A Company of Heroes: Portraits from the Gospel's Global Advance

by Tim Keesee

“All Christians should read this book.” —Rosaria Butterfield

Across the globe, the gospel is advancing through the work of Christians willing to risk everything in the hardest places.

This book, written by a missions journalist as he traveled throughout twenty different countries, is filled with stories of Christians past and present whose examples of endurance, courage, sacrifice, and humility connect readers with God’s unstoppable work across the world. These heroes are simply ordinary people who have experienced the transformative power of a Savior who is alive and moving—and their stories will inspire readers to take faithfilled risks for the gospel.

Genres: Biography, Christianity, Book Club, Spirituality, Christian, Christian Living, Nonfiction

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2019

About the author

Tim Keesee is the founder and executive director of Frontline Missions International, which for the past 20 years has served to advance the gospel in some of the world’s most difficult places. He has traveled to 80 countries, reporting on the church from the former Iron Curtain countries to war-torn Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He is the executive producer of the popular DVD documentary series, Dispatches from the Front, and the author of Dispatches from the Front: Stories of Gospel Advance in the World's Difficult Places.

Reviews

[Yibbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book can be both scary and encouraging all in the same paragraph. The threat of deportation, prison, torture, and death are petrifying, but the churches planted, bibles translated, lives transformed and souls saved are glorious.
What do you know about the church in Morocco? Laos? Ethiopia? Salt Lake City? I have to admit before I read this book I didn’t know there were believers in some of these countries. Those parts of the book were amazing. It was wonderful to meet those willing to risk everything because of their love of the Lord as they pass on the faith to those who love Him just as much. However, that spirit of surrender, sacrifice, joy, trust, and love permeates not just their story but all the stories throughout this book whether it is set in a foreign land or our own backyard.
This book is a mix of travelogue, journal, and family history. We get to know the author better than we get to know some of the missionaries. We meet his family, mentors, and friends. As he travels, we get to hear his thoughts and impressions as he prays, worships, and learns with believers around the world. All of that is mixed with hymns special to him, Bible lessons, and historical context. I did find that that part got a little slow and wished that he would spend more time introducing us to believers from other countries, but that was just my personal opinion. I would still recommend it to everyone interested in a brief overview of Christianity worldwide.
I received this as a free ARC through NetGalley and Crossway. No favorable review was required, and it was my pleasure to provide my honest opinions.

[Amy Solomon · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, I didn’t love his writing style. I kind of wish he would have just told the stories of the missionaries and left himself out. I’m thankful this was a book club book because I probably wouldn’t have finished it otherwise.

I am so glad I did stick it out. I learned a ton! I found the book to be both convicting and encouraging and it did spur me on to want to learn more about foreign missions.

[Kara Whitford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keesee has a beautiful writing style, an ability to link everyday knowledge and events to spiritual truth, and the skill to share small moments of the lives of believers around the globe that so drip with the glory of God that you are changed by reading. I dislike collections of biographical sketches, because I want to know all the details and the many facets of each person, but this book was not focused on the people whose stories were told; this was the story of their God, so glorious that His followers naturally choose opposition, persecution, and death to spread His name.

[Tamla S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can only agree with the review of this book by Rosaria Butterfield - “All Christians should read this book.”

[Rohan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rosarisa Butterfield says on the back cover "All Christians should read this book" but I disagree.

My main gripe is that I feel like the main character of the book is Tim Keesee, what he is eating at the airport, how he reacts to different stories, what he remembers when he was there last. I guess it's billed as a travelogue, but I wish he would let the missionaries speak for themselves.

Chapters 6-11 I think were the best, with the most encouraging stories (Where Tim didn't get in the way as much).

Still a good book, but if you want an encouragement in missions, I'd recommend something else.

[NinaB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great collection by Mr. Keessee of convicting stories of Christian missionaries laboring in some of the hardest places in the world. I would’ve liked to be his shadow during these trips and just listen to these heroes’ stories. I’ve spent most of my adult life as a missionary to formerly Communist Eastern Europe, and feel rather ashamed to share the title “missionary” with these amazing people from the book.

[Glenda Poteet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read about different missionaries and the areas they ministered to.

[Morgan Giesbrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my second book by the author, and it was every bit as good as the first! I love missionary style biographies, and these snapshot journal-like entries about missionaries past and present were both very touching and deeply moving. Highly recommended!

[Andrew DiDio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keesee, Tim. A Company of Heroes: Portraits from the Gospel's Global Advance. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2019. 288 pp.

Reviewed by Andrew DiDio.

Summary

Tim Keesee, in his book A Company of Heroes, balances the stories of 20 different missionaries with the biblical truths of missiology in our modern world. As a missionary journalist, Keesee’s stories of different missionaries from Southeast Asia to the Middle East to Post-Christian Europe were more than case studies, they were authentic journal entries and experiences of real people. Keesee’s journals characterized the challenges of raising children overseas, the slog of ministry efforts to see hardened cultures transformed with the Gospel, and the idiosyncrasies of being married to another human with human problems while in a missionary context.

Missions is not some fanciful lifestyle filled with weekly or even monthly conversions, travels to exotic locations, and the ideal family unit with perfect angelic children. The missionary life is hard. The missionary life carries similar challenges as found in the West and then compounds those challenges by requiring navigation of an entirely new language, religious landscape, and culture. Simply, missions is not for the faint-hearted. Missions is a unique divine call for those who are burdened for the spiritually lost. Keesee expresses this burden as his heart aches for those who are spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2). The joy of seeing unbelievers come to a saving faith in Christ propels Keesee’s travels, and the beauty of these conversions is carefully documented to provide the reader a front row seat to the Gospel’s movement around the world.

Review

Books have the power to transform lives and often inspire how we might look at the world through the eyes of real human beings.

In one word, I would describe this book as “authentic.” Tim Keesee brought truth to the personal struggles of missionaries and the gritty reality of modern-day missions. He did not balk at showcasing the adversity of modern missions. Missions work is hard, filled with rejection, persecution, and failure. Missionaries are human beings with human problems rather than demagogues that have mastered every human frailty.

This book would be encouraging for aspiring missionaries, pastors, and Christian laypersons as the reader is provided a “behind-the-scenes” look at the life of missionaries during the 21st century missionary movement. Keesee’s writing is filled with a feast for the senses as he places the reader in the scene filled with the scent of curry in a Middle Eastern bazaar, the sounds of boats bumping up against the shore in Southeast Asia, and the array of colorful leaves in Virginia.

I finished this book encouraged on multiple fronts, but one discussion captivated me as Keesee detailed a conversation with Pastor John Piper. Piper addressed the fear of raising a family overseas. He talked about how children are an asset to ministry overseas and missionaries have unique opportunities as parents of young children. Children disarm conversations and are another way for missionaries to show the love of Christ in their love for their children, especially children who are disabled. Rather than seeing our future children as a burden to ministry, I have felt convicted to see my children as a part of our ministry effort.

I am grateful for the encouragement and challenge of this book. As Keesee writes of very real missionaries, these missionaries are taking action as they labor in bringing very real human beings into the eternal Kingdom of God. Though the stories of these missionaries will not be found in tomes or missiological textbooks, these missionaries are in the trenches of Gospel advancement and are staking their impact on the eternal destiny for non-believers around the world. I am inspired.

[Sally Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Company of Heroes is Tim Keesee’s account of men and women who have taken their faith into the world and shared the love of God in phenomenal ways. It takes place in real time, so the reader becomes a traveling companion on streets across the globe. And the stories are current events, providing insights to the daily activities of our worldwide brothers and sisters.
“Tim Keesee is the founder and executive director of Frontline Missions International, which has served to advance the Gospel in some of the world's most difficult places for over twenty-five years. He has traveled to more than ninety countries, reporting on the church from the former Iron Curtain countries to war-torn Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Keesee is also the executive producer and writer of the documentary film series, Dispatches from the Front (www.dispatchesfromthefront.org).”
Often, we hold missionaries up to super-hero status. But Tim says heroes “don’t overanalyze or overestimate what can’t be done. Rather, they focus on what can be done- and do it.”
In Morocco, they receive thousands of requests for Bibles each year. And, it’s a lesson for all of us, there are people everywhere, even in countries we thought were closed to the gospel, who are hungry for God’s Word.
In China, Tim observed the ministrations of a support group for autistic children and their parents. He said, “I haven’t met any experts. The Christians here aren’t experts in helping autistic children, or counseling their parents, or in vocational training for the blind; but a person who is drowning can’t wait for a boat to be built to save him. These believers are just diving in, knowing that while they don’t have all the answers, they do have the ultimate answer – it’s the radical rescue work of the gospel!”
I love Tim’s heart for missions and the Word of God. He doesn’t sugarcoat the difficulty of the work, but emphasizes the need for workers. I dare you to pick up a copy of A Company of Heroes and walk away unchallenged. Tim’s call to join the battle shakes you to the core and provides ammo for your prayers. It’s a thrilling showcase of God’s grace!
Disclaimer: Crossway provided a complimentary copy of this book through the Blog Review Program.

[Bill Pence · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author is the founder and executive director of Frontline Missions International. I’ve enjoyed and appreciated his excellent ten-part video series Dispatches from the Front. Much of this book has the feel of those videos as he travels around the world to visit believers. These believers are heroes to him, and they should be to us as well. They trusted him to tell their stories despite the risks they face as they live on mission in hard places. He has shared jungle paths, desert roads, and city streets on five continents with these believers. They are heroes for the ways in which they magnify the grace and power of the risen Christ. They are foot soldiers in the long campaign as Christ builds his church across the centuries and among all peoples. The author writes that every time he goes to another corner of the world and sees the church growing and the gospel changing lives, his view of God gets bigger.
The author also introduces us to some of his heroes from the past. Some of those heroes are his father and mother, Pastor Frank Washburn, Amy Carmichael and William Carey. He writes that whether well-known or unknown, past or present, these stories are important reminders that the gospel does not only reach across the globe, but it also spans generations and centuries. The ones he writes about in this book are those whose lives and impact he’s had the opportunity to trace during his travels. The stories that we hear about come from the author’s journals of his travels to places such as Jerusalem, China, Mongolia, Ethiopia, Turkey, Salt Lake City, Utah, Oxford, England, Philippines, Afghanistan, India, Iraq, Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos.
The people he writes about are ordinary men and women who have an extraordinary Savior. Their stories of courage and perseverance are both heartbreaking and encouraging. I highly recommend this book for all believers.

[Gene · Rating 4 out of 5]

You might have heard the stories or perhaps you've read about some of the “heroes of the faith” as we often call them, missionaries like William Carey, Hudson Taylor and Jim Elliott.

If you haven’t heard about the faithful heroes who lay it all down to carry the hope of Christ to far off lands, or if you need a fresh perspective on the subject, A Company of Heroes is a close look at the lives of such heroes, some past and others present.

This is an important book at this time in the dialogue of (especially) the Western church as we have some who understand the cause of missions, and many who do not.

Part travelogue, part journalism, Tim Keesee introduces a number of otherwise ordinary Christians who have sacrificed much for the Great Commission and he brings the reader along to better understand the struggles and the triumphs along the way.

This is a fresh approach and a book that I can completely recommend for your reading list.

*I received this book in return for an honest (but not necessarily favorable) review from Crossway Books in participation with Crossway’s Blog Review Program.

[Timothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book with diary entries of a missions journalist.
I like that it covered many different stories (including the authors personal life too). All the missionary stories were friends of the author as he was taken around to typical days of their lives.

It's refreshing to read a book like this just for the fact that it is current, and it helps the reader get a sense of the work that is happenning around the world for the gospel of Jesus. Sometimes reading older missionary stories we can feel a bit detached due to being in a different era. Each portrait is by no means detailed and you don't get to know too much about each person or country but this glimpse is enough to enlarge our view of gospel work around the world.

It's a quick and easy read but challenging as we see the sacrifices and lives that real people have made and are making in the world right now.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be one of my favorite books I have ever read. There is an endorsement "all Christians should read this book." Indeed, that is true. I've been recommending this book to others long before I finished it, which is not a common practice for me.

I like the style: part journal, part travelogue. It's not preachy yet wisdom and insight and truth abound throughout its pages. It's refreshing and stirring. Missions can often seem very romantic. And yet the impression is far more realistic and some of the stories are hard to read, but certainly not as hard to bare as the people did/do enduring the circumstances.

It's worth the time and investment.

[Thaddeus · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! My wife and I read it together as part of our bedtime reading. The short journal reports of missionaries and Christians in hostile lands were inspiring and uplifting. So amazing to hear of God's hand in frontline mission work and how the gospel is advancing in other countries. Definitely reminded us of the urgency and importance of Christian witness - but also the privilege and pleasure it is to see others come to Christ.
The format is pretty much the same as his previous book - Dispatched From The Front - so if you liked that, you'll love this one. Highly recommended reading!!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone interested in Christian missions should read Tim Keesee's book A Company of Heroes (which is a companion to Dispatches from the Front, equally inspiring). Meet Christians from around the world who are spreading the Gospel message in difficult places. Keesee's prose is as interesting as his subjects. A great, challenging, devotional read.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just had to give this book five stars, in spite of the unusual writing style. It was both encouraging and convicting at the same time. We need to be reading stuff like this to take our eyes off ourselves and gain a new perspective. I realize this review is rather cryptic, but maybe that will inspire you to read it and see for yourselves what I'm talking about!

[Ashley Bacon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This journal style book that highlights ministry in various countries was really different than anything I've read before. It wasn't a "page-turner," but each story was engaging, interesting, and not only worth telling but worth knowing. I was encouraged, inspired, and informed to some of the work our God is doing in his world!

[Elizabeth Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although his style of writing is not my personal favorite, I have loved reading these stories of the lives of faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. I find myself still thinking of some of the miracles, tragedies and stories found here. What an encouragement to see Christ moving throughout the earth and time.

[Dana Hinman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alternative title “Tim Keesee drinking coffee all over the world.”

I wasn’t prepared for the style of this book. For anyone wondering, I would call it “vignettes” of people Tim has known throughout his life. Some are more exciting and inspiring the others. Wasn’t my cup of coffee…eh tea I mean… but I can’t hate on a brother who seems to love the lord like Tim.

[Lauren Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cannot recommend this book enough. Like Keesee's first book, "Dispatches from the Front," this gem gives journal-style looks at life for Christians who are serving Christ and others around the world. Inspiring, encouraging, and worldview-growing.

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming -

[Christine Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super encouraging.

[Lexi Zuo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book so much!! Highly recommend anything written by Tim!!

[Allie Fullerton (thelightfilledreader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, humbling look at people past and present serving the Lord in the US and abroad even in the harshest and most extreme conditions.

[Tim Fernando · Rating 5 out of 5]

A challenging, moving and thought-provoking read. Favourite book of the year.

[Mathias Seiwert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humbling, inspiring, well-written. Oh Father help me live to know You & proclaim the Gospel of Your glorious Son thru the Holy Spirit!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't give enough stars to anything written by Tim Keesee! I laughed and cried and praised the Lord.

[David Puerto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro lleno de historias de la belleza del evangelio al rededor del mundo.

[Kelsie Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believers, read this book and be encouraged. The gospel is advancing.

Really enjoyed Keesee's journalistic writing style, and his little asides thrown in.