Basically, the story line is Russell is a missionary in Columbia, gets captured by Marxists guerrillas who want a ransom for him to help pay their rebellion. Russell decides to love his captors rather than grow bitter and angry at the mistreatment and torture he receives from them, and not only is he allowed to leave the camp after 142 days in captivity, he goes back and visits his captors, leading many of them to Christ in the years to come. Most of the book is written while he is in captivity, and throughout the book you also learn about his early life as a child and then his growing up years and his married years. Russell's parents were well to do standard American people, when Russell decided to pray that his parents would become missionaries so that he wouldn't have to wait until he was grown up to tell others about Jesus. His parents had no intention of going anywhere when Russell prayed as a four year old. Four years later, the family found themselves in Columbia working with the Indians, their language and translating the Bible. Russell grew up among the Indians, did college via distant education so he could remain with his parents, and thoroughly enjoyed his life. His parents moved back to the States when Russell was grown up, but he remained, married a half native girl, and continued his work. As a young missionary, Russell made many mistakes, trying to fit God into his big, illustrious plans for the work instead of allowing God to make the plans. Russell got into massive debts, for God's Kingdom, and came very near to entering the drug trade just to make ends meet. However, God taught him important lessons about keeping to His morals, and money management.
But that really isn't the main point of the book, although it is interesting and a good read in itself. The main point of the book revolves around marriage, family and the church, and Matthew 5-7. Russell realized that the church in Columbia wasn't growing and thriving because there was no solid families in the Church. People would become Christians, and then their families would break apart, their marriages would split, and all because the new found Christians would become Bible bashers in the hope to be witnesses to the rest of their families, and then the families would point out all the areas where they still failed, call them hypocrites, and the fighting and separation would begin. Russell's friend, Ricardo, was also very concerned about this problem and prayed that God would give him a sermon, like the one which Jesus preached in Matthew 5-7 (the Sermon on the Mount). which would solve all of Columbia's marriage and family problems. God told him, 'Matthew 5-7'. Basically, all that was needed, he already had. Ricardo started to study the Sermon on the Mount, and Russell joined him. They unlocked many of the truths and the healing powers within the sermon, and consequently have run marriage workshops, where thousands of marriages have been restored over the years. Not only have they been restored, but the couple comes to God, and their entire lives are turned around. Even non-Christian couples signed up for the course, because they could see the difference which it was making. The book outlines many of the different truths found in Matthew 5-7, which relate to marriage and family life, but also to forgiveness, prayer, love and relationships in general.
Rescue the Captors is an amazing, though provoking book and I highly recommend it. It is not the easiest read, simply because of the thoughts which it raises, however it is well worth the effort. At the end, there a several appendixes, where he further outlines and covers different sections of the Sermon, from the Beatitudes to the Lord's Prayer. Russell also includes five beautiful poems written by a lady named Doris McLaughlin, whose troubled marraige and family life were restored after she decided to start putting Jesus' teachings into full effect. And He gave her these poems. They are so beauitful and well written, but I will only put one down here, you will have to read the book to find the others.
Line Upon Line
Line upon line,
Precept upon precept,
Higher than high
Live unto me.
Fellowship sweet,
Higher than high,
Live unto me.
Lift up your hands,
and lift up your voice.
Higher than high,
Live unto me.
Life up your voice
and life up your hands.
Line upon line
Precept upon precept,
Higher than high,
Live unto me.
Higher than high,
Live unto me.
I am your Lord.
I am your Savior
Higher than high,
Live unto me.
Lift up your hands,
and lift up your voice.
Higher than high,
Live unto me.
I am your Lord.
I am your Savior.
Line upon line
Precept upon precept,
Higher than high,
Live unto me.
Higher than high,
Live unto me.
~ Doris McLaughlin
Sounds really interesting.
ReplyDeleteO God, may we all learn, as Russell did, to give ourselves to You with all our heart. After all, that is what Jesus has told us is the most important commandment. A pure and undivided faith in You.
ReplyDelete