Quick Info
The Insanity of God is a powerful 2016 documentary movie about risks that Christian’s take in spreading the Gospel, and Christian persecution across the globe. The movie is fast-paced and has powerful emotional effect. This is a powerful movie on the Christian call to witness, with difficult topics that probably aren’t appropriate for children. This movie is great for adults, small groups, and those interested in mission work or learning about the global church.
Synopsis
The story starts with the Ripken family leaving their church in Kentucky to make good on their plans to be missionaries. The Ripken’s initial stop on their missionary journey was a dream for all aspiring Christian missionaries, but as circumstances changed Nik Ripken would later end up in one of the worst places in the world, where there was severe persecution of Christians. Following this experience was a personal tragedy that led Nik to travel to some of the most persecuted places around the world where Christians were surviving to seek answers for missionaries in Africa and himself. The stories from believers he found in these countries make up the powerful second half of the movie.
Why This Movie Matters
- The Insanity of God is a good movie for those interested in learning more about the persecution of Christian in different parts of the world, and also for those interested in missionary work.
- It shows how Christian persecution is a cross-generational fact of life in many parts of the world.
- It shows the extreme situations for Christians and missionaries in hostile countries.
- It addresses the topic of missionary families putting their wives and children at risk.
- It shows the cost of being a Christian/Christian missionary in many parts of the world.
- It shows the Church of God alive and thriving in difficult areas of the world.
What You’ll Experience
- The Ripken family’s stories, and the stories of people they meet around the world, are told and recreated in powerful segments.
- Powerful stories of Christians around the globe undergoing, continuing through, and growing in persecution.
- See examples of the risk and cost of the growth of the Gospel and the church.
- Images of the underground church in action across the world.
- The risk and cost of growing Christ’s Church.
- The movie explores the question, is the work of the Kingdom of God worth risking your wife’s and children’s’ lives for?
- A call for Christian’s in areas where persecution is less severe to do their part in spreading the Gospel.
Strengths
- Understand real modern-day persecution
- Understand the risk and cost of being a missionary family
- Learn about Christians in isolated countries
- High emotional impact
- Brings up difficult questions
Cautions / Weaknesses
- Could use a better Gospel explanation
- Stories are from the 80s and 90s
- Some intense scenes
- Very difficult topics
- Light doctrinal ambiguity
Best Audience
- Christians who are experiencing struggles or persecution, or who are looking to learn more about Christian struggles.
- Christians who are hesitant to share their faith in less persecuted countries.
- Christians who are interested in doing missionary work, and want to learn more about the potential difficulties they could face.
- Small groups seeking to learn more about the global church, missionary work, or persecution around the world.
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Best Quotes & Notable Moments
“For every resurrection there’s a crucifixion.”
“And we realized that as a family that if the resurrection is not true, then we are the most to be pitied, for the risks that we have taken in the places our kids have had to live. But, if the resurrection is true, then that changes everything, and every cost is worth it.”
“Don’t you ever believe that there is a free church and a suffering church. There is just the church.”
“That’s why we don’t talk about persecution. It’s like the sun coming up in the East. It happened to our great grandparents, it happened to our grandparents, it happened to our parents, it happens to us, it’ll happen to our children. It’s like the sun coming up. Persecution for us is just normal.”
