Series Summary
In October 2016, pastor Andrew Brunson was falsely accused of terrorism and held for two years in Turkish prisons. Following a worldwide prayer movement and significant political pressure from the U.S. government, he was released in October 2018. Since then, Andrew has felt an urgency for Christians in the West to prepare for a coming wave of hostility.
During the first year Andrew broke under the pressure. God began to rebuild him. In this eight-part series he shares some of the important things he learned in prison that helped him to stand faithful.
 |
 |
Session 1 – Recognize the Danger
Although persecution has been the norm for faithful believers throughout history, many Christians believe this cannot happen in America. But in a culture that is increasingly intolerant of those who identify with Jesus and His teachings, now is the time to prepare.
Andrew experienced deep fear in prison as he faced the threat of three life sentences and the possibility of never seeing his family again. In this session, he talks about three keys that helped him to ultimately stand in spite of fear.
Session 3 – Guarding Against the Offended Heart
Have you ever been disappointed in God? During the most desperate time in Andrew’s life, God did not meet his expectations - he could not sense God’s presence, he felt abandoned, and this took him into a spiritual crisis that almost destroyed him. Here Andrew describes how he dealt with his offended heart and rebuilt friendship with God.
Session 4 – Pursuing God’s Heart
Love fuels endurance. Andrew explains how the focus on pursuing God’s heart is what best prepared him for hardship.
Session 5 – Building Perseverance
When faced with pressure, many throw themselves into a pursuit of pleasure as a form of escape. American culture tells us we deserve happiness and should avoid suffering at all costs. Andrew talks about learning to persevere.
Session 6 – Avoiding Deception
Jesus warns the church about deception and false teachers. Andrew shares two steps we can take to guard against this very real and present danger.
Session 7 – Some Benefits of Persecution
Persecution is not something anyone asks for, but there can be unexpected blessings for those who remains faithful to the end. On the other side of prison, Andrew is able to see some of the good results of suffering.
Session 8 – A Conversation Between Andrew and Norine
Andrew and Norine walked through two years of persecution together. In this session, they both sit down to further unpack the topics covered in this series.
Family Research Council and Andrew Brunson extend heartfelt appreciation to Samaritan’s Purse for their investment in this project.
