March 12, 2011
Sharing the Stories of Martyrs
By Jennifer Taylor Trent Renner, lead pastor at Parkway Christian Church (Surprise, Arizona), read about hundreds of Christian martyrs as part of his morning devotions in 2010. When planning for 2011, he knew these stories would inspire and challenge his church. “The accounts of persecution and the way these heroes faithfully endured it for Christ really affected me,” he says. “It changed my perspective and made me more grateful for the freedom in our country.” At the beginning of the year, Renner invited church members to share the story of one martyr in one service on one weekend. “We have
