Kindle
$9.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Paperback
$12.99
Audio CD
from $27.29
Kindle Price: $9.99

Save $6.00 (38%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Audiobook Price: $12.68

Save: $5.19 (41%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Gregg Lewis
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Insanity of Obedience: Walking with Jesus in Tough Places Kindle Edition

by Nik Ripken (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,049 ratings
See all formats and editions
Wise Sheep Among the Wolves

All Christian disciples have one thing in common: as they carry the gospel across the ocean and across the street, persecution will become the norm for those who choose to follow Jesus. How believers respond in the face of persecution reveals everything about their level of faith and obedience.

The Insanity of Obedience is a bold challenge to global discipleship. Nik Ripken exposes the danger of safe Christianity and calls readers to something greater. The Insanity of Obedience challenges Christians in the same, provocative way that Jesus did. This book dares you—and prepares you—to cross the street and the oceans with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Some of Jesus’ instructions sound uncomfortable and are potentially dangerous. We may be initially encouraged by His declaration, “I am sending you out.” But how are we to respond when He then tells us that He is sending us out “like sheep among wolves"?

In light of the words of Jesus, how can modern day believers rest comfortably in the status quo? How can we embrace casual faith in light of the radical commands of Jesus which are anything but casual? Ripken brings decades of ministry experience in some of the most persecuted areas of the world to bear on our understanding of faith in Jesus. The Insanity of Obedience is a call to roll up your sleeves . . . and to follow and partner with Jesus in the toughest places on this planet.

"We have the high privilege of answering Jesus’ call to go," Ripken says. "But let us be clear about this: we go on His terms, not ours. If we go at all, we go as sheep among wolves."
 
Jesus gives us Himself.  And He gives us the tools necessary for those who dare to journey with Him.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    355 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    B&H Books
  5. Publication date
    January 1, 2014
  6. File size
    5414 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card

From the brand

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Not only was Jesus persecuted, so are his followers to this day around the world. This is a heart-breaking, faith-stretching, insider's look at what it means to pick up your cross and follow Jesus."

-- "Mark Driscoll, #1 New York Times bestselling author"

About the Author

Nik Ripken is the world's leading expert on the persecuted church in Muslim contexts. He is a missions veteran of 30 years, having served primarily in North Africa and the Middle East. He is the author of The Insanity of God and the new book The Insanity of Obedience. He and his wife have done extensive research on the persecuted church, and on Muslim background believers, in approximately 72 countries.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07DV3JDXD
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ B&H Books (January 1, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5414 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 355 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1433673096
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,049 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Gregg Lewis

Gregg Lewis

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Gregg Lewis is an award winning author or coauthor of more than sixty books, including "You Have a Brain," "Take the Risk," and "The Big Picture" with Dr. Ben Carson, "Tom Landry: An Autobiography," "Gifted Hands, Revised Kid's Edition: The Ben Carson Story" with Deborah Shaw Lewis, "The Insanity of God" with Nik Ripken, "A Dream So Big" with Steve Peifer, "Forgiving the Dead Man Walking" with Debbie Morris, "Jesus M.D.", and "Safe at Home." For more information, check out Gregg's website at www.gregglewisbooks.com

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
1,049 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

P. Elarion
5.0 out of 5 stars Without comparison, this is the NO.1 book to read!
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
AMAZING! INCREDIBLE! LIFE CHANGING! I cannot adequately convey the impact this book has had on me. Now, I begin the new day reminding myself how fortunate I am to live where I don't have to fear hardship for my faith in Christ Jesus my Lord, and if I will talk to one person per day about Jesus. I am ashamed of my flimsy excuses why I don't risk more for Jesus, when the least of my suffering would be rejection and a hurt ego! At the same time, I realize that where there is persecution, there is amazing Faith....and where there is amazing Faith, there is the awesome Presence of Christ's partnership that can only be experienced in those dire circumstances. You'll learn how persecution fuels intense passion and builds the kind of undaunting Faith that honors and exalts our Lord....I have recommended this book too many times to count.....
11 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
warren alan jones
5.0 out of 5 stars Changed my traditional understanding of missions.
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2018
Verified Purchase
Disciple making is now in sharper focus due to this study. Realizing how people groups come to that life changing decision through a process of experiential discipleship directed by the Holy Spirit using access to the Word and near cultural believers puts missions work in a new light. Working to undergird the local body is critical, equipping them for greater service impacts that culture more effectively than cross cultural evangelizing. Also, due to this revelation, local disciple making is now understood in the light of greater individual impact.

This book required deep reflection and challenged me in traditional ideas. As I read each chapter I would reflect on past experiences with clearer understand, helping hone my future work. I have a handful of books that I consider my missional directors, this is one which I look forward to reading again, and even studying with a group. Impactful.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Debbie Carson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2022
Verified Purchase
It is the best book for doing missionary work in persecuted countries. It gives insights into how people in other countries view living for Jesus.
Helpful
 Report
Cathie
5.0 out of 5 stars The Title Pretty Much Says It All..
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2014
Verified Purchase
The Insanity of Obedience is companion piece to Ripken's previous work, The Insanity of God. Although the two works cover some of the same ground, each book deserves a reading. The Ripken's felt called by God to go overseas as missionaries. When they responded to that call, they had no idea that they would eventually end up working in Somalia. In that lawless land, their faith took a major nose dive. Their losses were huge. Eventually they came home wounded emotionally and spiritually with a huge question mark hanging over their heads: can faith survive under intense persecution? They set out on a quest to find the answer to that question, eventually interviewing 600 Christians who had endured under some form of persecution. That is the subject of Ripken's first book. His second one, The Insanity of Obedience examines what it looks like to go out as sheep among wolves and gives story after story on how to carry out the Great Commission - even when obedience looks crazy from a human perspective.
66 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
garie sender
4.0 out of 5 stars Require reading
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
This book should be read by anyone who desires to go into mission work. It is challenging and convicting. The only drawback is it is hard to read...reminiscent of a college text book. I should have purchased a copy of the book, rather than reading it on kindle so that I could have underlined, written, and been able to go back and review easier.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Max Deardorff
5.0 out of 5 stars The stories of the spread of the Gospel in unreached people groups by miraculous dreams and visions is amazing. The fact that ov
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2015
Verified Purchase
This is a remarkable and fascinating book for Christians to read and be convicted for not following the instructions of Christ Jesus to witness to all people. It also points out vividly that we should expect to be persecuted for our efforts. The stories of the spread of the Gospel in unreached people groups by miraculous dreams and visions is amazing. The fact that over 80% of muslims who accept Jesus have had one of these phenomenons before ever meeting a missionary is truly amazing to me. There are many revelations to those of us who are interested and participate in missions and sending of missionaries to these people. The first book, The Insanity Of God, is equally exciting and I would recommend reading it first.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars I would recommend both the books to anyone who is interested in ...
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2017
Verified Purchase
I have read the first book The Insanity of God and since then I wanted to read this book. I am telling you, this is a journey that you would want to go on. It is filled with a lot of heart-wrenching moments, but it also shows how faith grows in places we least expect it to. This counter intuitive and radical faith in Jesus which leads us to obey the most challenging commands are what it calls each reader to experience. I would recommend both the books to anyone who is interested in seeing how powerfully God works through his people, especially in their suffering, when we commit to him.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Eduardo "ZIG" Irizarry
5.0 out of 5 stars Radical Insanity
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2016
Verified Purchase
The Insanity of Obedience is the follow up book to The Insanity of God. Both are excellent. Nik Ripken candidly shares his frustrations, failures and doubts that ultimately led him to writing these two books.
This book will cause you to evaluate your personal devotion to Christ, your denominational beliefs and biases and how you might be doing church. His purpose is not to destroy any of these, but to get us out of our academic superficiality and into a life changing practice of walking with Jesus. He does this by sharing true stories about churches that do this in places where persecution is not only a reality, but a normal part of Christian obedience and how God still does the impossible through those who are willing to literally take His hand and walk with Him in tough places.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

tom
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must read
Reviewed in Canada on July 10, 2019
Verified Purchase
those of us who need a reason to do God's work should read this. this book is not an easy read but living a life for Jesus isnt suppose to be easy.
Report
Ian Brons
5.0 out of 5 stars Insane obedience to Jesus
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 21, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is a book that everybody should read. Nick Ripken's research into the persecution from the lips of 600 Christians gives us a chilling insight of the challenge facing anybody who wold dare to obey the call of Jesus to follow him in Nations where intolerance towards christians widespread. In the eyes of a person who does not know the blessing of a personal faith in Jesus, to believe in Jesus and obey him, even to the point of physical harm and even death is insane. To those who follow this pathway of obedience through persecution discover the reality and blessings of knowing Jesus, suffering like him, and his presence with them in their suffering. This book presents a challenge to those who go to church in the free world as to what faith in Jesus is all about, what obedience demands when we call ourselves followers of Jesus. It also challenges us concerning our empathy with the suffering church, are we that concerned about standing with them or do we just go on selfishly ignoring their plight and pretend that we don't have to be involved with them. This is a book that will make you weep, we need to weep with the suffering church, then go out and do something to help them and by so doing we walk in obedience to Jesus with them.
Report
Aaron Williams
5.0 out of 5 stars The Insanity of obedience
Reviewed in Australia on May 12, 2021
Verified Purchase
This book follows on from the insanity of God. A great, faith challenging book. I highly recommend this book for all that want to be challenged and to grow in their faith.
Report
郭　羅帷
5.0 out of 5 stars A good book to guide you to the truth about the true christianity
Reviewed in Japan on July 28, 2015
Verified Purchase
I am not a native English speaker, now is reading the ture stories about the brothers and sisters who are in the suffering for the sake of Our Lord Jesus Christ. What a bless to hear this kind of faith stories. When I lost my jobs for the sake of my belief, was judged by others, but it is OK.
God knows. So when I read this book make me see the body in the Christ suffered more, my faith grew stronger, this is a spiritual war.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!"
John 16:33 Praise our Lord and thank you for this book and the brothers and sisters in this book!! ----- Maria (a Chinese Christian in Japan )
Report
William Eddy
5.0 out of 5 stars highly recommend it if you are interested in Missions and what ...
Reviewed in Canada on November 1, 2016
Verified Purchase
This book will challenge and encourage you, highly recommend it if you are interested in Missions and what the Lord is doing amidst severe persecution and what many believers are facing in the world today
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report