The Insanity of God: An Interview with Nik and Ruth Ripken
PneumaReview.com: Please tell our readers briefly what your film The Insanity of God is about.
The Insanity of God (LifeWay Films 2016).
Read the review by Pastor John Lathrop.
Nik and Ruth Ripken: The Insanity of God journeys with Nik and Ruth Ripken as they seek to walk in obedience and follow what God has asked of them. From the hills of Kentucky to the villages of Africa they see God working and shaping and moving them until they come face to face that sometimes it costs a lot to believe and follow Christ. This fact became a stark reality in the civil war, famine, drought and death of Somalia. How do you make Christ known when it could cost those who hear the message their lives?
Nik and Ruth are faced with the tragedy of the death of their son and then go on a pilgrimage that takes them around the globe to answer the question, “Is Jesus Worth It?” They do this by going to believers living in places where persecution for their faith is an everything event and they ask them to share their stories.
The Insanity of God allows the viewer to see and hear some of the stories of faith and then struggle with that question along with Nik and Ruth.
PneumaReview.com: How did you choose the nations you went to in order to conduct your interviews?
Nik and Ruth Ripken: When we first felt the urgency of this task we developed a “Persecution Task Force” to help guide us. The group sat together and decided to open the Bible and see where the verses that addressed persecution and the cost of faith and found that from Genesis to Revelation this has been the plan. Following Christ costs something. The countries were selected by using Open Doors “World Watch List”. Nik looked at the list of the 50 most persecuted places on the planet and then grouped them together. He started in the Soviet areas where they had experienced persecution for many years and were coming out of the worst times. He knew they would have much to teach us. Then he moved to the other Communist areas. After that he moved back through areas of Buddhism, Hinduism and finally landing in places where Islam is in control.
PneumaReview.com: What qualities impressed you most about the people that you met with?
Nik and Ruth Ripken: The answer to this question could take volumes. If we had to narrow it down to a few ways that these believers impacted us, first would be the deep joy they exhibit when they talk about Jesus and who He is in their lives. No matter the persecution that has tried to silence them, they live in joy.
Category: Ministry, Spring 2017
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