They collected more than 600 accounts of Christian persecution in more than 72 countries over the past 18 years. They traveled to the Horn of Africa to provide food and medical services to the people in war-torn lands and famine-stricken areas. Nik said "no one ever sat down with us and said 'this is the job of a missionary.'" He said, "It was like getting on a plane in the New Testament and getting off the plane in the Old Testament. It was like I'd flown into hell." Ruth says, "we saw what darkness was" and Nik says "we had no idea what was coming . . . we were compelled to return to some of the toughest places in the world for the gospel . . . there was something we needed to know . . . Is Jesus worth it? There begins a pilgrimage of sitting at the feet of believers in persecution and asked them . . . teach us." He said, "Don't you ever believe that there is a free church and a suffering church. There is JUST the church!"
David Platt (Pres. of the International Mission Board) said "I don't think we are as aware of their stories as we should be. With everything going on in the world, there may be no single issue more urgent to the Church in 2016 than persecution. We need to be praying continually for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world and learning more about how they are persecuted."
One of the heart-rending scenes was watching Dmitri (a Christian pastor in Russia who had been in prison for more than 17 years for his belief in Jesus Christ), receive yet another severe beating. Again, for writing Scripture on a piece of paper. He had been walking in the yard and found a piece of paper and a pencil - he believed it was placed before him by the Holy Spirit. After the guards found the paper (he always put them on a cement pole in his cell - as high up - as close to God - as he could reach) they beat him severely with billy clubs. This time they told him that when they were done they were taking him to the pole outside to whip him and kill him. As they removed him from his cell - the other 1,500+ inmates began singing a song praising the Lord. Dmitri sang that very same song every day, first thing in the morning when the sun came up. While he sang, the other inmates threw things at him and screamed at him - yet he sang daily praising the Lord for 17 years. On this particular day - as they saw him being taken out of his cell and heard the guards saying they were going to kill him - THEY ALL STOOD - THEY ALL RAISED THEIR HANDS TO GOD - AND THEY ALL SANG THAT SONG TO GOD. Dmitri had touched the lives of 1,500+ prisoners - he had shared the gospel every single day. Even though they didn't know they were listening - they couldn't help but hear him and be touched by the Holy Spirit.
The guards stood in amazement - they didn't know how to respond to the solidarity. The video provides the following:
"The guards couldn't believe what they had witnessed. Turning to Dmitri, they shouted, "Who are you?"
He replied with only these words, "I am a son of the living God and His name is Jesus Christ."
Shortly after, Dmitri was released. We don't know what happens next, but we did see a scene where his sons ran up to him and hugged him - he had returned home to them.
At the beginning of the film we are told "90% born in the church, raised in the church, saved in the church, married and buried in the church will never share Jesus with another person."
The film asks the question, "Would you follow Jesus when it doesn't make sense?"
"After seeing "The Insanity of God" movie last evening, I was convicted of praying for the persecuted church worldwide. As many of you know, Thursday is the day I pray for The Church. I confess that the persecuted church hadn't been part of my prayers, but it will be going forward. Powerful. Hope you'll join me in keeping that in prayer! Lois"