An unreasonable faith

It is quite a contrast reading Paul’s Hattaway’s Back to Jerusalem alongside of I Sold My Soul on eBay. In the latter, atheist Hemant Mehta searches for a reasonable expression of Christianity, and he does so in an interesting and humorous way. But Back to Jerusalem reminds us that sometimes faith requires people to live way beyond reason, to pay a price that makes sense only in light of eternity.

Back to Jerusalem tells the stories of several leaders in the underground Chinese church, heart-wrenching stories full of persecution and imprisonment.  One woman, after being jailed for some time, was told she was going to be released.  They took her to a place where she could see her children (and they could see her) and then told her:  “All you have to do is renounce Christ.”  She refused and went back to prison for 20 years, losing the chance to be a mother. Such a faith makes sense only in light of Jesus Christ and eternity.

These underground believers have a plan for completing the Great Commission.  They intend to take the gospel back to Jerusalem by heading west, evangelizing India and the Muslim world along the way.  Two things they have going for them:  They’ve been made tough by persecution; and they aren’t American.

If their goals sound unreasonable, so is their faith.  I’m looking for them to succeed.

PS - Thanks to Joanie for bringing this book to my attention. :) 

January 11, 2008 · Filed Under Books, Evangelism

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