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Dispatches from the Front Lib/E: Stories of Gospel Advance in the World's Difficult Places
Most Americans know little about the dangers Christians face in other parts of the world. Tim Keesee, a veteran missionary and executive producer of the successful Dispatches from the Front DVD series, leads readers on an exciting tour of global Christianity, exploring the faith and lives of Christians living in twenty of the world's most perilous countries. The incredible accounts included in this compelling travelogue--stories that span the globe from China to Afghanistan--highlight the bold faith and sacrificial bravery of God's people, challenging comfortable Christians to join the fight to advance the gospel and support the church worldwide.
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First published April 30, 2014
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About the author
Tim Keesee
13 books26 followersTim Keesee is the founder and executive director of Frontline Missions International, which for the past 20 years has served to advance the gospel in some of the world’s most difficult places. He has traveled to 80 countries, reporting on the church from the former Iron Curtain countries to war-torn Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He is the executive producer of the popular DVD documentary series, Dispatches from the Front, and the author of Dispatches from the Front: Stories of Gospel Advance in the World's Difficult Places.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
July 26, 2015
Hallelujah! He is at work all over the world and transforming the hearts of so many. As I read these journal entries I am reminded of how much more I should treasure His Word and pray for the advance of the gospel.
May 24, 2018
This book is a great read!!!
Tim Keesee's writing style is compelling and a delight to read. His descriptions of the details of his journeys brings you into the story - you can practically smell, taste, hear, feel and see the places he's in as he recounts his memories. The stories which he tells are remarkable (moreso since they're true!) - of the Gospel's spread around the globe and the intense sacrifices which have to be endured for such ministry.
This book renewed my wife and I's hearts for mission and evangelistic zeal. It provided great reading material at bedtime - since his entries are short 'dispatches' - you can easily squeeze in a section or 3 before bedtime with ample material for thought and discussion. We can take so much for granted in our comfortable North-American lifestyle, and so much of the graces which God has bestowed on us here. We can forget the struggle for the sake of the Gospel happening right now around the world, and this book serves as a clear and powerful reminder of the Gospel's call to each one of us, that we might lose our lives for the sake of Christ, so that we might truly find it in Him.
I'd highly recommend this book to every Christian as a must-read, and especially those interested in world-missions and cross-cultural evangelism and the realities of the persecuted (yet flourishing) Church outside of the Western world.
Tim Keesee's writing style is compelling and a delight to read. His descriptions of the details of his journeys brings you into the story - you can practically smell, taste, hear, feel and see the places he's in as he recounts his memories. The stories which he tells are remarkable (moreso since they're true!) - of the Gospel's spread around the globe and the intense sacrifices which have to be endured for such ministry.
This book renewed my wife and I's hearts for mission and evangelistic zeal. It provided great reading material at bedtime - since his entries are short 'dispatches' - you can easily squeeze in a section or 3 before bedtime with ample material for thought and discussion. We can take so much for granted in our comfortable North-American lifestyle, and so much of the graces which God has bestowed on us here. We can forget the struggle for the sake of the Gospel happening right now around the world, and this book serves as a clear and powerful reminder of the Gospel's call to each one of us, that we might lose our lives for the sake of Christ, so that we might truly find it in Him.
I'd highly recommend this book to every Christian as a must-read, and especially those interested in world-missions and cross-cultural evangelism and the realities of the persecuted (yet flourishing) Church outside of the Western world.
September 28, 2018
Have you ever watched one of those documentaries where they fly over stunning terrain while playing dramatic music? This book reminds me of one of them. The terrain is the transformed lives shining in the darkest spots on earth while the saving power of Christ plays over every scene in a beautiful chorus.
We get the barest of glimpses of Christians all around the world. It has a few pages about each country with maybe a few paragraphs about each city, mixed with the author’s travel experiences. We do learn about hundreds of Christians willing to risk the loss of everything they own and everyone they love for eternity: theirs and others. They are all beautiful testimonies of personal salvation, but they are even more beautiful testimonies of people willing to witness for Christ in the face of death.
I was really heartened by one aspect of this book. It has a true definition of eternal life-giving Christianity. I’ve read so many books that accept Catholicism, Russian Orthodoxy, or even nominal Christianity as a way to Heaven. This one is very clear. Salvation, life only comes through knowing Christ. I really appreciate that distinction.
It’s not a book of doctrine. I picked up on a few things that I might not agree with if he had gone into more detail, but that isn’t the point of this book. He just wants to show us that Christ is saving people from around the world. It is beautiful and has reminded me again to pray for our brothers and sisters in every country.
I would recommend it to everyone
We get the barest of glimpses of Christians all around the world. It has a few pages about each country with maybe a few paragraphs about each city, mixed with the author’s travel experiences. We do learn about hundreds of Christians willing to risk the loss of everything they own and everyone they love for eternity: theirs and others. They are all beautiful testimonies of personal salvation, but they are even more beautiful testimonies of people willing to witness for Christ in the face of death.
I was really heartened by one aspect of this book. It has a true definition of eternal life-giving Christianity. I’ve read so many books that accept Catholicism, Russian Orthodoxy, or even nominal Christianity as a way to Heaven. This one is very clear. Salvation, life only comes through knowing Christ. I really appreciate that distinction.
It’s not a book of doctrine. I picked up on a few things that I might not agree with if he had gone into more detail, but that isn’t the point of this book. He just wants to show us that Christ is saving people from around the world. It is beautiful and has reminded me again to pray for our brothers and sisters in every country.
I would recommend it to everyone
May 7, 2019
A wonderful travelogue that takes the reader all over the world, celebrating the growth of God's kingdom and the faithfulness of his people in all sorts of settings. I found it to be a challenging, encouraging, worship-inducing read.
April 9, 2021
Wow. . . I'm inspired. It's absolutely amazing to read about people who leave everything and risk their lives in poor and desolate places to bring the gospel to people who would never hear it otherwise.
This book follows the travels of Tim Keesee, who joins people in poor, remote places, including Egypt, Pakistan, Iraq, and the Philippines, and helps bring the gospel to them. In the book, we meet many people who have dedicated their lives to the spread of the gospel. It's dangerous work, but they do it with the Spirit in their hearts and their lives reflecting God's grace. Some of them get hurt, and some of them die, but now they are in a better place, with God in heaven.
It's very inspiring and moving, reading the stories of missionaries and the stories of people who have been affected by the gospel. Some of those converts, even though they have been rejected by their family and face threats of death, still persevere and worship God. It's very encouraging knowing that the gates of hell are caving and the gospel is spreading, reaching people far and wide from every country and nation. Because Jesus is light, and the light always beats the darkness.
This book follows the travels of Tim Keesee, who joins people in poor, remote places, including Egypt, Pakistan, Iraq, and the Philippines, and helps bring the gospel to them. In the book, we meet many people who have dedicated their lives to the spread of the gospel. It's dangerous work, but they do it with the Spirit in their hearts and their lives reflecting God's grace. Some of them get hurt, and some of them die, but now they are in a better place, with God in heaven.
It's very inspiring and moving, reading the stories of missionaries and the stories of people who have been affected by the gospel. Some of those converts, even though they have been rejected by their family and face threats of death, still persevere and worship God. It's very encouraging knowing that the gates of hell are caving and the gospel is spreading, reaching people far and wide from every country and nation. Because Jesus is light, and the light always beats the darkness.
August 8, 2018
This book will take you across the globe and amaze you with stories of faith, transformation, and difficulty. As a comfortable North American, this is often uncomfortable in the best way. I recommend it for all Christians, especially those unfamiliar with missions. It is helpful in a hundred small ways, adjusting and correcting our very limited 21st century couch perspective.
Expect your emotions while reading to include everything from curiosity, amazement, joy, anger, and conviction. Also, Tim Keesee does a good job guarding against the tendency for missionary profiles and biographies to become super-Christians caricatures, which only discourages those of us who aren't super-motivated type-A's.
Expect your emotions while reading to include everything from curiosity, amazement, joy, anger, and conviction. Also, Tim Keesee does a good job guarding against the tendency for missionary profiles and biographies to become super-Christians caricatures, which only discourages those of us who aren't super-motivated type-A's.
April 28, 2021
There are books that can change your life by reading them. My eyes have been opened and may they stay opened. This is beautiful heart wrenching journal accounts of him meeting Christ followers all over the world. Not terribly gruesome but enough information to understand the true hardship and suffering. He paints the places he visits so vividly.
April 19, 2017
This is a wonderful book of snapshots of Christ's body throughout many areas of God's harvest field that are considered "closed" to the Gospel. It is such a joy to read of what God is doing in all these areas through so many faithful servants. In that way, it is a faith building read. "Look at what God is doing in the harshest of conditions!" It was also convicting. We are so blessed in Western Christianity. The faithful "cross-bearing" that is common in the church all over the world is all too rare in American churches.
Dr. Keesee writes in an beautiful, almost poetic, and yet readable style. Also because it is written in many small portions it is a book you can pick up and put down at ease. So don't feel bad about buying this book even though you are reading 15 other books. Because it is written in these smaller vignettes, it will easily fit into your reading routine (although, once you start, you may have a hard time putting it down).
Dr. Keesee writes in an beautiful, almost poetic, and yet readable style. Also because it is written in many small portions it is a book you can pick up and put down at ease. So don't feel bad about buying this book even though you are reading 15 other books. Because it is written in these smaller vignettes, it will easily fit into your reading routine (although, once you start, you may have a hard time putting it down).
June 30, 2014
The emotional impact of this book is powerful, not because it is particularly well-written or expertly crafted. We get glimpses into the lives of those living at this point in time, yet separated from us by location. It has impact because it is an immediate, first-hand at the facts on the ground in many parts of the world this last year, and not some indefinite point in the past. Because many of the events described within this book just happened and many of these situations still persist it adds to the impact of the narrative.
February 9, 2018
I did not want this book to come to an end.
It gives a front-row seat for seeing tiny glimpses of how God is working all over the world! The writing was not flashy or profound, but I was freshly reminded of the gospel's raw power in transforming people AND of the worth of Christ that makes people willing to forsake all to gain HIM. It's been a while since I've read a book that led me to worship over and over again.
It gives a front-row seat for seeing tiny glimpses of how God is working all over the world! The writing was not flashy or profound, but I was freshly reminded of the gospel's raw power in transforming people AND of the worth of Christ that makes people willing to forsake all to gain HIM. It's been a while since I've read a book that led me to worship over and over again.
November 17, 2021
Having seen a couple of this author’s documentary videos with the same title, I knew the subject matter of this book would be fascinating. I listened to this book on hoopla and, while I generally prefer to read than listen, this audiobook was like listening to missionary stories from around the world. It was fascinating.
The author’s pace is slow, which I knew to expect from his videos. But the locations he visits and describes, and the joys and challenges for those sharing the gospel in those distant places, were fascinating and compelling. Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iran: how encouraging that, in these places of religious repression and minimal concern with human rights, the gospel is being spread, often at great personal cost.
I doubt there’s an American believer who could red this book and not be challenged, convicted, moved and inspired by the lives of believers and evangelists on these hard places. Recommended for Christians.
The author’s pace is slow, which I knew to expect from his videos. But the locations he visits and describes, and the joys and challenges for those sharing the gospel in those distant places, were fascinating and compelling. Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iran: how encouraging that, in these places of religious repression and minimal concern with human rights, the gospel is being spread, often at great personal cost.
I doubt there’s an American believer who could red this book and not be challenged, convicted, moved and inspired by the lives of believers and evangelists on these hard places. Recommended for Christians.
February 16, 2019
Tim Keesee in his book Dispatches From the Front: On Gospel Transformation, Suffering and Witness, takes war correspondence to a whole new level. From Russia, to Africa, to the Middle East, Keesee reports on the Gospel advancement in these hostile areas. This book will not only encourage you but will also burden you to pray for those who are suffering at the hands of those who seek to snuff out the name of Christ. If you are passionate about missions I would encourage you to read this book. If you are not passionate about missions I would encourage you to read this book. Who knows... it might light a fire within you to take the Gospel around the world.
January 20, 2020
If there were any books that made my heart grow for missions and in gratefulness for the Gospel, it would be this book!
May 27, 2014
It took me a while to read because EPUBs like the ARC I received are not easy reading on a phone (thus limiting me to computer reading only), but it did force me to pace myself somewhat and allowed time for reflection. This review wasn't easy to write either, forcing me to condense what I felt and thought into words on a screen. Dispatches from the Front is part travel journal, part social justice documentary, part adventure story and part political commentary, but through all of it runs the thread of faith.
As Tim Kessee mentions in the introduction, some of us are called to send while others are called to go. As a send-er, it's incredible to see how wonderfully the go-ers are fulfilling their tasks, and how God is working through and around those willing to literally give up their lives for their mission. Their "living hope" takes them to places most of us would flee in a heartbeat, and it keeps them there: from the former Soviet Bloc through Eastern Europe and China to Southeast Asia and into West Africa and the Middle East. They go through the heartlands of Communism, Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism, sharing God's love everywhere they go. They have few supplies - many of their flock (for lack of a better word) may not have a Bible, a place to meet, or even enough food and water. Many have been imprisoned for the Gospel for years at a time, and not in luxurious Western prisons with air-conditioning and schools - these are prisons where cells are crammed full of people, where there are no bathrooms (or even toilets), where food is scarce... and yet where the ministers continue to share the Word, now with their cellmates rather than neighbors.
These missionaries follow local customs, as Paul recommended, rather than standing aloof and to the side. They mingle with the people, living, working, eating, suffering and, yes, dying beside them. They suffer the same atrocities as those who have no choice but to stay. They take persecution for granted, sometimes living in hiding while continuing to reach out to the poor and downtrodden: the blind, mentally disabled children, AIDs victims, prisoners, women, and the unclean in every society, showing compassion for those in need. They aren't going to the popular places where people like to go and build a school to say they've helped a community - they can spend weeks travelling to reach a community, and they see, time after time, the evidence of God's wonderful, mysterious ways as He uses each situation for His purpose, even to using the oppressors to help His cause! We see miracle after local miracle as God's power against false spirits is revealed. Not all have the ending we'd want, though.
Aside from that, the book is easily read in sections. Each region has its own chapter, which starts with a map for the geographically-challenged or geographically-curious who want to know exactly where some of these smaller countries are, and the journal format works well. Through Tim's eyes we see the beauty of each country, his words eliciting pictures of the people and landscape along with a sense of peace and appreciation for each place. There are some photos, but the text is enough by itself, and it closes with a prayer pleading for more people to go.
"The world is more willing to receive the gospel than Christians are willing to give the gospel." Words like that create shame in my heart, because God doesn't ask much of me - unlike these steadfast missionaries - and still I continue to fail. If you're at all interested in what missionaries are doing today, if you want to have your heart prodded and your wavering coals of faith rekindled, this book is an excellent place to look.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
As Tim Kessee mentions in the introduction, some of us are called to send while others are called to go. As a send-er, it's incredible to see how wonderfully the go-ers are fulfilling their tasks, and how God is working through and around those willing to literally give up their lives for their mission. Their "living hope" takes them to places most of us would flee in a heartbeat, and it keeps them there: from the former Soviet Bloc through Eastern Europe and China to Southeast Asia and into West Africa and the Middle East. They go through the heartlands of Communism, Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism, sharing God's love everywhere they go. They have few supplies - many of their flock (for lack of a better word) may not have a Bible, a place to meet, or even enough food and water. Many have been imprisoned for the Gospel for years at a time, and not in luxurious Western prisons with air-conditioning and schools - these are prisons where cells are crammed full of people, where there are no bathrooms (or even toilets), where food is scarce... and yet where the ministers continue to share the Word, now with their cellmates rather than neighbors.
These missionaries follow local customs, as Paul recommended, rather than standing aloof and to the side. They mingle with the people, living, working, eating, suffering and, yes, dying beside them. They suffer the same atrocities as those who have no choice but to stay. They take persecution for granted, sometimes living in hiding while continuing to reach out to the poor and downtrodden: the blind, mentally disabled children, AIDs victims, prisoners, women, and the unclean in every society, showing compassion for those in need. They aren't going to the popular places where people like to go and build a school to say they've helped a community - they can spend weeks travelling to reach a community, and they see, time after time, the evidence of God's wonderful, mysterious ways as He uses each situation for His purpose, even to using the oppressors to help His cause! We see miracle after local miracle as God's power against false spirits is revealed. Not all have the ending we'd want, though.
Aside from that, the book is easily read in sections. Each region has its own chapter, which starts with a map for the geographically-challenged or geographically-curious who want to know exactly where some of these smaller countries are, and the journal format works well. Through Tim's eyes we see the beauty of each country, his words eliciting pictures of the people and landscape along with a sense of peace and appreciation for each place. There are some photos, but the text is enough by itself, and it closes with a prayer pleading for more people to go.
"The world is more willing to receive the gospel than Christians are willing to give the gospel." Words like that create shame in my heart, because God doesn't ask much of me - unlike these steadfast missionaries - and still I continue to fail. If you're at all interested in what missionaries are doing today, if you want to have your heart prodded and your wavering coals of faith rekindled, this book is an excellent place to look.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2014
My heart rejoiced while tears streamed down my face as I read Dispatches from the Front: Stories of Gospel Advance in the World’s Difficult Places by Tim Keesee. In the book, Keesee chronicles his travels and the stories of believers and cross-cultural workers from the former Soviet Republics to China, and from southeast Asia to Africa and the Middle East.
From the story of Sunday School teacher Galina Vilchinskaya, a 23-year-old Sunday School teacher who spent five years in prison, to the story of aid-worker Gayle Williams who was gunned down by the Taliban, these stories show faith and hope in the midst of persecution. Dispatches from the Front challenges the comfortable to take the next step in their faith journey, and it challenges all of us to reach out to the nations and do our part in extending God’s Kingdom throughout the world.
For those who have never worked in cross-cultural ministry, this book will open your eyes to the persecution of believers around the world. You are almost guaranteed to see life differently after reading Dispatches, to realize how easy it is to be a believer here in the U.S. Be warned, though. God may use Dispatches from the Front to tug at your heart and involve you in His kingdom work around the world.
Having worked in cross-cultural ministry overseas, I relish books like Dispatches from the Front. Nothing is more exciting that reading amazing stories of God’s power at work in difficult circumstances, of seeing how His grace is sufficient even in persecution and suffering. I rejoice at how the nations are being drawn to Him and the Abrahamic covenant is being fulfilled right before our eyes.
Dispatches from the Front is a book that’s hard to put down once you’ve started reading. It’s one that’s full of emotion as you experience the highs and lows of the very real challenges of living out your faith in Christ in countries where it’s illegal. And, it’s a book that will challenge you personally—are you doing your part to extend God’s Kingdom on earth? Read it if you dare!
About the Author
Tim Keesee is the founder and executive director of Frontline Missions International, which for the past 20 years has served to advance the gospel in some of the world’s most difficult places. He has traveled to 80 countries, reporting on the church from the former Iron Curtain countries to war-torn Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He is the executive producer of the popular DVD documentary series, Dispatches from the Front, and the author of Dispatches from the Front: Stories of Gospel Advance in the World's Difficult Places.
* Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher for this review. However, the opinions expressed are my own.
From the story of Sunday School teacher Galina Vilchinskaya, a 23-year-old Sunday School teacher who spent five years in prison, to the story of aid-worker Gayle Williams who was gunned down by the Taliban, these stories show faith and hope in the midst of persecution. Dispatches from the Front challenges the comfortable to take the next step in their faith journey, and it challenges all of us to reach out to the nations and do our part in extending God’s Kingdom throughout the world.
For those who have never worked in cross-cultural ministry, this book will open your eyes to the persecution of believers around the world. You are almost guaranteed to see life differently after reading Dispatches, to realize how easy it is to be a believer here in the U.S. Be warned, though. God may use Dispatches from the Front to tug at your heart and involve you in His kingdom work around the world.
Having worked in cross-cultural ministry overseas, I relish books like Dispatches from the Front. Nothing is more exciting that reading amazing stories of God’s power at work in difficult circumstances, of seeing how His grace is sufficient even in persecution and suffering. I rejoice at how the nations are being drawn to Him and the Abrahamic covenant is being fulfilled right before our eyes.
Dispatches from the Front is a book that’s hard to put down once you’ve started reading. It’s one that’s full of emotion as you experience the highs and lows of the very real challenges of living out your faith in Christ in countries where it’s illegal. And, it’s a book that will challenge you personally—are you doing your part to extend God’s Kingdom on earth? Read it if you dare!
About the Author
Tim Keesee is the founder and executive director of Frontline Missions International, which for the past 20 years has served to advance the gospel in some of the world’s most difficult places. He has traveled to 80 countries, reporting on the church from the former Iron Curtain countries to war-torn Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He is the executive producer of the popular DVD documentary series, Dispatches from the Front, and the author of Dispatches from the Front: Stories of Gospel Advance in the World's Difficult Places.
* Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher for this review. However, the opinions expressed are my own.
October 12, 2016
I enjoyed this book immensely. I have read quite a few biographies and autobiographies about missionaries, but most of them lived in the 1800's and early 1900's, so I enjoyed this book about a modern day missionary traveling to different countries. In this book he shared stories of his travels to different rural churches and his stories were so very humbling and sobering.
What I Liked: There were several parts of the world covered in this book and one thing I really enjoyed about this book was how it was written. From my understanding, most of this book was taken from the author's journal and it read very much like one, but not in a bad way. I think it made it much more personable and I felt like I was right there in those countries the author was in because of the description.
Another thing I really liked about this book was the pictures that were included. The author included several pictures of people that are mentioned in this book, so it was very nice to get a visual of what they looked like.
This book made me realize yet again how very blessed I am that I live in a country where I don't have to be afraid to be a Christian. I don't have to be afraid of reading my Bible in public. So many stories were shared in this book about how Christians, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, were persecuted for their faith and they were doing their best to keep their meetings and Bibles secret, even while still proclaiming the love of Jesus Christ. It makes my every day selfish complaints seem very petty.
What I Didn't Like: I don't think that there was anything that I disliked about this book.
I give this book 5 stars for an encouraging, humbling, sobering, wonderful look upon the lives of these precious brothers and sisters in Christ. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys biographies, autobiographies and encouraging Christian nonfiction.
What I Liked: There were several parts of the world covered in this book and one thing I really enjoyed about this book was how it was written. From my understanding, most of this book was taken from the author's journal and it read very much like one, but not in a bad way. I think it made it much more personable and I felt like I was right there in those countries the author was in because of the description.
Another thing I really liked about this book was the pictures that were included. The author included several pictures of people that are mentioned in this book, so it was very nice to get a visual of what they looked like.
This book made me realize yet again how very blessed I am that I live in a country where I don't have to be afraid to be a Christian. I don't have to be afraid of reading my Bible in public. So many stories were shared in this book about how Christians, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, were persecuted for their faith and they were doing their best to keep their meetings and Bibles secret, even while still proclaiming the love of Jesus Christ. It makes my every day selfish complaints seem very petty.
What I Didn't Like: I don't think that there was anything that I disliked about this book.
I give this book 5 stars for an encouraging, humbling, sobering, wonderful look upon the lives of these precious brothers and sisters in Christ. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys biographies, autobiographies and encouraging Christian nonfiction.
April 28, 2017
Long ago as a young college student, I had dreamt of writing a book much like this one. I had plans to go to places where the Gospel is not readily available, where everyday living is a struggle, where I could be an instrument of mercy and grace to lost people, where tourists do not pay money to visit, where I hoped to make a difference in some way, and where I could meet worthy saints who had endured much for the sake of Christ. I wanted to meet them so I could tell the world their story and to open the church's eyes to the urgent missionary call. I have been blessed to have visited, served in such faraway places, met and learned from such amazing people.
Little did I know then that I would end up ministering alongside one of the people the author worked with to reach the unreached. His conversion story, along with each testimony mentioned, warrants its own book. Until then, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to be challenged in their service for the Lord, their prayer life, and their financial giving for the sake of missionary endeavors. The book will encourage you, make you weep for the lost, make you cheer for the triumphs of the Christian faith amidst seemingly insurmountable opposition. My prayer is that it will move you to greater evangelism fervor in your own corner of the world and to the remotest places where the Christian witness is lacking. Christ is worthy and what a privilege for us to be spent for His glory!
Little did I know then that I would end up ministering alongside one of the people the author worked with to reach the unreached. His conversion story, along with each testimony mentioned, warrants its own book. Until then, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to be challenged in their service for the Lord, their prayer life, and their financial giving for the sake of missionary endeavors. The book will encourage you, make you weep for the lost, make you cheer for the triumphs of the Christian faith amidst seemingly insurmountable opposition. My prayer is that it will move you to greater evangelism fervor in your own corner of the world and to the remotest places where the Christian witness is lacking. Christ is worthy and what a privilege for us to be spent for His glory!
January 27, 2015
An excellent book. Well written, and moving testimonies of gospel work in difficult places.
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July 10, 2024Beautiful and arresting. I’m humbled and prayerful after reading this book, thanking the Lord for his preservation of faithful saints around the world.
May 31, 2014
There is much going on all around the world. God has been actively spreading his Gospel to the ends of the earth for millennia and will continue to do so until our Lord returns to consummate his eternal reign. One of the greatest benefits of living in the age in which we do is the access to global news. Before, a believing pastor would be jailed in a hostile nation and we would not even know about it. Today, we know Saeed Abedini. We know his wife and his children. We see his face. Before, a sister in Christ would be tortured and sentenced to death for not embracing Islam and we would know nothing. Today, we know and pray for sister Meriam Ibrahim. But even with 24-hour news cycles we still do not know even a portion of what is going on around the world, especially in the world of global evangelism and Gospel missions.
Dispatches from the Front gives us a glimpse of what God is doing and introduces us to the people through whom he is working. We get to meet brothers and sisters who are suffering, persevering, rejoicing, and winning lost sheep to the fold of our great Shepherd. This book, along withthe video series, does a truly wonderful job introducing us to our brothers and sisters all over the world.
Tim Keesee takes the reader all around the globe. To Azerbajian and Uzbekistan to meet Galina Vilchinskaya. When Galina was a twenty-three-year-old Sunday school teacher she
Tim takes us to Hatay to meet
In Ethiopia Tim introduces us to our brother Michael who works with AIDS orphans, being the hands and feet of our great God. That is where we meet Yerus and her friend Lamrot.
Tim goes and sees firsthand the persecution many of our brothers and sisters are facing. In Pakistan he goes with some Human Rights attorneys to visit Pastor Indriaz in the hospital. Indriaz was beaten by a group of Muslim men for his faith and his witness. The beating had left him next to dead and his young wife and child facing the real possibility of life without him.
In Cambodia we meet Lawn,
In the midst of the suffering and hardship the Gospel is going forth. Our great God is gathering his people to himself. He is raising the dead to life and giving eyes to see. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the nation of China where China is
Dispatches from the Front is one of the greatest Christian resources I have ever enjoyed. This book complements the video series perfectly and is a must for anyone desiring to be encouraged and challenged by what is going on around the world. It is easy to become entrenched in the hum-drum of American life, not understanding what is going on around the world. Christians are not at all exempt from this struggle. So it is a blessing to take a trip with Tim and meet so many who are going through so much and being used so mightily to impact the world for the glory of God. So come with Tim and meet Li Yun, Pastor Gennady, Misko, Chun-Yan, Roland, Baba George, and so many others who will be our co-heirs and eternal worship partners because of the mighty work of Christ and how it has and is impacting their lives and the lives of those around them. Be challenged. Be stirred. Be convicted. Be encouraged. This is a work that God will use mightily. Get a copy of this book and the videos and be blessed.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.
Dispatches from the Front gives us a glimpse of what God is doing and introduces us to the people through whom he is working. We get to meet brothers and sisters who are suffering, persevering, rejoicing, and winning lost sheep to the fold of our great Shepherd. This book, along withthe video series, does a truly wonderful job introducing us to our brothers and sisters all over the world.
Tim Keesee takes the reader all around the globe. To Azerbajian and Uzbekistan to meet Galina Vilchinskaya. When Galina was a twenty-three-year-old Sunday school teacher she
spent five years in prison for her gospel work; but prison, hunger, and beatings could not silence her. She led many in her prison to the Lord, so she was transferred to another prison—and after that, yet another. For her, these transfers were just new gospel opportunities. Finally, Galina was transported by prison train to the utter east of Siberia, along with scores of other prisoners—the worst of the worst. As the condemned in their cages rumbled on through the Siberian vastness, the din of cursing and fighting was broken by a clear, sweet voice of singing. It was Galina singing of her Savior. A hush fell over the train car. Even the most hardened criminals turned their faces away to hide their tears—and mile after mile, hymn after hymn, Galina sang the gospel.
Tim takes us to Hatay to meet
an old woman named Arro-kulano, who had for years been a sorceress until she heard the gospel and abandoned the service of demons. In anger over her faith, her Muslim son burned her house down! But the change in his mother’s life and the way the Christians loved her and rebuilt her house softened his heart—and the power of the cross did the rest. He gathered with us to praise the Lord Jesus as we sat beneath trees thick with the nests of weaver birds. The songbirds seemed to join in as we lifted our voices and hands in praise.
In Ethiopia Tim introduces us to our brother Michael who works with AIDS orphans, being the hands and feet of our great God. That is where we meet Yerus and her friend Lamrot.
Yerus, which is short for “Jerusalem,” came here when she was four. Michael found her at the hospital—an orphan with full-blown AIDS, waiting to die. She had lost her hair, and her head was covered with sores instead. Michael made a little shashfor her and took her out shopping for clothes. Afterward he determined he had to help her. Because she was the first child with AIDS that he had ever taken into the orphanage, his heart was filled with fear and uncertainty. Still though, two things were certain: left alone, Yerus would soon die; and Michael had to do something. So Jerusalem would be the beginning of taking care of AIDS orphans. Four years later, she has beautiful hair, which she had pulled back in a ponytail, and she has a strong faith and love for Jesus. There were seven other AIDS orphans at the orphanage when I visited. Michael said the children are the best therapy for each other—they take care of each other.
Tim goes and sees firsthand the persecution many of our brothers and sisters are facing. In Pakistan he goes with some Human Rights attorneys to visit Pastor Indriaz in the hospital. Indriaz was beaten by a group of Muslim men for his faith and his witness. The beating had left him next to dead and his young wife and child facing the real possibility of life without him.
The left side of the young pastor’s head was smashed in. The beating severed his ear and left him blind in one eye. Because of convulsions, his wrists were awkwardly tied with cords, leaving him in a position of twisted agony. His wife, Shinaz, sat next to him, holding their three-month-old boy, Saman. She stared blankly at her husband with indescribable sadness in her eyes, as the baby nuzzled her and cried softly.
In Cambodia we meet Lawn,
the Fanny Crosby of the Tampuans. Through her blindness, she sees the Savior, and the joy of that brightens her face. Lawm has already composed ten hymns, and now that J. D. has reduced Tampuan into written form, Lawm’s songs form the basis for the first Tampuan book—a hymnal. She invited us to sit on a reed mat with her. I asked her to sing one of her hymns, and after some coaxing, Lawm consented. She sang of light scattering darkness, of freedom in Christ, of him who has untied us from our sin. As she sang, tears trickled from her sightless eyes—and from my eyes, too.
In the midst of the suffering and hardship the Gospel is going forth. Our great God is gathering his people to himself. He is raising the dead to life and giving eyes to see. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the nation of China where China is
rushing the future—its rise rapid and impressive. Yet there is another power rising that is more impressive still—Christ’s kingdom. It is estimated that there are nearly one hundred million Christians in China. Here among our brothers and sisters, their vision is rising to the occasion. Jus a few years ago, the local house church here was reaching two campuses—now it is reaching twenty-two! And these house churches have increased ten-fold as well. The men who shepherd them seem tireless—operating “beneath the radar,” they are given to evangelism, discipleship, and now missions beyond their city. Their kingdom-dreams are as big as China!
Dispatches from the Front is one of the greatest Christian resources I have ever enjoyed. This book complements the video series perfectly and is a must for anyone desiring to be encouraged and challenged by what is going on around the world. It is easy to become entrenched in the hum-drum of American life, not understanding what is going on around the world. Christians are not at all exempt from this struggle. So it is a blessing to take a trip with Tim and meet so many who are going through so much and being used so mightily to impact the world for the glory of God. So come with Tim and meet Li Yun, Pastor Gennady, Misko, Chun-Yan, Roland, Baba George, and so many others who will be our co-heirs and eternal worship partners because of the mighty work of Christ and how it has and is impacting their lives and the lives of those around them. Be challenged. Be stirred. Be convicted. Be encouraged. This is a work that God will use mightily. Get a copy of this book and the videos and be blessed.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.
March 27, 2023
Dispatches From The Front is a missions interest book well-written by author Tim Keesee. It is a memoir of author Tim Keesee’s mission travels and the Christians he meets from China to Afghanistan.
Author Tim Keesee is the founder and executive director of Frontline Missions International (FMI). He has traveled to 80 countries reporting on the church from the former Iron Curtain countries to Bosnia, Iran, and Afghanistan.
I believe the author’s purpose in writing the book is to inform readers of Christians abroad and how they are spreading the Good News.
My favorite part was the Christian family of Amir and his wife. After Amir became a Christian his father beat him, his mother was ashamed of him, and his siblings shunned him. Later, Amir’s brother came to the Lord, then his sister, his brother-in-law, and several nieces and nephews. Finally, his mom and dad were saved.
I would recommend Dispatches From The Front to readers interested in missions. I give Dispatches From The Front 4*/5*.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
Author Tim Keesee is the founder and executive director of Frontline Missions International (FMI). He has traveled to 80 countries reporting on the church from the former Iron Curtain countries to Bosnia, Iran, and Afghanistan.
I believe the author’s purpose in writing the book is to inform readers of Christians abroad and how they are spreading the Good News.
My favorite part was the Christian family of Amir and his wife. After Amir became a Christian his father beat him, his mother was ashamed of him, and his siblings shunned him. Later, Amir’s brother came to the Lord, then his sister, his brother-in-law, and several nieces and nephews. Finally, his mom and dad were saved.
I would recommend Dispatches From The Front to readers interested in missions. I give Dispatches From The Front 4*/5*.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
May 25, 2023
This book has been sitting on my shelf for a while, having watched the video series of the same name. I finally had time to read it and I'm sorry I waited so long. This isn't a book that lays out a specific theme or offers devotional thoughts in the traditional mold. Yet, I found a collection of themes (grace, perseverance, love) hammered home again and again along with my heart encouraged with deep truths of God--all laid out in short vignettes from the lives of God's people around the world.
This book was an easy read. It's essentially a travelogue of people and places Keesee has visiting around the world, giving us glimpses of God's work through his people. His style is simple, yet somewhat lyrical. He is the master of poignant analogies and word pictures, leaving you with lasting impressions and thoughts that linger. But the real highlight of the book is the insight it provides to the global church. The steely faith of Christians in very difficult circumstances and recounting of amazing transformations by the gospel of Christ deepened my own faith like few others books have done.
I would put this book on my "essentials" list of Christian readers. It will not only point people to Jesus, but give them a greater sense of his kingdom around the world. It gets my highest recommendation.
This book was an easy read. It's essentially a travelogue of people and places Keesee has visiting around the world, giving us glimpses of God's work through his people. His style is simple, yet somewhat lyrical. He is the master of poignant analogies and word pictures, leaving you with lasting impressions and thoughts that linger. But the real highlight of the book is the insight it provides to the global church. The steely faith of Christians in very difficult circumstances and recounting of amazing transformations by the gospel of Christ deepened my own faith like few others books have done.
I would put this book on my "essentials" list of Christian readers. It will not only point people to Jesus, but give them a greater sense of his kingdom around the world. It gets my highest recommendation.
September 4, 2020
Part travelogue, part Christian persecution journal, this book was quite interesting. I did find it hard to transition from location to location as smoothly as I would have liked since the author gives no background or “heads up” that he is moving to another location but that may be the fault of the audiobook as much as the narration. The book gives glimpses of places all across the globe where Christians are currently persecuted for their faith, either through ostracizing or quite literally physical torture. The book culminates with Afghanistan and the author being present while one missionary is killed for her faith and two weeks later after returning home another with whom he had just spent time. But despite the hardships, it is encouraging to see the faith of these believers scattered all over the world.
August 27, 2018
Dispatches from the Front
Stories of Gospel Advance in the World's Difficult Places
by Tim Keesee
Crossway
Christian
Pub Date 31 May 2014
I am reviewing a copy of Dispatches From the Front through Crossway and Netgalley:
Those of us Christians who are blessed enough to live in the Western World Know little if anything about the challenges in some of the most dangerous parts of the world to be a Christian.
These accounts include many who sacrificed everything including their lives to reach to share the Gospel in some of the most dangerous parts of the world.
Dispatches From the Front depicts the work of the gospel and the challenges faced in the most challenging corners of the world.
I give Dispatches From the Front five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
September 26, 2022
The author takes his readers to some of the hardest places in which to minister in the world, but what a rich blessing is to be found there. The gospel is advancing in amazing ways despite the enemies schemes. This book reads a little like a travelogue with a twist, the author is seeking out the hard won places where Christ is becoming known. It’s encouraging and at times confronting as I sit in my home reading of brothers and sisters who’ve lost theirs and more for their faith. Well worth reading.
December 6, 2019
Wonderful reminder of how God is working around the world, despite the humanly viewed difficulties. Some of the chapters were incredibly encouraging, others somewhat more challenging or jarring as the challenges faced by a number of Christians around the world. Overall, it is a good reminder that we are not called to a comfortable life - we may well enjoy much comfort, but we are called to be faithful to Christ and His great commission, even if that does mean abandoning comfort.
August 28, 2020
Tim Keese gives beautifully written accounts of stories of the advancement of the gospel and churches all over the world. From the the fields Southeast Asia to the deserts of the Middle East, you will read of the faithful work done by laborers to bring people from every tribe, nation, and tongue to salvation for the glory of the Lord. This book led me to tears and praise, and a would recommend to anyone interested in reading about the mission field in today’s world.
November 25, 2020
This book has wrecked me in a good way. It has reminded me and opened my eyes to the reality that many Christians face all around every day. It has challenged my faith and encouraged me that God is working all around the world. Tim is an amazing writer and story teller. I listened to the audio version and did not want to stop listening. I was actually sad that it was over. This is a must read/listen.
August 11, 2019
This travel log book gives an excellent first hand perspective to the Gospels impact in some of the most difficult places of the world. As a writer, Tim is able to help us experience the sights, sounds, smells, and ambiances of these foreign places. He is also able to bring you alongside the people and share a meal or a cup of coffee and gain insight into their lives.
March 31, 2020
This book inspires thoughts of adventure and so much profound respect for the work of Christians across the globe to spread the Gospel. I felt like I was flipping through a book of pictures that capture the lives and traditions of Christians in places that I've never been to. I loved this reminder that the church and the body of Christ includes people from every nation, tribe and tongue.
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