ANDREW BRUNSON: God’s Hostage

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The Voice of the Martyrs

Christianity, Martyr, Vom, Persecution, Gospel, Pastor, Persecutedchurch, Apologetics, Islam, Christian, Church, Missions, Missionaries, Religion & Spirituality

4.9 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 12 October 2019

⏱️ 31 minutes

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Summary

Pastor Andrew Brunson spent two years in Turkish prisons accused, among other “crimes,” of helping plot a coup against President Erdogan’s government there.

There were very dark days for Brunson, isolated in prison and wondering why God seemed silent in his time of suffering. Listen as he shares how he poured out his frustrations to God, but ultimately chose to lean into God—even if God seemed to remain distant.

Through those dark days, Andrew's wife, Norine served as his pastor and encourager, the only Christian he was allowed contact with. Listen as he tells how she was “heroic” in standing with him in spite of risks to her own freedom.

Pastor Brunson also took strength from the stories of other Christians who suffered persecution. One of those was Richard Wurmbrand, founder of The Voice of the Martyrs and the author of Tortured for Christ and other books. Andrew says he “spent a lot of time with Richard Wurmbrand in prison,” through Richard’s writings.

Andrew tells the entire story in a new book, God’s Hostage, which you can order here (affiliate link).

Prior to the start of Andrew’s trial in Turkey, his daughter Jacqueline was our guest on VOM Radio. You can hear our conversation with her here.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Pastor Andrew Brunson was imprisoned in Turkey for his faith in Christ.
0:05.6	As he endured intense emotional trauma, he began to worry that he was literally going insane.
0:14.8	There were times when I was wondering what is real and what isn't real.
0:19.6	And I could feel myself just slip over a barrier.
0:26.6	Slip over it, I'm going over into a place
0:29.6	that I know is insanity. feeling it,
0:35.0	feeling myself go over the edge and just pulling myself back.
0:39.0	And my fear was that one of those times I wouldn't be able to pull myself back.
0:47.0	Jesus never promised his followers an easy path.
0:52.0	In fact, he told his disciples that the world would hate them. He sent them out as sheep among wolves. Jesus's words came true in the life of the Apostles and they're still coming true today in the lives of
1:04.2	his followers around the world. Join host Todd Nettleton as we hear their
1:08.0	inspiring stories and learn how we can help. Right now on the Voice of the Martyrs
1:12.4	radio network. Welcome again on the voice of the martyrs radio network.
1:13.4	Welcome again to the voice of the martyrs radio.
1:15.8	My name is Todd Nettleton and we are in the studio this week with
1:19.4	Pastor Andrew Brunson.
1:21.7	Most of our listeners will have heard that name before. We actually had
1:26.1	Andrew's daughter Jacqueline on right before his trial started in Turkey. Andrew was
1:31.5	arrested in Turkey. He was charged with all sorts of crimes trying to
1:35.7	overthrow the government and do different things there be part of the CIA. He
1:40.7	spent two years in prison before he was found guilty and sentenced to the time that he'd already served and allowed to leave
1:48.0	He's got a new book out in fact it comes out next Tuesday. It's called God's Hostage.
	...

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