Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ [Hardcover]

Brother Andrew (Author), Al Janssen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2007

In his letter to his protégé, Timothy, Paul says, "I have fought the good fight." In Arabic, those last three words are translated jihad. In Secret Believers, readers are introduced to Brother Andrew's protégé in the Muslim world, Butros. In this riveting true story of the Middle Eastern Church struggling to come to grips with hostile governments, terrorist acts, and an influx of Muslims coming to Christ, readers will meet a group of men and women they never knew existed. The names and places have been changed to protect the real people in the real places. But the stories are true. In his most incredible and eye-opening book to date, Brother Andrew invites you to meet: • Ahmed, a young Muslim terrified by nightmares until he is introduced to Isa (Jesus) • Mustafa, a former leader in a fundamentalist Muslim movement that persecuted Christians • Salima, a privileged young Muslim woman who is held captive by her family when they find a Bible in her possession • Abuna, a priest faced with an aging congregation and constant threats to his beloved church • and many more. Secret Believers not only gives readers a glimpse of the lives of these courageous believers, it also proposes four practical initiatives for Christians in the West to help these persecuted brothers and sisters. It calls us to join this new kind of jihad, leaving vengeance behind in favor of forgiveness, radical love, and unyielding prayer.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Brother Andrew and Al Janssen reveal the amazing stories of those who witness the love of One they once refused and passionately searched until they found Him, even in the face of great opposition. Theirs is a testament to meekness, grace, and triumph, and a call to every follower of Christ to mirror their example."--Ravi Zacharias, author and speaker -- Ravi Zacharias, author and speaker

From the Inside Flap

In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul says, "I have fought the good fight." In the Arabic translation those last three words are rendered "the good jihad." Whether we want to be or not, we are engaged in this fight. But it is not the same fight that we see on the news. It is a spiritual battle. How are we Christians going to respond? With guns and bombs? Is that really our only option? This approach won't win a spiritual war. So just how do we fight a good spiritual jihad? To answer this question, we will look at a group of Christians who live under Islam. Yes, there is a church in the Islamic world. In some cases, the church is hidden and barely surviving. In other countries there has been a church since the time of Pentecost. These churches have seen the rise and advance of Islam. Often they have suffered terribly. We in the West have a crucial part to play in the good fight.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Revell (July 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800718747
• ISBN-13: 978-0800718749
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #852,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was touched by this book - excellent read, August 19, 2007

By 

Tane (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ (Hardcover)

I found this book to be an excellent read and very hard to put down. It chronicles the intertwining lives of several Muslims who converted from Islam to Christianity. All of their stories were different; but, very inspiring to read about. The book takes you back and forth into their lives as each life story unfolds and several become connected to each other. I was touched deeply by this book. It was very well written and you feel as if you are right there living through the persecution with them. Those who practice religion freely need to be there in a much stronger showing of support for the persecuted. This I am certain of.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye opening, July 26, 2007

By 

D. Menning "English instructor" (Iowa USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ (Hardcover)

Although I've known of Brother Andrew for years, I had never read anything he's written. Secret Believers popped up on my Amazon "recommended for you" list because I had ordered Joel Rosenburg's Epicenter and Journey into the Mind of an Islamic Terrorist by Mark Gabriel. Impulsively, I hit my Amazon Prime one click, and the book promptly arrived at my door.

I was interested by the fact that the authors state upfront they've fictionalized the lives of many people in the Islamic world, weaving their stories and personalities together to create a true-to-life picture that shelters the real subjects from harm. Secret Believers starts slowly; it takes a while to explain all this and to establish characters. Nonetheless, I found myself unable to put it down and literally finished it the day it arrived.

I had never thought much about the Christians who are born into Islamic societies. Additionally, it had not occurred to me that there would exist a major chasm between these Christians and Muslims who convert to Christianity--people whom the book terms "Muslim background believers." Because of Brother Andrew's reputation and because of stories I've heard coming from Islamic countries, I believe this book is based fully in truth, and I was deeply moved by the characters' struggles and triumphs.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Secret Believers, July 14, 2007

By 

Lynda Harrington "Library Lynda @ FBC" (Cleveland, TN) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ (Hardcover)

The book gives a better comprehension of the severe penalties Muslims face when they choose Christianity. It is almost incomprehensible to Christians living in the United States to realize this type of persecution still exists. Pastors will relate to the immense task of shepherding as new Muslim believers are in need of "safe houses", employment, and doctrinal training in their new faith. I felt myself drawn to continue reading this book even when I did not have time in my schedule to do so. My admiration for the perseverance and testimonies of these MBBs has increased tremendously.