By Life or by Death: The Life and Legacy of John and Betty Stam
5 Great reasons to buy from us:
One of the most incredible missionary stories of the 20th century.
As a young boy Andrew Montonera stumbled upon a cabinet of books in his grandparents' house. He was captivated by what he discovered—the library of his distant relatives, John and Betty. By Life or by Death shares the story of these two remarkable people—inspirations of contagious joy and kingdom-focused lives.
John Cornelius Stam and Elisabeth Alden "Betty" Scott met at Moody Bible Institute in fall 1929. A few years later, their paths crossed again—this time in China. The two were united in marriage and in their love for the Chinese people.
Using family scrapbooks and unpublished sources, Montonera takes a fresh look at a famous story—how two missionaries and their baby were kidnapped by Chinese soldiers and ransomed. Montonera recounts the courage and martyrdom of the Stams, as well as the succeeding miraculous tale that captured the world’s attention.
The Stams' lives were cut short, but their faithfulness continues to impact Christianity in China today. By Life or by Death looks at the legacy of the Stams, including new testimonies of those shaped by their commitment to the gospel.
Shortly before his death, John Stam mailed a letter to the mission authorities. He wrote, "May God be glorified whether by life or by death" (Philippians 1:20). Discover how that prayer was answered both in the deaths and lives of John and Betty Stam.
Paperback : 192 pages
Item Weight : 11.2 ounces
Dimensions : 6 x 0.45 x 9 inches
**We ship ONLY within the US and its territories. NO international shipping available.
Standard shipping (delivery in 3-8 business days)
$3.99 on orders from $0 - $19.99 via USPS Media Mail
$5.99 on orders from $20 - $48.99 via USPS Media Mail
Free Shipping on orders over $49 via USPS Media Mail
Customers in Puerto Rico and Hawaii, please note that Standard Shipping can take up to 21 business days.
Need your order sooner?
Express shipping (delivery in 3-5 business days)
$8.99 on orders from $0 - $19.99 via Priority Mail
$13.99 on orders from $20 - $48.99 via Priority Mail
$19.99 on orders from $49-$99.99 via Priority Mail
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Please allow 10 days for your order to arrive. You will receive a tracking number for your order via email. To keep prices low we ship via the US Postal Service. This means sometimes you have to wait a little longer to get your order but it's always worth it! |
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Returns are easy, simply contact us and send your item to our returns center for fast processing. We'll get you a replacement or refund in a snap! |
![]() |
You get a full 30 days to return your item to us. If it doesn't fit, it breaks, you've changed your mind or for no reason whatsoever simply send it back to us and we'll cheerfully refund you 100% of your order. |
|
![]() |
Returns are easy, simply contact us for a returns number and send your item to our returns centre for fast processing. We'll get you a replacement or refund in a snap! |
|
![]() |
In the unlikely event that you find your item cheaper at another online store, just let us know and we'll beat the competitor's pricing hands-down. |
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![]() |
We insist that you love everything you buy from us. If you're unhappy for any reason whatsoever, just let us know and we'll bend over backwards to make things right again. |
|
![]() |
Ordering from Biblestore is 100% safe and secure so you can rest easy. Your personal details are never shared, sold or rented to anyone either. |
One of the most incredible missionary stories of the 20th century.
As a young boy Andrew Montonera stumbled upon a cabinet of books in his grandparents' house. He was captivated by what he discovered—the library of his distant relatives, John and Betty. By Life or by Death shares the story of these two remarkable people—inspirations of contagious joy and kingdom-focused lives.
John Cornelius Stam and Elisabeth Alden "Betty" Scott met at Moody Bible Institute in fall 1929. A few years later, their paths crossed again—this time in China. The two were united in marriage and in their love for the Chinese people.
Using family scrapbooks and unpublished sources, Montonera takes a fresh look at a famous story—how two missionaries and their baby were kidnapped by Chinese soldiers and ransomed. Montonera recounts the courage and martyrdom of the Stams, as well as the succeeding miraculous tale that captured the world’s attention.
The Stams' lives were cut short, but their faithfulness continues to impact Christianity in China today. By Life or by Death looks at the legacy of the Stams, including new testimonies of those shaped by their commitment to the gospel.
Shortly before his death, John Stam mailed a letter to the mission authorities. He wrote, "May God be glorified whether by life or by death" (Philippians 1:20). Discover how that prayer was answered both in the deaths and lives of John and Betty Stam.
Paperback : 192 pages
Item Weight : 11.2 ounces
Dimensions : 6 x 0.45 x 9 inches
**We ship ONLY within the US and its territories. NO international shipping available.
Standard shipping (delivery in 3-8 business days)
$3.99 on orders from $0 - $19.99 via USPS Media Mail
$5.99 on orders from $20 - $48.99 via USPS Media Mail
Free Shipping on orders over $49 via USPS Media Mail
Customers in Puerto Rico and Hawaii, please note that Standard Shipping can take up to 21 business days.
Need your order sooner?
Express shipping (delivery in 3-5 business days)
$8.99 on orders from $0 - $19.99 via Priority Mail
$13.99 on orders from $20 - $48.99 via Priority Mail
$19.99 on orders from $49-$99.99 via Priority Mail
![]() |
Please allow 10 days for your order to arrive. You will receive a tracking number for your order via email. To keep prices low we ship via the US Postal Service. This means sometimes you have to wait a little longer to get your order but it's always worth it! |
|
![]() |
Returns are easy, simply contact us and send your item to our returns center for fast processing. We'll get you a replacement or refund in a snap! |
![]() |
You get a full 30 days to return your item to us. If it doesn't fit, it breaks, you've changed your mind or for no reason whatsoever simply send it back to us and we'll cheerfully refund you 100% of your order. |
|
![]() |
Returns are easy, simply contact us for a returns number and send your item to our returns centre for fast processing. We'll get you a replacement or refund in a snap! |
|
![]() |
In the unlikely event that you find your item cheaper at another online store, just let us know and we'll beat the competitor's pricing hands-down. |
|
![]() |
We insist that you love everything you buy from us. If you're unhappy for any reason whatsoever, just let us know and we'll bend over backwards to make things right again. |
|
![]() |
Ordering from Biblestore is 100% safe and secure so you can rest easy. Your personal details are never shared, sold or rented to anyone either. |






