Courageous Christians

Brief biographies of five individuals who contributed to the development of the United States through the practice of their Christian faith. Includes Jedediah Smith, Elijah Lovejoy, Sojourner Truth, Joseph Brant Thayendanegea, and Clara Barton.

For every half-dozen heroes antiquity could muster, Christendom produced thousands; and often from the strangest holes and corners. Instead of drying up the spirit of adventure, the Fire of Pentecost kindled it anew and made it burn with an unquenchable flame. The Master's parting instructions to His followers resulted in a host of enterprises quite as daring as any to be found in Homer. Some of these are brought vividly to life in these stories about courageous Christians from the earliest days of Christianity to modern times. Although written primarily for youthful readers, they are sure to interest all those to whom the achievements of their fellow Christians are a matter of pride and encouragement. Here you'll read about, among others: The pagan actor whose mockery of the Faith led him to convert and even die a Christian martyr The blind boy who became an adviser to great saints The brave bishop who successfully defended the true Faith — against his fellow bishops and even the Emperor! The monk who was martyred in the Coliseum trying to stop the bloodshed of the gladiators there The priest who suffered cruel deprivations to convert a savage tribe — with a dictionary! The Irish monk who crossed the Sea of Darkness to discover America The celebrated Spanish novelist who helped save Christendom from the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto The unarmed bishop who, with words alone, drove Attila the Hun from the gates of Rome The stirring adventures of these brave Christian souls remind us that God has in hand for each of us a unique mission, worthy of all our imagination and of all our daring.

Most Christian parents dream of raising children who will love God with their whole being and seek to serve Christ with their very lives. However, sometimes parents feel they lack solid Christian role models for their children outside of their family. Our kids need Christian heroes. Courageous Christians, by Joyce Brown, is just the family reader we need to fill this gap! The vast array of men, women, and children profiled in this book give everyone someone with whom to identify. These personalities are from different parts of the world and different time periods. These are people who have moved mountains with their faith, had courage beyond belief, and have demonstrated selfless, sacrificial love. Courageous Christians is a book that can be used by families with children of all ages. Joyce Brown provides clear, simple, well-explained stories of various Christian heroes. With sixty daily readings, this book will provide a perfect format for family devotions. This delightful family reader will teach children and parents alike what truly makes a Christian hero.

Not Even ISIS Can Scare Them Off Followers of Christ need to relearn what it means to stand courageously for their faith rather than merely survive in a climate of fear. Instead of motivating believers to action, today’s headlines appear to be paralyzing them. Standing in the Fire demonstrates the church triumphant through the lives of people who stood strong and didn’t run away in the face of overwhelming danger. These Middle Eastern heroes of faith fear God more than terrorist groups like ISIS. Supported by Tom Doyle’s commentary on events, the stories included show how these Christians are not living as victims, but victors in Christ.

As a Bible teacher, Gayle had taught for decades about the amazing power of grace in a person's life. Yet it took a crisis in her husband's life and the crumbling of her own life around her for her to have an epiphany about the true nature of grace. In Courageous Grace, Gayle chronicles and explains her newfound insights. Despite common misperceptions, grace is not safe. It's not easy. Frankly, it takes courage to show grace to those who deserve less. Oftentimes, the person showing God's grace gets counted among the sinners, just as Jesus experienced centuries ago. Gayle explores the story of Jesus forgiving the adulterous woman to reveal the courageous side of showing grace. We live in a society that vacillates between glorifying sin and crucifying those who fall. Gayle encourages us to take the road less traveled--daring to do the hard work of showing God's grace to the sinners among us. It's what followers of Christ are called to do.

Uses the text of Acts, and puzzles, questions and answers, anagrams, and "fun facts" about the Bible to demonstrate to teens the courageous spirit of Christians.