The Faith Road: The True Story of Peril and Mission in Southeast Asia

by Eliot Branch

“I beg you to hear my this is not a book about missions for missionaries. This is a book for the church. This is a message for all Christians. This is a story for you.” —Nik Ripken Eliot longs for every lost tribe to heart the good news of Jesus. He knows he could never do it alone—he is just an ordinary man from rural Missouri struggling to learn the language and culture of this tiny landlocked country in Southeast Asia. After hearing God’s voice to consider a greater vision, Eliot partners with both expatriate and national missionaries to launch one of the most cutting-edge mission efforts in the world today. But fruitfulness comes with a cost. A dark enemy and corrupt authorities stand in the way. What will it take to finish the task? The Faith Road is one man’s faith journey from the unimpressive to the miraculous, and the true stories of peril and persecution he and his partners encounter along the way. It is a testament to how God uses ordinary people to accomplish his mission when they step out in faith, not trusting in their own ability, but relying upon his. Follow Eliot, Nick, and the team of national missionaries as they attempt to stay one step ahead of the police to reach the remaining lost peoples at the ends of the earth. ELIOT BRANCH moved to Southeast Asia less than two months after the September 11th terrorist attacks in the USA. Married to a national, Mali, Eliot learned to speak the language fluently, shared the gospel, planted simple churches, established businesses, and developed resources for the multiplication of disciples and churches among the unreached. A missionary, speaker, author, entrepreneur and mission mobilizer, he now coordinates efforts to mobilize national missionaries to reach unreached peoples around the world.

210 pages, Paperback

Published June 20, 2023

Reviews

[Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parts of this book read like the book of Acts, but set in a distinctly Southeast Asian culture. Just published in 2021, most of the stories are from the last 4 years. It motivated me to get on my knees again for the remaining tribes that haven’t heard the gospel. Uniquely interesting.

[Katharina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible read. It is thrilling to read a recent account of what God is doing in an area of the world I care deeply for. May we all join the faith road in taking Christ to the most unreached.

[Adam Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend "The Faith Road" for the following three reasons:

1. It's exciting. Eliot Branch is a great story teller that will keep you eagerly turning pages as you read of bold missionaries carrying the gospel message to people groups who have never heard of Christ. The story is full of evading authorities, enduring torture, facing wild animals, and many other perilous situations. It is a testimony to God's miraculous power to rescue His people who step out in faith.

2. It's thoughtful. I appreciate that in the midst of a great story Eliot Branch provides many insightful thoughts on missiology that are clearly communicated in a way that flows naturally within the narrative. The book talks candidly about the challenges of the mission and the successes as well as the failures; this story isn't sugar coated.

3. It's Challenging. The most glaring conclusion to me from reading The Faith Road is that we need to be asking the Lord of the Harvest for more workers. Branch points out that our God given task of carrying the gospel to all nations is huge, but not infinite. He directly and powerfully asks us to consider how we can join the work.

The book ends with a Group Study Guide. This book seems especially well suited for a small group at church to read through together. I plan on organizing a reading group in my local congregation.

[Kevin Kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth, especially when it comes to the heroism of real, ordinary people, is always abundantly more strange - not to mention more readable - than fiction. It’s not because I have met the author. Nor because some of the characters in his book seem so much like people I personally know. Nor even because for more than 4 decades I’ve lived with people of the same or a similar ethnic background as they are. It is rather simply because by God’s grace I too have been granted the gift of faith to travel a road not unlike the one described here, that I strongly recommend this book to readers who would like to know more about those who are on that road, or maybe even would like to join them on it.

[Jim Kilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a book that will encourage you in the faith and spur you on in fulfilling your part of the Mission of God - read this book!

[Marti Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hear how an ordinary man from rural Missouri came to follow Jesus and introduce others to him in a tiny landlocked country in Southeast Asia. Eliot partners with expatriates and national missionaries to launch an effort to reach the (initially estimated) “Final 58” unreached people groups of Laos.

Follow Eliot, Nick, and a team of first-generation believers as they launch out in five-day faith journeys following the practices described in Luke 10 and attempt to stay one step ahead of the police to reach the remaining lost peoples at the ends of the earth.

Missionary biographies are many, though I’ve never read one about Laos. This one winsomely explains and illustrates key principles for walking with God and reaching the unreached in any context.