#68 of top 100 Books I Dare to Call Him Father Bilquis Sheikh

I Dared to Call Him Father is the fascinating true story of Bilquis Sheikh, a prominent Muslim woman. Her unusual journey to a personal relationship with God turned her world upside down and put her life in danger.

Originally published in 1978, the book has sold 300,000 copies and is a classic in Muslim evangelism. The 25th-anniversary edition includes an afterword by a missionary friend of Bilquis who plays a prominent role in the story and an appendix on how the East enriches the West.

We met Bilquis in the late ’70s. She told us of having no awareness of Christianity whatsoever. Then one day, she started having night visions of a man who said he was John the Baptist. She eventually was pointed to a Catholic church to ask who this man was who had invaded her dreams. She was told he is the forerunner of Jesus. Her husband was a very high ranking government official in Pakistan. He disowned her and she had to flee to America. In American and many foreign countries, Billy Graham had her speak in crusades.

# 69 Top 100 Books Read

Forward by Brother Andrew

The KGB held an exhaustive search all over the country for the forbidden publications about Vanya. Agents broke into believers’ houses. In one case, they had a remarkable success. One of the KGB men came across a book, opened it and exclaimed excitedly, “Yes, here we have something about Moiseyev. Look, it says: ‘First book of Moisev.’”
The man had found a Bible. And indeed one of the first pages states, “First book of Moses.” Vanya’s second name and the name of the writer of Genesis are almost identical in Russian!

The Bible held a central place in Vanya’s life and actions. Is there any other book that could have changed him so radically and prepared him for eternity? And is there any other book than the Bible that can change the Russian people, the (Dutch) people and the whole world in the same way?

God’s book speaks about God’s creation. And about the recreative power of God’s Spirit in human beings. It also tells us what atheism is: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” And about Jesus, who through His death and resurrection has the right to world dominion. He alone! And radical acceptance of that dominion also has consequences. This book is about those who have paid the price for following Jesus.
The martyrs. The Vanyas and those who are still in the concentration camps of Russia. They are suffering for the name of Jesus.

I’ve been very moved by this book. And I’ve asked myself, If I should be arrested on account of my faith, could sufficient evidence against me be put forward to convict me? And to make me a “witness-martyr”? In Vanya’s case, the evidence was abundantly available. Hence this book. That’s why he now has the reward: the martyr’s crown.

With fear and trembling, and very reverently before God, I would like to sign my name at the bottom of the application form for that title. Here it is then:

—BROTHER ANDREW
Harderwijk, Holland
25 September 1986

# 70 of Top 100 Books Read–Humility by Andrew Murray

Who was Andrew Murray?
Murray pastored churches in Bloemfontein, Worcester, Cape Town and Wellington, all in South Africa. He was a champion of the South African Revival of 1860. He authored 240 Books! He is the author of one of the two most seminal works on prayer that have ever been penned, his being the most popular: With Christ in the School of Prayer, A. Murray and E.M Bounds on Prayer, E.M. Bounds.
In 1889, he was one of the founders of the South African General Mission (SAGM), because its ministry had spread into other African countries, the mission’s name was changed to Africa Evangelical Fellowship (AEF) in 1965. AEF joined with Serving In Mission (SIM) in 1998 and continues to this day. Through his writings and his theology of faith healing and belief in the continuation of the apostolic gifts he became the significant forerunner of the Pentecostal movement.
Sixty years of ministry in the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, more than 240 books and tracts on Christian spirituality and ministry, extensive social work, and the founding of educational institutions—all these were outward signs of the inward grace that Murray experienced by continually casting himself on Christ.
“May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love, and joy of God’s presence,” was his prayer. “And not a moment without the entire surrender of myself as a vessel for him to fill full of his Spirit and his love.” Through his preaching and writing, Murray slowly became an international figure

#95 out of top 100 Books 95. The Master Plan of Evangelism

The Master Plan of Evangelism Robert Coleman, 1963

Dr. Coleman has taught at Gordon-Conwell South Hamilton since 2001, after directing the School of World Mission and Evangelism at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School for 18 years. He is a popular preacher, speaker and teacher, averaging about 35 speaking engagements per year around the world. He speaks in churches, conferences and student gatherings on topics such as the theology of evangelism, the theory and practice of evangelism and the Great Commission. He has most recently spoken at the World Conference of the University Bible Fellowship at Purdue University, conferences in the Ukraine, China, Uraguay and Ethiopia and at churches both in the U.S. and abroad. Widely known for his ministry as a disciple-maker and evangelist, Dr. Coleman currently serves on the Mission America Facilitation Committee and several international mission boards and is the president of Christian Outreach. From 1989-2001, he led the Institute of Evangelism in the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College and served as Dean of the Billy Graham International Schools of Evangelism. He is also a founding member of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelism and a past president of the Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education. Dr. Coleman’s scholarly interests include the theology of evangelism, revival and the lifestyle of the Great Commission. Dr. Coleman is a prolific author, having written hundreds of articles and 21 books, though he is best known for The Master Plan of Evangelism. Translations of one or more of his books are published in 109 languages, with English editions alone exceeding 7 million copies.

# 96 Watchman Nee Spiritual Authority 1929

WATCHMAN NEE

The Chinese church leader and Christian teacher who worked in China during the 20th century. In 1922, he initiated church meetings in Fuzhou. He is considered the father of the House Church movement in China.

During his thirty years of ministry, Nee published many books expounding the Bible. He established churches throughout China and held many conferences to train Bible students and church workers.

Following the Communist Revolution, Nee was persecuted and imprisoned for his faith and spent the last twenty years of his life in prison. He said, “When the Lord called me to serve Him, the prime object was not for me to hold revival meetings so that people may hear more Scriptural doctrines nor for me to become a great evangelist. The Lord revealed to me that He wanted to build up local churches in other localities to manifest Himself, to bear testimony of unity on the ground of local churches so that each saint may perform his duty in the Church and live the Church life. God wants not merely individual pursuit of victory or spirituality but a corporate, glorious Church presented to Himself.”

“In June 1972, we got a notice from the labor farm that my granduncle had passed away. My eldest grandaunt and I rushed to the labor farm. But when we got there, we learned that he had already been cremated. We could only see his ashes… Before his departure, he left a piece of paper under his pillow, which had several lines of big words written in a shaking hand. He wanted to testify to the truth which he had even until his death, with his lifelong experience. That truth is—”Christ is the Son of God who died for the redemption of sinners and resurrected after three days.

This is the greatest truth in the universe. I die because of my belief in Christ. Watchman Nee.” When the officer of the labor farm showed us this paper, I prayed that the Lord would let me quickly remember it by heart… My granduncle had passed away. He was faithful until death. With a crown stained with blood, he went to be with the Lord. Although Nee did not fulfill his last wish, to come out alive to join his wife, the Lord prepared something even better—they were reunited before the Lord.”

— Watchman Nee’s grandniece, Watchman Nee: A Seer of the Divine Revelation in the Present Age.”