His brother died in his arms, shot by a deputy marshal. He was beaten and tortured by the sheriff and state police. But through it all he returned good for evil, love for hate, progress for prejudice, and brought hope to black and white alike.

Here is a real-life story of the transforming power of Jesus Christ and one man's response to Jesus' call to love others.

John Perkins was born in New Hebron, Mississippi, in 1930. His family was made up of sharecroppers, and he grew up in grinding poverty, part of a system that preserved prejudice and racism. After his brother was killed, Perkins left Mississippi for California, where he found job opportunities, racism of another kind, and faith in Jesus Christ.

He returned to Mississippi to share the gospel and help his own people find equality, justice, and economic independence through self-help cooperative efforts. And he made progress--too much progress.

Everything came to a head early in 1970 when Perkins and others went through an unbelievable night of torture at the hands of white law enforcement officers. Beaten almost to death, Perkins somehow survived, and so did his work, which continues today.

The story of John Perkins is no ordinary story. Rather, it is a gripping portrayal of what happens when faith thrusts a person into the midst of a struggle against racism, oppression, and injustice. It is about the costs of discipleship--the jailings, the floggings, the despair, the sacrifice. And it is about the transforming work of faith that allowed John to respond to such overwhelming indignities with miraculous compassion, vision, and hope.

Named by Christianity Today as one of the top 50 books that have shaped evangelicals.