In Communist Romania, churches were closed and pastors arrested as part of a seven-year drive to “eliminate the nations of all superstition.” So when Brother Vasile and his wife began holding more church meetings in their little home, they knew it would not escape the
“Will you choose to live or die? What do you say?” The questioner was Henry VIII, the king of England, who had unrestrained power in the land. The “criminal” who stood before him, charged with heresy, was John Lambert, a Greek and Latin tutor. Lambert
Ranavalona I, the queen of Madagascar, hated the Christians in her kingdom. Her complaints against them were many: they despised her idols, they were always praying, They always went to church, and their women were chaste. She sent officers to gather all those suspected of
When the Public Security Bureau officer entered the Chinese prison cell, Sister Wong moved away. This heartless man had arrested and persecuted many Christians, and only days earlier had beaten her as he interrogated her. “Please, Sister Wong, my sister is very ill. She has
“What is it?” Soviet captain Marco snarled at the young boy. “What do you want?” The boy, only twelve, swallowed his fear as he stood before the Communist officer. “Captain, you are the man who put my parents in prison. Today is my mother’s birthday,
He’d heard the rumors. In fact, Thomas had heard it directly from other disciples who had seen the Master alive. At least that’s what they had said. “When I see his hands and put my fingers into the nail holes, when I put my hand
In a forest one day, three young trees all agreed to pray that they would be used for some noble purpose rather than decay from old age. The first tree wanted to become a manger where tired cattle could feed after a long day’s work.
Just as Pastor Li Dexian began his sermon, the doors of the house church burst open. Armed officers of the Chinese Public Security Bureau poured into the room, threatening everyone present and grabbing Li to arrest him. “Wait, please allow me to grab my bag.”
“I lost all my friends at school. Now that I’ve begun to ‘walk my talk,’ they make fun of me.” Rachel’s journal entries showed her disappointment that the very people to whom she wanted to show Christ’s love turned away from her. But she wouldn’t
“Tell him, Timothy, please!” shouted Maura, pleading with her husband. “Tell the governor where the Scriptures are hidden and be free! I cannot bear to watch any more of this.” Timothy and Maura, residents of the Roman province of Mauritania, had been married only a
TURKEY: ERCAN SENGAL When Ercan Sengul committed his life to Christ in the Muslim nation of Turkey, some saw it as turning his back on his heritage and nation. When he said that he would do anything for God, he had meant it then. But
In the sixteenth century, King Philip II took a hard line against those who would try to interpret Scripture for themselves. Anyone found studying the Bible during this time was hanged, burned at the stake, drowned, torn in pieces, or buried alive. The inquisitors from
“Is it my birthday today, or yours?” the young Christian asked, a twinkle in her eye. “Yours today,” said her father. “Mine was last week.” For Christians in Communist nations, birthdays were a great excuse to get together with other believers. Some families would gather
“Don’t do it,” Nicholas yelled as he saw the executioner lift his sword to kill another prisoner. “He’s done nothing to deserve this.” The man was about to be executed for his faith in Jesus Christ. Nicholas bravely grabbed the executioner’s sword before it penetrated
Though the Soviet invaders were terrorizing their country, the Romanian children walked steadily towards the Russian soldiers with warm, confident smiles on their faces. The soldiers greeted them kindly, patting them on the head. Each soldier was thinking of his own children, whom they had
Seated on logs under the shade of a tree, the 230 Christian students were just beginning their English lesson when they heard the terrifying sounds overhead. A plane roared across the sky above the school yard. Within minutes, the Islamic army had dropped five bombs
