SECRET BELIEVERS A MUST-READ

Last week, Lynn and I had the privilege of having dinner in Atlanta with Brother Andrew and Al Janssen, authors of a must-read new book about the spiritual revolution underway in the Middle East called Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe In Christ. How I wish you could have joined us. Much of what they told us was off-the-record, behind-the-scenes details of how they researched and wrote the book. But they also helped bring the stories in the book to life and we discussed ways of helping more people discover God's plan and purpose for the peope of the epicenter.

Bottom line: Secret Believers is powerful, provocative, scary at times, but always inspiring. It's absolutely a must-read for everyone interested in how powerfully the God of the Bible is moving to transform lives in the modern Middle East. Read the book, and give one to a friend -- ideally your pastor or someone interested in international ministry. Also, the authors have launched a new website -- www.secretbelievers.org -- aimed at helping build a global movement of Christ-followers who want to learn, pray, give and go.

Please be praying for Brother Andrew and Al that the Lord would continue to use them and this new book and website to help liberate the Muslim world in these last days.

Background on Secret Believers:

In his letter to his protégé, Timothy, Paul says, "I have fought the good fight." In Arabic, those last three words are translated "the good jihad." In this riveting true story of the Church in Islamic countries struggling to come to grips with hostile governments, terrorist acts, and an influx of Muslims coming to Christ, you will meet a group of men and women you 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:

* Butros, Brother Andrew's protégé in the Muslim world
* 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
* and many more.

Secret Believers not only gives you a glimpse of the lives of these courageous believers, it also proposes four practical initiatives for Christians in the West to take in order to help our persecuted brothers and sisters. It calls us to join a new jihad, leaving vengeance behind in favor of forgiveness, radical love, and unyielding prayer. Ravi Zacharias says: "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."

Author Information:

* Brother Andrew began taking Bibles to Christians behind closed borders in 1955. That work has since developed into Open Doors International. He is the author and coauthor of numerous books, including God's Smuggler, which has sold over 10 million copies to date. Brother Andrew makes his home in the Netherlands.

* Al Janssen has co-written or authored more than twenty-five books, including Light Force. He is a member of the board for Open Doors (USA) with Brother Andrew and is Director of Communications for Open Doors International. Janssen lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado.