Disclosure:  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I received this book in exchange for this review and post.

The danger of being a missionary wasn’t real to me until I went to college.  During my summers at church camp, we always heard from an African missionary, or perhaps someone serving in Haiti. We heard the stories of poverty, saw the painful images of hunger, and were moved by the stirring testimonies given by these Christian families who had given up their comfort for the sake of bringing others to Christ.  Even as a child, I was willing to give money to the cause, but never considered going into the missionary field. When I went to college, I heard about the modern martyrs.  Those men and women who served in faraway places, where peril was only balanced by the need.  One couple stands out in my mind — Jim and Elizabeth Elliot. The selfless love of this couple cost a man his life, and his wife stayed to continue his ministry despite the fact that the people she was trying to save were the same people who killed her husband.  That’s serious grace!!  The book Bearing Witness reminded me of those stories that show the harder side of discipleship.

Though I knew a few names from the stories, most were unfamiliar to me. I loved reading about spunky Weynken Claes (1957, Netherlands).  Bearing Witness helped me to connect the dots between certain historic events. For example, I didn’t realize that William Tyndale and Thomas Cromwell were contemporaries.  I have to admit that Tyndale’s execution story contained so many interesting facts that I momentarily forgot to be sad for him, but became rather curious about the customs of the day.  There were some whose stories seemed unnecessarily self-inflicted, such as the Hofer brothers. Finally, some of the stories were terribly tragic.  Knowing that Jakob Rempel was exonerated nearly 50 years after his execution was just heartbreaking!

The stories in the book are set in chapters, according to chronological order.  I found it really interesting — and almost frightening — to see how the geographical areas of persecution changed over the centuries and, later, decades.  In a world that demands tolerance and acceptance, there is still much oppression for Christians who speak too boldly about their faith. Where does that leave us for the future?

Tell me about a book that you’ve enjoyed.