Book Review: Faith Under Fire

Faith Under Fire: Dramatic Stories of Christian Courage
by Matthew Archbold
Cincinnati,OH: Servant Books, 2016

What would you do if your Christian faith was put to the test in dramatic fashion? In Faith Under Fire, Matthew Archbold shares “modern stories of practicing Christians who – faced with the prospect of pain, persecution, or even death – chose faith and love.”

Archbold offers examples of those who have exhibited great forgiveness, loved strangers, trusted God when all the odds were against them, sacrificed themselves in service to others, and showed courage I the faith of great opposition. Each chapter is introduced by a quote from Scripture, contains one profile, and includes discussion questions suitable for private reflection or use in a group setting. 

Each chapter can stand alone as a moving testimony to the power of faith. Archbold invites readers into each of these profiles, setting the scene, providing backstory, and then centering on the individual(s) making positive choices in the face of pain and evil. The stories are powerful and heart-wrenching. Read them with a box of tissues nearby. “While it includes some terrible events, in the end it is . . . a hopeful book about love in a world that’s often surprised and sometimes even opposed to those who show it.”

“Faith Under Fire” offers powerful examples of how to live. Those of us who read it can only hope and pray that if put to the test in such a fashion, we would respond with the same inspiring level of courage and love.