Be Inspired by Amazing Eyewitness Stories of Hope and Courage from the Persecuted Church We are witnessing an astonishing escalation in Christian persecution like we have rarely seen since the first century. Some estimate that every five minutes, a Christian is martyred for his or her faith. Countries like Egypt have experienced more Christian persecution in the last five years than in the previous six hundred years combined. And who could have missed the atrocities of ISIS in Syria, Boko Haram in Nigeria, and the continued persecution of Christians in North Korea? Johnnie Moore, like many American Christians, didn't fully appreciate the extent of what was going on--until he witnessed the graduation of theology students in India. Unlike graduation ceremonies in America--where feel-good speeches made by visiting celebrities are common--this one featured a remarkable oath. It wasn't an oath to excel or succeed. It was an oath to be willing to die, if necessary, for the cause of Christ. This was no empty promise. This was a choice, choosing the eternal over the temporal. Johnnie knew he was witnessing a raw, first-century Christianity that his comfortable American version had shielded him from. "For the first time, I really understand my faith," says Johnnie Moore. Now, he's on a mission to give this same experience to others. He and his team have crisscrossed the world, recorders in hand, gathering eyewitness accounts from dozens of people who survived persecution--and the stories of some who didn't. Join Johnnie Moore on this compelling journey to the heart of the Christian faith.

"In The Martyr's Oath, Stewart Bell, Canada's most respected journalist covering terrorism, tells how Mohammed Mansour Jabarah, a teenaged Canadian, was selected by the Al Qaeda leadership to coordinate a powerful attack in Southeast Asia that would have led to more destruction than 9/11. There is no better way to understand how Western youth are being drawn to terrorism than to read this story of the rise of a new generation of terrorist." — Rohan Gunaratna, Author of Inside Al Qaeda: Global Network of Terror (Columbia University Press) "The Martyr's Oath provides a unique vignette into the recruitment, training and operational deployment of young Canadian Muslims by Al Qaeda terrorists. it couples a biographical account of their personal and family experiences, culminating in capture, interrogation, and death, with some extraordinarily detailed accounts of counter-terrorism operations across the Middle East, Southeast Asia and North America. This will be a must-read for anyone and everyone interested in the challenges of international terrorism in our times." — Dr. Martin Rudner, Director, Canadian Centre of Intelligence and Security Studies, The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Ottawa, ON Acclaim for Stewart Bell's first book, Cold Terror: How Canada Nurtures and Exports Terrorism Around the World "an arresting look at the reality of terrorism" —The Gazette (Montreal) Every responsible citizen of Canada, the US, the UK and other Western Countries should read this book." — Christopher Ondaatje, Times Higher Education Supplement "Cold Terror will shock the conscience of the nation... This book is not just an exposé it is an urgent call to action." —David Frum, Author of The Right Man: The Surprise Presidency of George W. Bush "The most important Canadian book of 2004." —Western Standard

Be Inspired by Amazing Eyewitness Stories of Hope and Courage from the Persecuted Church We are witnessing an astonishing escalation in Christian persecution like we have rarely seen since the first century. Some estimate that every five minutes, a Christian is martyred for his or her faith. Countries like Egypt have experienced more Christian persecution in the last five years than in the previous six hundred years combined. And who could have missed the atrocities of ISIS in Syria, Boko Haram in Nigeria, and the continued persecution of Christians in North Korea? Johnnie Moore, like many American Christians, didn’t fully appreciate the extent of what was going on—until he witnessed the graduation of theology students in India. Unlike graduation ceremonies in America—where feel-good speeches made by visiting celebrities are common—this one featured a remarkable oath. It wasn’t an oath to excel or succeed. It was an oath to be willing to die, if necessary, for the cause of Christ. This was no empty promise. This was a choice, choosing the eternal over the temporal. Johnnie knew he was witnessing a raw, first-century Christianity that his comfortable American version had shielded him from. “For the first time, I really understand my faith,” says Johnnie Moore. Now, he’s on a mission to give this same experience to others. He and his team have crisscrossed the world, recorders in hand, gathering eyewitness accounts from dozens of people who survived persecution—and the stories of some who didn’t. Join Johnnie Moore on this compelling journey to the heart of the Christian faith.

Here is a collection of accounts of more than 4011 Christians burned at the stake, of countless bodies torn on the rack, torn tongues, ears, hands, feet, gouged eyes, people buried alive, and of many who were willing to bear the cross of persecution and death for the sake of Christ.

Samson's Cords examines the radically different responses of John Milton, Andrew Marvell, and Samuel Butler to the existential crises caused by an explosion of loyalty oaths in Britain before and after 1660.