insanity of Obedience challenges Christians in the same, provocative way that Jesus did. This book dares you—and prepares you—to cross the street and the oceans with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Some of Jesus’ instructions sound uncomfortable and are potentially dangerous. We may be initially encouraged by His declaration, “I am sending you out.” But how are we to respond when He then tells us that He is sending us out “like sheep among wolves”?

In light of the words of Jesus, how can modern day believers rest comfortably in the status quo? How can we embrace casual faith in light of the radical commands of Jesus which are anything but casual? Ripken brings decades of ministry experience in some of the most persecuted areas of the world to bear on our understanding of faith in Jesus. The Insanity of Obedience is a call to roll up your sleeves . . . and to follow and partner with Jesus in the toughest places on this planet.

“We have the high privilege of answering Jesus’ call to go,” Ripken says. “But let us be clear about this: we go on His terms, not ours. If we go at all, we go as sheep among wolves.”

Jesus gives us Himself. And He gives us the tools necessary for those who dare to journey with Him.

The Insanity of God

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Will you follow Jesus anywhere He leads? Are you tough enough to follow Him, especially in the hard places? Is it possible that we have chosen the peace and security of a new life in Christ while doing all we can to flee from being associated with His suffering?

Nik and Ruth Ripken have walked with followers of Christ from the hills of Kentucky to war-torn Somalia. Faced with the death of their teenage son while they tried to serve the Somalis, the realities of war all around them, and the systemic destruction of the work they felt called to do, the evil was at times overwhelming. How could God be good, when life was so dark? How could Christ reign victorious on a day when the number of martyrs included some of Nik’s best friends; and you could count on one hand the number of believers then left in all of Somalia? Is there really power in Christ no matter the circumstance?

The ashes of Somalia led the Ripken’s to travel around the world to hear the stories of more than 600 believers in over 60 countries. These were men and women who have learned from Jesus to be tough enough and prepared enough to walk with Him through environments of severe persecution.  These believers shout along with the testimony of those in scripture that Jesus is worth it; He is worth my life, the life of my spouse, and the lives of our children.

We may think that we would rather live like the world than to do the “insane” things that Jesus asks of us.  But, have we been deceived?  Read The Insanity of God and begin a journey to recapture your biblical inheritance, an inheritance where one is honored to suffer for the name of Jesus, in your neighborhood and in ALL the nations of the world.

Read an excerpt from The Insanity of God.