Diving deeper into the larger story of his time in the Ogaden region of the Ethiopian desert, Nik shares one of the most miraculous encounters he’s ever experienced. “Are you the one? Have you come?” Nik asks this question of listeners who might need spiritual motivation to be the one who offers hope and truth in the darkest times of peoples lives.
Nik recounts his time coming face to face with the terrorist group al-ittihad in his Somali years. Encountering starving children on the brink of death, Nik confronts his own lack of faith and how he has personally seen that God works in present-active tense today.
We’re taking a quick break from recording new episodes for Witness and Persecution, but didn’t want to leave you hanging! We thought we’d reintroduce you to our MOST LISTENED to episode of ALL TIME – “Somebody’s Coming”.
Nik Ripken talks about what he wished he knew during his first year in Malawi and what God has taught him since. Check out more episodes and learn more about Nik Ripken Ministries at nikripken.com
We’re taking a quick break from recording new episodes for Witness and Persecution, but didn’t want to leave you hanging! We thought we’d reintroduce you to our MOST LISTENED to episode of 2023 – “Lies, Lies, and More Lies”. We know that Satan is a liar. But how many of his lies do we actually believe, whether we realize it or not?
In this epsiode, Nik begins a journey of discovering the Top 10 lies that Satan has told the Church, and many in the Church that have believed them.
Check out more episodes and learn more about Nik Ripken Ministries at nikripken.com
As Christmas and New Year’s approaches, Nik shares a Christmas cultural faux pas from their days in Malawi. Nik uses this illustration to dive into the materialism that infects much of the Western world’s view of Christmas, and how Scripture challenges us to see the birth of Jesus from a totally different perspective.
Ruth sits down for a raw, honest, heart-felt discussion on the personal journey of pain and suffering that she and Nik have been walking over the last few years. Ruth details God’s redemption through suffering, and provides hope and encouragement for those who are experiencing medical trauma, depression, anxiety, and the struggle of ministering to those in the midst of suffering.
Nik takes listeners to the bush of Sudan as he explores the timeless words of Jesus – “a new commandment I give you – love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you”. Nik takes an in-depth dive into the Biblical practices of believers in perescution from a Muslim background as they navigate following Jesus when their persecutors are at their breakfast table.
Inspired by the movie “The Insanity of God”, Nik and Anthony sit down with Erskin to get the behind-the-scenes story of Erskin and Nik’s powerful new song, “Is He Worth It”.
In this episode, Nik looks back at 37 years of overseas work and wonders – “did we go about it the wrong way?” Listen in as he shares that if he were to start over, why he would start with the “HOW” of missions before the “WHERE”.
As Nik Ripken continues this series on rediscovering the Biblical account of the Christmas narrative, he challenges listeners to ask “Imagine you were a parent, or Jesus, in this story”. Understanding the context of Christmas allows us to discover how we apply the birth of Jesus to our lives and theology.
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In this episode of the Witness and Persecution podcast, Nik Ripken and Anthony Ball discuss the biblical story of Christmas and how it should impact our understanding of persecution. They begin by sharing Nik’s recent experience of being bitten by a spider and the subsequent infection and hospitalization he had to endure. They then delve into the topic of redefining Christmas through the eyes of believers in persecution.
Nik Ripken dives into redefining Christmas through the lens of believers in persecution. He emphasizes the need to understand the biblical narrative of Jesus’ birth and how it differs from how we often celebrate and worship during the holiday season. Nik encourages listeners to reflect on the profound impact the Christmas story would have had on the parents in Bethlehem and the surrounding territories. He poses thought-provoking questions, such as how parents would feel towards Jesus in this narrative, considering the loss of their own children due to Herod’s orders.
Nik discusses the role of the wise men in the Christmas story and highlights the importance of seeking God’s wisdom. He draws attention to the fact that the wise men, though knowledgeable, were unwise in their dealings with Herod and the religious leaders of the time. This leads to a discussion on the significance of discerning where God is working and for how long, as persecutors can use this information to target believers. By examining the actions of the wise men, listeners are encouraged to reflect on their pursuit of wisdom and discernment in their faith journey.
Nik encourages listeners to imagine themselves as characters in the Christmas story, particularly as parents in Bethlehem. He emphasizes the unimaginable horror and grief that would have been experienced by these parents, knowing that their children were killed because of Jesus’ birth.
Nik addresses the common practice of combining the narratives of the wise men from Matthew 2 and the shepherds from Luke 2. He highlights the importance of recognizing the distinct timelines and events in each account. By challenging traditional narratives, Nik encourages listeners to engage with the text and ask questions that deepen their understanding of the Christmas story. He emphasizes the need to be aware of the historical and cultural context to grasp the true significance of Jesus’ birth.
The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to reevaluate their understanding of Christmas and its implications for their witness as believers. By learning from the experiences of believers in persecution, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the sacrifice Jesus made and the challenges faced by those who follow him. Nik Ripken reminds listeners that the Christmas story is not just a historical event but a powerful reminder of the cost of discipleship and the need to lay our lives on the altar for God’s purposes.
This episode serves as a reminder that Christmas is not just a time of celebration, but an opportunity to deepen our commitment to Christ and share his message with the world.