Share Your Memories of Richard Wurmbrand
Rev. Richard Wurmbrand had an impact on many lives, but none have heard every story. Please use the comment area below to share your story of how Richard Wurmbrand’s mission blessed you.
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Praise God for the life and witness of Pastor Wurmbrand. I read Tortured for Christ as a young Christian many years ago. I cannot tell you the impact his story has had on my life. I was particularly impressed by his comments on how he prepared for imprisonment, knowing it was going to happen. He memorized many portions of Scripture so that the Word would be with him, even though a physical Bible would be denied him. His story has been a great encouragement to me and a huge boost to my faith. The love he showed for his captors and the trust he had in God to take care of his wife and son while he was imprisoned encourages me to love those who are my “enemies” and to trust that God will watch over my children as they begin to make their way in the world.
I am so glad the ministry he founded is still doing God’s work, and continues to honour his memory. Thank you for the pictures and videos posted of Pastor Wurmbrand as well. I love his books, but it is such a privilege to hear him speak and tell the stories in person.
God bless you.
I’m only repeating what others have said when I say that my life was forever changed when I read Tortured For Christ. It was in the ’60’s, and I was a student at Southeastern Bible College in Birmingham, Alabama. I believed every word in his book, and still do. Then, when I found out that Pastor Wurmbrand was going to speak in Birmingham at a Presbyterian(?) church, I was there. And I’ll never forget his talking about the cries of the saints. I went up to him afterwards, but couldn’t speak.
In the ’90’s I met several wonderful Romanian Christians brought over by our church, Wayside Chapel Evangelical Free Church, as part of an effort to partner and help build their place of worship. They hold a special place because of their commitment to God’s Word, and because of Pastor Wurmbrand.
It’’s now 2009, and God has led me to Maria and Lavinius Ana, Romanians living here in San Antonio, Texas. It was Christian love at first sight, and, through them, I’ve had the opportunity to get clothing, and such, for the homeless street children of Romania who are the aftermath of a godless communist regime. I can only say thank you to Richard Wurmbrand’s family for all they’ve sacrificed, and for what they do.
Carol Van Cleave
I have only read “Tortured for Christ”, thus far. I feel so naive, so sheltered, even at my age, very unworthy of the cause for Christ. I am leaving for Ecuador in two weeks and I am asking God “Can I do this, can I win souls for Him?” We have been working in Ecuador for the last 8 years. This work has snowballed to where we are going to be living there. We started off helping the school system and now there are many needs that we are working with. Another ministry is working with the young people presenting Christ along with the work. I want to be strong. I want God to be glorified.
I met Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I was about 13 years old and I lived there with my family where my father attended Regent University. Richard and Sabina had heard that there was a Romanian family living there so they found us. I remember they took us to a hotel lobby caffee where Sabina got some cookies for us. Richard told us two stories which I really regret forgetting (it was something about a little boy and his grandfather). We were so fascinated; he had such a way of telling stories. He talked a great deal with our parents. Us kids didn’t know who he was but even as kids we could tell they were different. Something about them shined. I remember saying goodbye and getting in the car and asking our parents “how come their faces are shinny”. And our parents said that it was because Jesus was shinning through them.
God used their tragedies and pain to bless so many lives. Dr. Dan Allender says “Redemption touches us more deeply than tragedy…but without tragedy there could be no redemption.” I hope we never forget the testimony of all the people who suffered…the testimony of these wounded soldiers. As I think of Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand and so many others, I’m reminded of Thornton Wilder’s play “The Angel that Troubled the Waters” which to me really captures the essence of the life and the spirituality of those who suffered yet the world does not consider them brave because they are not according to the world.
There’s a part where the angel comes to the doctor and says “Doctor, without your wounds where would your power be? It is your melancholy that makes your low voice tremble into the hearts of men and women. The very angels themselves cannot persuade the wretched and blundering children of this earth as can one human being broken on the wheels of living. In love’s service, only wounded soldiers can serve.”