“This story compels us to ask a very poignant question.”

Craig Macartney
Spur Ottawa Writer

The story that revolutionized Christianity during the Cold War is being brought back to life in a dramatic way. Tortured For Christ, Richard Wurmbrand’s amazing story of steadfastness in the face of persecution and imprisonment, is being re-told as a stage play produced by Voice of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC).

VOMC’s national tour of Solitary Refinement launches this month and Ottawa is one of their first stops.

“I read the book Tortured for Christ when I was a teenager and it really moved me,” says Bill Buitenwerf, Senior Pastor of East Gate Alliance Church. “When I heard about this play, I thought we should have this at our church. Jesus is represented by the martyrs and those in prison, so I think it’s something we need to connect with more.”

The free-admission play will be at East Gate Alliance Church on September 28, starting at 7 p.m. It is open to everyone, but has a suggested minimum age of 13, due to the nature of the content.

“The essence of this story compels us to ask a very poignant and haunting question: Am I prepared to die for my faith?” Photo by Wes Laing.

Solitary Refinement executive producer and VOMC CEO, Doug Mackenzie, says the play is a wake-up call to the Church.

“I believe we have a secret weapon that will make a huge difference in breaking through to the hearts and minds of Canadian parishioners across Canada. The essence of this story compels us to ask a very poignant and haunting question, which the entire Canadian Church needs to ask itself: Am I prepared to die for my faith?”

Mackenzie believes this is one of the most fundamental questions for today’s Church to explore because “it brings us right to the foot of the cross.

“We believe that by re-telling the story of the persecuted to today’s generation, it will be as though it is 1967 all over again.”

“When we look at Jesus’ teachings, we discover that almost everything He taught is full of references and powerful information regarding suffering. This is the thing we often leave out in our teaching in North America. It’s disquieting. It’s not something the Church wants to hear, but I believe if we start asking ourselves the right questions, even though they’re hard to take, we’ll start to get to some of the right answers.”

Mackenzie says exploring that question had phenomenal effects on the Church after the release of Tortured For Christ, in 1967.

“We believe that by re-telling the story of the persecuted to today’s generation, it will be as though it is 1967 all over again. We pray that our play will crystalize all of that and then promote the asking of that important question. When that happens, we believe there is transformation that takes place in the Church that causes people to come back to their first love.”

While admission is free, Buitenwerf says they will take up a free-will offering to support the work VOMC does to help persecuted believers and their families.

“A lot of people think since the Iron Curtain fell there is no more persecution.” Photo by Wes Laing.

“We are hoping for a good-sized portion of the Christians in Ottawa. A lot of people think since the Iron Curtain fell there is no more persecution,” says Buitenwerf, who has friends who escaped persecution in Eretria and Ethiopia. “In fact, there is more persecution today than there has ever been in the history of the Church. I hope people become aware of that and want to support Voice of the Martyrs.”