Martyr film’s Christian retail connection

Written by Eric Tiansay

Monday, 15 February 2010 03:10 PM America/New_York

The distributor of a documentary about three modern-day martyrs is hoping that more Christian retailers will get behind the efforts to mobilize prayer for his homeland because of their shared mission with the martyrs.

Enis Sakirgil said that there had been "many positive responses" from Christian stores since he began distributing the 69-minute film, Malatya, through his Oklahoma-based Lukas Media, last year. The production tells the story of three Christians tortured and murdered at a Bible publishing house in Muslim Turkey in 2007.

It includes interviews with family and friends of the men and details of how the five teenagers arrested for the killings are alleged to have feigned interest in Christianity to get close to their victims who they said were "attacking our religion."

A doctor who founded Lukas Media after moving to the U.S. to practice in 2003, Sakirgil was close friends with one of those killed, German missionary Tilmann Geske. Sakirgil is now involved in efforts to recruit people to join in an international day of prayer for Turkey on April 18--the third anniversary of the murders.

Sakirgil said that he believed Christian retailers might feel a special connection to Malatya--named after the city where the men died, and originally made available through the ministry Voice of the Martyrs before Sakirgil created a new edition for distribution to stores-because of the men's involvement with Christian resources.

Malatya retails for $14.99, with proceeds going to support ministry in Turkey. Lukas Media distributes around 400 Christian and family films direct to consumers and to several hundred Christian stores.

Click here for more information on Lukas Media films.