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JESUS FREAKS VOL. IIWritten by dc Talk
Pakistan. A Muslim man hanging on the brink of death after a motorcycle accident gives his life to Christ. Later, after telling his family the good news, he is evicted from his house by his own relatives and later beaten by the policeman and city leaders.
Germany. One man's escape from a prison camp causes ten other men to be sentenced to death. Fearing for his life, one of the ten cries out that he doesn't want to die, and a priest declares he will die in this man's place. He shares the Gospel with the other nine men until their death.
Spain. Two devout Christian sisters are placed in Islamic homes in an attempt to break their spirits and convert them to Islam. When brought before a judge months later, the sisters spoke even more lovingly of Jesus than before and were sentenced to die by the sword.
Martyrs? Revolutionaries? Jesus Freaks? All of the above.
These are only a handful of the stories found in Jesus Freaks, Vol. II, sequel to its best-selling 1999 predecessor, Jesus Freaks. Once again, the musicians of dc Talk join forces with the Voice of the Martyrs foundation to share stories of those around the world who are suffering for the name of Jesus Christ. Similar to the last volume, Freaks Part Two begins with introductions from both dc Talk and Tom White, director of the Voice of the Martyrs, explaining their ambitious purpose for such a project. The majority of the book contains the stories that Jesus Freaks is so famous for. Like Foxe's Book of Martyrs, there are literally dozens upon dozens of tales about suffering Christians from all corners of the globe: some persecuted, some abused, some killed. However, the purpose of Jesus Freaks Vol. II is not to depress, but impress. If anything, these heart-wrenching accounts will inspire you to live every day for Christ as if it were your last. Vol. II concludes with a wealth of informational appendices, including ten ways that the reader can become a revolutionary, a list containing the names and addresses of several world-changing organizations - such as the Voice of the Martyrs, Freedom House, and others - a timeline showing a brief history of martyrdom and Christianity, a list of the top ten persecuting groups since Jesus's day, and endnotes. Overall, these are some amazingly valuable resources. Sadly, the only thing missing is the plan of salvation, crucial for the non-Christian audience.
But why make a Jesus Freaks, Vol. II? Wasn't the first one successful enough? Maybe so, but dc Talk makes the reason crystal clear during the book's intro. It's not enough anymore just to be a martyr for God. As Christians, our duty is not only to love our Lord so much that we would die for Him. We should also be willing to live for Him every day that He chooses to bless us with. This requires taking a stand for what we believe: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever shall believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." That is why a Jesus Freaks, Vol. II was written. We must be revolutionaries, fearing God, not man.
Jerusalem. A man claiming to be the Son of God is mocked, beaten, and spit on. His eyes look upon his captors with lovingness and mercy as He is nailed to a cross and put on display before an angry mob. With His dying breath, He cries out, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!" As His blood flows onto the ground, the past, present, and future of sin is completely eradicated.
He lived and died for us first.
- Rick Foux
January 2003
January 2003
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