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As a Fulani herdsman, the young man burned churches, threatened Christian farmers and even killed Christians in the middle of the night. But his life changed when he saw how a Christian woman responded to his threats of murder. Today he is a follower of Christ who has experienced Christian persecution as his own family tried to kill him.

Listen as Brother Philip, a field minister for VOM in Africa, tells about meeting this young man and shares stories of other Fulani followers of Jesus. "They know the cost, and they've considered the cost and chosen to follow Jesus," Philip says.

Philip will also share more about the power of being physically present with our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ and the encouragement it offers them as VOM staff and partners provide wholistic care for both physical and spiritual needs.

Philip continues to be inspired by the growth and faith of persecuted Christians who choose Christ despite the suffering they must endure. You'll hear how VOM provides persecuted brothers and sisters opportunities to start a small business in order to provide for themselves and their families and continue the ministry God has called them to.

Hear how you can pray for persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in places like Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and around the world. You can also listen on VOM Radio to Brother Malik's testimony of becoming a Fulani follower of Christ. You can also give online to support projects like helping displaced pastors raise chickens to support their families.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, China, and Iran, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Last October, Pastor Wang Lin, one of the leaders in Zion Church in China, was arrested and imprisoned under false charges of "fraud" and "illegal business practices." Sarah Su (Su Ziming in Chinese), wife of Pastor Wang, recounts the day her husband was arrested and the Christian persecution they faced even before he was imprisoned.

Sarah will share about her husband's role in Zion Church's leadership and in training other leaders, how the church continues to reach many people despite persecution from the Chinese Communist Party, and recent updates about Pastor Wang's condition in prison.

"The moment I married Wang Lin, I have decided to face all this together," Sarah says. "I knew that his mission was to train and disciple more Christians in China…I knew something like [this] would happen one day."

You'll hear from Sarah how she continues to face this persecution with courage, faithfully enduring times of worry and loneliness. She will share how she and her husband both are committed to serve the Lord—no matter the cost.

Zion Church made international headlines during President Trump's visit to Xi Jinping in Beijing in May and with the release of Zion senior pastor Ezra Jin from prison during America's July 4 celebrations. Sarah thanks God for Jin's release, and says the case against Zion Church continues, with eight church leaders remaining in prison. She asks that we pray for their release, the dismissal of charges, for their physical and spiritual health, and for her and her children, along with family members of the other persecuted Christians from Zion Church.

Visit Prisoner Alert to write an encouraging letter to Pastor Wang Lin, and letters to other Christians imprisoned for their faith in Iran, Eritrea, and China.

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Becky Graves was living a comfortable American life when her husband suggested a family mission trip to Haiti. She told him—forcefully—NO! But then God changed Becky's heart; that "short-term" trip became a defining moment in her life. Fourteen years later, Becky is still serving the people of Haiti.

She's also waging a battle with cancer. Becky has chosen to find joy—regardless of her circumstances—in the work of ministry in a difficult place and in the cancer fight.

"Cancer and Haiti both taught me that I have to be comfortable with uncertainty and rely on the Lord," she says. She also says that suffering can be a gift.

Becky leads a ministry called Haiti Awake. She also serves as a security trainer for global gospel workers through Concilium. (Scott Brawner, founder of Concilium, has also been a VOM Radio guest.)

Listen as Becky recounts her first diagnosis in 2019, how she's found opportunities to witness even in hardship and how her perspective on suffering has been shaped.

Becky blogs about her work in Haiti and her cancer journey at Fear is Not My Future. She's just published a devotional book (affliate link) by the same name. Hear more about gospel work and sacrifice in Haiti in this VOM Radio interview with David and Alicia Lloyd.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, China, and Iran, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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When the pastor began to weep, Cade Jefferson, the leader of VOM's work in the Middle East and North Africa, wasn't quite sure how to respond. He had just explained to the pastor how The Voice of the Martyrs comes alongside persecuted Christians and how the ministry was ready to help should a member of his congregation be persecuted or arrested for sharing the gospel with Muslims.

"We've found the people that are going to help us," the pastor exclaimed.

Listen to VOM Radio this week to hear about the dream that pastor had the night before meeting with Cade, and how Christian persecution may look different for Christians in different parts of the region, depending on whether they live on the Arabian Peninsula, in North Africa, or the Levant.

Cade will also share how he and his team view their region through the lens of the persecuted church and how they see the differences for Christians in countries with historic, infant, or predominantly immigrant churches. You'll hear specific kinds of persecution our brothers and sisters experience in places like Mauritania, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya and more, including the danger they willingly endure to boldly engage in gospel conversations with Muslims.

Pray for unity among Christians in nations with very young churches; for stamina for immigrant churches as they reach out; and for boldness among Christians in countries with a historic church presence. Also, please lift up brothers and sisters currently imprisoned for their faith in Libya.

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Growing up in a Buddhist family in Vietnam, Brother Daniel went through a lot of pain. He felt hopeless and wanted to kill himself. But on his way to get a gun, he stopped by a church. Everything changed.

"I don't know why I went to the church." Brother Daniel says, "I met the pastor and he gave me a small New Testament."

The pastor told Brother Daniel that the book could change his life. Daniel will share how reading God's Word changed him and, eventually, also his family.

Seeing such dramatic changes gave Daniel a desire to see more people have Bibles. Since then, he's helped deliver thousands of Bibles all over his country. He's never lost his love for God's Word and continues to find creative ways to get Bibles to the people of Vietnam.

Listen to hear what Christian persecution looks like in villages around the country—and what they can do to appeal for the religious freedom promised by the government. Today, Brother Daniel's number one priority is training more leaders to know and love the Lord, strengthening new leaders in the church to overcome persecution and encouraging them to help one another.

Pray for Christian brothers and sisters in Vietnam like Daniel. To learn how you can pray specifically for persecuted Christians and share your prayers for them, visit www.icommittopray.com.

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It started as an English-teaching ministry in Japan in 1967. Today A3 is raising up church leaders in 25 countries; leaders equipped and unified to accelerate gospel movements around the world, including numerous hostile areas and restricted nations where The Voice of the Martyrs works with persecuted Christians.

Dr. Joe Handley, CEO of A3, and Janelle Stoops, U.S. President for the ministry, join VOM Radio to share how A3 was founded and how it serves the global church by meeting one of the biggest needs: trained leaders.

Relatively new to A3, Janelle will share her background as a gospel worker seeing God establish his church among Muslims in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. She also got a personal taste of Christian persecution as she and her family were expelled from the country they'd grown to love. She wrestled with having to leave the place they felt called to, but ultimately accepted that "God was working here before we got here, and even when we leave He is still going to be at work."

Joe and Janelle will share challenges they face in ministry, how they work under the radar in places where Christian teaching is not welcome and how A3 provides resiliency training to leaders in countries where there is intense persecution. These leaders also experience fellowship within the Body of Christ, knowing they are not alone in their suffering.

One tool A3 uses to help build resiliency in the leaders is a book published by VOM titled "In the Shadow of the Cross." You can order your copy to learn what the Bible says about Christian persecution and suffering from Genesis to Revelation. The e-book version is available for free in the VOM App. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Maya and her husband were constantly under pressure from police in Turkmenistan. Then her husband was thrown in jail. Maya says many times she questioned God.

"So many times I prayed to God and asked, 'Why is this happening in our lives? We've done so much to serve you!'" Amid her questions, Maya sensed a challenge: she needed to surrender her thoughts to God and go back to his Word.

Listen as Maya shares how she and her husband met, how the Lord changed her husband's heart after he began to follow Jesus, and how she came to know Christ after six years seeing her husband live out God's love. You'll hear how her husband, Ilmurad, abused her and struggled with addiction before he knew Christ, and how Christ changed him so radically that friends and neighbors asked, "What happened to you?!"

Because of his Christian ministry, Ilmurad was sentenced to four years in prison. However, he viewed his time in prison as continued ministry as he led other prisoners to follow Christ. While in prison, Ilmurad was listed on The Voice of the Martyrs' letter-writing website, www.PrisonerAlert.com. Though he was never allowed to see or read incoming letters, a prison custodian told him he was receiving mail from all over the world. Ilmurad knew he was not forgotten and that Christians were praying for him.

"I was surprised and encouraged to hear that people outside our country were praying for us," Maya says. "I'm so appreciative that you didn't forget us when we had trouble."

Since her husband's death from illness in 2024, Maya continues serving as a gospel worker among women in Turkmenistan. Please pray for her ministry and her health.

You can encourage persecuted Christians in prison—just like Ilmurad and Maya were encouraged—when you write letters through PrisonerAlert.com.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, China and Iran, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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How do you discern God's call and determine where He's leading you? How much of your prayer time is spent listening to Him?

Ben Barrett, who's led The Voice of the Martyrs' work in South Asia, will help us answer those questions as he shares how God has led him and his wife into a new season of ministry. His new role—with one of VOM's strategic partner ministries—includes raising up indigenous Christian leaders, supporting church planting efforts and encouraging pastors to continue making disciples to multiply the gospel work.

"We want to come alongside them in the midst of persecution and difficulty," Ben said.

One of the parts of Ben's new role that excites him—and draws on his experience serving at VOM—is bringing church planters and leaders from different places where Christians are persecuted together to share with each other experiences and hard-won wisdom.

Listen as Ben shares some of the stories that have impacted him greatly during his time serving our persecuted brothers and sisters with VOM, the current state of persecution in South Asia and how Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims are coming to know Christ.

He'll also encourage listeners to lean into where the Lord may be calling you, and share how making yourself available may be just what God is asking of you. Pray for Ben and his family during this transition and for their ongoing service to the Lord in the next season of their service to Him.

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In a Muslim village in East Africa, 47 people confessed belief in Christ. But then Christian persecution came. Radical Muslims went house-to-house, threatening new believers and demanding they return to Islam. All but two of the new Christians renounced their faith.

Brother Paulo, a leader in YWAM Frontier Missions in East Africa, met the two young men who stood firm for Christ. He asked them how they'd stayed faithful under such intense pressure.

"The experience I had with Jesus was so strong that I cannot deny Jesus," the younger of the two men told him.

In places like Northern Mozambique, South Sudan, Malawi, Tanzania and other East African countries, Muslim-background believers face persecution from their families and communities. Even those who have grown up in Christian families are likely to face persecution from Muslim communities—especially if they are involved in evangelism or outreach to Muslims.

Brother Paulo will share more stories from our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in East Africa, tell how God called him into missions and describe the endurance of churches in the region amid persecution.

He will also share how believers prepare to face persecution and how Christians in free nations like the United States can pray for our brothers and sisters in East Africa.

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Over the past 18 months some of the most violent attacks against persecuted Christians anywhere in the world have taken place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country where more than 100 armed groups—many motivated by Islamist ideals—vie for territory and influence.

Dr. David Kasali, founder and president of Congo Initiative, is back on VOM Radio this week to tell how Christians are responding and enduring, how they are choosing to be victors instead of victims.

Listen as he shares how he trains Christians to overcome their fears and how he prays for Christ's Kingdom to be established in DRC, just as it is in heaven. He'll also share how Congo Initiative is welcoming Christians from around the world to come and serve in various roles. "We have to work," Dr. Kasali says, "for the coming Kingdom of God."

He'll also share the story of his calling by God to return to Congo—leaving behind an education ministry he truly loved in Kenya—to serve and strengthen the persecuted church in DRC. And finally, he'll equip listeners to pray specifically for the needs of persecuted Christians in the Congo.

Dr. Kasali's first visit with VOM Radio can be heard here.

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As U.S. President Donald Trump flew home from Beijing after meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping, we recorded this timely VOM Radio conversation with Bob Fu, founder and president of China Aid, to provide a current update about our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in China.

Chinese Christians are facing a new criminal charge for training up children in God's Word. Such Christians were recently charged with violating the "administrative management law." The government alleges these Christians are training children to undermine the government; authorities see teaching the Bible as a national security violation.

Bob also provides an update on 18 Zion church members arrested in recent months. The lawyers representing the accused Christians were forced to leave, shutting down their law firm and intimidating other attorneys from defending Christians.

Bob will provide updates to help you pray for Pastors John Cao and Wang Yi. He will share current news, including a cancer diagnosis, and how they continue to serve the Lord despite government control and imprisonment.

You'll hear more about China's social credit system and how it is affecting believers' ability to travel, spend money, and gather together. China is continuing to export oppressive surveillance technology to places like Iran, Burma, and Vietnam, and we already see Chinese tactics being implemented in other countries.

Bob Fu is the author of God's Double Agent (affiliate link). He says a new edition of the book is in progress, including updates on the situation for Christians in China since Xi Jinping rose to top leadership in the country.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, China, and India, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

God's Double Agent: The True Story of a Chinese Christian's Fight for Freedom

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Our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in Iran are not shying away from being bold for Christ with their family and friends—even as a war is going on around them. This week, you'll meet Sister Benesh, a bold evangelist and house church planter in Iran. In her first five years following Christ, she planted more than 30 house churches. Inside the Islamic Republic of Iran!

Benesh grew up in a Muslim home, but over time, she began to question many aspects of Islamic teaching. As a teenager, she remembers hearing some women talking about the fact that Christian women—without the oppressive restrictions of Islam—were more free than Muslim women. Benesh became curious to know more about Christianity and the peace and love Jesus offers.

Benesh's father became very sick while she was in college. Her mother prayed repeatedly to Allah to heal him, but it didn't work. Benesh's father died. Shortly after, her mother died too. Her grief at the loss of her parents pushed Benesh even further to seek answers about Christ. First, she looked online. Then, after moving to a bigger city for employment, a coworker invited her to a church meeting. Experiencing Christian worship and fellowship for the first time, Benesh knew Jesus was calling her to put her faith and trust in Him.

Despite her parents' death, Benesh had peace from God—a peace that shocked her sister and other family members. Many were curious why she was different, which gave her open doors to share Jesus. At first, Benesh feared what her family or others would say or do if she shared Christ with them, but she quickly overcame that fear when she realized how hungry Iranians are for the truth.

Sharing your faith can be dangerous in Islamic countries, but Benesh was so focused on sharing the joy she'd found in Christ that she almost forgot about the threat of the Islamic regime and Revolutionary Guards! Listen as Benesh tells how we can pray for her ministry, for the Iranian regime, and for bold witnesses for Christ in the Middle East—and as she challenges every Christian to tell others about Jesus!

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, China and India, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Before becoming a Christian, Pastor Putumandi's life was, in his words, "a mess." He pursued his family's Hindu religion, dancing in temple ceremonies to access and appease the spirits. And he detested anything to do with Jesus.

"I hated [Christians] before." Putumandi said, "I despised Christianity."

But then he met Jesus, drawn by the compassion that he saw lacking in every other religion. For Putumandi, Jesus was the only one who could guarantee eternal life, and he wanted to know Him. After being baptized, his wife could tell that he had changed as Putumandi treated his family and others with compassion, showing the love of Christ.

When his family found out Putumandi had left Hinduism, they kicked him out of their home immediately. His 16-year-old son tried to kill Putumandi.

Despite being driven from his home and persecuted for his Christian faith, Putumandi says he never considered going back to Hinduism. "Salvation comes from Christianity," Putumandi said.

Putumandi will also share how it's been a challenge to find a job to make a living because of the Christian persecution he's faced. "I just do anything I can find," he says, "and praise the Lord; He provides."

Pray for Putumandi's health, for his family to come to know the Lord, and for his continued witness to unbelievers around him—especially the people in his own family.

You're invited! Be a part of The Voice of the Martyrs' 2026 From the Field National Conference this September in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Gather with fellow believers and hear firsthand stories from persecuted Christians in restricted nations and hostile areas where VOM serves. Seating is limited, so register soon to join this inspiring event.

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How do you discern God's calling to be a missionary?

John Easter, Executive Director of Assemblies of God World Missions (AGWM), says the first question might be: if God did call you to serve overseas, would you say yes?

Before accepting his current role John and his wife served the church in Africa, providing theological training to pastors and leaders. In an effort to develop more leaders for the growing church, they oversaw 380+ schools with 25,000+ students.

Serving on missions frontlines brought many challenges. They faced an abduction, medical issues, hijacking and other criminal activity while in Africa. Yet the Lord surrounded them with community and resources as they learned how to abide in Christ and rely on the Holy Spirit during every hardship.

Today, John is focused on vision casting, fundraising and care for missionaries and missionary kids as they work to spread the gospel in unreached areas. You'll hear John share why the church in northern India is growing rapidly and what the Lord is instilling in His people in Nigeria—despite intense and violent Christian persecution in both nations.

Even the reality of death is not enough for these followers of Christ to turn back, John says.

Hear John suggest next steps for those the Lord may be calling to overseas missions, and ways you can pray specifically for AGWM and for missionaries sent out from your church.

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Last week, David and Alicia Lloyd, founders of Missions in Haiti, told the story of the day in 2024 when gangs attacked their ministry compound. When the attacks ended, David and Alicia's son, Davy, and their daughter-in-law, Natalie, had been murdered, along with their close friend and ministry partner, Judes Montis.

Several weeks later, David returned to Haiti, assuring ministry coworkers and fellow believers that, despite the tragedy, they would not abandon Haiti and their brothers and sisters there. They also learned, from students and staff who'd been at the mission compound, about Davy and Natalie's last moments on earth.

"Every time the shooting would stop, they could hear Davy quoting scriptures…They said his voice was very strong; it would echo," David says. "It was estimated there were 100 gang guys in our yard that night who heard the gospel."

David and Alicia have struggled with losing their oldest child. They've wrestled with the question of where was the Lord in that dangerous moment? In the two years since that night, the Lord has been faithful to comfort and bless; they know He was with Davy. And even as they grieve, they desire to point others to Christ.

Davy, Natalie, and Judes's legacy lives on. As their story has been told and re-told, more people around the world have prayed for Haiti. Please pray for David & Alicia Lloyd and their family, Judes's family, and for Haiti. Be challenged and encouraged to live your life for the Lord through David & Alicia's book coming out May 5th, Strong to the End: The Simple Service and Sudden Sacrifice of the Martyrs in Haiti (affiliate link).

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, China, Iran, and India, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Davy Lloyd was only 23 years old but already had his eyes on eternity. When he and his wife, Natalie, would visit his parents' home at the mission compound where they all served in Haiti, Davy would often come through the door and say, "I can't wait to see Jesus!" Little did he know how soon his desire would be fulfilled.

Davy and Natalie were killed, along with Haitian coworker Judes Montis, during a gang attack at the mission compound on May 24, 2024.

David and Alicia Lloyd, Davy's parents and longtime missionaries to Haiti, join VOM Radio this week to tell the story of that difficult day—and share how God has sustained and comforted them in the two years since. They take comfort knowing Davy wanted to see Jesus more than anything else.

The Lloyds will share the details of what happened during the attack—and how they learned of it from a distance during a trip to the US. They'll talk about serving in Haiti for 20 years, through ups and downs of stability and security in the country, including the day their young children were kidnapped.

For Davy, Haiti was home. Creole was his first language, and he always wanted to be a missionary. Speaking in churches before their mission service, Davy would often say, "Natalie is going to Haiti as a missionary. I'm just going home!" Though only in their early 20s, both Davy and Natalie were willing to pay any price to serve Christ—even preaching the gospel to the gang members who would take their lives.

You will hear David and Alicia share honestly about their grief and questions they've asked the Lord; they'll also tell how God comforted and renewed their faith as they walked forward in obedience, even in grief.

David and Alicia have written a powerful book, which releases May 5: Strong to the End: The Simple Service and Sudden Sacrifice of the Martyrs in Haiti (affiliate link) tells the story of Davy and Natalie and their mission work in Haiti.

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More than 50 people were killed during an attack on a Christian area in the city of Jos on Palm Sunday in Nigeria. More attacks occurred during Easter weekend. But not every attack on Nigerian Christians makes international news. Listen this week as Matthew Hanson, who leads The Voice of the Martyrs' work in West and Central Africa, explains how VOM responds to Christian persecution. He'll explain how VOM helps persecuted Christians meet immediate needs like food, clothing, and shelter; then also serves to assist with longer-term needs for emotional and spiritual healing.

"We want to see both [physical and spiritual needs being met], because we want to see the church strengthened," Matthew says.

Through gatherings where persecuted Christians share their stories and encourage one another, believers are equipped and inspired to continue boldly witnessing for Christ. Matthew shares how he and his team assess persecution in Nigeria and how VOM equips pastors to have a biblical understanding of suffering and persecution.

Matthew also tells stories from the field, including that of a woman kidnapped and enslaved by Boko Haram, one of six jihadist groups currently attacking Christians in northern Nigeria. She told Matthew, "Each day, Jesus spoke to me and strengthened my faith, and I did not give up."

He'll also tell about a young man who was passionate to study the Quran. As he studied, questions arose in his mind; he began to ask his teachers. But for a Muslim, asking too many questions can make one seem like an unbeliever, an infidel. The young man was threatened by his father but still committed his life to the Lord. He was forced to flee his village. He has sacrificed his home, his family and his safety. Yet he told Matthew, "Jesus is my Savior. I have no regrets."

Listen to the story of Malik, a Fulani man who left Islam to follow Christ, and pray this week for persecuted brothers and sisters in Nigeria and throughout West and Central Africa. Pray they will be bold witnesses for Jesus—even to their persecutors.

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"What is key is that many of these pastors and leaders have understood the true gospel."

Despite government threats of exile, prison, or death, Pastor Chico, a front-line worker in Nicaragua, says pastors are still preaching the truth of God's Word—no matter the cost. They know, as the Bible says, that "faith comes by hearing" (Rom. 10:17).

The price of their preaching can be high. Listen as Chico shares about a pastor who lost his Nicaraguan citizenship when he left the country to attend a Christian conference, and pastors imprisoned without a trial or any legal process in which to defend themselves.

"The main struggle…for people in churches in Nicaragua is that they are afraid to obey the Lord," Chico says. He encourages us that, as followers of Christ, each of us need to decide who is the Lord in our lives.

Nicaragua's government is actively working to co-opt and control churches. Christians who won't cooperate are labeled "terrorists." Listen as Chico explains government efforts to influence and control churches, and why every believer in Nicaragua needs a Bible in their hands.

Chico and other Nicaraguan Christians have been inspired by the story of Pastor Richard Wurmbrand and his wife, Sabina, the founders of The Voice of the Martyrs. At a meeting where the communist government of Romania was trying to influence church leaders in the 1940s, Sabina famously challenged Richard to speak out by saying, "I do not wish to have a coward for a husband." Chico says there are many pastors' wives in Nicaragua similarly encouraging their husbands to boldly proclaim the gospel despite the danger of Christian persecution.

Chico says, "The best testimony we can have as Christians is: Am I really committed to following Jesus as my Lord and Savior?"

Hear how you can pray for specific needs of persecuted Christians in the restricted nation of Nicaragua, and request your free copy of VOM's 2026 Global Prayer Guide to help you know how to pray throughout this year for Christians in India, Iran, Nigeria and many more hostile areas and restricted nations.

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Christians in Laos know they will face persecution when they follow Jesus. Brother Sionh, founder and president of Khmu Christian Connection, says he doesn't have to make a special effort to prepare Christians for persecution because they already know it will come. He says some Khmu follow Jesus privately and secretly because they fear the loss of opportunity that comes with being known as a Christian.

Brother Sionh remembers how his parents and many others came to faith before World War II when an American missionary walked to their village and told them Jesus has power over evil spirits and that if you believe in Him, He will protect you. Today, Sionh reaches Khmu people all over the world through his work as a Bible teacher for Khmu Gospel Radio Broadcast. The largest populations of Khmu people are in Laos, Vietnam and China.

In Laos, Christians are often seen as troublemakers and agents of Western influence. Most Khmu are animists, worshipping spirits of their ancestors or of things in nature. When they are sick or have trouble, they call on witchdoctors and perform ritualistic practices. They constantly live in a spirit of fear, afraid of offending the spirits and bringing trouble.

Brother Sionh also shares the story of Pastor Thongkham, who was martyred for his Christian work, gunned down in front of his wife and children in July of 2024. (Brother Thongkham was interviewed by VOM Radio the year before he was murdered.)

Brother Sionh shared more of his personal testimony and how God called him to ministry service during his first interview on VOM Radio.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, Iran, and India, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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This week, Brother Matthew continues sharing stories of God's calling on his life to Afghanistan and how he came to know the beautiful, amazing people within that broken nation. As he saw God at work in Afghanistan, he says his faith and hope increased.

Afghanistan is a nation where many Christians have laid down their lives. With his long experience there, Matthew met, worked with and learned from these martyrs. Listen as he shares memories of several heroes of the faith that he knew as friends and colleagues in the gospel effort. One of those Brother Matthew will tell of is Werner Groenewald, who was martyred along with his son and daughter in Afghanistan in 2014. Hannelie, Werner's widow, shared her story on VOM Radio; you can hear it at www.vomradio.net/hannelie.

Matthew will also share how he met his wife and talk about raising children in Afghanistan. He says each time they left the country and came back, it was a sobering decision as they continued to trust God with their lives, and for the safety of their children.

Matthew will also talk about the church in other Central Asian nations, including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Iran.

Finally, he shares advice and encouragement for Christians who may feel a sense of calling to global missions. He also speaks to churches in free nations: "I don't think the church has a lack of calling. We have a lack of response. We have to respond!"

Pray for the continued multiplication of the church and ask God for boldness for persecuted Christians in Central Asia—and Christians in your area.

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Brother Matthew was a worldly teenager when his mother decided she and her son needed to go to church. By the end of that first service, both of them had committed their lives to following Christ.

As Matthew grew in faith, he was convicted and inspired by the Acts accounts of Paul's missionary travels. Studying Paul's efforts to take the gospel to the gentiles, Matthew began to ponder who were the gentiles in his generation, living far from the truth of Christ? As he began to ask that question in prayer, God laid on his heart the nation of Afghanistan. Matthew began taking steps towards service in that war-torn country, and repeatedly God confirmed His calling. Months later, Matthew was in Uzbekistan, serving with a church-planting effort and getting on-the-ground education in Central Asia ministry and culture.

Listen as Matthew tells the stories of the people he met who experienced supernatural visions and encounters with Jesus. He'll also talk about the risks of sharing the gospel among Muslims, and the miraculous story of how God helped him get approval for an Afghan visa from the Taliban consulate!

Matthew will recount what it looked like when he arrived in Kabul—just a few years after Soviet tanks withdrew—and how the Lord led him to serve in a village as God faithfully guided, one step at a time. Pray this week for our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in Afghanistan and throughout Central Asia.

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"God, where are You working in aviation that I can participate?"

Throughout his life, Steve Russell, CEO and President of Jungle Aviation and Relay Service (better known as JAARS) has asked the Lord what He had in store next. That pattern continued when he earned his pilot's license; he wondered how the Lord would use that new skill to open doors for Kingdom impact. Little did he know God would use it to move him toward leadership in a global missions effort!

Long before Russell arrived at JAARS, God was giving him experiences to prepare him for this season of service. Steve will share how the Lord led him from ministry as a youth pastor to the military, including leading a U.S. Army unit involved in the capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Later, God moved him into government service, including in the State of Oklahoma and the U.S. House of Representatives. Now, at JAARS, he leads a worldwide mission working to facilitate delivery of God's Word into the hardest-to-reach places in the world.

Steve will also explain JAARS' history and its historic connection to Wycliffe Bible Translators. Hear how you can pray for JAARS' pilots, mechanics, and technicians, and other aspects of the ministry of JAARS. Also check out their podcast, Uncharted.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, Iran, and Bangladesh, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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"Pastors are only asking for prayer for the ministry to continue, and prayer for conversion of [their] persecutors," Brother Vijay says, "No one is asking that the persecution would stop."

Brother Vijay, a gospel worker in India, is back to share what it means to follow Christ in India today, and how pastors and believers there take persecution in stride. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi sees any Christian gathering as a crusade—an attempt to convert people. Authorities even send spies to monitor Christian gatherings. But spies in church still hear the message; listen for the story of a former spy who is now an ambassador for Jesus Christ.

As more of India's states enact "anti-conversion" laws that outlaw gospel preaching, Vijay says in some states it has become virtually impossible for church congregations to gather for Sunday worship. Dozens of pastors are currently in prison in India. Yet, God is still at work, building His Kingdom.

"The most interesting thing is I see the kingdom of God prospering in a situation like this." Vijay says, "The more pressure, the more victories."

You'll also hear how Vijay and other gospel workers train up pastors (and "Timothys") to lead the church, how he prepares for persecution, and more stories of persecuted Christians in India.

Brother Vijay knows he could face persecution at any time; he willingly risks his safety to serve the Lord. "I want to continue to be faithful. I know that I, too, have been called to pay the price. And I'm willing to pay the price anytime."

Revisit Brother Vijay's first conversation on VOM Radio, and listen to a Christian human rights lawyer in India who is also prepared to face any trial, knowing it is from the Lord.

Pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in India as they follow Christ, no matter the cost.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Brother Wybo served persecuted Christians for decades as part of Open Doors with Brother Andrew. Andrew, the author of God's Smuggler, had a passion for Bible distribution and didn't shy from taking necessary risks to get God's Word into hostile areas and restricted nations.

While serving with Open Doors, Wybo created the World Watch List which tracks countries where Christians face the most restrictions and persecution. Now he's led in the creation of a new list which tracks how difficult it is for Christians around the world to access Bibles.

The Bible Access List tracks nations where governments attempt to stop Bible distribution, like Afghanistan, and also countries like India where Bibles may be legal but many Christians don't have access because of economic realities, supply issues or other reasons.

Wybo hopes that creating a list that includes nations facing both Bible restrictions and Bible shortages will motivate Christians to pray and get involved in helping meet the need. He will share what surprised him most during his research and what formats of Bibles Christians around the world are asking for. He also shares how partnerships are key to meeting the need.

Brother Wybo also shares what he's learned from persecuted believers over decades of serving them, and how a trip to distribute Bibles in Ethiopia, one of the top five countries with a Bible shortage, encouraged him as he had the privilege of giving believers their own copy of God's Word.

February is Bible Month at VOM, and you can help deliver Bibles to persecuted Christians.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily in 2026 for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, Iran, and Bangladesh, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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After months in prison for sharing the gospel with Hindus, Pastor Paul's health was failing. He offered a desperate prayer: he asked God to allow another pastor to be arrested who could come to the prison and encourage Paul.

"Lord, arrest one pastor and bring him to be in prison so we can have fellowship."

God answered Paul's prayer, and four days later, he read in the newspaper that a pastor had been arrested. Two weeks later, that pastor was with Paul in the prison, and he brought him great encouragement: "My church has been praying for you!"

After his fellow pastor arrived to the prison, Paul says his tired faith became, "like concrete." They began to pray together in prison. Soon, other prisoners were asking for prayer. The two pastors would often raise their hands in prayer, claiming spiritual victory. When prison guards asked what they were doing, the two pastors said, "We are praying for you!"

The two pastors had the opportunity to pray with 70 other prisoners who came to them asking for prayer and to know more about Jesus. One of those was an American prisoner named Daniel. He went to India on a quest for spiritual enlightenment; inside that Indian prison, Daniel found what he sought—in Christ.

You'll also hear how the Lord moved pastor Paul's wife to bring his bail application to the Supreme Court, and how God answered their prayers that a specific judge would hear his case.

Hear how you can pray specifically for Pastor Paul, including that all charges against him will be dropped, and go to www.PrisonerAlert.com to learn how you can pray for other persecuted Christians still imprisoned for their faith.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily in 2026 for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, Iran and Bangladesh, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Pastor Paul was doing gospel outreach in Northern India when he was arrested by police and accused of "forcing" Hindus to convert to Christianity. He wasn't forcing anyone but only sharing with people who expressed a hunger to hear the truth. When police arrived, Paul and his coworkers weren't having a service or studying the Bible; they were eating a meal. Still, it was considered a crime.

"Which god are you praying to?" police asked. Little did Pastor Paul know that his faith would be tested as he heard that question repeatedly over the coming weeks.

Pastor Paul and his three gospel coworkers suffered tremendously in police custody. Police threatened them constantly, putting fear in their hearts. They were repeatedly offered freedom if they would only renounce their faith in Jesus Christ. Police put the four Christians in a filthy prison cell that also served as the police station latrine. They allowed a mob of radical Hindus to beat them.

Paul prayed that God would strengthen him. "Lord, please help me not to fear their words because You are in charge of every situation," Pastor Paul prayed, "You controlled the lion's mouth when Daniel went inside."

As Pastor Paul fervently prayed, the Lord provided him many opportunities to share his faith in Christ and the strength to stand firm against the enemy's schemes. Listen as he shares his prayer for a forgiving heart when police threatened to beat him, stories of times the Lord gave him moments of relief, and how God sustained him even when his coworkers renounced Christ and turned their backs on him.

The Lord opened fellow prisoners' hearts to hear more about his faith as they watched Pastor Paul. Living out 1 Peter 3:15, he made the most of every opportunity to share the hope of Jesus Christ.

Mistreatment and terrible prison conditions impacted Paul's health; he thought he was going to die. When his wife was finally allowed to visit, he assumed it would be the last time he saw her on earth. He encouraged her to continue forward with Christ and not turn back, even if he died in prison.

Paul had two final requests as he cried out to the Lord: to see revival in Uttar Pradesh state, and for the Lord to allow another pastor to be arrested and come and encourage him in prison. Tune in next week to hear the rest of Pastor Paul's story and whether God answered his request. Pray this week for the Lord to give our brothers and sisters in India strength and courage to withstand Christian persecution and hold fast to their faith in spite of anti-conversion laws and unjust treatment by the Hindu nationalist government.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily in 2026 for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, Iran and Colombia, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Serving as the Regional Leader for VOM's work in Latin America, Isaac Santiago tells what it's like to be a Christian today in countries like Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Colombia. He has witnessed the shift since 2018 in Nicaragua—listed as a Restricted Nation in VOM's 2026 Global Prayer Guide—through more laws that directly affect the church and severe restrictions and government pressure similar to what Christians face in Communist nations like Cuba and China.

While some Christians in Nicaragua are weary and struggling to adjust to the new persecution reality, Christians in Cuba have dealt with such restrictions for more than 60 years. Isaac says pastors and leaders in the church there continue to be obedient to the Lord despite threats from their government.

Isaac will also share thoughts on what the change in leadership in Venezuela means for the church there. In the last two years, he has seen a revival break out in the country and the gospel advance in many parts of the country.

In Colombia, people in the cities are often oblivious to what is happening in the "red zones" where Christians are being persecuted by Marxist guerillas and other armed groups. With the current president of Colombia being a former guerrilla, persecution of the church has increased as guerrilla forces have become more powerful. Even though pastors are afraid, they are choosing to be faithful where the Lord has called them.

Isaac will also share the miraculous story of a woman held at gunpoint for reaching out to youth in her area and bringing them to Jesus.

To learn more about each of these nations and how you can pray, request your free copy of VOM's 2026 Global Prayer Guide. Also, check out the new Spanish language podcast called VOM Radio: La Voz de los Mártires on Spotify, Amazon Music, Spreaker, and more!

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Protests have been going on for weeks across the nation of Iran. The Islamic government has cut off communication networks and attacked protestors; thousands have been killed.

Dr. Mike Ansari, a board member of the World Iranian Christian Alliance and the outgoing CEO of Heart4Iran, joins VOM Radio this week with an update on the current situation in Iran and how persecuted Christians are still demonstrating Christ's light and loving their neighbors even as the entire country is in turmoil.

As happened during previous protests in Iran, Christians were among the first to be targeted by authorities. The Revolutionary Guard and Iranian government leaders see followers of Christ—especially those from a Muslim background—as apostate traitors to their nation and the Islamic Revolution.

Dr. Ansari says despite being targeted for Christian persecution followers of Jesus are boldly serving and spreading the light of Christ. Some Christians are even risking arrest to bring injured protestors into their own homes to care for them. Learn what life is like for Christians in Iran right now, and how the government is using this organic uprising to target and persecute Christian believers.

Dr. Ansari will also introduce listeners to the World Iranian Christian Alliance, and share how this movement is uniting Iranian Christian leaders to increase unity, cooperation and serve as a voice for Iranian Christians. He'll also give us specific ways to pray for our Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ right now.

You can get a copy of Dr. Mike Ansari's book entitled Heart4Iran: The Forbidden Stories here.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily in 2026 for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria and Bangladesh, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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John Burrough, CEO of Partners International, is a former mission trip leader and played in the NFL—including playing in a Super Bowl. Listen as he shares how taking a mission trip completely changed his outlook and how that experience could impact and change your perspective in every area of life.

Partners International began in the early 1940s with a missionary to China, Duncan Roberts, and from there continued to support and grow local leaders advancing the gospel in China. Later, the ministry's work expanded into Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The focus today is on reaching the unreached parts of the world for Christ.

John will share how Partners International invests in local ministries and church networks advancing the gospel in the 10/40 window, and how they come alongside locals to help them go further and faster in achieving the mission God has given them. "All missions begins with prayer," John says, and shares how the Lord is mobilizing prayer for the unreached in restricted nations and hostile areas.

Listen for the amazing story of a former Boko Haram member in West Africa who came to Christ while spying on a Christian leadership training session. The former terrorist is now advancing the gospel among the people he used to work with.

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In Part 2 of our interview with Pastor Hassan Abduraheem Taour, he shares how his heart remained upbeat, even as the judge pronounced him guilty and sentenced him to 12 years in prison. He'll talk about how reading the Bible is different inside prison than when you're free. Hassan says he experienced persecution as a blessing from God—a blessing that brought him tears of joy. "It is really a privilege to be persecuted," he says.

Pastor Hassan recounted how fellow members of the Body of Christ in Sudan encouraged him in prison with faith that the Lord would release him. His prayer life also grew in prison, as he became a prayer warrior, quoting Bible verses as he prayed with tears. Your faith will be encouraged and you'll be challenged to pray for Sudan, Christians imprisoned for Christ, and their families as you hear Pastor Hassan's amazing testimony this week on VOM Radio.

Hear Part 1 of our conversation here. Pastor Hassan was imprisoned alongside VOM's Africa regional director, Petr Jasek. You can hear Petr's side of the story here. Pastor Hassan's story was also featured in the I Am N virtual event, which you can watch online.

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Pastor Hassan Abduraheem Taour helped train Sudanese pastors to be ready for persecution. He didn't know that he was also preparing himself for the day he'd be arrested in Sudan, charged with aiding espionage alongside VOM's Africa Regional Director, Petr Jasek, and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

There were difficult days in prison, yet Pastor Hassan experienced the joy of the Lord—joy so powerful it brought tears to his eyes. It is because of that joy, and because of the ministry God gave him in prison, that Pastor Hassan looks back on those long months as "one of the best times of my life."

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Aaron Miller, Vice President of International Ministry at The Voice of the Martyrs, looks back to recount changes and transitions he saw during 2025 in places like Syria, Turkmenistan, Tanzania, and Saudi Arabia. He also shares stories of sitting down with fellow believers in hostile areas and restricted nations and how VOM's work expanded in countries such as Benin, Indonesia, Morocco, and western Nepal.

"In times of transition," Aaron says, "our staff sees opportunities." VOM's field staff is excited by the chance to reach new places, which allows them to learn the needs of our persecuted brothers and sisters, pray for them specifically and find the best ways VOM can serve.

You'll hear how VOM is facilitating gatherings where pastors and gospel workers meet brothers and sisters doing similar work in other closed countries. These gatherings are opportunities to hear testimonies, pray together and worship the Lord freely with other persecuted Christians.

Listen as Aaron shares sacred sentences written in a letter from an imprisoned pastor thanking VOM for taking care of his wife and children. "I want to thank you for ministering to orphans of living fathers," the pastor wrote, "ministering to widows of living husbands."

Hear how you can pray for the specific needs of persecuted Christians, and request your free copy of VOM's 2026 Global Prayer Guide to help you know how to pray throughout this year for Christians in India, Venezuela, and many more hostile areas and restricted nations.

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Last week, we began a look back on some of the most moving moments on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2025. This week, we continue to remember:

Nathan and his friends were arrested doing street evangelism in the Middle East. He'll share his experience in prison, the power of faithful friends, and how the Lord revealed the day of their release.
Brother Miguel from Peru will share where his passion for serving persecuted Christians began and how God gave him a hunger to know more, pray, and share their powerful stories with more people through radio and TV.
Michael & Mona share what it looks like to be a Christian in North Africa, where they are often treated as second-class citizens. Yet Mona says she loves the Muslim people who are victims of a false religion.
Kevin works among people trapped in fear-based animistic practices in Southeast Asia. He'll share how gospel workers combat that fear with the love of Christ.
Hana Menghisteab returned to tell how sharing her story for the first time on VOM Radio in 2024 was a breakthrough, helping her acknowledge deep wounds and opening her heart to God's healing touch.
Dr. Yousaf Sadiq told us about growing up in a Christian family in Pakistan and how God ministered to him through Psalms sung in the Punjabi language.
Brother Samuel grew up in a Muslim family in Malaysia. He first heard the gospel helping translate the JESUS film. Today, he faces persecution as he tries to change his government-issued ID card to reflect his faith in Christ.
Susanna Koh, wife of abducted Pastor Raymond Koh, shares how she trusts the Lord despite the unknown, and how God asked her to put feet to her forgiveness.
Sister Neda grew up as a Muslim in Iran. On the outside she appeared to have it all, yet inside she was broken. Listen to hear how she called out to God and He answered.

After hearing these brief excerpts, you'll want to listen to the entire conversations with each of these guests. Click the links below or listen in the VOM APP.

Brother Nathan, gospel worker with YWAM in the Middle East
Miguel Angel Angeles, Executive Director of Bethel Radio & TV in Peru
Michael & Mona, Christian leaders from Egypt working across North Africa
Brother Kevin serves as a gospel worker and church planter in Asia
Hana Menghisteab, the daughter of imprisoned Eritrean pastor, Dr. Tecleab Menghisteab, who has been in prison for over twenty years.
Dr. Yousaf Sadiq grew up in Pakistan and is now a professor at Wheaton College and co-leader of the Lausanne Persecuted Church Initiative.
Brother Samuel grew up Muslim and now faces persecution in Malaysia for his faith in Christ.
Susanna Koh, Pastor Raymond Koh's wife, continues to go to court for his release
Sister Neda, serves persecuted Christians in Iran through Iran Alive Ministries

We thank the Lord for allowing VOM Radio to encourage and challenge listeners all over the world this year. Thank you for listening and praying for our persecuted family in restricted nations and hostile areas around the world during 2025!

We'd love to hear from you! Let us know what conversation in 2025 most inspired your faith or equipped you to pray. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs.

Join us in 2026 for another year of testimonies about what God is doing in and through our persecuted brothers and sisters and hear how you can pray specifically for them throughout the year!

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This week, we begin looking back on some of the most moving moments shared on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2025:

Hope & Nagy have been called by God to live in some very difficult places. They were serving Him in Libya when civil war broke out; they stayed and thrived under the Lord's protection. Then they heard the Lord call them to a new and equally-challenging land.
Jerry Mattix has been banned twice from entering Türkiye, once in 2013 and again earlier this year. Jerry knows God is able to do His work among Turkish people without him in the country.
Nathan and Kari were raised differently, yet the Lord called them to Himself, and to missions, together. In South Asia, they are seeing the gospel on fire, not waiting for foreign missionaries but moving forward through the gospel fervor of national Christians.
John Samara knows the high cost of serving Christ in a place like Syria. He grew up there and continues to serve persecuted Christians in the Middle East and North Africa through Ananias House.
Eric Mock, from Slavic Gospel Association, shares how war between Russia and Ukraine has actually accelerated SGA's ministry as they provide aid and share the gospel with hundreds of thousands of people.
Teaching students in the UK and around the world, Dr. Michael Reeves has a passion for strengthening the faith of persecuted Christians in hostile and restricted nations. He served as a missionary on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Ty Scott, leader of VOM's work in east and southern Africa, shares about Christians living in a country that has never been discussed on VOM Radio until this year — Comoros. He also shared how VOM handles Bible distribution in Africa.
Author of the book, Inside Afghanistan, John Weaver, shares what it looks like to be a Christian in Afghanistan today. Believers must carefully plant gospel seeds and seek out people of peace.
Abraham & Sara minister to Muslim refugees in the Middle East who are open to the gospel. They see the hunger to know Jesus, and the Lord is revealing Himself to these refugees through dreams, visions, and the love of Christ, as seen in the example of Abraham, Sara, and their team.

After hearing these brief excerpts, you'll want to listen to the entire conversations with these guests from 2025. Click on the links below to listen at VOMRADIO.net or listen in the VOM APP.

Hope & Nagy, gospel workers to Libya and the Middle East
Jerry Mattix, long-time aid ministry worker and pastor in Türkiye
Nathan & Kari, gospel workers in South Asia with the International Mission Board (IMB)
John Samara, Founder and Executive Director of Ananias House
Eric Mock, the Senior Vice President of the Slavic Gospel Association
Dr. Michael Reeves, President of Union School of Theology in the United Kingdom
Ty Scott, VOM's Regional Leader for East and Southern Africa
John Weaver, long-time gospel worker in Afghanistan
Abraham & Sara serve refugees at a church in a Middle Eastern country

We thank the Lord for allowing VOM Radio to encourage and challenge listeners all over the world this year. Thank you for faithfully listening and praying for our persecuted family in restricted nations and hostile areas around the world!

Next week, we'll have Part II of our look back to the most moving moments of 2025 on VOM Radio.

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This week, Marcus Fernandez, VOM's Regional Leader for Central Asia, joins VOM Radio for the first time. He'll share about the fast-growing church in Iran, the North Caucasus—an area never before discussed on VOM Radio—and how persecution is escalating in Pakistan.

Twenty years ago, Marcus witnessed the growth of the church in China, despite a season of intense persecution. He says he sees the same phenomenon today in Iran, where faithful believers are bold in sharing the gospel and distributing God's Word—and where there is intense persecution. He'll share how Iranian Christians are seen as allies to Israel and, when arrested, often charged with espionage, a crime that carries the death penalty.

The North Caucasus is a predominantly Muslim region of Russia. Marcus will share what it is like to be a Christian there. Listen for the story of Marcus meeting a believer in the region and sharing about the work of The Voice of the Martyrs to help persecuted Christians who sacrifice and suffer in order to follow Christ.

"Is there any other option besides that?" the brother asked. "There is no Christian in Dagestan that didn't have to pay a price."

Marcus will share how a Christian leader says he's never seen the level of brutality against Christians in Pakistan that he's seeing now. Marcus will also share how we can pray for persecuted brothers and sisters in Pakistan, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan.

The number of believers needing a Bible in Iran and many other nations is increasing. If you'd like to be part of advancing toward the goal of a Bible for every believer, visit www.vomradio.net/donate.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria and Bangladesh, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Ten years ago this month, Petr Jasek traveled to Sudan on behalf of The Voice of the Martyrs to meet with and encourage Sudanese Christians. At the airport on his way out of the country, Petr was arrested and later sentenced to life in prison. His first prison cellmates were ISIS fighters—men who hated Christians and quickly began to persecute Petr.

Petr Jasek spent 445 days in Sudanese custody. Listen this week as Petr shares about his first night in a jail cell, how God uniquely prepared him with a dream and how he discovered that his cellmates were radical Muslim ISIS fighters. In prison, Petr felt the Lord's presence very near as—once he received a Bible—he spent hours every day reading the Bible and praying.

In Petr's lowest moments, God brought to his mind the names and faces of other persecuted Christians—men and women Petr had met during his years overseeing VOM's work in Africa. He began to pray for other persecuted believers and his spirit lifted as his focus changed from his own difficulties to praying for other Christians. The story of Petr's imprisonment—and the ministry God allowed him inside—is told in his book, Imprisoned with ISIS: Faith in the Face of Evil.

Days after returning home, Petr sat down with VOM Radio to share his story and thank the thousands of people who prayed for him and his Sudanese co-defendants during his long months in prison. To hear Petr share the entire story of his arrest, imprisonment, and eventual release, go to www.vomradio.net/petr.

This interview was recorded during the VOM National Conference in Bartlesville, OK, where Petr shared how his time in prison and the lessons he learned there still impact him ten years later. To view a video version of Petr's interview, go to VOM's YouTube channel.

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There are more cell phones in the world than cars, toilets, or people. What if each of those phones could be turned into a Bible? Using their backgrounds in electrical engineering and software development, David and Josiah Palusky have developed technology tools to help Christian workers spread the gospel in places where people are unreached and there is often Christian persecution.

David is the founder and president of Renew Outreach. He will share how the ministry began and tools they've developed to help provide unreached people in remote places with access God's Word. Josiah, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Renew, explains efforts to help persecuted Christians around the world share the gospel using emerging technology.

They will share stories of camels preaching the gospel using LightStream devices, leading an entire family to meet Christ, how AI disguised a Christian brother's voice, and how Christians in restricted nations and hostile areas can revolutionize communities for Jesus.

David also recounts the story of he and his sister hearing Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, the founder of The Voice of the Martyrs, share Richard's story of persecution in Romania at a remote Christian camp in Minnesota. That one sermon deeply impacted the lives of both David and his sister—an impact they still feel almost 40 years later.

Today, the Lord has put on their hearts to further the Great Commission among the deaf community, one of the least-reached groups in the world. Using Visual Vernacular to tell the Bible story from creation to Christ, Renew is hearing of new believers and baptisms among the deaf community weekly!

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In 2018, Huldah's husband was martyred for his Christian witness. Family and friends urged Huldah to leave the village, to retreat to a safer location. She refused, and seven years later she is still living and serving the Lord in the same village. "My God is great, and He will take care of me," she says.

Listen as Huldah shares how God has cared for her since her husband's death, often using members of Christ's body to serve and support her in times of need.

She'll also talk about the process of forgiveness. Huldah still sees the people who killed her husband, yet she doesn't hold a grudge in her heart but instead has forgiven them.

Hear what Huldah's ministry looks like today in the village, and how she lives out Matthew 25:40's call to serve the Lord by caring for the least of these. Huldah will also encourage widows and those who feel like, because of age or a loss they've experienced, they can no longer be used by the Lord—sharing the very truths with which the Lord has encouraged her.

To read more of Huldah's story, get your free copy of Hearts of Fire 2. You'll be inspired by Huldah's story, along with those of other women who stood boldly for Christ in the face of Christian persecution.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like India, China and Iran throughout the year, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Over the last fifteen years living and ministering in South Asia, Brian, a leader with Operation Mobilization, has witnessed numerous changes. One aspect that hasn't changed is openness to the gospel.

Brian will explain where Christian persecution usually begins and how it can feature a mix of family, community, and/or the government coming against the church and against new followers of Jesus. Emphasizing that God is the one who changes hearts and minds, Brian shares how, when we read the New Testament, we see that God is sovereign even over the persecution He allows His children to endure.

"[Christian persecution] causes believers to grow in their faith." Brian says, "I think it's a real witness that this faith is so much bigger than what is happening to me in this world."

OM's mission is to grow the church and mobilize followers of Christ to go and make disciples, teaching them to obey everything the Lord has commanded. Brian will share specific stories of how Christians in Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka are being mobilized to spread the gospel where they are and take Jesus into new communities where there aren't any churches.

One story you will hear is that of a young girl, only 6 or 7 years old, who so passionately shared Jesus with her classmates that her teacher said, "Why don't you share this message with the entire school?" You'll also hear about a witch doctor who saw his son healed after praying for healing in the name of Christ.

Discover how you can get involved in missions—whatever stage of life you're in—and what Brian considers the most vital qualities for those who desire to serve and reach out among unreached people groups or in foreign nations. Pray for persecuted Christians in South Asia to run the race with boldness and increased fervor for the Lord.

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In India, carrying a Bible to a meeting—or even offering a Hindu tea and cookies—could be construed as illegally "enticing" that Hindu to change his or her religion. Under anti-conversion laws currently enacted by 12 of India's states, such "enticement" can result in a long prison sentence. And once charges are filed against a pastor or other Christian, there is no presumption of innocence; it is up to the accused to prove their innocence.

Sister Joti, a human rights lawyer in India, has worked on numerous religious freedom cases. She will tell listeners about 80 pastors currently in prison, accused of "forcible conversion."

Listen as Joti shares how the courts have tried to navigate the seeming opposites of a constitutional promise of the freedom to practice and propagate one's religion and state laws that require a person to notify the government, in advance, of their conversion. She'll also tell how she and her coworkers are advising pastors and churches to document interactions with Hindus and even record their sermons in order to create an evidence trail against possible future legal challenges.

Joti knows her work could put her in danger, yet boldly continues in what God has called her to do. "The work impacts real lives and real people," she says. "I am here to serve, for as long as I can."

Pray for Christians in India to be bold in showing love to their neighbors, and for lawyers like Joti on the frontlines serving persecuted Christians in the court.

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On November 5th, a judge in Malaysia will deliver a verdict in the case of Susanna Koh vs. the Malaysian government and members of the police believed to be involved in the abduction of her husband, Pastor Raymond Koh. Raymond disappeared off the streets of Malaysia in 2017; he hasn't been seen or heard from since, and his car has never been found. Susanna and her children shared their story at The Voice of the Martyrs' National Conference in September. They are asking Christians around the world to pray ahead of this important court verdict.

Susanna shared how she sees, in hindsight, that God was preparing Raymond ahead of his abduction. He was memorizing large sections of Scripture, taking long prayer walks, and even driving around Malaysia to pray for God's Spirit to move in different areas.

After he was abducted, Susanna went to the police station to file a missing person's report. Instead of asking questions designed to locate Pastor Raymond, police interrogated Susanna. They demanded information about her husband's ministry activities and accused him of evangelizing ethnic Malay people.

In the days since the abduction, God has used Christian music, prayer, and Scripture to encourage her, even though there were times she was angry with the police who repeatedly interrogated her. One day, she was convicted of her anger and unforgiveness towards the police; she repented for her sin. Susanna will share how the Lord led her to go the extra mile to demonstrate forgiveness for her husband's persecutors.

Susanna and her family filed a civil case against the Malaysian government and the police in 2020. Listen as she shares how she sought the Lord ahead of filing the case and how the Lord confirmed her decision to move forward.

Not knowing what happened to Pastor Raymond has been hard for Susanna and her family, freezing their grief. "The unknown is a struggle," Susanna said, "but we will go into the court with an attitude of victory, because Jesus has already won through His blood on the cross." She also takes joy in knowing that Raymond's story of faithfulness has gone around the world and encouraged many Christians.

You'll also hear from Raymond and Susanna's children, Esther, Jonathan, and Elizabeth, as they share their struggles and share memories of their father.

You can watch a special video podcast of this interview at www.vom.org/koh. Pray for the verdict coming up on November 5th. Pray for the judge. Pray that there will be justice and the truth will be revealed.

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"I just want the Bible. How much does it cost?"

First, the young Druze woman tried to access and read her own religion's holy book. But she wasn't allowed to read it. Then she tried to find a Quran. Finally, she came to a church and asked to purchase a Bible, worried she wouldn't have enough money to pay for it. The pastor told her that God's Word is priceless, but that he would give it to her without cost. Shocked, she took the Bible and began to read, eventually giving her life to Jesus.

Brother Michael, a gospel worker in the Middle East, will share more of this young woman's powerful story and the Christian persecution she faced from her family while standing firm in Christ. In spite of persecution, even locked in a room, she continued to share the gospel.

Learn what it's like to live as a Christian in the Middle East, and what believers face after leaving Muslim or Druze backgrounds to follow Christ. As believers engage in conversations with family and friends, they carefully plant spiritual seeds while testing their listeners' hearts to see if they are ready to go deeper.

Brother Michael also shares how he trains and leads discipleship through Discovery Bible Study groups, which are multiplying as new believers share their personal testimonies with family and friends. One group started with nine believers, but today has multiplied into more than twenty groups with 150 believers!

Hear how you can pray specifically for Brother Michael and our persecuted Christian family in the Middle East.

The International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP) is next Sunday! The Voice of the Martyrs offers resources to help you and your church pray for persecuted Christians on November 2–and throughout the year. Be sure to watch the new short film telling the story of ongoing Christian persecution in Democratic Republic of Congo—and how God is bringing healing to Christians who've suffered attacks and trauma. Access all the IDOP resources here.

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Churches in Algeria have been closed by the government. Pastors have been threatened. But ministry continues. Pastor Abraham and Sara are back on VOM Radio this week to continue our conversation about God's work in the Middle East and North Africa—and the Christian persecution that Christ's followers face.

Listen for the story of one pastor who has repeatedly changed his phone number because of constant threats. Yet he remains in his country and continues to share the gospel with Muslims.

They will also offer an update on the situation for Christians in Syria as we near the one-year anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime.

Abraham and Sara will also share how Christians fleeing violence and danger in the region are going as missionaries to their new homelands—sometimes reaching their countrymen even in far-off lands!

You'll be equipped to pray for Christians in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Algeria and other nations as you listen this week.

The International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP) is only weeks away. The Voice of the Martyrs offers resources to help you and your church pray for persecuted Christians on November 2–and throughout the year. Be sure to watch the new short film telling the story of ongoing Christian persecution in Democratic Republic of Congo—and how God is bringing healing to Christians who've suffered attacks and trauma. Access all the IDOP resources here.

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Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and their countries amidst war and upheaval in the Middle East. Pastor Abraham and Sara are living as representatives of God’s love to displaced people in the Middle East. The ministry can be messy and difficult, yet they persist in demonstrating love in practical ways. And they are seeing great fruit for their ministry.

Abraham and Sara will share how one woman—the widow of an imam—had heard all kinds of negative things about Christians. But when she came to the church, she found something very different: people who loved her and helped her. Listen to hear the story of how God answered the woman’s prayer within 24 hours, and how a dream led her to commit her life to Jesus.

Leaving Islam behind to follow Jesus comes with a cost, though. Abraham and Sara will also share what Christian persecution looks like in the region, including pressure from families or tribes as well as Islamists or government authorities.

“We are planting seeds,” Sara says, “we are the tools for His Kingdom.”

Pray for Abraham & Sara’s ministry as they serve lost and forgotten people in the Middle East and seek to reveal Christ’s love for them.

The International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP) is only a few weeks away. The Voice of the Martyrs offers resources to help you and your church pray for persecuted Christians on November 2—and throughout the year. Be sure to watch the new short film telling the story of ongoing persecution in Democratic Republic of Congo—and how God is bringing healing to Christians who’ve suffered attacks and trauma. Access all the IDOP resources here.

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In Malaysia, every citizen carries an ID card that includes religion; every person is classified as either “Muslim” or “Non-Muslim.” The Malaysian constitution promises religious freedom and the right to choose one’s religion. So what happens if a citizen changes their faith?

“Brother Samuel” will answer that question this week on VOM Radio. Born into a Muslim family, he came to know that Jesus was the Son of God, then chose to leave Islam behind to follow Christ. At first, he kept his newfound faith quiet, knowing that being publicly identified as a follower of Jesus could bring all kinds of trouble.

But as he grew in faith, he felt convicted about his silence. Jesus had died for him. How could he be unwilling even to acknowledge Christ?

Learning of his conversion, Samuel’s family encouraged him to dive more deeply into Islamic training and activities. Wanting to honor his father and his family, Samuel agreed to attend Islamic classes. But instead of bringing him back to Mohammed, the training forced him to become more rooted in Biblical truth and more capable at explaining and defending Christian doctrines.

In 2018, Samuel began the process of applying for a new national ID card, changing his religion from “Muslim” to “non-Muslim.” Seven years later, his court case is still dragging on.

While the most famous case of Christian persecution in Malaysia is the abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh, Samuel says there are hundreds of Christians right now in the same situation he’s in: trying to get the government to issue them new ID cards that accurately reflect their faith. Please pray this week for Samuel and for other Christians in Malaysia.

Next month is the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP). The Voice of the Martyrs has resources to help you and your church pray for persecuted Christians on November 2 and throughout the year, including a new film telling the story of ongoing persecution in Democratic Republic of Congo. Access all VOM’s IDOP resources here.

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After dozens of churches and Christians’ homes in Jaranwala, Pakistan, were attacked, looted and burned by a mob, Christians gathered in and around the ruins of their former church buildings to sing and worship the Lord. The words they sang were directly from Scripture: Psalms of lament; reminders that even in times of suffering we can come to the Lord and trust in His sovereignty.

Dr. Yousaf Sadiq, professor at Wheaton College and co-leader of the Lausanne Persecuted Church Initiative, is back on VOM Radio, sharing the story of the Punjabi Psalter: what it is and how it has impacted the church in Pakistan and parts of India for generations.

“I want the world to know this fascinating story and what it means for the church in Pakistan.” Yousaf says, “It’s such a precious heritage.”

Dr. Yousaf will also share about his work to support and include the ministry of persecuted Christians into the work of the Lausanne Movement.

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Dr. Yousaf Sadiq was born into a Christian family in Pakistan. He will share how his ancestors came to faith in Christ in India out of Hinduism. While his parents never had the opportunity to go to school and learn to read and write, Yousaf shares how they saw education as a privilege.

His mother worked as a cleaner at a local school so that Yousaf and some of his ten siblings would have an opportunity to be educated. In the evenings, he would help his mother clean the school where he was a student during the day. Despite their deep poverty, Yousaf gratefully recounts how his family’s needs were always met.

Today Yousaf is a professor at Wheaton College and co-leader of the Lausanne Persecuted Church Initiative. He remembers how his parents invested time and energy in training their children to walk with the Lord, and how they led by example.

“There was a strong training and guidance by our parents,” Yousaf said, “They would wake up early in the morning to pray, showing us that prayer was vital.”

Yousaf also shares what it looks like to live in Pakistan as a Christian. There are many pressures within the society, but Yousaf understood at a young age that Christian persecution is part of following Christ.

“I felt not only strengthened but also privileged that this was happening,” he says.

Pray for persecuted Christians in Pakistan and be encouraged by the faith our brothers and sisters display. You can learn more about Christian persecution in Pakistan through VOM Radio interviews with Dr. Michael Reeves, “Brother Johanna” and Kenneth Charles.

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“We are Christians. [Persecution] can happen any time.”

As the pastor of an illegal house church in China, “Brother Enfu” knows the truth of that statement. Listen as he shares why and how he prepares his wife and children for the day he may eventually be arrested and sent to prison.

He will give an update on Christian persecution in China and how believers there are responding faithfully despite increasing government pressure. Enfu will explain how a new law prohibits foreigners in China from talking about their faith—even in private settings. He’ll also share how the CCP’s persecution strategy has changed, charging pastors and other church leaders with “fraud” or other financial crimes rather than using overtly religious criminal charges.

“Christianity is the narrow way, and the government is warning people about it,” Enfu says. Instead of large church events, the gospel is spreading through one-on-one conversations with co-workers or neighbors as Christians share what Jesus has done in their lives.

Brother Enfu encourages pastors and church leaders he trains to stay in China and serve Christians there, rather than leaving China for a more comfortable position in the West. He says that when he hears of a brother or sister imprisoned for their faith, it’s an encouragement to him, even as he acknowledges the suffering they are enduring.

Pastor Wang Yi is one of those Chinese pastors who stayed in China and stood firm in his faith. He is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence. Pray Chinese believers will be faithful in their daily life and ministry and pray for government leaders, including President Xi Jinping, to find and follow Christ.

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“Brother Bayram” is back to finish the conversation we began last week. He came to the United States from Türkiye (formerly Turkey) to further his education and start a business. One day, a Christian woman came to his business and gave Bayram a New Testament. He began to read, beginning a path that would lead him to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Son of God.

Hear stories of people in Türkiye leaving Islam and embracing Jesus Christ—and the persecution they’ve endured for making that decision. What are the truths that draw them? What are the misunderstandings of the gospel that Christians can address with Muslims? How do new Christians in Türkiye think about revealing to Muslim family members that they now follow Christ?

Bayram will tell the story of a young atheist who, after talking with Bayram for an entire evening, saw Jesus in two dreams. This young man embraced the gospel and became a follower of Jesus. It was a costly decision: as soon as he became a Christian, everyone around him became an enemy.

Listen as Bayram equips us to pray for Türkiye and for our Christian brothers and sisters there. You can connect online with Brother Bayram and his ministry at www.albtci.org.

In the VOM Radio archives, you can hear David Byle tell his story of persecution in Türkiye. You may also be interested in hearing American Pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife, Norine, tell their story of imprisonment and persecution there.

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Brother Bayram came to the United States from Türkiye (Turkey) to further his education. He started a business, where one day a Christian customer gave Bayram a New Testament. He began to read it, the beginning of a path that would lead him to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and the Son of God.

It was a costly decision: his devout Muslim wife divorced him and wouldn’t allow him to see their daughter. His brother had Bayram committed to a mental hospital, thinking anyone who would leave Islam was mentally unstable.

It has been a difficult road, but Bayram’s faith has only grown stronger as he has seen God work in his life and his country. Listen as he shares the story of his journey to Christ, and how his family pressured him to return to Islam and persecuted him for his Christian faith. He’ll also share stories of others still meeting Jesus in Türkiye.

Bayram will encourage and instruct listeners about how we—like the woman who gave him a New Testament—might help lead Muslims where we are toward Christ.

You can connect online with Brother Bayram and his ministry at www.albtci.org.

We’ll finish this conversation with Bayram next week on VOM Radio. Between now and then, you can hear David Byle tell his story of persecution in Türkiye. You may also be interested in hearing American Pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife, Norine, tell their story of imprisonment and persecution in Türkiye.

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Hana Menghisteab is back on VOM Radio this week in a follow-up conversation after sharing with us on the 20th anniversary of her father’s arrest in Eritrea. This week, Hana shares how that interview—really the first time she’d spoken publicly about her father and her family’s suffering—was painful, but also how God used it to open a door for healing in her life.

Before his arrest in 2004, Dr. Tecleab Menghisteab was a medical doctor and a leader in the Eritrean Orthodox Church. He is one of more than 300 Christians currently in prison in Eritrea.

Hana was six years old when her father was arrested. Hana will tell how growing up without her father left her wounded in many areas of her life. However, Hana says, “God does not waste pain; He doesn’t waste the years of tears.” Instead, the Lord uses suffering to display His glory.

Hana says her interview last year opened wounds she’d wanted to keep covered up. “God forced me to reopen them and partake in my father’s suffering,” she says. She’ll tell how the Lord has allowed her to surrender her wounds to Him and encouraged her to be bold in sharing her story with others.

She’ll also share how an internship at VOM impacted her understanding of suffering and how God works through it. Hearing and reading stories of sisters and brothers also afflicted with suffering for their faith has shown Hana the beauty of those scars, even amidst the pain.

Listen to Hana’s previous visit with VOM Radio.

There are a few seats remaining at VOM’s From the Field 2025 National Conference. The conference will take place in Bartlesville, Oklahoma September 25-27. Attendees will hear from persecuted Christians—including several former VOM Radio guests—during the conference. Learn more and register online today.

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When Yang Rongli, a pastor of Linfen Golden Lampstand Church in Shanxi Province, China, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, she responded with words of celebration.

“I got the top reward!” she said, considering it an honor to suffer for Christ and referring to the fact that her prison sentence was longer than other church members. She and her husband, Pastor Wang Xiaoguang, remain in prison.

Listen this week as Bob Fu, former prisoner for Christ in China and the founder and president of China Aid Association, shares updates from persecuted Christians in China, including Pastor John Cao, Pastor Wang Yi, and other Chinese Christians. The Chinese Communist Party continues to pursue absolute government control of churches and other religious institutions in China. Pastors and church leaders face long prison sentences for “fraud” when their church collects tithes and offerings, or “illegal border crossing” if they travel to meet with fellow believers outside China.

Despite being prevented from leaving China following the completion of his seven-year prison sentence, Pastor John Cao continues serving the Lord through daily prayer meetings. He’s even baptized new believers—despite Communist guards required to escort him everywhere he goes!

Bob Fu, author of God’s Double Agent, reports on recent church raids in China, including arrests of children attending Vacation Bible School. The Communist Party forbids any religious outreach or training for children under age 18.

With two years remaining in his nine-year sentence, Pastor Wang Yi has composed books in his head during his time in prison, as well as praying daily through a list of more than 1,000 prayer requests. You can write letters of encouragement to Wang Yi and other Christian prisoners in China, Eritrea, Iran and other nations at www.PrisonerAlert.com.

There are a few seats remaining at VOM’s From the Field 2025 National Conference. The conference will take place in Bartlesville, Oklahoma September 25-27. Attendees will hear from Bob Fu and other persecuted Christians—including several former VOM Radio guests—during the conference. Learn more and register online today.

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Do we really believe that to live is Christ, and to die is gain?

After serving for more than a decade as a gospel worker and church planter in Asia, Brother Kevin asks all believers to consider whether we actually live as if we believe these words from Philippians 1:21. He says that of ten people who come to faith in Christ in the area where he works, nine recant when the pressure of persecution rises. Yet seeing the joyful endurance of the one who remains faithful is a great source of encouragement to him.

Kevin will share how the Lord called him to serve unreached people groups in Asia, and explain what a new believer is likely to face when they come to Christ in a Buddhist and animistic culture, where persecution usually begins at the family or village level.

Because of fear-based animistic practices and the communal culture, the entire community feels like they are at risk when a member of their community becomes a Christian. Kevin has walked with friends who’ve been put in prison or kicked out of their villages. Some are living in tents because they refused to recant their commitment to Christ. Yet they meet these hardships with joy, responding in faith and perseverance to their persecution.

Kevin will discuss how individualistic worldviews in Western nations like the United States compare to the collective Asian culture, and how believers show the unity within Christ’s body as they rely on each other when part of the body is hurting.

Learn more about the church in Asia and how to pray for Christians there and around the world who face persecution for owning a Bible, gathering for a church service, or simply wearing the name of Christ.

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Some Christians in Malaysia—ethnically Chinese or Indian believers—have freedom to practice their faith in Christ. But if an ethnic Malay person becomes a believer in Jesus, he or she will face intense Christian persecution. The Malaysian government sees ethnic Malay people as off limits for evangelism and holds them subject to Islamic Shariah law.

“To be Malay is to be Muslim,” says Carter Gates, leader of VOM’s international ministry work in Asia/Pacific. “Ethnic Malay’s can’t even [openly] say they are interested in learning more about Jesus.”

As Carter meets with VOM’s ministry partners, one shared key hindrances that keep Malays from following Christ and the questions he uses as he engages them in gospel conversation. One of those questions: are you ready to die for Jesus? Gates says he was challenged as he thought about evangelism in free nations versus in Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, China and other restricted areas and hostile nations.

“This pastor is in a context where he knows what [sacrifice] means,” Carter says. “We should consider these costs in America too.”

We’ll also share an update on the court case over the forced disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh in 2017. A verdict is expected in the case in November. Listen to what Susanna Koh shared during her first visit with VOM Radio about how she and her family struggled after her husband's abduction. She also shares how the Lord helped her to forgive those who persecuted her husband. Please pray for truth to be revealed through this legal process and pray for the Koh family as they await the verdict.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians—in Iran and other nations—throughout the year, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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This week, Carter Gates, leader of VOM’s work in the Asia/Pacific Region, shares about a recent gathering of VOM front-line workers, where they spent time in fellowship, sharing stories and encouraging one another to continue serving persecuted Christians. These men and women minister in some of the most dangerous places to follow Christ, and are often the first responders when Christian persecution happens.

You will hear updates from Myanmar, Laos, and North Korea, places where following Jesus can mean losing everything. Between political unrest, spiritual oppression, pressure from local leaders, economic retaliation and rejection from family, believers in this region are squeezed on every side. Yet, as Carter shares, Christians in these nations remain steadfast and faithful, unshaken despite immense pressure.

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Established 28 years ago by Congress, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is charged with monitoring religious persecution around the world, reporting to Congress, the President, and the Secretary of State and making recommendations on advancing religious freedom through US foreign policy.

Vicky Hartzler is the current chair of USCIRF. Prior to that appointment, she served in Congress from the state of Missouri. Even before her service in Congress, Hartzler came with a group from her church to volunteer at The Voice of the Martyrs. Listen as she shares more about her role in reporting on and seeking religious freedom for our brothers and sisters in restricted areas and hostile nations. She’ll also share her own experiences of advocating on behalf of persecuted Christians directly to leaders of other nations.

After getting VOM’s monthly magazine and reading Richard Wurmbrand’s story in Tortured for Christ, her eyes were opened to Christian persecution and she was moved to pray for our persecuted Christian family, taking Hebrews 13:3 to heart.

Hartzler was impacted by her time serving at VOM. Her heart was also moved when she met a Chinese Christian woman at her church. The woman shared how she’d felt alone in solitary confinement in China—until she had a vision from the Lord of people praying for her.

“God may be enabling somebody in prison to see and to hear our prayers—and to be encouraged,” Hartzler says.

In Congress, Hartzler adopted three Christian prisoners in China to advocate on behalf of. Pastor Wang Yi—one of the three—is still in prison, serving out his nine-year sentence. You can write a letter to him, and petition government officials on his behalf, at PrisonerAlert.com.

Listen for ways you can pray for USCIRF’s work and for followers of Christ working in government to advance religious freedom around the world.

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Neda was born in Iran to a Muslim family. She grew up as a Muslim and married a well-known Iranian athlete. But their marriage was on the rocks. At 22, feeling broken and empty, Neda called out to Allah for help. But she found no solace, and grew angry and disillusioned with a god that refused to answer her prayers.

As Neda’s heart continued searching, God supernaturally told a family member living in the Netherlands to go back to Iran and share the gospel of Jesus.

Neda came to faith in Christ through her relative’s witness and her life was radically transformed. Her husband, surprised and amazed by the change he saw in her, placed his trust in Jesus too. God faithfully restored their marriage and called them to ministry.

Neda drew strength from the stories of other persecuted Christians. She read a story in a book from The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) about a girl who was assaulted and became pregnant. Yet she responded with remarkable faith by entrusting everything, even her body, to God. God used this story to teach Neda about the importance of obedience and sacrifice despite fear of persecution and threats of imprisonment and violence.

Over the next thirteen years, Neda and her husband faced increasing persecution from the Islamic government. In one incident, officials raided their home and threatened her husband at gunpoint. She and her husband ultimately decided to leave Iran, yet they continue to serve from abroad through Iran Alive Ministries.

Neda encourages every Christian to lay down their own desires and fully surrender to God's will—even when it means taking up their cross and enduring suffering and persecution. She also shares specific ways to pray for Christians in Iran during the current turmoil there.

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Last week Brian and Louise Hogan, trainers to church planters and former missionaries to Mongolia, shared about their efforts to plant a church in Mongolia—and the high cost they paid for serving there when their infant son died. This week, listen as they unwrap some of the principles they learned in that process, lessons they are now teaching to pastors and church leaders around the world, including hostile areas and restricted nations where VOM works.

Brian, the author of There’s a Sheep in My Bathtub and An A-Z of Near-Death Adventures, says that many in Western churches want to “buy a box” and follow a checklist for church planting, skipping the difficult process of seeking the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance. He challenges church planters to empty themselves of their own culture and learn the people and culture of where they are church planting, while always keeping in step with the New Testament.

“If we don’t see it in the New Testament,” Brian says, “then we’re not going to institute it on the nations.”

Brian and Louise also share how generous and missions-minded the church in Mongolia is. They ask, “What can we do to obey Jesus?”

As Brian & Louise train Mongolian missionaries to go out to the nations, these radical church planters know that the core of missions is the church. They are not willing that anyone should be unreached. A nation that once sent out violent conquerors is now sending missionaries committed to conquering hearts with the Prince of Peace.

Please pray for Mongolian Christians, and for church planters throughout the world as they work and sacrifice to bring every tribe, tongue, and nation into fellowship with Christ.

Listen also for a special testimony from a former prisoner for Christ in Uzbekistan, Dmitry “David” Shestakov. Hear the difference it made when Christians around the world wrote letters to him in prison, then go and write letters to Christians in prison right now at PrisonerAlert.com. You can also hear Shestakov share his story in this episode of VOM Radio.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as providing free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Brian and Louise Hogan, missionaries and church planters in Mongolia, responded to God’s call with obedience. They arrived in the city of Erdenet in the early 1990s; there were no churches in the city. After the conversion of 14 teenage girls, they witnessed the birth and growth of a church community.

However, as Scripture reminds us, forward motion in God’s kingdom often awakens spiritual resistance. As Brian noted, "Throughout history, whenever the Kingdom has advanced, someone has had to pay a terrible price."

For the Hogans, that terrible price was the sudden death of their newborn son, who passed away on Christmas Eve due to sudden infant death syndrome.

In the depths of grief and isolation, Brian and Louise felt God's closeness. They were aware that Christians around the world were praying for them. Louise found strength through a question inspired by Elisabeth Elliot: “Was I called? Was I chosen? And did I obey?”

She says it should not matter what God does with our obedience; we are simply called to obey.

Despite their loss, the Hogans chose to remain in Mongolia, grieving alongside their Mongolian Christian family. Their suffering became a powerful testimony of hope and resurrection in a culture unfamiliar with such concepts. In their loss, they were able to share unshakable Christian hope: “We are going to see our son again.”

Brian is the author of There’s a Sheep in my Bathtub and An A to Z of Near-Death Adventures.

Listen also as VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton shares information about how you can send VOM Action Packs to persecuted Christians around the world.

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Mona and Michael are zealous disciples dedicated to sharing their faith and helping those in need, particularly within their community in Egypt. Mona grew up in a Christian family and found comfort in her faith after a difficult childhood marked by her mother's death. Michael, on the other hand, discovered his faith in Jesus later in life. Together, they felt called to ministry and have committed their lives to sharing the hope and love that can only be found in Jesus.

Listen as they talk about Christian persecution faced by believers in Egypt, including discrimination in employment and education. These hardships have led church members to rely on one another. As Mona says, "The church becomes our family. We need each other."

Muslims who choose to follow Jesus often face severe persecution from family and community, and at times from the government. They may also face severe pressure from a Muslim spouse.

Mona reminds us, though, that Muslims around them are not their enemies. They know that the real enemy is the devil and emphasize that we are called to love others in the same way Christ loved us.

Michael and Mona actively support refugees from war-torn countries, including Sudan, providing food and resources regardless of religious background. These acts of care and service often open doors for conversations about faith.

Please pray for followers of Jesus in Egypt to remain strong and to be equipped to help those in need.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as give free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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“I have claimed this land for God.”

The words were written by John G. Paton and adorn the grave of his wife and child. It was a declaration of faith that God would bring the people of the New Hebrides, now Vanuatu, to Himself. The islanders were thought of as savages; in fact Paton slept on the grave to prevent the bodies of his wife and child from being eaten by cannibals.

Paton famously said, “If I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms.”

Today the islands are full of churches—even some very close to the site of Mrs. Paton’s grave.

Stephen McCaskell is the producer and director of a six-part video series called Missionary, which includes an episode about Paton, as well as others which tell the stories of famous missionaries. Listen as he tells why the church today needs the example of men and women sent by God and obedient to the Great Commission. Watch this behind-the-scenes video of Stephen and the team tracking down Paton’s legacy in Vanuatu.

He'll also share about filming in England on the path of William Tyndale, as well as stories of David Livingston, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor and William Carey. Stephen also shares what he wants viewers and churches to take away after viewing the Missionary film series.

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After working in South Asia and living in Nepal for 18 years, Matthew Hanson has taken on leadership of The Voice of the Martyrs international ministry efforts on a new region: West and Central Africa (WACA). Listen as he tells how the persecution of Christians looks different in Africa from South Asia.

The church in Africa is large; attacks on Christians there often affect a larger scale. Radical Islamist groups are the main persecutors in his region, and Matthew will share how it’s affecting believers in his region, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria and Togo.

Just in the DRC, there are 100+ active rebel groups. Church attacks and the displacement of followers of Christ has become sadly common. How does The Voice of the Martyrs respond to the intense persecution Christians in his region are facing? Listen as Matthew explains how he and his team evaluate needs and work through partnerships and local believers to help meet those needs and encourage believers.

Matthew will share about the ministry of presence and how it plays such a key part of helping with trauma recovery for persecuted Christians. As Islamist groups move into places like northern Togo, a new addition to VOM’s Global Prayer Map, Matthew and his team are hearing new reports of persecution and needs that VOM can help to meet.

“The church does an incredible job of serving one another,” Matthew says, “it’s a community of believers coming together, and it’s really exciting.”

Hear stories from Matthew about a woman’s joy when she received a Bible provided by VOM, the holy moment when eight new believers from Muslim backgrounds took the step of baptism, and the story of a kidnapped Christian miraculously saved from a jihadist group. Please pray for persecuted Christians in West and Central Africa.

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Miguel Angel Angeles, executive director of Bethel Radio & TV, shares the history of a ministry that started with one Christian asking a radio station to play audio cassettes of his sermons on the air. As the radio ministry encouraged and built up the church, it expanded into Venezuela, Colombia, and other areas. Today, Bethel is a network of hundreds of radio and television stations, based in Peru and reaching Spanish speakers all over Latin America and the world.

Miguel will share about his own start serving in IT with Bethel TV, and how he came to understand the importance of bringing awareness of the persecuted body of Christ through Bethel programming.

“My first time listening about the persecuted church was when Petr Jasek came to a conference in Peru to share his testimony,” Miguel said, “and it created a hunger for me to learn more.”

After hearing Petr Jasek speak at a conference about his own arrest in Sudan, Miguel’s church began to meet every Monday to pray for the persecuted church and to learn more about fellow believers facing Christian persecution. Week after week, God prepared Miguel’s heart as it was continuously stretched by the stories of bold faith in the face of hostility and persecution. After reading Tortured for Christ, by Richard Wurmbrand, the founder of The Voice of the Martyrs, Miguel knew he needed to share about persecuted Christians with the broader church in Latin America and with his radio audience.

Listen as Miguel shares the heart of his church for missions. Churches dedicate one Sunday a month to focus on missions and missionaries. You and your church will be encouraged to make missions and praying for persecuted Christians a regular part of your worship gatherings as well.

Pray this week for Miguel, his family, and Bethel Radio & TV as they continue serving the Lord and sharing the voice of persecuted Christians with Spanish-speaking people around the world.

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Nik Ripken and his wife, Ruth, spent decades sitting down with hundreds of persecuted Christians in restricted nations and hostile areas around the world. They didn’t go to instruct these bold believers. They went to learn from them.

The lessons they learned were published in The Insanity of God, Nik’s book, and now he and Ruth have created a video series called Insanity Unleashed. In this series, they share lessons from believers in persecution to help Christians everywhere know how to live as sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16). The lessons come from more than 650 interviews with persecuted Christians in more than 70 countries.

Listen this week to hear stories from Nik and Ruth about their travels and what they’ve learned from persecuted Christians. They’ll share how meeting believers in other countries gave them a better understanding of the Biblical truth that we are all part of one global Body of Christ. Nik and Ruth have been humbled by the fervent prayers of brothers and sisters around the world as they pray for Christians in free nations.

Nik will explain how this video series has the aim of raising up evangelists and church planters who will go to the unreached, rather than only pastors and teachers who are trained to minister to those who’ve already heard the gospel.

“[Many American seminaries and Bible colleges] train you up to be sheep among sheep,” Nik says. “We are teaching [Christians] how to be sheep among wolves.”

Ruth and Nik also share advice on succeeding in the marathon of ministry, including the importance of daily time in God’s Word and memorizing scripture—just as our persecuted family does as they prepare for persecution.

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In April, we asked VOM Radio listeners to sponsor Bible delivery to Christians living in restricted nations and hostile areas. This week, Ty Scott, VOM’s Regional Leader for East and Southern Africa, tells us about the work and effort involved in actually placing Bibles into the hands of Christians living in cities and villages in Sudan, Tanzania, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Statistically, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania are majority-Christian nations. Yet each has communities where almost every person is a Muslim. How is the gospel spreading in such places? And how are new followers of Christ treated by their families and the wider Islamic community?

Ty will share about family persecution in Comoros, a country we’ve never discussed on VOM Radio, where Christians comprise only tenths of a percent of the population.

Listen as Ty and VOM Radio Host, Todd Nettleton, discuss places where ethnic identity and Islam are completely intertwined. As gospel workers share the hope of Christ in those places, they don’t ask people to leave their ethnicity but to fulfill what God would have them be.

Hear the amazing testimony of a young man who brought his father, an imam (Islamic prayer leader), to faith in Christ, and how the gospel brought many into Christ’s kingdom through his father’s witness. Ty will also share specific ways you can pray for Christians in eastern and southern Africa.

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In a community-based culture like Afghanistan, it’s difficult to hide one’s faith. When an Afghan commits to following Christ, it’s not long until those around him or her notice a difference. This creates an opportunity for gospel witness.

Or for Christian persecution.

Author John Weaver, long-time gospel worker in Afghanistan, joins VOM Radio this week to update listeners on that nation and how Christians are faring since the Taliban retook control of the government in 2021.

John explains how a new Christian’s family and tribal background often influence what type of persecution they face, and how their persecutors may come from multiple levels: their own family members, tribal leaders and/or the Taliban government.

Despite these challenges for believers, ministry, evangelism and discipleship are still happening in Afghanistan—and among Afghans all around the world. Through careful, prayerful conversations Afghan Christians are planting gospel seeds, always aware that every person they share with could become their brother in Christ, or their persecutor. Pray Afghan Christians have wisdom and discernment about these conversations and whom they can trust to share their love for Jesus.

You can learn about John Weaver’s work in Afghanistan by reading his books, Inside Afghanistan and A Flame on the Front Line.

Listen for ways you can pray specifically for Afghan Christians and their persecutors. Hear John Weaver’s previous conversations with VOM Radio by visiting www.vomradio.net/weaver. John also wrote a book about meeting his wife in Afghanistan and their Afghan Christian wedding in Najiba: A Love Story From Afghanistan.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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After three churches were burned and 5,000 Christian books destroyed in a nation where Christians are persecuted, the local pastor’s response was unexpected. “They burned it. That means we are going to have new pastors!” he said. “Now, will you send us more books?”

Dr. Gary Seevers, President of Global University, leads a worldwide ministry that offers training focused on evangelism, discipleship, graduate and doctoral study programs, serving more than 3,000,000 people worldwide in 140 languages. Included in those numbers are persecuted pastors and other Christians in restricted nations and hostile areas. Sometimes instruction must be kept secret in places where persecution comes from the government, radical groups or even a Christian’s own family members.

Seevers says the goal of GU is not only book knowledge, but the ability to use that knowledge in practical ministry. A vital part of the coursework involves students taking a principle from the course and applying it within their community to serve the church and spread the gospel.

Global University students and graduates have been martyred for their ministry work, standing firm in their faith in Christ despite threats and violence. Persecution has accelerated the growth of the church globally and will continue to do so, Dr. Seevers says.

Pray for the ministry of Global University to continue to train and serve pastors and Christian leaders worldwide and for Christians persecuted for their faith to be bold witnesses who reach their communities—and even their persecutors—for Jesus.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Richard Wurmbrand, author of Tortured for Christ and cofounder of The Voice of the Martyrs, said, “When I was beaten on the bottom of my feet, my tongue cried out.” His words echo those of the Apostle Paul: “If one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Corinthians 12:26).

Listen this week as Jonathan Ekman, VOM’s Director of Global Partnerships, shares what it means to remember those who are persecuted and to tangibly assist brothers and sisters in more than 70 countries around the world. Jonathan will talk about developing and strengthening partnerships with church groups and mission organizations to enable VOM to come alongside the body of Christ in their times of suffering.

Jonathan will also talk about his own crisis management experience and lessons he’s learned—lessons he now uses to bless other ministries who may face the kidnapping of a missionary or the murder of a gospel worker.

Last year, VOM provided tangible help to more than 4,000,000 Christians around the world. Much of that help was delivered through partnerships with local church leaders, international mission organizations and other groups. These partnerships are a key part of VOM serving persecuted Christians—and reflect what it means to be part of the Body of Christ.

Jonathan will also share specific ways you can pray.

You are invited to stand with persecuted Christians by supporting the work of The Voice of the Martyrs. You can give online here.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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With a passion for serving and growing the local church, particularly in areas where it’s difficult to train and raise up leaders, Dr. Michael Reeves, President of Union School of Theology (Wales), explains how UST trains pastors and leaders in the church worldwide—including pastors for churches in hostile areas and restricted nations.

Listen as Dr. Reeves explains the importance of the education to equip church leaders to know God, love and adore Him and His ways, and know the gospel so they may effectively preach it. This training, and the deep knowledge of God is fosters, helps pastors withstand persecution when it comes.

Dr. Reeves will also share about his own missions experience living on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the lessons he learned living in a Muslim culture and seeing how Christians were treated—and how they responded.

“You become like the God you worship,” Reeves says. “When believers only have Christ—and not other substitutes for Him—it seems that they’re able to taste of that joy more deeply.

He’ll also share thoughts on how each of us can nurture our own prayer life.

Pray for believers to have a deeper knowledge of God and be inspired by the testimonies of persecuted Christians, which display beautiful evidence of the power of the gospel.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Doug Clay and Sam Brownback work in very different arenas. But both have a heart to serve Christians around the world.

Doug Clay, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God - USA, shares about the genesis of the AG church and their current goal to put a church within walking distance of all humanity—including people living in hostile areas and restricted nations.

“The finishing of the Great Commission is doable in our lifetime,” Clay says.

Clay will share three ways to pray for your pastor and how he works to help the church equip the saints to have a biblical worldview and to endure. Seeing the church as the expansion of God’s Kingdom, Doug knows it’s crucial to encourage and pray for your pastor and for church leaders around the world.

Sam Brownback served as United States Ambassador for International Religious Freedom during the first Trump administration. He has worked for decades to defend religious liberty in nations hostile to Christian teaching.

Brownback will share from his experiences meeting with leaders of foreign nations, including one conversation that led directly to the release of a Christian pastor from prison.

He’ll also share how a formerly imprisoned Christian in Saudi Arabia encouraged him to continue in the work God called him to, and how raising religious freedom issues with your elected officials can be a practical way to serve persecuted brothers and sisters. Currently, Brownback is working on a book about persecution in China.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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How is God at work amid ongoing fighting since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? Eric Mock, from the Slavic Gospel Association, wants to remind us that the gospel is going forth as Christians stay faithful to serve the Lord in spite of difficulties and hardship. He’ll share stories of Ukrainian pastors who kept up their ministries, even with Russian tanks outside their homes.

The Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) started in 1934, built on a foundation of prayer with a heart to reach those behind the Iron Curtain with the gospel. One of the ministry’s early effort was a dictation-speed recitation of the Bible broadcast over shortwave radio—allowing believers in Russia and other Soviet nations to create their own hand-written Bibles. (The Voice of the Martyrs has a similar broadcast reaching into North Korea today.)

Hear more about SGA’s history and how the Lord brought Eric to serve there in 2002 to support local churches and other ministries in 13 countries. He will describe how the fall of the Iron Curtain led to revival but then how consumerism later lessened revival fires.

Eric challenges all of us to see the examples of our brothers and sisters in Ukraine who are ministering and risking their lives for the sake of the gospel. Pray that the gospel would continue to go forth in Russia, Ukraine and other nations in the region, and that Christians would stay faithful through hardship.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Last week, Brother Nathan, a gospel worker in the Middle East, shared his testimony and how his gospel work in the Middle East led to his arrest. This week on VOM Radio, we’ll hear more about his time in prison and how the Lord opened the prison doors for release.

Listen to hear how Nathan’s wife left the country—with their two young children—not knowing when or if she would see her husband again. Nathan will also share what a powerful difference it made for him to have fellow Christian believers by his side in prison.

Nathan says it was such a gift to go through this suffering with other believers rather than alone and shares how one of those believers encouraged him not to let prison quench the evangelistic fire that burned inside him to share the gospel with Muslims.

He also tells the story of how God revealed the exact number of days he and his friends would be in prison—and how he’s seen seeds planted in prison produce gospel fruit in a very closed country since his release.

Learn how you can pray specifically for Nathan and his family, as well as Christians in the Middle East, as they face persecution.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, India, Nigeria, China and other nations throughout the year. The app also gives you free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Brother Nathan had a ministry sharing the gospel and praying with Muslims in the Middle East. He and other believers had been evangelizing for more than eight years. The responses were almost always positive. Then, out ministering with two others last year, they ran into a very different response. Nathan and his two friends found themselves in a police office, their hands behind their backs, facing a serious charge of “heralding Christianity.”

Nathan’s missionary journey started long before his arrest. At 19, Nathan joined YWAM to experience short-term mission work after deciding to give his entire life to be used by the Lord—wherever He asked Nathan to go. Nathan will share how Peter’s choice to step out of the boat onto the water with Jesus inspired him to be all in with Christ. As a young man and zealous missionary, Nathan didn’t think much about the risk of Christian persecution—until it happened.

Listen as he tells the story of his arrest and what he felt when as he realized he could be facing years in prison. Nathan will also share how the Lord relieved fear and anxiety when he and the other believers took their prison bread and the water and turned it into a sacred remembrance of Christ’s suffering: “It was almost as if Jesus just walked into the cell and took anxiety off our left shoulder, fear off our right shoulder. He gave us peace instead and then walked out…it was very supernatural.”

Nathan will share advice and encouragement to future missionaries and describe his missionary work in the Middle East. “Muslims are hungry for prayer,” Nathan shares. “They are real people with real issues who long for prayer.” Nathan had many opportunities to pray healing over Muslims and see the Lord at work.

Join us next week to hear more of Nathan’s experience in prison and how a prison cell became their mission field for Christ!

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in Syria, North Korea, Iran, China and other nations throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Nik and Ruth Ripken went to Africa as missionaries. They experienced great works of God, but also great hardship and loss. Malaria almost killed them. Four Christian friends in Somalia were killed in one day. Their 16-year-old son died suddenly.

Out of their wrestling with grief and loss God gave them a new mission: meet with persecuted Christians all over the world and learn from them. For Nik, it was a very personal quest.

“I don’t know if Jesus is trustworthy anymore. Somali believers are dead. Our son is dead. Our dreams are dead. And we want to know, Is Jesus for the tough places?”

Out of their quest Nik Ripken Ministries was born. Nik shared the lessons persecuted Christians had taught him in a book, The Insanity of God. The book eventually became a film, released shortly after this interview was recorded.

Today, Nik and Ruth host their own podcast, Witness & Persecution, and have recently launched a video-based group study, Insanity Unleashed.

Listen as Nik and Ruth share their stories of God calling them to missions from very different backgrounds, and the hardship and loss they experienced on the field in Africa as missionaries.

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Andrew Ginsberg has been the president of Operation Mobilization USA for the last six months, stepping into the role and following in the footsteps of George Verwer, founder of OM (and past VOM Radio guest). Coming from a Jewish upbringing, Andrew tells the story of the nine-year path that led him to following Jesus—and then his eventual route into full-time ministry.

Andrew shares three things the Lord taught him in the 18 months before he took over the presidency of OM-USA, preparing him to lead OM through this season. He also talks about the weight of leadership when sending gospel workers to places where their lives are at risk due to Christian persecution. Andrew is reminded that it’s his job to inform, not to stop people from being a witness for Christ.

“It’s very easy to give up control, hold my hands up, and let the Lord do the work,” Andrew says, “The gospel moves in our presence but not because of our presence.”

Andrew will also share the story of one witness in Sudan, and how OM-USA is using social media to reach individuals willing to be disciple-makers. His greatest joy is to see others called to go and spread the gospel to the unreached parts of the world.

Pray that the Lord would call more laborers into the harvest and that the gospel wildfire would continue to spread in closed nations.

OM co-founder Dale Rhoton has also been a guest on VOM Radio.

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Do you believe the Lord brought them to us so they can hear the gospel?”

The question was asked by a pastor in Aleppo, the war-torn city in Syria. Members of the Islamist group that would soon control the country were standing in front of his home, machine guns in hand.

“That’s a Kingdom-minded church!” says John Samara, a Christian from Syria and the founder and leader of Ananias House, a ministry reaching people with the love of Christ in Syria, the Middle East and North Africa.

Samara has seen God answer prayers for revival during the last 12 years of civil war in Syria. Yet he also sees more Christian persecution coming as more Muslims come to know Jesus—and as the new regime in Syria tightens it’s control over the country.

While the new government—which overthrew the longstanding Assad regime late last year—publicly says they want more religious freedom and will make a place for religious minority groups, what’s happening on the ground isn’t matching their lofty words.

“We’re looking at potential genocide against Christians in Syria,” says John. The new government grew out of a group that formerly claimed allegiance to Al Qaeda and ISIS.

John will also discuss his new book, The Victor’s Crown of Glory, living as a persecuted Christian in the Middle East, and seeing his father deal courageously with constant interrogation and interference from the secret police. Order a copy of John's book today to read amazing stories of God at work and learn how the Spirit of God speaks through us, even in times of great fear!

John spoke during The Voice of the Martyrs’ I AM N Virtual Event. You can still access this powerful event online to hear stories of faith and courage in the shadow of radical Islam. Pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in Syria to stand firm in their faith amidst rising Christian persecution.

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Dozens of foreign Christians have been quietly forced out of Türkiye in recent years.

After moving his family to Türkiye (formerly Turkey) in 2001, Jerry Mattix served in aid ministry and as a pastor. Last month he was told he is no longer allowed to enter the country—even for short visits.

Jerry and his wife grew up in missionary families with hearts for missions. During his first semester in Bible school, God grabbed Jerry’s heart for the Kurdish people in Türkiye, one of the largest unreached people groups in the world.

Listen to hear how Jerry and his wife started ministry together in Türkiye, and the story of Jerry’s first expulsion from the country in 2013, when he was labeled a “threat to national security.” Türkiye was founded as a secular republic, but in recent years government leaders have grown more open about favoring Islam. Jerry fought his first expulsion in court, and judges ruled in his favor, allowing him to reenter the country in 2016—but not to live there. Jerry and his family planted new roots in North Cyprus. They have seen the Lord’s hand at work despite their family’s upheaval.

Following the massive earthquake on February 6th, 2023, Jerry made repeated trips to Türkiye to partner with local pastors and lead international Christians in to serve in relief work.

Listen as Jerry explains the government’s decision to remove foreign Christians from Türkiye and hear how the local church has “grown legs” to carry forward the ministry as foreign workers are being forced out of the country. “We’re not praying for peace and prosperity, or for Christian persecution;” Jerry says, “We are praying for the kingdom of Christ to grow and thrive—whatever it takes.”

Pray for Jerry and other foreign Christians who have been kicked out of Türkiye and for believers in Türkiye to continue in the ministry God has called them to. Listen to more stories from Türkiye on VOM Radio with Joy Subasiguller, Andrew Brunson, and David Byle.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Four in 10 people on earth have never heard the name of Jesus. Brother Harold, a gospel worker for 15 years among Muslims in Central Asia, joins VOM Radio this week to share what he’s seen and learned during seven years mobilizing missionaries to go into all the world.

Harold will share how his own daughter was called to full-time missions and offer advice and encouragement to parents sending out their sons and daughters to be gospel workers, knowing that some will never come back.

“There are about 450,000 Christian missionaries worldwide,” Harold says, “but only 15,000 go to the unreached, to the 3.4 billion unreached people.”

Today Latin American and African churches are on fire for Christ, sending out the greatest number of missionaries to the world. How can the church in North America come alongside these willing workers?

Listen as Brother Harold encourages local pastors to be involved and supportive of missions in their congregations, including practical advice to pastors. He will also encourage those of every age to be involved in missions and share the benefits of attending the Perspectives course that helps all believers understand their roles in the Great Commission.

Harold also shares a recent experience where he was convicted by God in a taxicab.

Pray for unreached people groups to hear the gospel and for missionaries to be sent into the harvest fields.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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“And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” – Luke 10:2

Nathan and Kari have served as gospel workers in South Asia through different seasons of life. Today they serve as leaders there with the International Mission Board (IMB). Listen as they share how they arrived on the mission field from two very different upbringings. Nathan grew up in a family with generations in missionary service. Kari didn’t find Jesus until her 20s—after exploring Hindu and Buddhist teachings and spirituality.

Nathan and Kari understand the great need in South Asia for gospel seed planting, harvest and discipleship. The IMB reports that every year there are an average of 106 people groups engaged with the gospel for the first time.

“The gospel fire is burning,” Nathan says, “and it’s not waiting for foreign workers but in the hands of locals.”

Nathan and Kari will share how they equip both Western gospel workers and local believers to focus on the missionary task. In South Asia, Christian persecution continues, at times propelled by government decrees (like anti-conversion laws in India) and at other times coming from close family members of the believer.

Listen as Nathan and Kari share advice to those who are pursuing missions as the Lord calls and how personal spiritual disciplines help sustain us in the tasks the Lord has for us. Pray God will provide more laborers into the unstoppable gospel wildfires around the world. Learn more about the Four Fields mission philosophy at Four Fields of Kingdom Growth.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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With the call to invest his life in ways that will outlive him for eternity, Pastor Bennie, a ministry leader working in ten different nations in Asia and Africa, desires to finish well—just as he saw his parents do. His passion is discipleship for young people to raise up Daniels and Timothys who will use their voices for Christ.

Pastor Bennie has his own story of watching his father praising God while being beaten by militants. At the age of six, Bennie asked, “Why can’t my dad protect me?” Working with young people today, he hears similar questions like, “Why is my father serving God in prison? What was his crime?”

Listen as Bennie shares about gospel work in Sierra Leone, bringing medical teams to serve people who have never seen a doctor, and discipling the hearts of former Muslims growing into evangelists, pastors and church leaders.

“Our job is to saturate them with the gospel,” Bennie said. He even distributes Bibles to Muslim students, knowing that God’s Word will produce fruit.

You’ll learn more about Alpha Ministries’ discipleship program for young people and what happened when Bennie asked, “How many of you have gone through persecution?” He will talk about serving and praying for persecuted Christians in Myanmar, India, Bangladesh and other nations.

As Bennie meets with young, persecuted Christians, he is challenged as he hears their stories of persecution and suffering, yet encouraged by the faithfulness they exemplify despite imprisonment, rejection, and other abuse.

Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast or download the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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In the eyes of the Chinese Communist Party, loving Jesus makes Christians “unpatriotic.”

Bob Fu, founder and president of China Aid, explains: “[The communists believe] you cannot love your country and love Jesus.”

Absolute government control of churches and other religious institutions continues to tighten in China as persecuted Christians are unwilling to comply with the doctrines of the Communist Party, which is expanding efforts to “Sinicize” the church. Listen to hear how pastors and church leaders are now being charged with fraud or other financial crimes, rather than charges relating to religion.

Bob Fu, author of God’s Double Agent, will also share an update on John Cao, who was released from prison last year but still is not free. The CCP continues to watch Cao’s every move, yet he continues to serve the Lord through a house church, daily prayer meetings, and a small Bible school — even baptizing new believers despite constant surveillance!

Pastor Wang Yi is now six years into his nine-year prison sentence. Like Richard Wurmbrand, who founded The Voice of the Martyrs and wrote hundreds of sermons in his head during his 14 years in prison, Wang Yi has written three books in prison. Wang also continues to pray daily through more than a thousand items on his prayer list. If you’d like to write letters of encouragement to Christian prisoners or petition their governments, go to www.PrisonerAlert.com.

Listen as Bob Fu shares how he stays personally encouraged despite constantly hearing of the sufferings of our spiritual family in China. He also suggests specific ways to pray for our Chinese Christian brothers and sisters.

The Voice of the Martyrs recently launched a new, daily podcast; Extreme Devotion is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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When Hope first mentioned to her husband the idea of moving their family to the Arabian Peninsula to continue their gospel work, Nagy’s reply was direct: “Never! Don’t mention that country to me again!”

It was a dangerous place for persecuted Christians. There were many questions and worries about moving there. But then God began to answer their questions, sooth their fears and confirm His call on Nagy and Hope, and their sons.

Last week, Nagy and Hope told the story of their life and ministry in Libya, including after ISIS took over parts of the country. They also shared that the day when God told them to leave Libya—immediately. The family returned to their home country, asking the Lord, “Where would You have us serve next?” Nagy and Hope expected a quick answer; they still had their bags packed, ready to serve when the Lord revealed where He wanted them to go.

But God didn’t call them to another place for six years. At that time they wondered why; today it’s clear God was preparing their family for what was to come.

Listen to hear how God revealed to Hope the country in the Arabian Peninsula where He was sending them, a country that was “not on our radar.” She’ll also share how she wrote down all the fears and worries she had about moving to that country—and how God answered her fears one-by-one, in the same order she’d written them down! Then God confirmed their call by revealing their destination to their sons, giving them also a clear sense of His calling.

Listen as Nagy and Hope share the openness they’ve found among Muslims on the Arabian Peninsula, and the persecution faced by new Christian believers there. They’ll also share specific ways you can pray for gospel workers in Libya and across the Middle East.

The Voice of the Martyrs recently launched a new, daily podcast; Extreme Devotion is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Nagy and Hope grew up in the Middle East in families that followed Christ and encouraged them to serve God and be people of His Word. They were serving the Lord doing good work in their home country when they felt God’s call to go to another county in the region: Libya.

The transition was difficult and discouraging. They were forced to navigate a different community and expectations, and to learn a different Arabic dialect. With no fruit to be seen, Nagy and Hope were at times discouraged and disappointed. Yet God was working.

After months of gospel work, one lady came to Hope asking questions about the gospel. Nagy and Hope were excited! They felt it was worth it to be in Libya if only one person came to Christ! Then their new friend was detained and interrogated. She cut off all contact with Hope.

“It was hard,” Hope says, “but at the same time there was hope. Maybe the Lord would give us more opportunities.”

The Lord did bring about more opportunities, but they didn’t come without disappoints and hardship. Nagy and Hope will share more opportunities they had to disciple new believers and the obstacles they faced. When war broke out across Libya, the Lord still called them to stay, promising protection for their family and even their neighbors. God opened the hearts of many as they saw the Lord provide in their time of need.

Listen as Nagy and Hope share when the Lord clearly told them their time in Libya was over and they had to leave. Please pray for Libya and for the continued ministry of gospel workers in that country.

The first day of the new year marked the launch of a new, daily podcast from VOM. Extreme Devotion is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Aaron Miller, Vice President of International Ministry at The Voice of the Martyrs, joins VOM Radio this week to look back at some of God’s blessings he and his team experienced during 2024 and to look ahead at nations where VOM’s work may change or expand in 2025.

Listen as Aaron recounts a visit to meet Christian widows in Nigeria. These women endured losing their husbands in violent attacks, yet they gathered to worship together and even prayed boldly for their persecutors to come to know Christ.

He’ll also share the story of a God-ordained encounter with a persecuted pastor’s son in southeast Asia—and the sadness of an unmet need when that pastor was imprisoned.

Aaron also tells us of meeting with a martyr’s widow who still boldly goes out to minister each week in the same area where her husband was murdered.

Looking ahead to 2025, Aaron will advise listeners how to pray for Christians facing persecution in Benin, Burkina Faso, Bangladesh and Syria. He’ll also tell how Christian persecution has changed in India, which led VOM to reclassify India as a restricted nation in the VOM Global Prayer Guide. Yet Indian Christians still boldly witness for Christ—even inside prison!

Finally, Aaron challenges listeners to continue to pay attention to the members of Christ’s body facing persecution in this new year—even though it can be painful to witness their suffering and loss. Aaron will suggest some specific ways to pray in these opening weeks of 2025.

The first day of the new year marked the launch of a new, daily podcast from VOM: Extreme Devotion is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet helps users pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

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Today The Voice of the Martyrs launched a brand-new podcast: Extreme Devotion.

Six days a week, Extreme Devotion will share a Scripture, a short story from a persecuted Christian, and an application thought. It’s a great way to spend a little time each day being inspired by the testimonies of our persecuted brothers and sisters. Every seventh day, the Extreme Devotion podcast will share one inspiring quote.

Enjoy this very first episode of Extreme Devotion, and subscribe today via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts

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Last week we began a look back on some of the most moving moments on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2024. This week, we continue to remember:

A Central Asian pastor, Brother Silas, tells how quickly new believers in Jesus there expect persecution.
Dr. David Kasali, founder and president of Congo Initiative, on making disciples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as churches are targeted by Islamists and terrorist groups.
As conflict in the Middle East unfolded this year, Ben Barrett, who served as a leader in VOM’s ministry in Israel, including Gaza and the West Bank, was reminded that our brothers and sisters there are people God has called us to serve.
Brother Joshua, a pastor in Cuba, shares the price he and his family pay to share the gospel and serve the church even in the face of risks.
Brother David, whose father is a pastor in Cuba, knew from a young age there was a price to pay for following Christ.
Pastor “AZ,” from Kazakhstan, says the church there grew fastest during a wave of intense persecution.
Sister Sara grew up in a Muslim family in Central Asia. She shares how God drew her to stories about Jesus then called her to make a decision to follow him.
Hana shares thoughts about being reunited with her father, a pastor imprisoned in Eritrea for the past 20 years.
Shino and Shania, ethnic Somalis and devout Muslims, came to faith in Christ after Shania had a dream. They became bold witnesses for Christ.

After hearing these brief excerpts, you’ll want to listen to the entire conversations with these guests. Click the links below or listen in the VOM APP.

Brother Silas, a pastor in Central Asia
Dr. David Kasali, founder and president of Congo Initiative
Ben Barrett
Brother Joshua, a pastor in Cuba, and David, a Cuban pastor’s son
Pastor AZ from Kazakhstan
Sister Sara, a Central Asian Christian
Hana Mengisteab, daughter of pastor imprisoned in Eritrea for 20 years
Shino & Shania, Somali Muslim Background Believers leading Somali Christian TV

We’d love to hear from you! Let us know what conversation in 2024 most inspired your faith or equipped you to pray. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs.

NEW PODCAST BEGINS JANUARY 1! Subscribe now to Extreme Devotion, a short, daily devotional podcast from The Voice of the Martyrs coming in 2025. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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On January First, The Voice of the Martyrs will launch a brand-new podcast: Extreme Devotion.

Six days a week, Extreme Devotion will share a Scripture, a short story from a persecuted Christian, and an application thought. It’s a great way to spend a little time each day being inspired by the testimonies of our persecuted brothers and sisters. Every seventh day, the Extreme Devotion podcast will share one inspiring quote.

Enjoy this trailer episode for Extreme Devotion, and subscribe today via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so that you’ll be ready to begin on Day 1 as VOM launches the Extreme Devotion podcast on January 1.

Here’s the trailer episode for…Extreme Devotion.

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This week, we look back on some of the most moving moments shared on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2024:

Aaron Miller, VOM’s Vice President of International Ministry, gives a glimpse of his time with an African ministry partner and an African word that describes how VOM serves persecuted Christians.
Paul Dangtoumba, leader for YWAM’s work in Nigeria, shares his own story of persecution even before he was born and scars he bears today.
An expert in trauma care, Brother Philip serves as a field minister in Africa, helping VOM respond to the spiritual and emotional needs of persecuted Christians.
Jeff Woodke served as a gospel and humanitarian worker in Niger until terrorists took him hostage. Jeff and his wife, Els, share their experiences during Jeff’s six and a half years in captivity.
On a visit to China, Brother Kevin and his family were told of the Hui people who had never heard of the gospel. God called them to go to the Hui, but as the Chinese government imposed more restrictions, their missionary work in China was forcibly ended.
Luke and Kate served as medical gospel workers in Myanmar but were also forced to leave. They continue, from a distance, to see God bringing forth fruit.
Hearing the gospel on a TV program, Brother Job came to faith. He was boldly sharing the good news via social media when he was kidnapped and threatened by terrorists.
As a child, Pastor Nouh Yattara in Mali was drawn to the gospel by a simple gift of a ballpoint pen. He heard the gospel and decades later he still shares the hope he found as a child.

After hearing these brief excerpts, you’ll want to listen to the entire conversations with guests from 2024. Click on the links below to listen on VOMRADIO.net or listen in the VOM APP.

Aaron Miller, Vice President of International Ministry at VOM
Paul Dangtoumda, leader for YWAM’s work in Nigeria
Brother Philip, field minister in Africa for VOM
Jeff Woodke, taken hostage by Islamic extremists, and his wife, Els
Brother Kevin, missionary to the Hui people in China
Luke and Kate, medical gospel workers to Myanmar (Burma)
Brother Job, gospel worker in North Africa
Nouh Yattara, pastor in Mali

NEW PODCAST BEGINS JANUARY 1! Subscribe now to Extreme Devotion, a short, daily devotional podcast from The Voice of the Martyrs coming in 2025. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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With Prime Minister Modi’s reelection, India has continued on the path to more restrictions against Christian ministry and gospel work. Christian persecution has moved from the village or community level to the national-government level under Modi’s direction. Because of these changes, earlier this year The Voice of the Martyrs changed how India is classified, from hostile area to restricted nation, a place where the government is the driver of persecution against Christians.

Despite increasing persecution for Christians in India, our faithful brothers and sisters there serve the Lord—no matter the circumstances.

Brother Vijay, a gospel worker from India, joins VOM Radio this week to share how Indian Christians are responding to stricter anti-conversion laws and other increasing persecution. Thousands of Christian ministries have been closed and/or had bank accounts frozen, forcing persecuted Christians to develop creative ways to continue ministry.

By staying the course, they demonstrate, “Our ministry is not dependent on money, but on God.”

Currently, at least 11 Indian states are enforcing strict anti-conversion laws. Some of those laws carry the threat of life sentences and hefty fines. Vijay will share stories of bold pastors persisting in their ministry after experiencing imprisonment — and one even after being thrown off a moving train!

With all these pressures, Brother Vijay explains the preparation to prepare pastors should they end up in prison, and how learning the Bible is the greatest tool for Christians facing trials. Pray for Christians in India that they would be encouraged and remain hopeful amidst increasing persecution.

Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast or download the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs.

COMING IN 2025: Subscribe now to Extreme Devotion, a new short, daily devotional podcast from The Voice of the Martyrs, which will begin on January 1. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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It didn’t take long.

When Shino and Shania began showing their faces in their Somali-language Christian videos on the internet and using their real names, the response was immediate. Their videos were shown all over the world, and the persecuted Christian couple were called apostates and enemies of Islam. Their lives were repeatedly threatened.

Since they went public about their faith in 2016, Shino and Shania have had to move from house to house and country to country. Threats are constant, but God’s protection has been constant as well. By God’s grace, they are still broadcasting and sharing their faith with Somalis. “Look around.” Shania sensed God telling her early on in their ministry, “I am building my church among the Somalis. No one can stop it, and now is the time.”

Today, thousands of Somali people know their number and follow them on social media at Somali Christian TV.

Last week, Shania shared how the Lord drew her to himself and about the four years she prayed for her Muslim husband, who eventually came to Christ as well. This week the couple shares how their online ministry encourages Somalis all over the world, especially in Somalia where Christians are isolated due to Christian persecution, lack of churches and the difficulty of getting Bibles.

Listen as Shino & Shania share feedback from former Muslims who used to hate and threaten them. They will also share how they continue to train new leaders and prepare others for persecution when it comes.

Pray for the nation of Somalia this week and for Shino and Shania’s continued ministry.

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Shino and Shania left Mogadishu, Somalia, as Muslims and refugees. They settled in Europe, where they became more devout in their practice of Islam.

Then Shania saw a video of radical Muslims in Iraq beheading a hostage in an orange jumpsuit. As they committed this horrific act they shouted praise to the god of Islam. Watching the video, Shania was horrified; she began questioning everything she’d been taught about Islam and Allah.

That night she had a powerful dream—a dream that ultimately led her to leave Islam behind and follow Jesus Christ. It was a dangerous decision, yet Shania began immediately to tell others of her new faith and encourage them also to follow Jesus.

Four years later, after seeing Shania’s faithfulness and love even in the face of intense Christian persecution, Shino also chose to follow Jesus.

United in faith, the couple became even more bold in their witness, putting their names and faces in online videos encouraging other Muslims to follow Jesus. The videos have produced lots of response: on one side are Muslims wanting to hear more about Jesus, while on the other are Muslims promising to violently punish Shino and Shania for their apostasy.

Listen as Shino and Shania share their testimony of coming to faith, and please pray for more Somali people—in Somalia and spread through other nations around the world—to meet Jesus Christ.

Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast or download the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet to access VOM Radio each week, in addition to e-books, audio books and video content from The Voice of the Martyrs.

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“Every time I doubt, ‘What’s the purpose of this suffering?’ I like to reread this and say, ‘My father actually chose the right cup.’”

As of November 19, Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab, both a medical doctor and pastor, has been imprisoned in Eritrea for twenty years. This week his daughter, Hana, is back on VOM Radio to share her father’s own words, which show clearly that he had counted the cost of serving Christ and knew he was likely to be arrested and imprisoned. Dr. Tekleab’s words, through his writings, books, and sermons, still inspire and encourage believers in Eritrea and around the world.

Listen as Hana shares how her father began a Christian magazine—not out of a desire to be a publisher but by simply writing letters to a young woman from his church who was going through a difficult season. That young woman began to hand-copy Dr. Tekleab’s letters and share them with other Christians where she was. Hearing how much those letters had encouraged believers, Dr. Tekleab launched The Bread of Life magazine in January 2000. He specifically formatted the magazine in a size that would fit in readers’ pockets.

Hana says her father had prepared to go to prison—including making sure his wife and daughters would be cared for.

Hana also shares how the Lord has been with her family as she, her mother, and her sisters fled Eritrea. God protected them and helped them to find a new home. Hana and her family harbor no hate for their persecutors but pray for them with love and forgiveness.

The same week Dr. Mengisteab was arrested, two other pastors from the Orthodox Church in Eritrea were also taken into custody. All three marked 20 years in prison this month. Please pray for Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab, Dr. Fitsum-Berhan Gebrenegus, and Rev. Gebremedhin Gebregergis, along with more than 300 other Christians currently imprisoned in Eritrea. Pray also for God’s comfort to be close to Hana, her mother and her sisters.

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Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab was a medical doctor and a leader in the World Health Organization for the nation of Eritrea. He was also an ordained minister in the Orthodox Church of Eritrea. Since November 19, 2004—20 years ago this week—Dr. Mengisteab has been a prisoner for Christ, imprisoned without charge or trial by the government of Eritrea. Today he is one of more than 300 imprisoned Christians there.

This week on VOM Radio Mengisteab’s daughter, Hana, shares the story of her father’s arrest and of God’s faithfulness to her and her family through the past 20 years. She will tell us how she has found joy amidst suffering, but also how she’s come to know that the Lord “welcomes my grief.”

In 2002, the government of President Isaias Afwerki outlawed evangelical churches. The Eritrean Orthodox Church was permitted to continue holding services. While Hana’s father was leading a legal church congregation, his ministry looked different than some others within that church structure.

“My father was a very faithful preacher of the gospel,” Hana says. “In his writing and teachings, he was calling for a transformation of the heart.” Dr. Mengisteab wanted Eritreans to have the gospel preached—and have the Bible—in their own, everyday language.

Hana was just six years old when her father was arrested. She remembers her mother and church elders at their home talking about her father being gone. “What did it mean that my father is in prison?” Hana wondered. Even after Dr. Mengisteab’s arrest, the church continued to meet and minister. Hana’s mom continued her church activities, risking her own arrest.

Only months after her father’s arrest, Hana found herself in police custody when authorities raided a children’s Sunday School meeting. Children as young as 12 were put in handcuffs, yet these young believers had been prepared for Christian persecution. They began to loudly sing praises to God.

The same week that Dr. Mengisteab was arrested, two other pastors were also taken into custody. All three will mark 20 years in prison this week. Please pray for Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab, Dr. Fitsum-Berhan Gebrenegus, and Rev. Gebremedhin Gebregergis, along with more than 300 other Christians currently imprisoned in Eritrea. Pray also for Hana and her family as they continue to learn how to grieve her father’s absence while also finding joy in serving the Lord.

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“Pastor Joe” was drawn to North Africa not by a call to gospel work but by his own dreams and interests. However, once he was there the Lord opened his eyes to the needs of the people and gave Joe a deep love for them. Ministry in North Africa is difficult, but as Pastor Joe and his family read the Bible, they see that it’s not about them. Rather it’s all about Christ.

“We are just the instruments,” says Joe. “We don’t count on ourselves; we count on God.”

As Muslims seek spiritual truth and come to Christ, they encounter challenges with unbelieving family and friends. Pastor Joe says that’s why the church is so important to help make up for the family and community new believers have lost by connecting them with new brothers and sisters in Christ.

One young lady had a difficult time approaching her family with the gospel message. Joe encouraged her to focus on living out Jesus’ love in front of her family members. Soon, her mother became curious: who was behind the changes she saw in her daughter’s life? Pastor Joe also tells the story of a brother who never misses church gatherings. He says, “I lost so much time not knowing Jesus! Now I want to learn as much as possible.”

Joe’s wife always says, “There’s no mission without sacrifice.” The couple are ready to answer questions about Jesus and Christianity from anyone who is seeking, although proselytizing is illegal in the restricted nation where they live.

Hear more stories from Pastor Joe and how he prepares new believers to face Christian persecution. He will also share the joy and hope that come as faithful believers live their lives for Christ on display to the people around them. Pray for Christians in North Africa and for Pastor Joe and his family as they continue their gospel work.

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With almost 90% of people in Bhutan identifying as Buddhists, those who follow Christ are a tiny minority. Pastor Rajiv, a church planter and leadership trainer in South Asia, works to reach Bhutanese people for Christ and knows what happens when someone follows Jesus in this restricted nation.

In Bhutan, the king is seen as both a political and religious leader. One of his duties is defending Buddhism in the nation. Becoming a Christian is seen as being a traitor to the country and the king. It’s also against the law, so Christians who gather together must do so in secret.

Yet being in fellowship with other believers is crucial to spiritual growth and perseverance. Pastor Rajiv reveals his heart for young people and shares how vital it is for them to meet together to study the Bible and pray with one another. Over the last ten years, God has made Pastor Rajiv’s prayers reality: there are now Christian groups that meet on all the college campuses in Bhutan.

Rajiv will share his own story of coming to Christ and how he was called into missions. He will also share stories of Bhutanese who have come to faith along with the pressure and Christian persecution they face from the government if they do not renounce Christ.

“When you want to live a radical life for Christ, you’ll be willing to pay the cost,” Rajiv says.

As you learn how to specifically pray for Bhutan and for Pastor Rajiv, pray with Christians all over the world for the persecuted church this month as part of the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Also, be inspired by this year’s IDOP video, which features the Martinez family in Colombia.

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Fred and Karen, long-time gospel workers in Asia, share this week about the church in Brunei and the challenges they face daily to live boldly for Christ. Christians there can live comfortably—if they don’t share the gospel or attempt to witness to ethnic Malay people. Ethnically, the church there is primarily made up of Chinese, Indians and other expats.

It is illegal for ethnic Malay people to be present in a church, and many Christians are hesitant to speak about Christianity to a Malay person for fear of Christian persecution. With such strong repercussions for a Malay person following Christ, and for those who shared the gospel with that person, some Christians in Brunei have the mentality that the Malay will never choose Jesus.

The government, which censors information through every medium, always displays Islam in an attractive light—even publishing the names of Christians or people of other faiths who convert to Islam. There are financial and other enticements for non-Muslims to convert—and for Muslims to continue following Islam.

Listen as Fred and Karen share the story of a Muslim entering the house of a friend and seeing a Bible; the story illustrates the strong resistance Malay Muslims have toward anything Christian. Pray for God to move in the hearts of Malay Muslims, revealing himself in dreams and visions to them. Pray against the spirit of fear that has fallen on many within the church in Brunei. You may even want to book a plane ticket to go personally to pray on the ground in Brunei.

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Middle East Concern was founded in 1991, in response to needs expressed by Christian leaders in the Middle East and North Africa. Through a network of ministry partners, Middle East Concern seeks to help Christians facing persecution across the Middle East and North Africa. They work to come up with strategies to improve conditions and protect rights of Christians with a goal of seeing Christians able to live out their faith in Christ freely.

Brother Rob, a researcher for MEC, shares with VOM Radio this week about his work and about persecution faced by Christians in the MENA region.

One of Rob’s areas of interest is Iran, and he will tell us about recent large-scale research that shows how many Iranians are questioning and even rejecting Islam since the Islamic Revolution. Many of those have become followers of Jesus Christ—despite the risk of persecution.

Rob also tells how God is bringing good out of Christian persecution in Türkiye (formerly Turkey) as Turkish Christian leaders are stepping up to shepherd the church after the expulsions of numerous foreign Christians. The Turkish government’s strategy since 2019 has been to designate Christians from other countries living in turkey as a “threat to national security” and force them to leave, causing upheaval to many families who’ve lived there for decades. David Byle was one of those pushed out of Türkiye after fighting the expulsion order through the court system.

Israel is another country where Rob monitors religious freedom and you’ll hear about challenges to gospel outreach there. Brother Rob will also share how we can pray for Israel, including Palestinian Christians in the West Bank and Gaza, as there is so much conflict there.

“The Christian community in this part of the world,” says Rob, “are the light and salt in these lands.”

Prayer is the central part of the ministry at Middle East Concern as they continue to seek God’s wisdom in each sensitive situation. Learn how you can pray specifically for Christians in Israel, Iran and Türkiye as Rob shares the needs of the church in these nations.

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J.D. Bridges, Vice President of Global Outreach for Ligonier Ministries, tells us this week about Ligonier’s efforts to produce content and teaching materials to defend and teach the holiness of God—not only to American Christians but to Christians around the world, including persecuted Christians in hostile areas and restricted nations.

Since 1971, when R.C. Sproul founded the ministry in the Ligonier Valley of western Pennsylvania, Ligonier has continued to produce more and more Biblical content. As people from other nations discovered the work and requested resources in their own languages, Ligonier’s international efforts have grown.

Creating a strategy for translation and dubbing, Bridges and his team are focusing on the top twenty languages around the world—which creates the potential to access 80% of the world’s population with gospel materials and theology training. God has opened doors to provide resources in Chinese, Urdu, Hindi, Indonesian, Farsi and many other languages.

Out of 5,000,000 pastors around the world, only 5-10% have any theological education. Listen as J.D. shares his heart to create more opportunities for more people to freely engage with Biblical content and how Ligonier works to equip pastors and churches.

“For us the first impulse is to equip the pastor…because we know that the church will benefit,” he says.

Bridges tells of the difficulties in translating theological concepts into a new language for the first time and the most important thing he gets to do as he builds relationships with persecuted Christians and how Ligonier uses many different and creative angles to provide these tools to Christians in places like China, Iran, Pakistan and other restricted nations.

Pray for God’s blessings on continued translation work and distribution efforts. Also, check out the Things Unseen Podcast from Ligonier for thoughtful reflections on the Christian life and our relationship with God.

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Sister Sara wrestled with faith questions as she studied Christianity, Islam and other religions in a years-long quest for truth. Last week, Sara shared her struggle to understand and believe how Jesus could be God—a common stumbling block for Muslims hearing the gospel message. Listen this week to hear what happened after she received forgiveness of sin through Christ—and how you can pray for her and other Christians living and ministering in Central Asia.

As soon as Sara read Matthew 28:18-19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,” she gathered her words to tell others the gospel. Her first effort was sharing the hope of Christ with her family. Sara tells how her family responded and explains the importance of discipleship resources, written in local heart languages, to train up new Christians in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia. Sara worked to learn how to share the gospel in her own language—and then began learning to explain Jesus’ love in other languages as well.

“People need God, but they just didn’t know it.” Sara says. It was only a short time into her outreach ministry when Sara first experienced pushback. God reminded her that Jesus faced persecution with humility and that is the model Sara tries to follow when opposition arises. Her own family’s responses to her Christian faith reminded her that she couldn’t save anyone herself but had to trust God to do the work, and to trust his timing.

When Sara reads of historic missionaries who went to the difficult places, she asks, “Why don’t we go there sooner? The harvest is plenty and ready!”

Pray the Lord will raise up gospel workers and evangelists to preach the gospel in Central Asia. Pray that, as these workers face Christian persecution, they would be faithful to Jesus even in difficulty and suffering.

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As a young woman in an Islamic culture in Central Asia, Sara was drawn to stories of Jesus. He was a good man, she thought, one whose life matched his teachings. But how could Jesus be God?

Sara wrestled deeply with this question in her search for truth. Intellectually, she found the Bible to be true, but she couldn’t commit to everything it said. Eternal life was attractive, but the idea that Jesus was God was confusing to her. Sara poured herself into studying different religions, desperate to figure out how she could be confident she’d go to heaven when she died.

She prayed, “God, there should be only one way to you.”

Sara loved the Bible study she joined at a local church. She was attracted by the love Christians had for each other, even being willing to share their weaknesses and struggles. Everything about Jesus and his followers was attractive to Sara.

After so much study and so many questions, Sara heard God’s voice—speaking to her in her own language. “You need to make a decision.” She knew it was God himself speaking with love, authority, gentleness, and power. Sara remembered reading John 14:6 where Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and they life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Listen to hear how Sara came to understand Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for her sin and the peace he gave to overcome her anxieties. Join us next week to hear the price Sara paid for her faith in Christ.

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This month we are commemorating the 10th Anniversary of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio. This week we look back on one of the most powerful conversations ever shared on VOM Radio airwaves.

Sister Amber spent more than a decade in Tibet providing vocational training to local people and sharing the gospel. She felt God’s call especially to work among Tibet’s nomadic tribal people. Amber watched as God brought about a great ministry breakthrough: people who’d been completely closed to her message were now asking to learn more about Jesus!

But just days after the breakthrough Amber experienced persecution. Chinese police came pounding on her door. Listen as she tells how the Holy Spirit strengthened and spoke to her and how God brought Amber from a place of terror to the point of expressing Christ’s love, even to the men violently persecuting her. “I never felt Jesus so close,” she says.

God laid on the hearts of people around the world to pray for Amber, including one who drew a picture of Amber surrounded by five policemen in a room. Months later, when Amber saw the picture, it matched exactly the setting of her interrogation! It also contained a ray of spiritual hope.

Your faith will be challenged as you hear Amber’s thoughts on how the New Testament speaks of the “honor” of being persecuted; she’ll also give first-hand advice on how to pray for Christians in prison right now.

Learn how you can pray every day for persecuted Christians like Amber who are imprisoned in hostile and restricted nations. And never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

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Over the last decade, God has allowed VOM Radio the opportunity to bring you into fellowship with persecuted Christians and tell the stories of what God is doing around the world even amid suffering and persecution. This week we’ll look back on some of the most moving moments of the first decade of VOM Radio.

It was September of 2014 when The Voice of the Martyrs began releasing new VOM Radio episodes weekly. The first episode introduced listeners to members of our persecuted family in China. Gina, a gospel worker with YWAM Frontier Missions and Julian, serving with Operation Mobilization, told in 2015 how God was drawing Muslims to himself – even ISIS fighters were coming to faith in Christ!

By watching the JESUS Film in his Turkmen heart language, Silas’s life was forever changed.

Several guests over the years have told of being imprisoned for Christ just as the founders of The Voice of the Martyrs, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, were imprisoned for their faith. Helen Berhane, who spent many months locked in a shipping container in Eritrea, reminds us that everything—including following Jesus—will cost us. Listen to how David Byle and Petr Jasek, both imprisoned for Christ, saw God’s purpose for them in prison as they shared the gospel, and how Dan Baumann was reminded that God could still change people’s hearts, even in prison in Iran.

You’ll hear these stories of heroic faith and also stories of faith overcoming fear, like Maria praying God would remove her fear after Cuban authorities issued an arrest warrant for her husband. God has inspired thousands with the testimonies of martyrs’ widows who publicly forgave their husband’s killers, like Anita Smith and Pauline Ayyad. Hannelie Groenewald shares how she learned that her husband and teen-aged children had been killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Also Gary Witherall remembers how God ministered to him after his wife, Bonnie, was killed for her faith in Lebanon.

More than seven years after his abduction, Susanna Koh still doesn’t know what happened to her husband, Pastor Raymond Koh. After a season of great loss, Nik and Ruth Ripken chose to sit at the feet of persecuted Christians to learn from them about following Christ in difficulty and suffering.

THANK YOU for listening to the stories of our persecuted family over the last ten years! We pray that VOM Radio will continue to build a bridge of fellowship between fellow members of the Body of Christ whether they live in free nations, hostile areas or restricted nations. What episodes most moved or inspired you during the first 10 years of VOM Radio? Share your most impactful episode.

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Working together, a Canadian with a vision, a businessman from Tampa, Florida, and tentmaking missionaries in Israel launched a ministry that today is making a gospel impact in more than 140 countries.

Listen this week as Tim Whitehead, Executive director for Galcom International in Canada, tells the story of how Galcom started in 1989 producing solar powered radios that could be locked into specific frequencies where listeners in a given location would hear Christian broadcasts. He’ll also share how Galcom has moved forward as technology advanced in the last 35 years—including helping launch more than 200 radio stations to provide gospel broadcast content in places where none previously had been available.

Galcom continues toward the goal of reaching remote villages across the world to share Jesus Christ with more and more people, especially among unreached people groups (UPGs). “When they receive these radios,” Tim says, “it shows them they are not forgotten.”

Listen for four barriers that can be overcome by gospel radio broadcasts, and how volunteers build thousands of radios each year for distribution all over the world. Tim will also share how Galcom and The Voice of the Martyrs started partnering together to serve Christians in Colombia and how that partnership expanded into West Africa and other parts of the globe.

Join us next week for a special episode sharing highlights of the past decade as September 2024 marks the ten-year anniversary of VOM Radio. Please share how you’ve been encouraged and inspired by the testimonies and stories of our persecuted Christian family on VOM Radio over the past 10 years.

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Pastor “AZ” saw his church in Kazakhstan grow the fastest during a season of intense Christian persecution. The church began with AZ, his wife and one other believer. Two years later there were 250 believers! AZ knew that reaching Kazakh people required communicating and demonstrating the gospel in their heart language. The church also needs to be ready to assist new believers when persecution comes.

AZ became a believer in 1992, just as the Soviet Union was collapsing. Soon after repenting of sin and believing in Christ for salvation, AZ experienced persecution from his family. His own experiences help him prepare church members to face persecution, which he teaches them to expect. AZ will share three things needed to prepare a church to advance the gospel no matter the cost.

The biggest challenge for church planting in Kazakhstan—the 9th largest country in the world by territory—is distance. The greatest encouragement for AZ is discipling new believers. “Disciples are our crowns;” AZ says, “that’s the greatest reward.”

Pray for unity in the Kazakh church and for pastors to be strengthened and encouraged to endure for Christ despite persecution. Pastor AZ encourages us to pray for the next generation of believers as they take on leadership in the Kazakh church.

September 2024 marks the ten-year anniversary of VOM Radio. Please share how you’ve been encouraged and inspired by the testimonies and stories of our persecuted Christian family on VOM Radio over the past 10 years.

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How do we start gospel conversations with Hindu or Buddhist friends, neighbors and coworkers? Tim and Dawn have a simple answer: ask questions!

Tim and Dawn serve as gospel workers in South Asia, leading an effort to plant gospel seeds in countries like India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the Maldives—countries where Christian persecution is a common occurrence.

Listen as Tim shares about Buddhism and Hinduism—including how followers of those religions may respond to or resist the message of Christ and the gospel. Tim encourages each of us that the best foundation for sharing the gospel is narrowing the gap between the scripture we read and the life we live.

You’ll hear how God is at work in the Maldives and Bhutan as gospel workers begin to see the first fruits from those who’ve gone before and Bible translation efforts. Tim will share just how difficult Bible translation has been in getting the gospel to the Maldivian people, and how sections of scripture are now available in the islands.

Tim and Dawn ask that we pray for thousands of gospel workers to be raised up to heed the call to go to difficult nations to reach the unreached or least reached there.

“Just because a place is difficult,” says Tim, “it does not negate God’s call to go.”

Listen to past conversations with Tim & Dawn on VOM Radio and learn how you can pray for Buddhists and Hindus at Change The Map. Learn more about specific ways you can pray for South Asia and other restricted nations and hostile areas by using The Voice of the Martyr’s Global Prayer Guide.

September 2024 marks the ten-year anniversary of VOM Radio. We’d like to know how you’ve been encouraged and inspired by the testimonies and stories of our persecuted Christian family on VOM Radio over the past 10 years.

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Brooks Buser, President of Radius International, says the best missionaries smell like the local people they have gone to serve. They focus not just on learning a language but understanding and living the culture, eating local food and joining in the things that fuel human interaction in that place. Buser says just as Christ came as a human baby into this world, missionaries that last become like those they are trying to reach for the sake of the gospel.

Before leading Radius, Brooks was a missionary kid in Papua New Guinea. As an adult he went back to PNG as a missionary to the YembiYembi people with New Tribes Mission (now Ethnos360). Listen as he shares the hardest challenges of missions and his own experience immersing himself in the culture of the Yembi people. With the goal of teaching them the Bible, his team first had to learn their language, culture, and integrate into their new clan families. Watch a video here that tells the story of Brooks and his family’s mission work in Papua New Guinea.

One of the things new YembiYembi Christians faced early in their faith journey was persecution. But Brooks sees that Christian persecution as a blessing rather than a curse.

Today, Brooks leads Radius International as they train mission workers—in multiple languages, to be sent by multiple mission agencies—to go with the gospel to the ends of the earth. Part of that training is a language learning methodology that immerses future missionaries in a local language like Spanish, giving them tools and training to quickly learn the language of the place where God will call them to serve as missionaries. Brooks will also describe the qualities he looks for that point to successful long-term mission service and how he prays for those who commit to gospel work.

Pray for future missionaries and Radius International’s training schools as they prepare students to share the gospel in the heart language of the people God calls them to serve. Brooks will be one of the speakers for The Missionary Conference, to be held October 16-18th in Jacksonville, Florida.

September 2024 will mark the ten-year anniversary of VOM Radio. Let us know how you’ve been encouraged and inspired by the testimonies and stories of our persecuted Christian family over the past 10 years. And never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

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The government views Cuba’s people as sheep who will blindly follow rules and restrictions communist leaders force on them.

There is another group the Bible compares to sheep: followers of Jesus. Romans 8:36 says, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

This week on VOM Radio we’ll hear from two Cuban Christians, each with different experiences of Christian persecution. David faced persecution as the son of a pastor in Cuba; authorities even demanded that he secretly report to them his father’s ministry activities. Eventually the pressure and persecution forced David to leave the island.

Brother Joshua is still serving as a church leader in Cuba. He will share about the different ways Cuba’s government has put pressure on him to stop his ministry. They’ve shut his electricity off. They’ve denied him permission to hold services or events. They’ve put pressure on his children and kept them from academic and extracurricular opportunities. They’ve mockingly reminded Joshua he could die in a car “accident” at any time.

Despite the pressure and threats, Joshua continues gospel outreach to children and young people, reaching and discipling the next generation for Christ. One of the tools he uses is sports ministry.

Pray for Brother Joshua and Brother David and for the church in Cuba this week. Pray for boldness and encouragement for persecuted Christians there. Pray for pastors and their families who face so much pressure to stop their ministry activities.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week—and receive daily reminders and specific ways to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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Jesus told his followers, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

As a leader involved in discipleship in the Middle East, Mamdouh Lawendy sees many Muslims repenting of sin and putting their faith in Christ. Often this is happening through the witness and example of believers around them. Muslims ask questions. They are curious why Christians can serve them when they hate Christians. They want to know how Christians can still show love, even when Muslims persecute them.

Local churches have an influential role in reaching the community for Christ. Mamdouh says that godly, biblical leaders need to be raised up in order for the church to stand amidst Christian persecution.

Pastor Mamdouh, who was born in Egypt, is the founder and CEO of Together Network. Listen as he tells how he came to faith in Christ and how God called him to gospel work. He will also explain how his group works to disciple new believers. Mamdouh will encourage listeners to pursue gospel conversations with Muslims even when they can’t answer every question.

“Muslim background believers are sincerely searching,” he says. “Jesus himself will replace us in answering their questions.”

Pray for Pastor Mamdouh, his family and the ministry of Together Network training disciples in the Middle East.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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“You can help persecuted Christians, but they can help you more.”

Richard Wurmbrand, the founder of The Voice of the Martyrs, shared this truth with Steve Cleary and it changed forever his perspective about being in fellowship with our persecuted family. Cleary, founder and president of Revelation Media, was an early staff member at The Voice of the Martyrs, including traveling to churches and other events with Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand.

Today, Steve is following God’s call to develop iBible to share Gods Word in animated video form with people all over the world. The iBible app and content is designed to present the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. It’s already impacted people all over the world.

“I want to make iBible and give it to the church. So, we’re asking the church to help us,” Cleary says. By 2033, Steve and his team hope to have the whole Bible completed in 300 animated episodes.

Listen as Steve shares memories from serving with Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand and what he learned from them about our persecuted family. “Richard taught me that [persecuted Christians] are not victims, but that they are strong in Christ. And they can strengthen us.”

Steve will also tell about his role helping bring Wurmbrand’s story to life on film through Tortured For Christ.

You can watch completed episodes of the Bible—in multiple languages—on the iBible app, and you can watch Tortured for Christ and the prequel, SABINA: Tortured For Chris, the Nazi Years, on the VOM app. Pray for Steve and the iBible team as they work with the global church to develop partnerships to build and distribute Biblical content throughout the world.

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Ben Barrett and his wife were open to go wherever God wanted them to go. Ultimately, God called them to go on mission to one of the world’s most concentrated areas of lost people – North India and Nepal. It wasn’t always an easy transition, but God instilled a deep love for the people in their heart and a desire to reach them with the gospel.

Ben is VOM’s new Regional Leader for work with persecuted Christians in South Asia. Listen as he shares how the rise of Hindu nationalism and Hindutva ideology have affected the church in India. President Narendra Modi’s recent reelection has emboldened radical groups across that country to continue and even expand their Christian persecution efforts.

Ben will share specifics of how our brothers and sisters have been persecuted for their faith by Hindu radicals. Ben recently met with a front-line worker who has served 800 pastors in recent years who’ve been arrested or detained for their Christian faith.

Listen as Ben shares how the hope of the gospel drove him and his wife forward in their own mission service and Ben’s advice to those considering cross-cultural gospel work. Pray for God to raise up new leaders in the church and bold courage for persecuted Christians in India, Nepal, and throughout South Asia.

Also listen to Part 1 of this conversation with Ben Barrett where he discussed persecution in Israel and how Christians have been affected by the conflict in Israel, including Gaza and the West Bank, since October 7.

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October 7th, 2023 is one of those dates that will always be remembered.

On that terrible morning, Ben Barrett was working for VOM with persecuted Christians in the Middle East and leading the ministry’s work in Israel, including Gaza and the West Bank. His phone began to light up with messages from both Messianic Jewish believers and Arab Christians—even before the terrible attacks were announced in international news. The messages had a consistent request: “Please pray for us!”

Families and individuals like Pauline Ayyad, a previous guest on VOM Radio, asked for prayer as contact with relatives in Gaza was cut off. A messianic Rabbi asked prayers for his daughter who was ordered back to her military base, not knowing when she might return home. Video footage from a pastor in Sderot, the closest settlement to the Gaza Strip, showed him barricaded and lying flat on the floor as trucks full of terrorists shouting “Allahu Akbar!” passed by his home.

Listen as Ben shares about his last trip to the Middle East, where he met with pastors from both Jewish and Muslim backgrounds who are taking the gospel to radical areas despite the risk. He’ll also tell the stories of Jewish-background believers in Orthodox or Ethiopian communities who face Christian persecution through shame, excommunication, and job loss.

Pray for unity amongst believers in the Middle East. Pray for boldness in the spread of the gospel in spite of the risks.

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Pastor Andrew Brunson, author of the book God’s Hostage, was imprisoned two years for his Christian work in Turkey (now called Türkiye). He says every single day was a battle to overcome fear, grief and anxiety. One who inspired him in these battles was Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, the founder of The Voice of the Martyrs. Brunson explains how Wurmbrand inspired him to dance inside his prison cell before the Lord. He says he didn’t feel joy or happiness, but he set his will to act joyfully, in spite of his feelings.

Brunson was also inspired by another former prisoner for Christ (and VOM Radio guest), Dan Baumann, to lock away doubts and questions and choose to leave those in God’s hand. Brunson says he told God from his prison cell, “I don’t need answers to have a relationship with You.”

Listen as Andrew shares how he came to “embrace my assignment” of being in prison for Christ. “I came out of prison with a deeper intimacy,” says Brunson, “I had the privilege to suffer for Christ.”

God birthed a song in Andrew’s soul while locked in prison. He’ll share how his heart changed over the long months of his incarceration to a posture of faithfulness and trust; a change that happened despite not seeing his outward circumstances change at all. That heart change, he says, was his victory over the terrible circumstances and the injustice of Christian persecution he faced in prison.

Finally, Brunson will tell the story of a letter he wrote to Norine that clearly demonstrated his changed heart. In the letter he expressed his commitment to drink every drop from “the cup of suffering” that the Lord had ordained for him.

Andrew tells the entire story in his book, God’s Hostage, which you can order here (affiliate link). Brunson has also released a teaching series helping Christians Prepare to Stand in the midst of difficulties and suffering. In the eight-session video series, Brunson shares practical insights from his own time in prison. You can also listen to Part 1 of our conversation with Andrew Brunson, and listen to his wife, Norine, on VOM Radio as she shares her side to this story.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week—and receive daily reminders of specific ways to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

God's Hostage: A True Story of Persecution, Imprisonment, and Perseverance

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After serving many years as a gospel worker in Turkey (now called Türkiye), Pastor Andrew Brunson spent two years in Turkish prison. He was accused, among other “crimes,” of helping plot a coup against President Erdogan’s government and being a leader in the CIA. The reality is that Andrew was in Turkey as a missionary and pastor, working to spread the gospel.

Brunson recounts how God was teaching him to stand during dark days of isolation in prison and wondering why God seemed silent in his time of suffering. Listen as he shares how he poured out his frustrations to God, but ultimately chose to lean into God—even though he didn’t feel God’s presence.

Through those dark days, Andrew's wife, Norine served as his pastor and encourager, the only Christian he was allowed contact with. She pointed Andrew to truth and sought to give Godly perspective as he was surrounded by constant pressure from Muslim cellmates. Brunson shares how she was “heroic” in standing with him in spite of risks to her own freedom. You can listen to Norine on VOM Radio as she shares her side to this story.

Pastor Brunson also drew strength from the stories of other Christians who suffered persecution. One of those was Richard Wurmbrand, founder of The Voice of the Martyrs and the author of Tortured for Christ and other books. Andrew says he “spent a lot of time with Richard Wurmbrand in prison,” through Richard’s writings.

Andrew tells the entire story in his book, God’s Hostage, which you can order here (affiliate link). Brunson has also released a teaching series helping Christians Prepare to Stand in the midst of difficulties and Christian persecution. In the eight-session video series, Brunson shares practical insights from his own time in prison.

Listen as Andrew expresses his thanks to those who prayed for him while he was in prison – some even waking up in the middle of the night to pray. “It was hard for me to grasp,” Brunson said. “It was a supernatural move of God.” Pray this week for Christians in prison in restricted areas and hostile nations around the world.

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Pastor Matthew is a long-time pastor in the communist nation of Vietnam. Since coming to faith in Christ he’s been persecuted by family, neighbors and by police. Matthew came to Christ through the witness of an American missionary mentor. He heard the gospel message, but he also saw the life she lived and the love she showed to the people around her. He couldn’t know, at the time, the high cost he would pay to follow Christ in Vietnam.

“I didn’t know how hard it was to be a Christian in the beginning,” Matthew said, “I chose to become a Christian because God is good.”

Pastor Matthew started a church in his home, but police locked the door, cut the power, and told everyone to leave. They accused Matthew of being a spy for the Americans, and said Christianity was a religion only for Westerners.

“They are afraid of Christians,” says Matthew. “The power of the authorities is taken away by Jesus.”

Ancestor worship is common in Vietnam, and Vietnamese parents and grandparents worry their children who become Christians wont revere them properly after they have died.

“The family wants ancestor worship,” Matthew explains, “but we teach young people Who is worthy to be worshiped – Jesus.” Pastor Matthew still encourages young people to respect and love their families. They pray that, as they live out their faith, family members will see a difference in them and be drawn to the truth of Christ.

Listen as Pastor Matthew shares about persecution of Hmong Christians and the Vietnamese government’s crackdown on pastors. He’ll share the most effective ways persecuted Christians are encouraged as they continue to train and equip leaders to stand firm in their faith. He’ll also share how you can pray specifically for the church in Vietnam and those who don’t yet know Christ.

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“When people are not discipled, they are frail. Their faith is not strong.”

Dr. David Kasali, founder and president of Congo Initiative, is determined to disciple more Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a place where they are being specifically targeted for persecution by terrorist groups and radical Islamists.

Listen as David tells about recent attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), including one where a Christian man was murdered on the spot just for acknowledging his faith in Christ and another where a nearby church was bombed during services. Such attacks are becoming more and more common in DRC.

Born into a pastor’s family, David shares about his heritage and his father’s love for the Lord and for his people. He’ll tell of his father’s efforts to win an entire village to Christ and plant a church there.

David shares how he helps prepare Congolese Christians for persecution and the importance of standing strong in Christ during hardship and suffering. Desiring to see the next generation equipped for spiritual victory, David disciples Christians to read the Bible and pray everyday. He says when we take the Bible and apply it into the context of where we are living, then we can face any challenges of the culture around us.

When you do that, David says, “You’re creating disciples and creating people to know what they believe and why they believe it.”

Hear David share how the ADF knew a Christian pastor was praying against the activities of their forces, and learn how you can pray for the church in the Congo and how The Voice of the Martyrs is helping provide Bibles and serve persecuted Christians there.

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Seventy percent of Sri Lanka’s people are Buddhists, and Buddhism is given “foremost place” in the nation’s constitution and laws. Officially, there is religious freedom for people of other faiths, including Christians. Yet new believers in Christ often face pressure and persecution from family members or their local community.

Mayukha Perera, managing director of Back to the Bible Sri Lanka, joins VOM Radio this week to share about the challenges facing persecuted Christians in Sri Lanka and about his work sharing the gospel with Buddhists and preparing new Christians to face persecution.

Mayukha encourages Christians to be deeply rooted in Scripture and to know that persecution for following Christ has been commonly endured by believers for centuries. Their response to that persecution is key: Perera has seen Buddhists drawn to know more about Jesus after seeing Christians stand firm in their faith despite persecution.

Mayukha explains the work he and others do with Back to the Bible in Sri Lanka, including sharing the biblical gospel through radio broadcasts and resources, equipping believers to understand and apply scripture, and training church leaders in a country where 85-95% of pastors have no training in biblical leadership.

“We want to get the people into the Word,” says Mayukha, “and get the Word into the people.”

Learn how Back to the Bible prepares pastors and leaders for persecution and how they share the gospel lovingly with people of other faiths. Listen as Mayukha explains stumbling blocks in the Buddhist religion to the gospel and offers advice as you share Jesus with Buddhists you know. He’ll also share specific ways to pray for Sri Lanka this week.

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Pastor Nouh Yattara was born into a nomadic Muslim family. He became a believer through the work of missionaries in his home country of Mali—and through his desire to own a ball-point pen. After living in fear of superstitions, demons and death, Nouh found new life, and an end to fear, in Christ. “I knew if I accepted Jesus that he has the power against all of that,” Pastor Nouh says.

It wasn’t an easy path. Nouh experienced Christian persecution from family members, teachers, kids at school, and his community. In spite of the pressure against him, Nouh stood firm in God’s grace and moved forward in faith.

Today, Nouh is the pastor of a church and leader in Mali’s evangelical association. He uses his own story—and the stories of other persecuted Christians—to prepare new believers to endure in their faith despite pressure and persecution.

Listen to hear what Christians in Mali are facing and learn how you can pray for them. You’ll also hear Pastor Nouh’s encouragement to be in fellowship with other believers, encouraging each other on in faith. He’ll also give advice on how you can share the gospel with Muslims in your community.

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“By God’s grace, I endured a few years in prison in exchange for an eternity with Him.”

Ebrahim Firouzi, a Christian convert from Islam, spent seven years in prison in Iran. Now he is enjoying eternity with the Lord, experiencing the fulfillment of that promise following his death in February.

This interview was recorded about four years ago—after Ebrahim’s release from prison while he was serving out two years of “internal exile,” living in a remote area along the border of Iran and Pakistan. We’ve chose to re-air it on VOM Radio to commemorate our brother’s faithfulness and honor his memory.

With the recent death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian in a helicopter crash, this is a particularly strategic time to pray for the nation of Iran.

Ebrahim Firouzi was first arrested in 2011 and given a ten-month sentence. After his release, he continued boldly sharing the gospel at every opportunity. He was always looking to bring hope to the people of Iran through sharing the gospel.

“My only priority was that people would be able to hear and receive the Word of God.” Firouzi said.

He was arrested again in 2013, ultimately serving a total of seven years in prison, followed by two years internal exile, during which time he was required to regularly check in with local police.

While he was in prison, the stories and examples of persecuted Iranian Christians before him encouraged and impacted Ebrahim to remain faithful.

This interview was originally conducted in Farsi by Joseph Hovsepian, the son of martyred Iranian church leader Haik Hovsepian. We are thankful to Joseph and our friends at Hovsepian Ministries for allowing VOM Radio to broadcast this interview and share Ebrahim’s testimony.

Please pray for pastors and other Christians imprisoned in Iran and other nations.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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Last week Luke and Kate, medical gospel workers who’ve served in Myanmar, shared how God called them to Myanmar to share the hope of Christ. This week, in Part 2 of our conversation, they reveal the loss and devastation their family experienced as they were forced to leave the place God had so clearly called them to.

“It was devastating,” Kate says, “and we still sometimes have to process through that again.” While returning to their village home is not an option right now, Luke and Kate are clear that the Lord has not released them from their calling to the people of Myanmar.

Listen as they talk about wrestling with what God’s will is, and how they have walked through this disappointment and displacement alongside their children. They’ll also offer advice for others feeling a call to serve as missionaries or other overseas ministry service.

Though there has been deep grief in leaving their home, there has also been joy. Since Luke and Kate left Myanmar, three people in their village have been baptized as new believers. They are thrilled to see local believers taking the reigns of ministry and leading others to Christ.

Please pray for Luke, Kate and their family as they consider two opportunities—outside the country—where they could continue to serve the people of Myanmar.

The Bible commands us to remember those in prison as if we were with them (Hebrews 13:3). Please pray for freedom for Dr. Kiflu Gebremeskel and Pastor Haile Nayzgi, two pastors in prison in Eritrea. May 23rd, 2024, marks the 20th anniversary of their arrest in Asmara. Pray also for the release of 350+ other Christians imprisoned in Eritrea right now—including more than 80 arrested so far in 2024. Speak out and share their story with others who will stand with these persecuted Christians in prayer.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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Luke and Kate had both felt God’s call to missions. But they were still waiting to know where that call would take them. They went through training. They travelled to serve in different countries. And all the while, they asked God where he wanted to send them long-term. His answer finally arrived after a 12-hour bus ride to a rural village in Myanmar where there were no other foreigners.

Kate and Luke both felt it clearly: “This is it. This is home. This is where I want you.”

God put a deep love for the local people in their hearts. Their calling was confirmed when a village elder asked them to stay and serve with their medical skills. That clear sense of God’s calling would prove vital in helping them stand firm in serving through challenges, Christian persecution and even the 2021 coup.

In Myanmar (formerly Burma), each person’s religion is printed on their ID card, and it is illegal to change one’s religion. It’s illegal for a Buddhist woman to marry a man from another religion. Ethnic divisions are baked into everyday life as each person is expected to look out primarily for their own people.

In the midst of that challenging environment, listen to how Luke and Kate shared the gospel and how Jesus brought people from different ethnic and tribal groups together as fellow members of the Body of Christ as their house church includes four different ethnic groups unified in Christ.

Luke and Kate also share the story of a Buddhist background believer who was severely persecuted by her own mother, but endured faithfully and eventually led her mother to Christ. They’ll also share how they talk about persecution while sharing the gospel so that those who respond and become new believers are ready to count the cost of following Christ.

Pray for followers of Jesus in Myanmar and for Luke, Kate and their family. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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Brother Job thought it would be just another day. He was walking to work at a church in North Africa when he was accosted by four men with knives. The terrorists forced him into a vehicle and drove him away.

“It’s my last day on this earth,” Job thought to himself.

Growing up in a Muslim family in North Africa, Job knew there would be persecution when he left Islam to follow Jesus. He came to faith—along with other members of his family—after seeing a satellite TV program where a former Muslim from Morocco named Brother Rachid answers the questions of Muslims and points them to Jesus. (Hear more about Brother Rachid’s testimony and ministry in this episode of VOM Radio.)

After coming to Christ, Job felt a passion and calling to tell others about Jesus. He became involved in church ministry, including media ministry. He knew there were risks, yet he boldly put his own face and testimony online. Angry Muslims saw him as a traitor and an apostate.

Kidnapped by terrorists, held at knife point with a hood over his head, Job believed he would soon be killed. He was at peace with losing his own life, but was concerned about his wife and young children who would be left behind. Who would care for them?

Thankfully, the terrorists did not kill Brother Job, but released him. But his trials were not over. Reporting his kidnapping to local police, Job was treated as a criminal instead of a true crime victim. He was interrogated repeatedly about why he’d left Islam and become a Christian. He took advantage of the opportunity to boldly share his testimony and explain the gospel message—right in the police station, with 20 officers listening.

Whether kidnapped by terrorists or interrogated by angry police officers, Job says, “I never felt alone.”

Listen to Brother Job recount his kidnapping and the lessons God taught him through his first-hand Christian persecution experience. Today Job prepares new believers with the understanding that persecution is to be expected in the life of a Christian. He will also help us pray for persecuted Christians in North Africa.

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There are 500,000 evangelical churches in Latin America, but only 6% of Latino congregations are involved in missions. As executive director of COMHINA, and in his previous work with Operation Mobilization Latin America, Brother Julio wants to increase that percentage! He desires to bring about collaboration between churches and missionary organizations to equip and send out Latino missionaries.

Listen for the story of Julio’s own call to missions while living and working in Japan, and how he returned to Brazil and ended up working with and training workers for OM.

Hear also how God eventually called Julio and his family to the United States to inspire and commission Spanish-speakers for international cross cultural gospel work through COMHINA, a network of churches and mission organizations. He says that as Latinos are trained and informed about unreached people groups who’ve never heard about Christ, they encounter God and ready to go on mission for Him.

Julio has sent many to be witnesses in restricted nations and hostile areas. Listen for the story of how one man used soccer to open doors for ministry in Afghanistan, and how a church leader in Iran told Julio not to feel sorry for persecuted Christians.

As Julio sends workers to the harvest, persecution is a reality. “If people pass through those situations,” he says, “they will experience God’s grace in ways that we cannot even train someone on.” Living for Christ in restricted and hostile nations comes with risks, yet the grace of God is ever present with the persecuted church.

You can learn more about Julio’s work sending out Spanish-speaking mission workers at the web sites for COMHINA and COMIBAM.

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A Christian and pastor from Central Asia, Brother Silas constantly interacts with Muslims. He says many are seeking truth and looking for answers to their deepest spiritual questions.

Brother Silas and Tom Houser, executive director for People International, share this week what new Christians in Central Asian nations—including Muslim background believers—experience when they become followers of Jesus. “The moment you make that decision,” says Silas, “you will be oppressed on every side.”

Persecution follows those who come to Christ in Central Asian nations like Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. The persecution may come from different sources: the government, their parents, relatives, neighbors, or the broader community. Persecuted Christians face isolation, broken friendships and being targeted by police or other authorities.

Silas shares some of his own experience as a persecuted Christian, and the encouragement he found in knowing other Christians were praying for him and that he was not alone. Organizations like People International and The Voice of the Martyrs, which take time to sit with persecuted Christians and know what they really need, bring encouragement as they share that others around the world—like VOM Radio listeners—are praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters.

Hear how we can reach our Muslim neighbors, coworkers, and friends for Christ. Tom will also share more about People International’s mission to be present where there is no church presence and what leaders of the group have learned in more than forty years of ministry. Also hear how social media, broadcasting and other evangelism tools are reaching people in Central Asia. And learn how you can pray for the people of Central Asia to know Christ, and for the persecuted church in these nations.

Listen here to Silas’ testimony of coming to faith and the persecution he faced as a new Christian.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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Many Muslims are ready to hear the gospel and experience the love of Jesus Christ. For more than two decades Peter Smith has prayed for the nation of Iran and connected with ministries reaching people and supporting persecuted Christians in the nation he and his wife “adopted.” Seeing the gospel go forth in the Middle East reminds Peter of the good soil that produced 30, 60 and 100-fold harvests in Jesus’ Matthew 13 parable.

Persecution is rising in restricted nations across the Middle East; despite that risk, more Muslims are becoming followers of Christ. Listen as Peter shares the stories of how God worked in the heart of an Uber driver and a divorced woman.

“When you adopt a country,” Peter says, “sooner or later you get to adopt the people.”

Peter’s wife also has an international ministry—from their home in the United States. She asks the Lord each day for divine appointments and looks for gospel opportunities at the grocery store, in her neighborhood and wherever else the day takes her. Hear how she’s had gospel conversations with women from 54 different countries.

Learn how you can pray specifically for Christians in Iran and across the Middle East as Peter shares what current events mean for Christians there and how to pray for what God is already doing. Go to TheRealStoryOfJesus.com to see one resource people are using to share the gospel in the Middle East—a resource also available in English.

Hear the story of Peter “adopting” the nation of Iran during his first visit with VOM Radio.

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Last week, Brother Kevin shared how he came to Christ and how God gave him a passion to reach the 13 million Hui people in China. For members of this people group, to be Hui is to be Muslim. Those who become Christians are considered traitors, bringing shame to their family.

Hui Christians face social, psychological, and sometimes financial persecution, typically enforced by members of their own family. They may lose their job, be kicked out of the family home, and even renounced as a member of the family.

Kevin came to see the communist authorities as ordinary people doing their jobs and providing for their families. He intentionally chose to see police and other authorities as worthy of his respect and compassion.

When Xi Jinping ascended to the leadership of the Communist Party and the Chinese nation, things changed. By 2017, most foreigners were having a hard time renewing visas. By 2018, hardly any foreign gospel workers were able to remain in China. Members of Muslim minorities—including the Hui and the Uyghurs—received “reeducation” enforced by the government.

Listen as Kevin shares how his family’s ministry in China ended and how tension grew during their final weeks in country as authorities searched for legal reasons to detain or deport Kevin and his family, including a late-night drive to the airport. Choosing to focus on God’s sovereignty allowed Kevin to shepherd his family and others struggling with their forced departure.

Gospel outreach to the Hui did not end with foreign missionaries being kicked out of China. Today they are reached through social media gospel outreach and multifaceted church planting by local Han Chinese believers as well as Christians from non-Western countries.

Pray for the Lord to continue moving among the Hui through dreams, visions and divine appointments with followers of Christ. Pray for Chinese brothers and sisters to boldly preach the cross and to prepare new Christians for persecution.

Richard and Jeannette had a similar experience in China as Kevin’s family, yet Richard found himself detained by the authorities. Listen to their story.

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April is Bible month at VOM! Please consider giving online to help deliver Bibles to Christians living in restricted nations and hostile areas.

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Within two months of Brother Kevin and his wife beginning gospel work in India, more than a thousand people had come to Christ! The fruit of the gospel was immediate. Local missions leaders asked them to stay on and help disciple these new believers. They saw the opportunity, and the incredible growth of the ministry. But Kevin couldn’t dismiss an urge to visit China before agreeing to stay and minister in India.

It was on that first visit to China that Kevin was asked a question which would change his life and guide his mission efforts going forward: “Have you heard of the Hui people?” Kevin and his wife had not heard of the Hui, and they began to ask questions about this mostly-Muslim unreached people group of 13 million people.

They were told that, in the area they were passing through, the Hui people had no church, no missionaries, and that there was no church or organization committed to sharing the gospel with them.

“That’s when we felt the call.” Kevin says now. Today Kevin and his wife have spent more than a decade living among and serving the Hui people.

Listen as Kevin shares his testimony of coming to Christ as a young adult, and about his calling to be a missionary in a restricted nation where Christian persecution is common and fierce.

Kevin opens up about some of the struggles they faced as cross cultural gospel workers, and how their clear calling from God kept them in obedience to Him. Be sure to listen next week as Kevin shares more about their work in China and how they experienced a sudden forced ending to that chapter of their ministry.

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“For us, it’s not AWANA, it’s ‘Can we disciple one more child?’”

Gajendra Tamang is the Regional Director of AWANA in South Asia, coming alongside pastors and local churches to help reach and disciple children from many different religious backgrounds.

Gajendra knows first-hand how a life can be changed through a simple invitation to a Christian activity. He came to faith while attending college in India, where a Christian classmate invited Gajendra to come to church with him every Sunday for a year. Finally Gajendra decided to see why his classmate loved going to church. He didn’t understand everything being said, but he loved the music, and a few months later he came to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

As seminary students Gajendra and his wife were recruited to serve as AWANA volunteers. They continued serving in AWANA throughout their seminary training. After graduation the couple became AWANA missionaries, and today they are tasked with training volunteer leaders to help serve in local churches in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

In most AWANA groups in South Asia, 20 to 25% of the children come from non-Christian homes, including Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. Some parents restrict their children from coming after they learn that Bible stories are being shared, while others accept the care and blessing their child receives even though it is coming from Christians. Gajendra will help us understand and pray for the training process to equip more leaders and ultimately to tell more children about Jesus.

Listen for the story of an entire family coming to Christ through one child's prayer for healing and learn how you can pray for the salvation of the next generation—and their parents—in South Asia. Pray for more AWANA leaders willing to be disciple makers on the front lines and for believers and local churches facing persecution for their faith in Christ.

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Fidel Castro, leader of Cuba’s communist revolution, died in 2016. But has Castro’s death changed the level of Christian persecution in Cuba? “No difference at all,” Pastor Mateo, a church leader in Cuba, says emphatically.

The Cuban government attempts to restrain the gospel in many ways. Yet despite persecution, the church in Cuba is growing—stretching beyond buildings and homes and gathering on the streets and in open fields to pray and worship and share the gospel. Listen as Pastor Mateo shares the many restrictions Cuba’s communist leaders enforce on pastors, church buildings, ministry efforts and families. Even pastors’ children become targets for persecution because of their parents’ ministry.

But government efforts to curtail church growth are failing as the church continues to multiply. Large events in Cuba are bringing together thousands of believers for prayer and fellowship. Mateo reminds us, “In Matthew 16, Jesus says, ‘the gates of hell will not prevail against the church.’” Cuban Christians are experiencing the reality of Jesus’ promise.

“You will never be able to stop the movements of the church.” Mateo says. Today, he encourages young pastors to remain faithful and never renounce Jesus, even as they encounter government threats.

Listen also for ways you can pray specifically for Mateo and persecuted Christians in Cuba to remain strong in the Lord as they face hostility and persecution.

VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton will also give a recap of the recent I Am N Virtual Event. If you missed the event, it is now available for viewing on demand.

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It was four in the morning when Els Woodke answered the phone to hear the words she’d been praying for and waiting on for six-and-a-half years: “Jeff has been recovered!”

The last two weeks we’ve shared the story of Jeffery Woodke, American gospel worker in West Africa captured by Islamists and held hostage for more than six years. Now, Jeff’s wife, Els, shares her side of the story of waiting and wondering and praying through that long ordeal—and how God helped her never to hate Jeff’s captors.

“The moment I heard Jeff was kidnapped, I cried out to God,” Els says.

Shortly after Jeff’s abduction, Els felt the Lord saying to her, “I want you to love the enemy.” She answered that call, never letting bitterness or anger toward the terrorists holding Jeff find a place in her heart.

“I lived in the Psalms,” she says, often taking the prayers and promises recorded by the Psalmist and making them her own prayers for Jeff. Among those prayers was, “Keep him alive in famine” and “deliver him from death,” based on Psalm 33:19. After Jeff’s release in March, 2023, Els learned that his circumstances in captivity had been even worse than she could’ve imagined.

Listen in as Els speaks to the people all around the world who prayed for Jeff’s release and for her. It strengthened her faith to hear that people were fervently and faithfully praying for Jeff—for years—without knowing his condition. “Thank you for your faithfulness,” Els says as she shares how peoples’ prayers encouraged her to keep the faith. Please continue to pray for Jeff and Els Woodke as they continue to reconnect and recover from their experience and forced separation.

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“Hope is the first thing to go” Jeffery Woodke says, speaking about his six-and-a-half years as a hostage held by radical Islamist terror groups. He says he started out, after being kidnapped, praying eight hours a day. But over the years his hopelessness increased and his prayer time faded to twenty minutes daily. Suicidal, he beseeched his persecutors numerous times to take his life, knowing heaven would be much better than his existence as a hostage chained to a tree.

Despite his doubts, God was always with Jeff. He found he couldn’t abandon prayer altogether.

Listen as Jeff shares more about his time as a hostage; his hunger and water strikes to get better treatment and the ongoing trauma he deals with after his experience as a captive. He’ll tell the stories he heard about the Covid pandemic—and how he assumed his family must have all died and mourned their loss.

Jeff will also tell about his release, from getting a “fruit basket” from the leader of his terrorist captors to being taken to the largest gathering of jihadists and Mujahadin he’d ever seen. It was there, under a tree, he met the French journalist Olivier Dubois. The two men were released together in March, 2023.

Jeff spent several days in medical care after his release as doctors tried to stabilize his health before he could get on a plane to return to the US. One of the first things he asked for was a Bible. “It’s good to have the Word of God,” he says. He quickly turned to the gospel of John and began to read.

Jeff’s testimony of forgiveness is powerful. After being chained physically, Jeff asks why anyone would chain themselves up willingly with unforgiveness? Forgiveness, he says, can cut those chains.

Jeffery Woodke is still learning to process his years of hostage trauma. Pray for healing as he and Els explore what this season in their life will be. Jeff was amazed and humbled how Christians around the world prayed fervently for his release. “Prayer works,” he says. He’ll help us continue to pray for persecuted Christians still held hostage in West Africa and other parts of the world.

Join VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, for the I-Am-N Virtual Event on March 8. Registration is free. You may also want to talk to your pastor or church leaders about hosting this inspiring event at your church. More details at www.IamNevent.com

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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“It’s better to be dead than taken hostage.”

When Jeff Woodke said those words, he didn’t know that he would be taken hostage from his home in Niger in 2016. But Woodke, a long-term relief and gospel worker in West Africa, did know there were risks.

Risk wasn’t such a big issue in the early years of the ministry of Jeff and his wife, Els, in Niger with Youth With a Mission (YWAM). They worked in church planting, discipleship, and evangelism among the Wodaabe people. Niger was an open country, with churches throughout. What Christian persecution there was came from family members or neighbors who opposed following Jesus. However, over time the rise of Salafist Islam changed Niger—and increased their risk.

Listen as Jeff recalls the night he was kidnapped and how the image of orange flashes from the guns which killed his guards are seared into his memory.

Naked and bloody, Jeff was forced into the back seat of a truck and driven away, not knowing who his captors were or how long his captivity might last. Over the years, Jeff was transferred into the custody of multiple terror groups, beaten and mistreated. As a Christian who refused to embrace Islam, Jeff was seen as an animal. Some of his guards were only 12 years old.

Yet Jeff says renouncing his faith in Christ and becoming a Muslim to get better treatment was never an option. Jeff shares what helped him during those difficult days and how he knew the Lord was with him. Listen as he tells why forgiveness was key and how he took opportunity daily to express it to his captors.

Please pray for Jeff and Els as they continue to recover from the more than six years of Jeff’s captivity and come back next week as Jeff continues to share more of his experience being a hostage and his eventual release and freedom.

Register now to join VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, at the I-Am-N Virtual Event on March 8. You may also want to talk to your pastor or church leaders about hosting this inspiring event at your church. More details and free registration at www.IamNevent.com

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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David Paul fell in love with Muslims as a college student visiting Turkey (now Türkiye) to share the gospel. After getting married, he and his wife thought they’d go where Muslims are — the Middle East. God changed their plans, reminding them that millions of Muslims live in South Asia, yet very few mission workers go there. They knew God was calling them, and without ever visiting, they moved to South Asia more than a decade ago. Their focus is on reaching Urdu speaking Muslims with the gospel message.

Listen as David shares difficulties from those early years of ministry and how we can encourage and pray for missionaries to push forward through their early challenges to reach maximum fruitfulness. Today David’s challenges are different; one is the great need to develop more Muslim background believers (MBBs) to be leaders in the Urdu church.

Listen to David tell stories of Urdu speaking Muslims who have come to faith in Christ and how different understandings of Islam can affect how much Christian persecution believers face for leaving Islam. David is also training Hindu background believers to reach their Muslim neighbors.

“Every time I encourage a believer to go into the face of persecution, I lose a lot of sleep.” David says, “It’s not an easy calling to ask people to do that.” Yet, Davd knows it’s what Jesus would do.

Pray for Urdu speaking believers—especially those facing persecution right now—and for God to raise up Christian leaders and mentors among them.

Register now to join VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, and be a part of the I-Am-N Virtual Event, coming up March 8. You may also want to talk to your pastor or other church leaders about hosting this powerful event at your church. More details and free registration at www.IamNevent.com

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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Last week, Brother Philip, a field minister for The Voice of the Martyrs in West Africa, shared how witnessing stories of trauma from persecuted Christians and addressing their spiritual needs is a gift. He shared the characteristics of resilient individuals who coped well after persecution and how scripture can bring healing to their hearts and minds. This week, you’ll hear how Christians may exhibit more resilience than non-believers, stories of persecuted Christians and how The Voice of the Martyrs empowers pastors in Africa to help persecuted Christians find healing after trauma.

Listen as Philip explains the need for believers—in Africa and elsewhere—to have a good theology of suffering to thrive in a broken world where persecution is promised. You’ll also hear how the fruit of the Spirit is central in providing trauma care for persecuted Christians, and the vital role forgiveness plays. “Forgiveness is absolutely indispensable for healing,” Philip says.

You’ll hear the story of a pastor in Africa who suffered incredible loss when Islamists attacked his village. The pastor ran from the invading rebels to hide in the church. However, they followed him. When the attack was over, the pastor’s wife, his brother and his two children had all been killed. Yet after attending a trauma care workshop sponsored by VOM, the pastor said: “I have begun to forgive those perpetrators totally.”

Philip and his team train pastors and other Christian leaders to care for persecuted Christians dealing with trauma in their communities. Partnering with pastors in Africa and other parts of the world—people who already understand the culture and know the language—creates greater impact as they share the training further and reach out to more persecuted Christians.

Pray for Philip and his team as they train pastors to care for persecuted Christians. Pray for persecuted church members in restricted nations and hostile areas to hold fast to their faith—even in suffering. And please consider giving online to support VOM’s ministry serving persecuted Christians around the world.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week—and receive daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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This episode will be a little different than most as we have two conversations instead of one. First, we’ll hear from Steve Lisby about a group of pastors and church leaders imprisoned in Nicaragua after being part of a large-scale evangelism effort. Next we’ll hear from Brother Philip, who helps The Voice of the Martyrs provide trauma care for persecuted Christians in Africa.

Steve Lisby is the risk management director with Mountain Gateway, a ministry helping train and send gospel workers. Last year, with the approval of the Nicaraguan government, Mountain Gateway held evangelistic events in multiple locations around the country. More than one million people attended these events, including 300,000 at the final event in the capitol city. After the success of these events, it was a shock when one of the Mountain Gateway national directors was imprisoned in December. Days later, his wife and nine more pastors were taken to prison. Since their arrest they have not been allowed to see their families or have contact with the outside world.

Pray for these eleven Nicaraguan Christians, for the ongoing court process and for leaders in the ministry and in the Nicaraguan government. For updates on the situation visit mountaingateway.org.

For persecuted Christians and others who have gone through trauma, that trauma can affect all aspects of their life. Brother Philip is a field minister in Africa for The Voice of the Martyrs, specifically focused on training Christian leaders to provide trauma care for Christians who have endured persecution.

Listen as Philip shares how trauma rewires the brains of victims. For persecuted Christians, that affects how they relate to God and experience faith. As a trained trauma-care provider and brother in Christ, Philip believes it’s a gift to listen to the stories of our persecuted brothers and sisters and bear witness to the pain they’ve experienced. It is important to address physical, emotional and mental needs. But the great blessing of VOM’s work is to be able to address spiritual needs for trauma survivors as well. Hear how Philip and his coworkers structure trauma care efforts for persecuted Christians and the benefit of designing this care around the truth of God’s Word.

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Paul Dangtoumda, a part of the global eldership counsel for Youth With a Mission (YWAM) and the leader for YWAM’s work in Nigeria, comes from a family with a history of Christian persecution. In fact, he bears the scar of persecution his parents faced even before he was born. Listen as he shares the amazing testimony of God’s protection over him and his parents—and how their example inspires his ministry even today.

Hear how Paul began working in Nigeria and how today he and YWAM are helping widows—Women of Honor—to persevere in life and faith despite the loss of their husbands. “We had to teach the [women] how to go to the cross,” he says. “Because when they realize that it is God who can save them, then this is the beginning of true counseling.”

Paul will also share about a Bible translation effort called Oral Mother Tongue, an effort that YWAM founder Loren Cunningham focused on in the final days of his earthly life. Listen as Paul describes the process from start to finish—and the reaction of people hearing the Bible in their own language for the first time.

Paul will suggest ways listeners can pray for this translation effort. Also visit Pray OMT to learn more about the process of making the Bible available to every tribe, tongue, and nation.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcastOr you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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Choosing the cross comes with risk.

Carter Gates, The Voice of the Martyrs’ Asia Pacific Regional Leader, says he is always humbled as he observes and fellowships with persecuted Christians who regularly take up their cross joyfully despite that risk. They know walking with Christ is worth the risk.

Listen this week as Carter shares what the church is experiencing in Brunei, China, Laos, and Myanmar, including looking ahead to serving our Christian brothers and sisters in these restricted and hostile nations in 2024.

Brunei is now requiring one hour of Islamic instruction per day for children in public and private schools. In China, the Communist Party has intensified efforts to restrict children from attending church. Biblical children’s resources—including Bibles—are needed, and Carter’s team have a passion to inspire the next generation toward gospel boldness.

Carter asked one Chinese brother how he was preparing to faithfully stand strong under Christian persecution. The answer he received was challenging: “When I was little, my mother taught me three preparations,” our Chinese brother responded. “Always be ready to preach. Always be ready to pray. Always be ready for martyrdom.”

One young teenager, who came to faith in Laos through the ministry of a missionary couple, literally had to hide her Bible by burying it in the ground. She would dig it up late at night to read it without her family’s knowledge. Today she has grown in her faith and is involved in church planting.

Pray for our brothers and sisters in Asia Pacific as they experience different forms of persecution for their faith. Pray for Carter and his team as they use creative means to serve our persecuted family in China, Myanmar, Laos, Brunei and other nations in the region.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcastOr you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

Loren Cunningham, with his wife Darlene, founded Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in 1960 with a vision to equip and send young people out all over the world to fulfill this God-given command to go and proclaim. Loren passionately continued God’s work even into his final days on earth, preaching and discipling even with lung cancer. When he died last October, he left an amazing, inspired legacy for YWAM.

Paul Childers, a long time YWAM worker and member of the ministry’s global eldership team, returns to VOM Radio this week to share how Loren’s legacy is propelling YWAM forward, especially with an emphasis on providing God’s Word to as many as possible through a Bible translation effort called Oral Mother Tongue. He will share the process to rapidly translate the Bible, through spoken word, into many more languages using the local people to help with the process.

Paul, founder of Word by Heart, shares the amazing work of Oral Mother Tongue and how they translated the entire New Testament for 30 languages in six months! Even local non-Christians are included in this work, excited by the stories they are helping to translate and the effort to maintain their heart languages.

Even a Hindu priest suggested, “The government needs to pay for this translation work! It’s so important to encapsulate our language going forward.” The process also adds credibility to the work in each community as people want to listen to a project to which their family members and friends contributed.

Learn more about the work, and how you can support it in prayer, by visiting www.prayomt.org. Please also pray for YWAM in this season of transition as they continue Loren’s legacy impacting the world for Christ and his kingdom.

You can listen to previous conversation on VOM Radio with Loren Cunningham and Paul and Susi Childers. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily reminders of how to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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“I’ve been with you, and I have to leave now, but as I go I am still with you.”

Aaron Miller, Vice President of International Ministry at The Voice of the Martyrs, learned this concept from brothers and sisters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They have a word for the concept in their language: tukopamuja. As Aaron and his team sit with persecuted Christians across the world, the stories they hear and prayers they pray together stay with them forever.

As 2024 begins, we pray that the stories of Christian persecution—and the faithfulness of Christ’s followers who endure it—will stay with you as you pray for the persecuted church. Changes in the status of Christians and the level of persecution in various nations are reflected in VOM’s 2024 Prayer Guide, and Aaron will bring those to light as he shares stories from his own travel and how his staff continue to serve persecuted Christians despite increased challenges.

Malawi and Mauritania, two countries in Africa have been added as daily persecution is a reality. One for Mauritania includes several men imprisoned for a baptism video released on social media. In India, prime minister Modi has diminished government protection for Christianity and increasing violent acts against Christians have made this region now restricted.

Learn from Aaron how you can pray for VOM’s International Ministry team and for Christians in restricted and hostile nations this year.

UPDATE: After the recording of this interview we learned the Christians arrested in Mauritania had been released. We thank God for this answer to prayer! Please continue to pray for their protection and their peace.

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Join this week as we continue to look back on some of the most moving moments of 2023 on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio:

Brother Maksud became a Christian as a young man but was afraid to tell his parents. He expected his father might disown him but was shocked at his father’s response.
Pastor Hanna remembers when he learned that a member of his church, Rami Ayyad, had been martyred. He says our faith won’t be tested when everything is going fine, but in difficult times.
After Sister Jane’s husband was martyred in the Middle East, she prayed God would raise him from the dead. God didn’t answer that prayer—but used the sacrifice to build his Kingdom.
Susanne Geske suddenly received public attention after her husband was murdered in Turkey. She used the opportunity to echo Christ’s words from the cross: “Father, forgive them.”
Soon after Ronnie Smith was killed in Libya, his widow, Anita, had an opportunity to express God’s forgiveness to his killers–in English and Arabic. (This interview with Anita was recorded as part of the Hearts of Fire Virtual Event. You can view the event—featuring four women who have suffered for their faith—online now for free.)
When their parents were martyred serving the Lord in Uganda, Saul and Ezra Pett were angry with God. But in the years since God has brought healing and now the brothers are ministering in the very place where their parents were killed.
As a young man, Brother Mansour made plans to burn down a church. Instead, he became a Christian trying to share God’s Word with Iranians all over the world.
Dr. Hormoz Shariat shares the story of a taxi driver in Iran who Jesus healed from cancer; today he shares his testimony with every passenger that gets into his taxi.
John Samara shared a prayer request for his co-worker who’d been kidnapped by terrorists in the Middle East. God answered those prayers before his episode was aired on VOM Radio.
Susi Childers told us the story of meeting Nigerian widows learning to forgive and pray for their persecutors. Listen to how Susi shared God’s love for these women through jewelry.
Brother Enfu told us how church leaders are still being trained in China, in spite of Communist Party restrictions, and gives us a specific way to pray.
When VOM met Pastor Pan and members of the Mayflower Church, they had fled China and were seeking asylum in Thailand. Following the broadcast of that episode, church members were granted entry to the US.

After hearing brief excerpts of these powerful interviews, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations! Click the links below to listen online or find VOM Radio on your favorite podcast app.

Brother Maksud, pastor who grew up in a Muslim family in Central Asia
Pastor Hanna, Leader of Christian Mission to Gaza
Sister Jane, whose husband was killed in the Middle East
Susane Geske, martyr’s widow still serving in Türkiye
Anita Smith. Her husband, Ronnie, was martyred in Libya
Saul and Ezra Pett, whose missionary parents were killed in Uganda
Brother Mansour, Leader in the Iranian Bible Society
Dr. Hormoz Shariat, President of Iran Alive Ministries
John Samara, Founder and Executive Director of Ananias House
Susi Childers, serving in Youth With A Mission (YWAM) through photography
Brother Enfu, pastor of an underground Chinese church
Pastor Pan, leader of the Mayflower Church, which fled China

We are thankful to God for allowing VOM Radio to share these inspiring stories in 2023. We also THANK YOU for listening and praying for our persecuted family. Please share this episode with a Christian friend, and leave a rating or review on your favorite podcast app to help other Christians find VOM Radio.

During the month of December, when you make a donation to support persecuted Christians in China, Iran, Nigeria and other nations, you will receive a FREE 2024 VOM Prayer Calendar.

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Join this week in looking back on some of the most moving moments on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2023:

Brother James, interrogated in the Middle East, shares how he overcomes fear and gives an example of God’s deliverance.
Richard and Jeannette remember the day 25 Chinese police raided their apartment, and how the Lord was with them through their suffering.
Carter Gates tells the story of a pastor who was martyred in Laos.
A pastor in the Arabian Peninsula tells his congregation to “be at peace,” even as terrorists with guns raid their service. Jonathan Ekman shares the supernatural result.
Aaron Miller tells of visiting persecuted Christians in North Africa and intentionally being present with brothers and sisters who have gone through traumatic persecution experiences.
Dr. Eric Foley says the church in North Korea is continuing to grow—in spite of being in one of the most restricted nations on earth.
Fouad Masri shares how Muslims are more open to the gospel than ever before and a how the Lord had gone before him to prepare for an encounter with a Muslim on an airplane.
Brother Shakir, a gospel worker in North Africa, tells the power of suffering for Christ.
Also recorded on the road in North Africa, Pastor Joe shared a story of a couple who each accepted Christ without the other knowing—until they were invited to the same Christian meeting!
Ben and Kimberly, serving Christ in South Asia, have seen what the Lord has done to bring His Kingdom on earth in the very place where they prayed for God’s church to be built.

After hearing these brief excerpts, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations. Click on the links below to listen in your favorite podcast app or visit VOMRadio.net.

Brother James, a faithful gospel worker in the Middle East
Richard and Jeannette, interrogated in China while serving Christ
Carter Gates, VOM’s Asia Pacific Regional Leader
Jonathan Ekman, VOM’s Chief of International Ministry Strategy and Partnerships
Aaron Miller, VOM’s VP of International Ministry
Dr. Eric Foley, Founder and President of VOM Korea
Fouad Masri, Founder and President of Crescent Project
Brother Shakir, serving in North Africa and preparing believers for persecution
Pastor Joe, a gospel worker in North Africa
Ben and Kimberly, serving Christ in South Asia

We thank the Lord for allowing VOM Radio to share these amazing stories of the power of the gospel and God’s peace in the midst of persecution throughout 2023. We also THANK YOU for listening and praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters in hostile nations and restricted areas.

During the month of December, when you make a donation to support persecuted Christians in China, Iran, Nigeria and other nations, you will receive a FREE 2024 VOM Prayer Calendar. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the podcast and share VOM Radio with Christian friends who would also be encouraged by these testimonies!

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“We are ready and prepared to be imprisoned. We are not afraid of being imprisoned. But we are afraid of losing the fear of the Lord.” —House Church leaders in China

Bob Fu, founder, and president of ChinaAid, is regularly in contact with Christians all over China. He says that, in an era of harsh government restrictions and a complete lack of religious freedom, churches are still being planted and leaders continue to baptize new believers in China.

Author of God’s Double Agent, Bob sheds light China’s new “patriotic education” law instigated earlier this year by Xi Jinping and the Communist Party – including its mandate for Chinese living overseas. He will also discuss protests that broke out across Chinese universities early in 2023 as young people displayed their discontent with the government.

Communist Party leaders continue to sweep their Christian persecution under the rug, categorizing the arrest of pastors and Christians as “illegal business activity” or financial fraud rather than violating religious regulations. As the government continues its tight reign over technology, they have removed Bible apps to eliminate access to God’s Word. In spite of these efforts, ministries including The Voice of the Martyrs continue to deliver Bibles into the hands of Chinese believers.

Listen as Bob shares updates on Pastor Wang Yi, serving a 9-year prison sentence, and Pastor Pan, who recently moved to America with his Mayflower Church congregation. Bob will also share a letter from Pastor John Cao, serving a 7-year sentence in prison, in which he writes, “Please rejoice for me. Jesus has died on the cross for me. It is my utter joy to be imprisoned for my Lord.”

As you pray for Chinese Christians like Pastor Wang Yi, John Cao, and others who are imprisoned, ask the Lord to sustain them through the Holy Spirit. Pray for their persecutors to find hope in Jesus. As they go through intense persecution, pray they would continue to fear the Lord above everything.

Listen to Bob Fu’s previous conversations on VOM Radio. During the month of December, when you make a donation to support persecuted Christians in China and other nations, you will receive a FREE 2024 VOM Prayer Calendar.

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As Christian persecution increases across China, Myanmar and other hostile and restricted nations around the world, Christian brothers and sisters are finding new ways to gather for worship, fellowship and Bible study under the radar of police or hostile government authorities.

Dr. Joe Handley, president and CEO of A3, shares just how unique some of these new church meetings are, from pop-up coffee carts to whole congregations working out together in a public park. A3, formerly Asian Access, was established 56 years ago in Japan; today the ministry is training Christian leaders all over the world, including hostile and restricted nations in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

One of A3’s current efforts is a training program preparing Christian leaders for persecution. Included are materials from The Voice of the Martyrs and other persecuted church ministries.

Listen as Joe shares more about the church in China, Japan, and Myanmar. He’ll share the story of a young Christian in Myanmar who was imprisoned, tortured and accused of insurrection. Today, this man and his family desire to go back to their people and continue sharing the gospel.

Joe will also equip listeners to pray for the next generation of Christian leaders to be prepared to stand firm in Christ, and to pray for A3 as the ministry grows to meet the current abundance of opportunities to serve. previous conversation on VOM Radio, and also visit www.a3.business to learn more about A3’s work in marketplace missions.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcastOr you can listen each week—and get daily reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. When you make a donation to support persecuted Christians before December 31, you will receive a FREE 2024 VOM Prayer Calendar to help you pray for persecuted Christians every day in 2024.

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For ten years, Shakir heard his Christian friend and his Muslim friend discuss, debate and argue about their different faiths. Shakir tried to ignore their discussion; he didn’t want to get involved. After all those years, Shakir was shocked when his Muslim friend told him that he had become a Christian. Shakir urged him to reconsider and return to Islam—but as his friend shared about the things that led him to follow Christ, Shakir himself began to consider that Jesus might indeed be the Way, the Truth and the Light.

Brother Shakir struggled to grasp the idea that God would come in flesh, show himself and save from sin. Comparing the principles of Islam against the Bible revealed the character of God to Shakir and the truth of God’s Word. Seeing in the Bible Christ’s personal display of God’s love ultimately led Shakir to follow Christ.

“That day I was saved,” Shakir said, “I was free, and I was really happy and filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Just like Shakir tried to sway his Muslim friend back to Islam, friends and family tried to convince him to renounce his faith. The most difficult pressure came from Shakir’s own mother. Shakir remembers her demanding, “Me or Christ. You have to choose.” Shakir did not deny Jesus.

Today, Shakir knows those he witnesses to and leads to Christ will face trials. New believers are encouraged by hearing the experiences of persecuted Christians like Shakir; their stories prepare young-in-faith Christians to stand up under pressure and persecution.

Shakir also shares how we can pray for the church in North Africa, and for his family and ministry.

During the month of December, when you make a donation to support persecuted Christians like Shakir, you will receive a FREE 2024 VOM Prayer Calendar.

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Pastor Raymond Koh was forcibly abducted on February 13th, 2017 in a military-style operation that took less than 40 seconds. Almost seven years later, he’s still missing. His car has never been located.

Raymond’s wife, Susanna, has filed a lawsuit to force the Malaysian government and leaders of the police to release all information about what happened, and hopefully hold the kidnappers accountable for their actions.

Listen this week to an interview with Susanna recorded two years after Raymond’s abduction. Hear how she found out her husband was missing, and how the police turned her missing person report into an opportunity to interrogate her about the Christian work and gospel outreach she and Raymond were involved in.

Raymond had been threatened before for his faith and gospel work, yet he continued to follow God’s plan for him. Susanna says in the months before the abduction she saw a deepening of Pastor Raymond’s spiritual walk. He memorized large sections of God’s Word, went on long prayer walks and preached the gospel with renewed passion and intensity.

Susanna is very honest as she shares raw emotion, grief and pain. But she also says God’s promises have uplifted her—as have Christian songs. She and her family have even been able to forgive those who kidnapped her husband.

Pray for Susanna and the Koh family as they await the next hearing date in her lawsuit. Pray for wisdom for the judge, and that the truth of who was behind Raymond’s abduction is revealed.

Susanna was one of four courageous women of the persecuted church who shared their stories as part of the Hearts of Fire Virtual Event from The Voice of the Martyrs. You can register and watch the event online.

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Susi Childers has served with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) for more than two decades, using her photography skills to open doors to communicate the love of Christ to people all over the world.

Listen this week as Susi describes the impact of Loren Cunningham, YWAM’s founder who recently graduated to heaven, on her life and on encouraging her to use her gifts more fully to further the gospel. She’ll also share some of the personal qualities that made Loren such an impactful and visionary leader.

Susi will also share highlights from a recent trip to Nigeria, where she ministered to widows of Christians killed in northern Nigeria by Boko Haram or by Islamist militants from within the Fulani tribe. With more than 223 million people, Nigeria is the most populous country on the African continent. It is also a young country: 70% of the people are under 30. Susi believes that reaching the people of Nigeria with the gospel can be a key to reaching millions more all across the African continent.

A YWAM training school in southern Nigeria is a refuge for widows and orphans, providing them with a place to heal, as well as six months of training and discipleship. Many of the widows desire to go back to northern Nigeria, in spite of the loss they suffered there, to advance the gospel and live out their faith in Christ.

With her camera in hand, Susi went to visit and meet the widows and their children. Night after night, she awakened to hear singing and found, in the wee hours of the morning, these women gathered to read the Bible and pray for their persecutors.

“It was a holy place,” Susi said. “God hears the suffering of each individual day and night. He’s challenging us to carry a little piece of His heart.”

Listen as Susi shares how God led her to take donated jewelry with her on this visit to Nigeria, and how God used that jewelry to remind these widows of His abiding love for them. Susi and her husband, Paul, have both previously been guests on VOM Radio.

Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the podcastOr you can listen each week—and get daily reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. You can give online to support VOM’s ministry to the persecuted church here.

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Listen as Pastor Joe shares the struggles many new Christians in North Africa face when they believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Yet, people in the region are coming to Christ like never before!

Christians in North Africa often pay a huge price for following Christ. They are rejected by family, lose jobs and face other forms of persecution when they tell others of their faith in Jesus. Many of these persecuted Christians don’t know how each day will end. They rely on the Lord for strength and hope, despite their fear.

Listen as Pastor Joe shares the story of a young woman in his congregation who was overjoyed to share her new faith with her family. But when she did, she was beaten and thrown into the streets. Her own mother told her, “I would rather know that my daughter became a prostitute than a Christian.”

Pastor Joe encourages listeners to not flee from danger and potentially miss blessings and service that God has planned for us. He reminds us that Jesus came to earth knowing He would suffer. He says that, as a Christian, we should also know that persecution will come.

Hear the story of one young man who encouraged other believers until the final moments of his life. In addition, Joe shares of a married couple who kept their faith a secret from each other—until they ran into each other at a Christian meeting!

Pray God would call believers in North Africa to stay in their communities and serve. Pray Pastor Joe and his family will remain faithful to the Lord and His calling on their lives and for continued protection over their ministry.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcastOr you can listen each week—and get daily reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. You can give online to support VOM’s ministry to the persecuted church here.

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“I could’ve lived and worked in that country my whole life and not seen the fruit that we are seeing now.” That fruit was planted in sacrifice.

From the time she was a little girl, Jane wanted to live overseas to spread the gospel. When she met her husband, he had the same missions mindset and a heart for Muslims after he was impacted by 9/11. Jane says her husband enjoyed living in the Middle East, immersing himself in the culture and, most importantly, living his dream of witnessing to people who’d never heard about Jesus.

Listen as Jane remembers the day her husband was killed, and how she prayed immediately afterwards. “God used His grace to sustain me through that time,” she says. “He really brought me through those initial days.”

Jane will share how they worked to disciple Muslims even before they became believers in Jesus—demonstrating with their lives what it looks like to follow Him. Jane sees how God used their family’s sacrifice to advance His kingdom.

“God used my husband’s death to catapult His plans and purposes for that nation and the people there.”

As ordinary people who loved the Lord and lived out God’s calling for their life, Jane says being obedient and knowing you’re in God’s will is the greatest joy you can experience. She’s had times of wrestling with her loss and asking God why but says one way she works through those times is to focus, with her children, on things they can be thankful for.

This weekend features a special opportunity to pray for our persecuted family as we commemorate the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Churches around the world will mark a special emphasis on praying for persecuted Christians. Take time to pray with your church, family, or Christian friends. Pray our persecuted brothers and sisters remain firm during trials, have opportunities to own their own Bible, and continue to share the gospel no matter the cost. You can download free IDOP resources at www.VOMRadio.net/IDOP to be inspired and find specific ways you can pray.

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Brother Bob has been connected to gospel work in North Africa for more than 20 years. He says government persecution of Christians in the region tends to come in cycles, but pressure and persecution of Christians by their own family members is common.

But even in the midst of family persecution, Christians have a chance to demonstrate the reality of the gospel. “If believers persevere and continue to be a light,” Bob says, “most of the time their family eventually accepts them. And in many cases, others in the family come to know Christ.”

Listen for the story of how a Muslim wife showed great displeasure after her husband accepted Christ—but was eventually won over by the consistent, Christ-like love he showed her.

Local people in North Africa have many fears: bad omens, the fear of spirits, or fear of the future. The absence of fear is one of the marks of Christians in the region and often draws others to learn more about Christ.

After working among Muslims for more than two decades, Bob says Christians who love and listen are more effective in sharing the gospel than those who criticize Islam or start a religious debate. He points to the model of Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well.

Bob will share how he prepares new believers to spread the truth of Christ, to walk alongside others in their difficulties and to withstand persecution when it comes. Listen as Bob gives practical ways we can be like Christ and tells how our persecuted brothers and sisters are living that out. Bob will also equip us to pray for Christians in North Africa.

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When a radical-Muslim mob of 6000 attacked the Christian colony of Jaranwala in August, Christians could only flee. Some hid in sugarcane fields; others fled the area. The attack lasted the whole day; churches were destroyed and persecuted Christians’ homes were looted and burned.

Brother Johanna joins us this week on VOM Radio to share what led to the uproar in Jaranwala, and the response from other Christians in Pakistan to brothers and sisters affected by the violence. We will also look more broadly at the persecution of Pakistani Christians.

Listen as Johanna explains what the blasphemy laws in Pakistan are and how they are used against Christians—and against Muslims and members of other faiths, too. He will also unpack how the challenges are different for Christians in Pakistan depending whether they were born into a Muslim family or born into a traditional Christian family.

Brother Johanna will also give us an update on Asia Bibi, who still faces pressure and death threats even years after being found innocent of blasphemy by Pakistan’s Supreme Court and released from prison. Hear how you can pray today for her and for your Christian brothers and sisters in Pakistan.

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Ben and Kimberly, gospel workers in South Asia, join VOM Radio again this week to share more about how the Lord is working in remote villages of South Asia. Struck by the boldness of local believers, Ben and Kimberly see the fearlessness persecuted Christians there have in preaching the gospel. The threat of jail doesn’t stop them from preaching; they will preach in jail if necessary.

With the rise of anti-conversion laws in South Asia, in many places it is illegal for people to change their religion or to lead others to change their faith. Yet Christians there continue to evangelize and reach people for Christ.

Ben and Kimberly will share how persecution is part of the DNA of believers there, and how they are equipping locals with training and discipleship tools. They will also share a story of how God opened one of the darkest villages in this region—a place that had been completely closed to the gospel. Listen to how God planted a church in that village—on the very spot where Christians had prayed God would build His church.

Ben and Kimberly love sharing what the Lord did in that village. Kim says, “it’s incredibly exciting to see fruit like that.” But they also remind us that even though we may not see immediate fruit we must keep being faithful; God is working whether we see it or not.

Pray for Christians in South Asian nations like India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma and Bangladesh to stand firm and find their identity in Christ, Pray for Ben and Kimberly to receive wisdom from the Lord as they continue in ministry. Listen to part one of Ben and Kim’s story to learn more about how they started in overseas missions!

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“I didn’t know anything about my faith, but I knew I couldn’t deny Christ.”

A Christian for less than two months, a 15-year-old girl shared this with Ben and Kimberly when she came to their church for discipleship. Her father, one of the most powerful witch doctors in the village, kicked her out of the house and out of their village after she chose to follow Christ.

Ben and Kimberly are gospel workers in South Asia, involved in outreach, pastor training and discipleship of new believers. Listen as they share their testimonies, including how Ben rebelled against the Lord, got involved in drugs, eventually facing 35 felony charges and landing in prison. Yet, in prison, he gave his life to the Lord and miraculously the Lord allowed him to be released. Ben and Kimberly will also share how the Lord called them out of a comfortable life in America to go to the mission field.

Listen as they share the dedication they see in new Christians, sometimes even immediately after they hear the gospel. “One of the amazing things has been to see the wholeheartedness. The way Christians in our village are fully sold out to Christ from the very beginning. Most people we talk with can’t even consider walking away,” Kimberly says.

Christian persecution in South Asian nations like India, Nepal, Bhutan or Bangladesh often involves being ostracized and kicked out of homes and communities. Kim says that’s why church is so important as the Body of Christ becomes a new family for the persecuted Christians.

Ben’s story of coming to faith calls to mind a previous guest on VOM Radio, who also came to faith in an American prison and is now involved in Bible distribution in the Middle East. Listen to Joe share his testimony of coming to faith and experience God’s call to overseas ministry.

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Young, married, and with a baby on the way, Cynthia Anderson and her husband set out for Nepal to “take new ground for the gospel,” bringing Jesus to the unreached. But God was already working in Nepal. “We weren’t taking Him there,” Cynthia says, “He was [already] there!”

Today, decades later, Cynthia is a longtime gospel worker in multiple nations and a trainer of pastors, mission agency and other Kingdom-minded leaders in how to multiply disciples and catalyze Jesus movements in their areas. She is a leader in YWAM Frontier Missions.

Listen as Cynthia shares what it truly looks like to make disciples and train others to continue making disciples, launching Disciple Making Movements (DMM). Her new book, The Multiplier’s Mindset: Thinking Differently About Discipleship, examines the mindset shifts that need to take place in order for multiplication of the gospel to happen.

As a young missionary, Cynthia was drawn to examples from the gospels and the book of Acts. “I was so convinced by scripture. Wow! God uses ordinary, broken people; people who don’t have their act together. Faith rose up in my heart to believe: ‘God can do it here; God can do it through us!’”

The harvest fields are ripe, even in Western nations. Research shows that only 3 out of 10 unchurched people in America have had a Christian explain the gospel to them.

Listen to Cynthia share stories of persecuted Christians who have become obedient disciples of Christ passionate to reach their people with the gospel. “Keep disciple making easy and actionable,” Cynthia advises. “When we have a simple repeatable pattern and people are like, ‘I can do that,’ it is reproducible, even by a brand-new believer.”

As you listen, you’ll also learn how you can pray for our persecuted family who are making disciples among their own people. You can learn more about Cynthia’s work on her blog and by listening to her first interview on VOM Radio.

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The nation is called The Islamic Republic of Iran, but a recent study shows less than a third of Iranians still believe in Islam! Iranians are looking elsewhere to find answers to their spiritual questions. Dr. Hormoz Shariat tells us why, sharing from his own experiences ministering to people in Iran, evangelizing and answering their questions. “More and more I see people of Iran say, ‘To have a future for Iran, we have to get rid of Islam,’” Hormoz explains.

Hormoz is the president of Iran Alive Ministries and the author of Iran’s Great Awakening. He has broadcast the gospel into Iran via satellite television for 23 years.

Iran has been led by Islamic clergy for more than forty years, imposing Islamic laws that control every area of life. The last few years, the numbers of Iranians finding salvation through Jesus have surged. Iran’s people desire change. They find Christian TV programs or online information, see changed lives and actions among Christian friends or hear the gospel in another way.

Recently the battle in Iran has been over women’s head coverings following the death of Mahsa Amini. But Hormoz says the real issue is much deeper than clothing choices. As protestors on the streets of Iran chanted, “Women! Life! Freedom!” Dr. Hormoz broadcasts a series of sermons showing how Christ valued women, how He came to bring eternal life, and how true freedom is found only in Him. Hormoz encourages Iranians that if they want their nation to be transformed, individual people must be willing to be transformed first.

Listen as Hormoz shares how our Christian brothers and sisters are being salt and light even amidst recent protests. “The greatest weapon we have against Islam is love,” he says. Hormoz shares testimonies from Iranians transformed by the gospel message, including one family reached through their son, who didn’t say a word but became a different person after finding Christ.

“I didn’t get in television to be famous, to be admired. I wanted to love people and have influence in their lives and by God’s grace, He has given me that.” You can hear more of Dr. Hormoz and his wife’s testimony of God’s call on their lives and marriage in this VOM Radio episode: Part 1 and Part 2.

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Gospel workers in restricted and hostile nations risk their lives to spread the gospel. One worker in the Middle East, Jacob, was kidnapped last month and held by a terrorist group. He was kept blindfolded, not knowing if it was day or night. The group threatened to hang him. Even in captivity, this young newlywed pastor’s heart was to share the good news and help build God’s church by spreading his Word.

Thankfully, Jacob has been rescued from captivity and reunited with his wife and baby. Listen as John Samara, founder and executive director of Ananias House, shares how Jacob had memorized Scripture before being taken captive, and how he held onto several passages during his time in darkness.

With the scripture indelibly written on his heart and mind, Jacob was encouraged by the promises of God despite persecution for his faith. One verse that encouraged Jacob was Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the Lord, be strong and let your heart take courage. Wait on the Lord.”

John also shares about a new book, Through the Eyes of a Child: Encounters with God in the Middle East. Ananias House is working in schools, sharing the gospel as they provide an education to children who might otherwise not receive one.

John will share stories from the book of a teen imprisoned and violated for her faith, yet praising and glorifying the Lord in the midst of it; and of a young child who prayed with his classmates over their small amount of food and saw God perform a miracle.

You’ll also hear how John and his team are training up women, who often face disrespect in that culture. Now many are reaching other women with the gospel and even leading their husbands to Christ!

John will equip listeners to pray for Ananias House and for the Body of Christ in the Middle East and North Africa.

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There had been reports of a pending terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, when Hannelie Groenewald went in work as a medical doctor on November 29, 2014. Hannelie didn’t know that the Taliban attack would target her own home and family.

When she arrived home that evening, a sea of police and military personnel were all around the smoking ruins of her house. Reporters were already there, asking her for comment. She still didn’t know what had happened; that her husband, Werner, and two teen aged children, Jean-Pierre and Rodé, had been killed in a Taliban attack on their home. She was taken to a neighbor’s house, where she read, over and over, Psalm 91, praying through its promises of help and divine covering. God’s overwhelming peace washed over her.

As a mother, she wished to have been with her children, to comfort them during the attack. But Hannelie is reminded that God is sovereign. Listen as she shares how God carried her through the days following the attack, and how Afghan people were impacted by her peace and spirit of forgiveness. Hannelie also tells of God’s blessings to her even as flames engulfed her home.

Pray for new believers in Afghanistan, that God would use the martyrs blood that has flowed there to bring forth a spiritual harvest, and that God’s church will be built up, even after the Taliban takeover of that nation in 2021.

Listen and watch Hannelie’s story on the new VOM App, and find her new book, (affiliate link) to learn more about how God remained faithful and encouraged her as she continued to serve Him.

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It’s been two years since the Taliban retook control in Afghanistan. Pressure and persecution against Christians in the country continues to rise. Hannelie Groenewald, a former gospel medical worker there, paid a high price for her faith when her husband and children were martyred in their home in Kabul in 2014.

When the 9/11 attacks happened in New York, Hannelie Groenewald was living a comfortable life in South Africa with her family. Werner, her husband, took a short-term mission trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan and came home with a burden for Afghans to have a relationship with Christ. Werner shared his heart with Hannelie. After agreeing to go on a short-term outreach herself, she experienced the Holy Spirit in a new way and felt a shared desire to serve the Afghan people.

There was still a wrestling within her as she thought about her children and their safety in a war-torn land. Listen as Hannelie shares the small ways she knew the Lord was encouraging their family to go and serve in Afghanistan.

Hannelie describes Werner as “fearless,” and tells of his continuous preaching on having faith rather than fear. One month before Werner was martyred, he said in a sermon, “We only die once. It might as well be for Jesus.”

Watch as Hannelie shares her story and how God remained faithful and encouraged her. You can watch the short video of her story online or order the Heroic Faith DVD. The DVD also includes videos about other persecuted Christians on some of the world’s most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ. The Hannelie video is also included in the VOM App

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Isaac Santiago, VOM’s Regional Leader for Latin America, and his team are standing with Christians suffering for their faith in Mexico, Colombia and other nations. They are also reaching out to Christians in Latin America who aren’t currently facing persecution, telling them the stories of heroic faith and inviting them into fellowship with persecuted Christians.

Listen as Isaac shares his excitement for VOM’s Spanish resources. These include tools for pastors to share stories with their congregation and next year will also include The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in Espanol. Last month, people all across Latin America also joined in the Hearts of Fire Virtual Event.

In addition to telling the stories of persecuted Christians in Spanish, Isaac is also walking alongside brothers and sisters directly facing persecution.

Listen to hear the story of Mateo and Elena, husband and wife church planters in the “Circle of Silence,” an area of Central Mexico where less than 1% of the people are Biblical disciples. Mateo and Elena boldly moved to the area to answer Christ’s call; they faced pushback and persecution almost from the first day they arrived. Read more about how God continues to work in Mateo and Elena’s lives and pray for their continued ministry.

You can visit VOM’s Spanish website at www.vom.org/es. Please pray for wisdom and protection as Isaac and the Latin American team at The Voice of the Martyrs navigate their dual-focused Spanish ministry.

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Ten years ago, there were 3,000 unengaged, unreached people groups around the world--peoples who had never had a witness to share the gospel with them. Today, that number is less than 500 unreached, unengaged people groups. God is moving and His church is growing!

David Bogosian shares this week how Christian Aid Mission, where he is CEO, is training and equipping indigenous gospel workers to go and serve among those remaining unreached peoples. David formerly served as a missionary in the Philippines. He is amazed at the difference of each testimony, how God is uniquely revealing Himself to people all around the world.

David will share stories of places where missions leaders have seen the last remaining unreached people groups in a region reached for the gospel – even amidst difficult times for the church. He says 90% of the recently unreached are being served by local or near-culture Christians.

Listen as David shares about a persecuted Christian who was beaten and threatened by Muslims in his community—but forgave them and later invited them to partner in his thriving business. Today he is praying and reading the Bible with them, and now being he is defended in the community by his former persecutors!

“That’s the amazing thing about persecution,” David says. “It allows us to demonstrate the gospel in a way that nothing else could.”

In the next ten years, David says we could see the final groups on earth reached with the gospel, a prelude to the fulfillment of Revelations 7:9, which promises that in eternity there will be people “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…” Yet many Christians are unaware of these exciting times we are living in.

Listen for David to share the one question people ask when they hear the gospel for the first time.

Pray for boldness and courage for front line workers reaching those around them. Pray for spiritual protection as the enemy tries to thwart the efforts of their gospel work.

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Pastor Mele was detained in Laos after police found copies of God’s Word. Now, police attend his church services every week, looking for reasons to detain him or close the church. “As a human,” he says, “I have fear. But I trust the Lord to protect me and guide me.”

Pastor Mele became a Christian in 2003 when a school friend shared the gospel with him and his classmates. Everyone ignored his Christian friend but Mele, trying to escape constant spiritual oppression, prayed and accepted Christ. From that day on, the spirits no longer tormented him.

Mele immediately felt a burden to share the gospel with others. Within two months his bold witness brought Christian persecution. Teachers ordered him to renounce his newfound faith in the “foreign religion” of Christianity or lose all opportunities for further education.

Their threat didn’t discourage Mele but actually it encouraged him! He had read in the Bible that all Christians will face persecution for their faith (2 Timothy 3:12), and he was encouraged to know that what the Bible says is true. Mele says he was never tempted to renounce his faith. “I was so focused on my soul, my salvation, because I need to be with the Lord. Nothing is solid or permanent in this world…but my salvation in Christ, that’s what is firm and solid.”

Mele was accepted to Bible college and there he met his wife. Mele went on to be an associate pastor at his home church and began to evangelize other villages. As his ministry expanded, God gave Mele a heart to share the love of Christ with everyone, not just his own tribal people.

His ministry hasn’t been easy, and the pressure against him is constant. Listen as Mele shares about a time when three police officers sat right next to him as he was getting ready to preach.

Pray for Pastor Mele’s safety as he continues to be active in ministry and pray for 14 new churches that they may faithfully endure persecution, and for Christians facing pressure and trials in Southeast Asia.

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Imagine worshipping the Lord while the walls of your church building are being torn down. It can be hard to fathom what our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ go through in restricted and hostile nations. How do Christians in free nations understand the Bible’s promise that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12)?

Floyd Brobbel, CEO of VOM Canada and author of Trouble on the Way: Persecution in the Christian Life, explains that persecution is not about the amount of pain inflicted, but about the goal of silencing the church. For many in free nations, the threat of ridicule is enough to prevent Christians from evangelizing their neighbors. Yet, the church continues to grow in places where Christians are kicked out of their families, beaten, imprisoned and even killed.

Recently, Floyd was able to sit down with a pastor from Burma who started a ministry and was part of leading many Buddhists to faith Christ. He was arrested seven times and tortured in ways he didn’t want to talk about. The pastor’s wife was also arrested. Both were sustained by God’s Word in the midst of their suffering.

Floyd shares how this couple reminded him of a modern-day Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, the founders of The Voice of the Martyrs.

Listen for an update on Christian persecution in India, where pressure against the church has increased dramatically during the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Pray for VOM Canada’s leadership as the ministry continues to grow. Pray for brothers and sisters in India, and pray for the persecutors.

Listen to Floyd’s previous conversation with VOM Radio about his book, Trouble on the Way.

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Trouble on the Way: Persecution in the Christian Life

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Brother James followed the Lord’s leading to serve in the Middle East. He arrived for what he expected to be one year of service knowing almost nothing about Islam or the culture in which he would be serving. He remembers being startled awake the very first morning by the Muslim call to prayer, wondering who was screaming at 4:30 in the morning!

Soon he would understand that he was serving in a culture where choosing to follow Christ could cost one’s life. He would also come to understand that God’s call would last much longer than one year.

He acknowledges that there are times when fear rises up in him but says as Christians, we must not let fear drown out the call God has placed on us. His prayer in times of fear is a simple one: “Lord, don’t let them see me shake.”

During years living among Muslims, the Lord clearly confirmed James’ calling to serve in the Middle East through several Bible verses – Isaiah 40:28-31, Isaiah 41: 10-13, and John 14:13-14. And he has experienced God’s protection and covering, sometimes in miraculous ways. Listen for the story of James asking Jesus to be “the Great Mechanic”—and how God answered his prayer.

Christian persecution for our brothers and sisters in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan or Lebanon often comes first from members of their own family. Many Muslims there have an incorrect view of Christianity and are often surprised when they meet a follower of Jesus and understand what the Bible really teaches. James says Muslims are often open to conversation about religion, and shares stories from his time in the region.

James encourages listeners to pray for persecuted Christians in the Middles East as they face attacks from family members and governments. And he offers advice for those seeking to reach out with the gospel to Muslims here at home.

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On September 11, 2012, Islamist fighters attacked a United States diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. Four Americans were killed in that attack. Just a few months later Ronnie and Anita Smith, a young American couple, moved to Benghazi with their infant son. Their goal was to live out their faith in Christ and have opportunities to introduce Libyan people to Christ.

“We wanted to live our lives out in a place that didn’t know Jesus,” Anita Smith says.

Anita acknowledges that there was fear moving to a dangerous place, especially so soon after a deadly attack on Americans. But Anita shares how God gave both her and Ronnie peace about residing in Libya to further God’s Kingdom. Days after Ronnie’s death in December of 2013, Anita was on national TV in the United States and on Arabic-language TV all over the Middle East, forgiving her husband’s killers and expressing her love for the Libyan people.

This VOM Radio conversation was recorded during The Voice of the Martyrs’ Hearts of Fire Virtual Event which you can still view online.

Listen as Anita remembers the day she found out her husband had been martyred and how she received comfort from the Lord through her family, church and Christian friends—the Body of Christ in action.

Ronnie Smith taught chemistry to high school students at the Benghazi International School and was admired for his knowledge and chemistry skill, but even more for his warm personality and love for his students. Listen as Anita shares how their Libyan neighbors looked out for them and really welcomed them into their families, spending time together, drinking tea and talking about life and faith. Such conversations gave Ronnie and Anita many opportunities to share how Christianity is different from Islam and Jesus is different from Mohammed.

Listen as Anita shares how she was able to forgive the ones who murdered her husband—expressing her forgiveness to a national audience on CNN and CBS This Morning. When Anita hears of Libyans who started following Christ after hearing the testimony of her and Ronnie, it’s a powerful reminder of how Christ is using their sacrifice. Listen also as she shares how we can pray for the widows of persecuted Christian martyrs all over the world today.

Anita was just one of the four amazing women who shared their stories of persecution and God’s faithfulness during the Hearts of Fire Virtual Event. Worship music for the event was led by award-winning Christian music artist, Michael W. Smith.

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Highly restrictive religious laws. Surveillance cameras lurking around every corner. Police knocking on doors and raiding church gatherings. These are a few among the many challenges our persecuted family in China face each week.

Yet despite the communist government’s many attempts to control Christians, the church in China is still growing! Brother Enfu, pastor of an unregistered church, shares on VOM Radio this week the excitement of a growing Body of Christ and the challenges of leading an illegal church congregation.

As communist efforts to control and close down churches have escalated, large church gatherings have become almost impossible. This has led to many more meetings with smaller numbers of Christians, raising the need for trained leaders. Brother Enfu will share how Chinese Christians are meeting that need and help us pray specifically for God to raise up leaders within Chinese churches.

Brother Enfu serves as a leader in an underground Chinese seminary, training and encouraging pastors and their spouses to take on the challenges of leading a congregation. Graduates need to be equipped to lead their flock well and prepared for persecution, ready to face police questioning and even arrest. You’ll be encouraged as Enfu shares the story of five imprisoned church elders and the surprising report he received back of their sweet fellowship together and the spread of the gospel in the jail.

Listen as Brother Enfu shares how house church Christians work together in managing the risks of Christian ministry in a communist nation.

Pray men would be raised up to be godly leaders in their home and the church. Pray pastors in China would glorify God through their marriage and families. Pray our persecuted brothers and sisters in China will continue to fix their eyes on Jesus Christ, even in times of tribulation and suffering.

To hear more about persecuted Christians, register for the free and watch it on demand. Be inspired as you listen to four women who have been persecuted for their faith and how God has been faithful to them, as well as worship music led by Michael W. Smith.

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was recently welcomed to the White House by US President Joe Biden. In addition to a State Dinner held in his honor, Modi was given opportunity to address a joint session of Congress. Noticeably absent from American leaders’ public remarks surrounding Modi’s visit: the rapid rise of Christian persecution and other religious freedom violations in India since Modi and his Hindu nationalist party came to power in 2014.

Christians in India face harassment, physical assault and arrest from radical Hindus who believe all Indians should be Hindu. Multiple Indian states have passed anti-conversion laws which make it a crime to tell a Hindu about Jesus’ love. This week on VOM Radio, Brother Raj, a ministry leader from India, shares his own experience with Christian persecution, including friends that turned their backs on him after he came to faith and repeated encounters with Indian police.

He’ll also tell how he grew up in a Hindu family but became depressed and attempted suicide before a friend—a Hindu—encouraged him to seek baptism at a Christian church. A pastor at the church gave Raj a Bible, and his journey to finding Jesus began. Listen as Raj shares how his life changed from that moment on and what his parents’ reaction was to his newfound Christian faith, how God called him to ministry and what his gospel work looks like today.

As persecution has grown in India, Raj’s ministry work has changed, too. Listen to learn how he and other Christian leaders train and encourage new believers to be ready to face persecution by trusting in God’s promises in the Bible, understanding pressure tactics they may face and learning how to confront these tactics wisely. Raj will also tell how God used his own time of persecution to eliminate fear of sharing his faith with others. Now, he shares Christ with anyone – even the police.

Pray fellow believers in India will share their faith with wisdom and courage. Pray they would even be able to see opportunities to share Christ’s love even during interrogation or imprisonment.

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The first time he went to a Christian church, during the time of the Islamic revolution in Iran, Mansour Khajehpour was a teenager. He went only to determine the best way to burn down the church building. But the woman who opened to door was caring and kind—and her Christlike kindness altered the direction of Mansour’s life.

The woman pointed Mansour to a Farsi-speaking pastor. Over the months to come, that pastor answered Mansour’s many questions—but only one question per week—and gave him a Bible. At first, Mansour’s heart was hard, but over time God softened him until the day he found himself closing his eyes, praying in a loud voice and committing his life to Christ.

Today, Mansour is the pastor of a church in Seattle and a leader in the Iranian Bible Society, working to get God’s Word into the Islamic Republic of Iran and to Farsi-speaking people in other nations as well.

Listen as Mansour shares how three older missionaries made an impact on his life for the Lord and how he became involved—through his future wife, Nahid, who is now the Executive Director—in the Iranian Bible Society. Together they both experienced persecution for their Christian faith.

Friends and pastors Mansour and Nahid knew well were martyred. Listen to Mansour tell how their examples were an inspiration, especially Pastor Hossein Soodmand’s deep love and respect for God’s Word. You can listen to past VOM Radio episodes with Rashin Soodmand and Gilbert Hovsepian, the children of Pastor Soodmand and Pastor Haik Hovsepian who were both martyred for their faith in Iran.

Mansour will encourage listeners to memorize scripture and spiritual songs—which provided him great help and hope in prison for his faith. Pray for Mansour and Nahid’s continued work providing Bibles for our Iranian brothers and sisters, and for the persecuted church inside Iran.

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Islamist jihadists are moving southward across the continent of Africa. Their goal: the eradication Christianity. In the Central African Republic (CAR) and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a new addition to VOM’s 2023 Global Prayer map, persecuted Christians have been deeply affected. Believers have been forced to flee their villages. Pastors have been killed. Many Christians have lost family members in violent attacks.

Aaron Miller, Vice President of International Ministry for The Voice of the Martyrs, recently visited traumatized believers in multiple African nations.

Aaron was stunned as he witnessed Christians worshipping and praising God after returning to the same village where they’d faced intense persecution for their faith. Psalm 138 resonated in Aaron’s heart throughout his trip: “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you revive me. You saved me from my enemies.” God sent Aaron and the team from VOM into the midst of trouble to minister and encourage our persecuted brothers and sisters on behalf of the global body of Christ.

Listen as Aaron tells of meeting one woman who couldn’t continue telling the story of losing her husband; she simply buried her face in her hands and wept. Being able to listen, minister, pray, laugh, and cry with believers in the midst of their trouble is a powerful encouragement to them. Aaron talks about “the ministry of presence” as VOM workers go to fellowship and serve.

God has uniquely prepared Aaron for this role, including giving him a small personal taste of Christian persecution in India. Pray for our brothers and sisters to be encouraged in their faith and for the church to be unified in Central Africa.

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Thousands of people—including many who never met her—considered Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015) as their spiritual mentor. Kathy Reig was one of those people. Today she is president of the Elisabeth Elliot Foundation, carrying on the legacy of Elisabeth and Jim Elliott.

Despite her fame in the Christian world, Kathy says Elisabeth always gave glory to God. She received thousands of letters from people seeking her advice; she responded to each one, directing each person to the Word of God and onto their knees in prayer.

Kathy first met Elisabeth in the 90s and later got to know Lars, Elisabeth’s third husband and manager. Suffering from dementia in the latter years of her life, Elisabeth lost her mode of communication yet never lost the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The night of Elisabeth’s funeral, in 2015, was the first time Kathy visited her and Lars’ home in Massachusetts. She was astounded by artifacts in their home from Elisabeth’s time serving and living among the “Aucas,” later known as the Waodani, the tribe that had murdered five missionary men, including her first husband, Jim, in 1956. Listen as Kathy shares about what happened that evening as a group of Elisabeth’s caregivers spent time in prayer.

A few years later, the Elisabeth Elliott Foundation began. Artifacts that had been in Lars and Elisabeth’s home were transferred into the care of Museum of the Bible in Washington DC. Earlier this year, an exhibit opened to the public at Museum of the Bible showcasing Elisabeth’s life and her time among the Waodani. Kathy hopes those who walk through the exhibit will be inspired by an ordinary woman who trusted and obeyed the Lord—no matter the cost.

The Voice of the Martyrs is one sponsor of Through Gates of Splendor: The Elisabeth Elliot Story at Museum of the Bible. The exhibit is open to the public until January 28th, 2024. You may also explore many of Elisabeth’s past speaking events, radio broadcasts, newsletters and more at the Elisabeth Elliot Foundation website.

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Children develop attitudes and opinions about the Bible from an early age. Awana has been discipling children for more than 70 years. Today Awana is active in more than 130 countries—including places where Christian persecution is common—helping 5.6 million children to know Jesus as Savior, belong to a church that supports them and become all that God wants them to be. Steve Cohoon is a leader at Awana. Listen this week as he shares how their discipleship program may look different in India, Pakistan or the Middle East than it looks at an American church. He’ll also discuss the focus on leader development, raising up future leaders who will teach more kids about Christ.

Steve will share how Awana finds local volunteers and gives curriculum and training to these leaders to equip them to go and train up others. He also will tell how God opens doors for Awana workers to reach children who aren’t growing up in Christian homes—Hindus and Muslims and those of other faiths.

“Our goal is to see every child everywhere reached and discipled for the Lord Jesus Christ.” It takes only one willing person to start an AWANA program.

Listen as Steve shares testimonies from Awana alumni and more about how their program is adapted for use in other countries, including being welcomed into public schools in Africa.

Pray for the work of Awana, especially inside hostile and restricted nations. Pray God would allow continued ministry in underground church situations, training leaders and seeing the gospel flourish.

June 29 marks Day of the Christian Martyr, when Christians around the world honor a persecuted Christian who laid down their life for the cause of Christ. This year’s resources from The Voice of the Martyrs—including a short video—focus on the story of Abdiwelli Ahmed, an ethnic Somali former Muslim gunned down in northern Kenya in 2013.

Watch the video about Abdiwelli’s faith and ministry and access all the resources for this year’s Day of the Christian Martyr to bless your church, small group or family with his inspiring example.

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In 1997, Warren and Donna Pett sold their 96-year-old family farm in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, after sensing God’s call to the mission field. In 2002, they moved to serve in Uganda’s Yumbe district, one of Uganda’s poorest districts and the only majority-Muslim district in the country. Warren and Donna provided agricultural training and spiritual discipleship at the Evangelical School of Technology in Aringa (ESTA).

On March 18, 2004, ESTA was attacked by masked men with guns. Warren and Donna, along with a Ugandan student, were killed.

Ezra and Saul Pett are the sons of Warren and Donna. Listen this week as they share on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio about their parents’ ministry and how Saul and Ezra wrestled with God and their own faith after their parents’ murder.

“My faith basically evaporated,” says Saul. “This event devastated me.”

But in the years since, God has gently and faithfully ministered to Saul and Ezra. He has comforted them in their loss and helped them address the anger they felt at their parents’ death. Today, they see His plan to produce eternal fruit, even when we may not understand what He is doing.

Listen as Saul and Ezra talk about renewing their faith, accepting God’s plan and even going to minister in the very place in Uganda where their parents were killed—and seeing the legacy Warren and Donna left even in their short time of missionary service.

You can give online to support the Pett’s ongoing work in Uganda here. You can read the story of Warren and Donna, from The Voice of the Martyrs free monthly magazine, here.

June 29 marks Day of the Christian Martyr, when Christians around the world honor a persecuted Christian who laid down their life for the cause of Christ. This year’s video and other resources from VOM focus on the story of Abdiwelli Ahmed, an ethnic Somali former Muslim gunned down in northern Kenya in 2013.

Watch a video about Abdiwelli’s faith and ministry and access all the resources for this year’s Day of the Christian Martyr to bless your church, small group or family with his inspiring example.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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It’s been more than a month since fighting broke out in the capital city of Sudan. Christians and non-Christians alike are dealing with extreme hardship, difficulty, and terror as the battle between two warring Islamist factions continues.

For our Christian brothers and sisters in Sudan, war has made life even more difficult than usual as they try to survive the fighting, find food and shelter and still face persecution for their faith in Christ. Brad Phillips, founder and president of Persecution Project Foundation (PPF), began working in Sudan in 1997 and has partnered with The Voice of the Martyrs to serve Sudanese Christians since 2002. Listen as he explains the current fighting and tells how our Christian family members are being affected.

Brad and the PPF team are daily hearing stories of tremendous loss in the church, yet also stories of heroism as persecuted Christians risk their lives to serve others in this season of upheaval and need. Others are trying to flee major cities for the Nuba Mountains—which previously was a site of great persecution and repeated bombings by the Sudanese military.

Listen as Brad shares how to pray for persecuted Christians in Sudan, and invite a Christian friend to pray with you for followers of Jesus caught in the crossfire there.

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As the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan in 2021, many Afghan Christians—especially those widely known to be followers of Christ—had to flee the country. Today, many of those Christians grieve the loss of their homeland, especially as they watch the suffering of their countrymen under Taliban rule. Some desire to return but while they wait are still faithfully reaching Afghans through a variety of digital means.

In Part 2 of our conversation with author John Weaver (Part 1), he calls us to pray God will bless Afghan people—including both persecuted Christians and the governing Taliban—and that God will draw many to Himself.

Listen as Weaver, the author of Najiba: A Love Story from Afghanistan (affiliate link), shares what life is like for Afghans now under Taliban rule. He will also tell what life is like for those who’ve fled the country and deal with the culture shock of navigating healthcare, education, work and relationships in a completely new environment and culture. As Christians, John gives us advice on first steps in welcoming Afghans into our communities and churches.

Christians in Afghanistan are seeing increased response to the gospel as they discern hearts that are hungry and seeking truth. Once they become followers of Jesus, new Afghan Christians hunger for like-minded fellowship.

Pray for the Taliban to lead with peace and focus on what’s best for Afghanistan’s people. Most importantly, pray for their salvation. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan to know God is with them and for endurance in their faith. Pray for Afghans sharing the gospel through social media as they continue in their ministry.

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Twenty months into the second Taliban rule of Afghanistan, all Afghans—but especially Afghan Christians—face great challenges. What pressures do our persecuted brothers and sisters face living in Afghanistan today, and how has their life changed under the strict Islamic rule of the Taliban?

Listen as John Weaver, author of Inside Afghanistan, A Flame on the Frontline, and Najiba: A Love Story from Afghanistan (affiliate links), explains what life is like for Muslims and Christians in Afghanistan as they experience economic crisis and lack of assistance from the outside world.

Many of the Taliban fighters come from the Pashtun people group, one of the largest unreached people groups in the world with 50 million people primarily in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Persecution against Afghan Christians has always come from local mosques, communities, and families. With the Taliban takeover, the nation’s government is now also openly opposed to the gospel.

Amid isolation and economic hardship, many Afghans are desperate and dissatisfied with Islam. That dissatisfaction means they are more open to the gospel. Christian brothers and sisters in Afghanistan continue boldly witness in conversations with Muslims. Listen as John tells how Christians are carefully sharing the gospel and finding “people of peace” in their communities.

Pray for Afghan Christians outside the country who are reaching their people through digital tools and pray for wider distribution of the Pashtun Bible. Pray the Holy Spirit will draw more Afghan people to become followers of Jesus Christ.

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It is illegal to bring a Bible into North Korea, and illegal to possess one inside the country. But VOM continues to find ways to get God’s Word into the hands of North Koreans. Dr. Eric Foley, CEO of VOM Korea in Seoul, says everything changes every day in North Korea, bringing new challenges and requiring new responses to continue bringing the gospel to desperate people in “the hermit kingdom.”

Listen to hear how persecuted Christians in North Korea practice biblical obedience in spite of a brutal regime that demands utter loyalty. How can Christians follow the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me,” while living in a country that deifies members of the Kim family? Dr. Foley shares how, despite the consequences for even the slightest hint of Christian behavior, our brothers and sisters continue to boldly take risks and exercise wisdom to follow Christ inside North Korea.

One way members of the persecuted church in the DPRK are encouraged and discipled is through VOM radio broadcasts sharing passages from the Bible or sermons delivered in the North Korean dialect. With five broadcast times throughout the day, Dr. Foley asks us to pray that the Lord would continue thwarting efforts of the North Korean government to jam these Christian radio broadcasts.

Dr. Foley, author of These Are The Generations (affiliate link), will also share his own story of persecution for spreading the gospel to North Korea. He reminds us that getting God’s Word out, even just one copy, is worth it.

Pray for North Koran Christians to be faithful to Christ as they go about their daily lives in this restricted nation, and for more North Koreans to be able to read and listen to the Bible for themselves.

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Born and raised in a Muslim family, Brother Maksud says it’s a miracle he is now a follower of Jesus Christ.

Maksud’s first years of life were under communist rule as his country was part of the Soviet Union, but it became independent, and more Islamic, after the fall of the USSR. As different factions battled for post-Soviet control, civil war broke out, a difficult time for Maksud and all of his countrymen. Yet good news was coming.

Listen as Maksud tells how he was impacted by seeing the JESUS Film and hearing Jesus speak Maksud’s own language. He’ll share how a Christian stepped into his family’s life, becoming a faithful friend and sharing stories from the Bible about God. Years later Maksud heard those same stories at a free Taekwondo lesson, another step on his pathway to following Jesus.

When Maksud first stepped into a church, he was shocked. It was a completely different atmosphere from anything he’d known. It was full of love; people greeted him by name with hugs. He was floored when believers at the church told him they had been praying for him for more than a year.

At age 18, Maksud made the decision to follow Jesus. His younger brother wasn’t far behind. When they shared their Christian faith with their mom, she cried, knowing their family would be shamed and face persecution in their Muslim culture. Maksud’s father was not home when they announced their newfound faith to their mother. When he heard of their decision, he asked both brothers to confirm their decision to follow Jesus. Expecting their father to be angry, both young men said that yes, they had become Christians. Their father’s response shocked them:

“Thanks to God. Two years ago, I gave my life to Christ. I didn’t know how to tell you, but I was praying for you guys.”

Many people in Central Asia, upon sharing their faith in Christ with family members, face beatings, rejection, and being kicked out of their home. Even though Maksud didn’t experience persecution from inside his home, he knew that he and his brothers would be persecuted by others.

Today Maksud is a pastor, and his brother also pastors a church. Listen as he tells how we can pray for his people in Central Asia, including praying that whole families will come to Christ together.

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One night, TK, extremely sick, found himself in his room praying, “I am ill and if you are the one true God then I will commit my life to you.”

TK slept through the night and woke up completely healed! From that moment, he was committed to following Christ. His father—a former drug dealer who met Christ in prison for his crimes—encouraged TK to learn more about the one true God.

With passion for following Christ after he had experienced God’s power over disease, TK went to Bible school in Thailand. Returning to Laos with Christian materials to help his ministry, TK was arrested at the border and imprisoned for three months before God ordained his release from prison.

Today TK serves persecuted Christians inside Laos and holds a leadership position within Laos’s registered church organization. He says at the time of his arrest it was common for Christians in Laos to endure physical suffering for being a Christian—arrests, beatings and other pressure. Today, he says, mental and spiritual pressure for following Christ is more common, including being ostracized by family members, cut off from work or educational opportunities and even being kicked out of your village.

Listen as TK shares what our persecuted church family faces in Laos today. TK will also explain how he is serving persecuted brothers and sisters there. Pray for communist authorities in Laos and for wisdom and discernment for TK as he assists persecuted Christians.

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This week we complete our conversation with Richard and Jeanette, an American couple who had served 10 years in China when police came knocking on their apartment door and they knew their gospel service in China was over.

When we left off last week, Richard was being interrogated at a Chinese police station while Jeanette, his wife, prayed and was ministered to by their local church pastor and other Christian friends. Richard’s interrogation continued the next day before police let him return home but warned him not to tell anyone—even his wife—about the questioning. He knew the interrogation wasn’t over. In the ensuing weeks he was repeatedly called back to the police station.

When he arrived home, Jeanette watched her husband closely, looking for signs of beatings or torture. The stress of each day—and not knowing when authorities would demand another trip to the police station—left Richard, at times, barely able to function. Some days he couldn’t even get out of bed. He couldn’t tell his wife what happened with the police, fearing anything he said would put her in danger of also being arrested or interrogated.

Chinese police mockingly asked why he would follow Christ. They thought Jesus selfish to ask His followers give up family, jobs, money and success just to end up being locked in a police station. Yet even as they questioned him, Richard felt guidance from the Holy Spirit in how to answer their questions and even tried to plant seeds of the gospel in their conversations.

Finally, Richard and Jeanette learned that they would be allowed to leave China but would likely never be allowed to return to the land and people they love deeply. Listen to hear how they were finally set free, and when they finally had the chance to talk to each other about all they’d gone through at the hands of communist Chinese police.

You’ll also hear how they are both thankful for the persecution they endured—and the fruit they’ve seen in their own lives and their family that grew directly out of their time of trial. They’ll also help listeners pray for Christians in China as they endure persecution and suffering for their faith—without the opportunity to leave the country or the protection of a foreign passport.

Listen to the first part of Richard and Jeanette’s story here, and the second part here.

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We left off last week as Richard and Jeanette’s apartment was raided by 25 Chinese policemen. The couple knew that their time in China was over after 10 years of ministry, but they didn’t know how long it might be before they were allowed to leave. Listen now as Jeanette recalls exactly what happened when she returned to their apartment to find police searching through their bookshelves and closets and questioning her husband.

Despite the chaos of the raid, Jeanette continued relying on the sovereignty and goodness of God, reminding herself often that He is trustworthy no matter our circumstances. She prayed fervently for Richard as he was taken away by the police.

Richard experienced God’s sovereignty and the Holy Spirit at work as he sat in the police station interrogation room, living in the truth of Luke 12:11-12. In spite of police threats, Richard relied on scripture God brought to his mind and four things he knew he had to stand firm in as he tried to answer the police accusations.

Listen also for how Chinese Christians supported Richard and Jeanette during their ordeal, including a local church pastor who knocked on their door and offered a bold prayer for Richard. Their local Christian community brought Jeanette great comfort, providing practical proof that the Lord was with them.

Pray persecuted Chinese Christians will stand firm in faith and be encouraged by the Body of Christ.

One group of Chinese Christians, the Mayflower Church, made the decision as a congregation to flee their homeland. Pastor Pan, leader of the group, was our guest on VOM Radio last month. Listen this week for a praise update on this group of believers and their immigration case.

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Richard and Jeanette had served in China for several years when—around 2018—they began hearing stories of foreign Christians forced to leave the country. “Everyone knows it happens, but no one thinks it’s going to happen to them,” Richard says.

The couple decided to stay in China as long as God kept the door open—even when Covid put the entire country under lockdown. They were prepared to be kicked out; they’d even begun to think about when it would happen instead of if it would happen. The threat gave them a sense of urgency in their ministry as they continued shepherding and teaching God’s Word to Chinese people.

Richard and Jeannette felt the Lord work in their hearts during their college years, and both knew that overseas gospel work was God’s call for them. They met after Jeanette returned from two years working in China, married, and then received an invitation to serve in China. Listen as Richard and Jeanette share how they thought about risk and danger of serving in a Communist country, and the joys and challenges of their first years of missions service, including learning Chinese.

You’ll also hear about the day Richard opened the door of their apartment to find 25 uniformed Chinese national police and knew their time of serving the Lord in China was coming to an end. Richard and Jeanette will return to VOM Radio next week to continue their story.

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One million to one. One million lost people for every one gospel worker.

When Brother David heard the million-to-one ratio of population to gospel workers in the Arab world, he and his wife knew that was where God needed them to serve in missions.

Today, Muslims in North Africa and the Middle East are more open to asking questions and seeking information about Jesus, the Bible and Christianity—especially through the internet. Brother David leads Operation Mobilization’s North African and Middle Eastern work and emphasizes the need to have more workers reaching Muslims for Christ.

David’s leads OM workers across 20 countries as they reach out to Muslims and disciple new believers. His teams also work to train Muslim background believers to reach, disciple and lead their own people and churches. He knows there will be Christian persecution as the church grows; he’s seen persecution directly on members of his team and his own family. But, from his own experience, he’s also seen how God uses persecution of His followers for His glory and purpose.

David will advise listeners who want to reach out to Muslim friends and coworkers with gospel conversations. He has seen the insecurity many Christians have engaging with Muslims, but encourages us to jump into conversations about faith and beliefs. He says stories from the Bible and our witness to God’s hand in our own experiences are powerful ways to plant gospel seeds with our Muslim friends.

He’ll also help us know how to pray for gospel work in the Middle East and North Africa.

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Moving to a new place can be difficult, especially if you don’t know anyone in your new community. Muslims from across the world have moved to America for work or school yet they are often ignored by those around them—even Christians. Fouad Masri, president of the Crescent Project, says our job as believers is not to convert anyone, but to shine the light of Jesus and rely on him to draw our Muslim friends to himself.

Masri is the author of a new book, Sharing Jesus with Muslims: A Step-By-Step Guide (affiliate link). Listen in as he talks about conversational apologetics, thought-provoking questions to ask a Muslim friend, and myths still circulating within the Muslim world about the Christian faith. You’ll also hear Fouad’s joy as he shares about his ministry and stories of Muslims coming to Christ.

With over 30 years of sharing the gospel with Muslims, Fouad reminds us we are not called to bring anything new, but to pray for sincere hearts ready to receive the gospel. He emphasizes that we should pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit to help answer Muslims who are seeking spiritual truth, and to ask questions that provoke self-examination.

Jesus is building his church among former Muslims—including inside hostile and restricted nations where Christian persecution is common and among Muslims living in the United States and other nations with more religious freedom. To learn more about how to witness and build bridges cross culturally with Muslims, sign up for the Sahara Challenge in Nashville, TN from May 1-3, or join online from May 23-25.

Listen to the first half of this conversation here. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week in the new VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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How can I share Christ with Muslims when I don’t know more about Islam? What if I can’t answer all their questions? What can I do to overcome my fear of sharing the gospel?

Fouad Masri, founder and president of Crescent Project, answers these questions and more in his new book Sharing Jesus with Muslims: A Step-By-Step Guide (affiliate link). For more than 30 years, Masri has been training Christians how to share Jesus with Muslims. He says Muslims are more open today than ever to hearing the gospel, and many are actively searching for Christian books or information online.

Yet many Christians are still fearful to reach out to Muslims. Fouad says his goal is to move believers from fear and fascination to compassion, and it is that passion that led to this new book.

Fouad encourages us to pray for God to open the door for friendships and conversation with the Muslims we meet in our work, school or community. He says one of the first challenges is to learn to listen. Listen to what our Muslim friends are telling us and listen for God to open the door for a spiritual conversation. Listen as Fouad shares an example from his own life when he really didn’t want to have a deep conversation but realized the Lord had already been at work preparing his new friend to hear the gospel.

He will also discuss Christian persecution of Muslim-background believers in the context of western nations. Do MBB’s face pressure and persecution in the United States as they do in Middle Eastern nations like Egypt, Saudi Arabia or Yemen?

Pray the openness of Muslims right now will result in a great harvest of people coming to know Christ in a personal way. If you want to learn more about sharing your faith with Muslims, Crescent Project’s Sahara Challenge provides an in-depth training on how to serve unreached Muslims locally and globally. The event is offered in-person from May 1st-3rd in Nashville or online from May 23rd-25th.

Would you like to hear more about how God is working in the Muslim world? You’ll be encouraged as you listen to more stories of Muslims who came to faith, like Rachid from Morocco, Al Fadi in Saudi Arabia, and Benesh in Iran.

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Just before Covid shut down the Peoples Republic of China, Pastor Pan Yongguang and members of his congregation, known today as the Mayflower Church, made the difficult decision to leave their country. After 16 families from the congregation arrived in South Korea in 2019, relatives and other family members still in China faced increasing pressure from the communist government, especially when members of the church went public about the persecution they’d faced and their decision to leave China.

Listen as Pastor Pan shares about his life before he became and believer, how he came to faith in Christ, and how the Lord raised him up to be the pastor of the church he was baptized in. Before Pastor Pan considered personally following Christ, he knew people in China must pay a price for being a Christian. He says, “That’s a special part of Chinese Christians. They know they have to pay a price.”

The roots of the decision to leave China trace back to a day in 2018 when Pastor Pan had lunch with Pastor Wang Yi, who is now serving a nine-year sentence as a prisoner for Christ. Christian persecution was rising in China. Wang Yi knew he faced imprisonment for his faith; he challenged Pastor Pan to prepare himself to go to prison as well. Pan will share about the regular visits he received from police after Wang Yi’s arrest.

Pastor Pan and his church members had a decision to make. Should they leave China, or should they stay? Many had good jobs in China, but they worried about raising their children in Godly truth amidst communist pressure and indoctrination. After a year of discussions, knowing each Sunday could be their last one together, they felt unified in the decision to leave China.

Today, Pastor Pan and the Mayflower church are educating their children to follow Christ as they wait to receive refugee status from the United Nations and resettlement in a free nation. Pray for favor for them in the UN refugee application process. Pray also for family members still in China, who constantly face threats and intimidation.

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“As we commit daily to being Christ’s witnesses to a lost world, we must understand that we will be opposed. In fact, the more faithful we are, the more serious the opposition.”

Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs, joins VOM Radio this week to talk about helping Christians in free nations, like the United States, discover what it means to follow Christ when it’s unpopular or even costly—something Christians living in restricted nations and hostile areas deal with every day. We’ll also introduce a new resource from The Voice of the Martyrs to inspire believers to learn about and develop a faith worth suffering for.

Cole recently wrote a series of editorials in The Voice of the Martyrs free monthly magazine on the topic, “Prepared for Persecution.” The Bible promises opposition (John 16:33) and persecution (II Tim. 3:12) when we live out our faith as biblical disciples of Christ. If Christians in free nations don’t learn these scriptural truths, we will be unprepared to face persecution when it comes.

Cole and Todd will also discuss The Sabina Group Study, a new resource from The Voice of the Martyrs offering inspiring examples of Christians who have taken up their crosses and followed Christ in spite of opposition, persecution, suffering and pain. Examples in the study come from the lives of VOM’s founders, Pastor Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, and also from seven “modern-day Sabinas,” women who endured intense persecution as faithful witnesses for Christ in our day.

A FREE copy of this brand-new video resource, including the full-length Sabina feature film and six video study sessions, is available right now to anyone who makes a donation to The Voice of the Martyrs.

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Last week we heard Gary Witherall talk about how God called him and his wife, Bonnie, to evangelize Muslims in the Middle East. In this second part of our conversation, Gary describes the day Christian persecution hit home as his wife, Bonnie, was martyred in the clinic where she served Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

Gary talks about hearing God’s voice in that time of grief as he sat on the floor; in the next room was the body of his martyred wife. Faced with the choice of bitterness and hatred or forgiveness and love, Gary chose forgiveness. In that moment, Gary prayed, “Lord, you have forgiven me of all things. Today I forgive whoever killed my wife.” Gary calls that forgiveness the greatest gift he’s ever given anybody.

Listen as he shares the responses of friends and neighbors when they saw that forgiveness in action; his wife had just been martyred for her faith yet Gary still loved the Lebanese people.

You’ll also hear about how God has brought fruit from Gary and Bonnie’s sacrifice, and how God is still using Gary today to share His love around the world as he continues to serve with Operation Mobilization. You can learn more about Gary’s story by reading his book, Total Abandon (affiliate link).

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Gary Witherall and his wife, Bonnie, heard God’s call to share the gospel in the Middle East. They answered that call by moving to Lebanon, where they served with Operation Mobilization, building relationships with Lebanese people and Palestinian refugees—until the day Bonnie was martyred in the clinic where she served refugee women.

Listen as Gary shares about how God called them to the Middle East, what their work there was like and how each day of their ministry was unique. Gary also explains how things changed on 9-11, when he and Bonnie witnessed people all around them celebrating the murder of more than 3,000 Americans.

After the attacks, their life and ministry became more difficult, but they never considered leaving. In fact, it was after 9-11 that Gary and Bonnie determined they would stay and serve the Lord—no matter the cost. “I think we were martyred on that day,” Gary says. You’ll be challenged as Gary asks the question that persecuted Christians around the world must often ask: what do you love so much you’d be willing to die for it?

“If life is a limited period of hours, I want to invest it well. And if it’s cut short, I want it to be cut short in the full joy of doing something worthwhile.”

Be sure to join us next week on VOM Radio as Gary tells about the day Bonnie gave her life for Christ. You can learn more about Gary’s story by reading his book, Total Abandon (affiliate link).

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The electricity was shut off in the homes of new Christians. Their rice fields were taken away. Some were beaten by local authorities—in front of loved ones who witnessed their suffering. Listen as Carter Gates shares about meeting these faithful believers, the first in their village to follow Christ. Carter leads VOM’s work in Asia/Pacific, overseeing VOM project work to help persecuted Christians in countries like China, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Myanmar, and North Korea.

Carter shares about a unique situation in Laos, where a pastor who was martyred last year. It’s unusual for a Christian to be killed in Laos, where persecution typically occurs at the hands of family members or village authorities. He’ll also tell the story of a pastor accused of putting a curse on a policeman. The policeman suspected a curse following a string of hardships he suffered after confiscating Bibles from the pastor and burning them.

Listen as Carter gives an update on Christians in China after “Zero Covid” policies were finally dropped. As the Communist Party continues attempts to control the Chinese people, Party leaders understand that children are one key to maintaining their control. Carter shares the penalties our Christian brothers and sisters endure when they teach Biblical truth to young people—a crime in China.

Pray for persecuted Christian family members in prison across the Asia/Pacific region. Pray they know the Lord is with them in their persecution, and that they would be strengthened and encouraged to stand firm despite fear and anxiety. Pray for VOM’s Asia/Pacific team as they creatively work to stand with those furthering the gospel in these hostile and restricted nations.

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Today Hanna Massad, former pastor of Gaza Baptist Church, assists persecuted Christians and refugees across the Middle East.

He knows what they are facing. He’s had his own first-hand experiences of Christian persecution, living and pastoring a church in a Muslim context. His wife led the Gaza Bible Society during a time when it was bombed twice. Their coworker and friend, Rami Ayyad, was kidnapped and murdered.

In these difficult moments, Hanna and his family had to completely rely on God’s Word. When Gaza police told him they couldn’t protect his family, Hanna thought of Psalm 46:1, “The Lord is my refuge.” He and his family knew God could protect them, even if local authorities could not or would not.

In the face of threats of further attacks, they decided to leave Gaza, at least temporarily. They planned to be away for a few weeks, long enough that the situation could settle down again. Instead, their departure became long-term.

While the doors have never re-opened for the Massad family to return permanently to Gaza, that doesn’t mean their ministry in Gaza ceased. Massad, author of the book Pastor From Gaza (affiliate link), continues ministering to Christians in Gaza through the church, online connections, the Bible Society library and regular visits back to his homeland.

Listen as he shares an update on the current ministry of Pauline Ayyad, Rami’s widow and a recent guest on VOM Radio. He’ll also share what it means to be a true disciple and he’ll challenge every listener to keep our eyes on Jesus.

Hanna is the founder and president of Christian Ministry to Gaza, blessing and serving widows, orphans, and refugees in multiple nations of the Middle East, helping provide for spiritual and physical needs.

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Pastor Hanna Massad served the Lord in the face of intense Christian persecution. He’s been threatened. The Bible Society where his wife worked was bombed. He buried a martyred coworker. Yet he calls it an honor and a privilege to serve the Lord in such circumstances.

Hanna Massad is the former pastor of Gaza Baptist Church. His wife, Suhad, led the Bible Society in Gaza. He still gets emotional thinking back to the day when Rami Ayyad, who worked for the Bible Society, was kidnapped and later killed. Speaking of his martyred friend, Hanna says, “Rami had a wonderful heart, he loved the Lord, and his dedication to the Lord, his family, and the community are wonderful memories, despite the pain and suffering.”

Listen as Hanna shares his own story of coming to faith in Christ, and how he faced pressure—even as a boy—for being identified as a Christian in Gaza. He says Christians in Gaza live “between two fires,” and explains some of the challenges of church ministry in such a setting.

“Our faith will not be tested when everything is going fine.” Hanna explained. God allows us to go through the fire to reflect His love to those who don’t know Him.

Last year we met Rami Ayyad’s widow, Pauline. Listen to Pauline Ayyad’s interview on VOM Radio to hear her journey from deep grief and anger to forgiving Rami’s persecutors.

Today Pastor Hanna Massad serves as the leader for Christian Mission to Gaza. He is also author of the book Pastor From Gaza (affiliate link). Hanna reminds us what the most important thing in life is as we, children of God by His grace, carry the Holy Spirit’s presence wherever we go.

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Brother Harold served 15 years as a gospel worker among Muslims in Central Asia—where persecution of new Christian believers is common. For the past five years he has worked in the US to recruit, train and mobilize more workers into the world’s spiritual harvest fields. Harold reminds us that four out of every ten people around the world have never heard the name of Jesus. What are we, as Christians, doing to shrink that number? Harold reminds us that God’s Word clearly states that followers of Jesus are to be involved in the spreading of the gospel. He challenges every listener: Are you sending laborers into the harvest? Praying for the gospel to go out? Are you going?

Harold will share a recent story where God allowed him to see the fruit of his family’s labor in Central Asia—but also reminds us that we won’t always see the fruit of our work, especially in the early years of gospel planting.

He’ll also encourage listeners that they can reach unreached nations right here in the US through immigrant communities. He’ll share how he and his family have been able to bless Central Asian immigrants in their city—and how that has led to gospel opportunities. He says when Muslims come to faith in the US, it is almost always the result of encountering Christ’s love in His people.

Listen as Harold suggests ways we can pray for more opportunities for the gospel, for our persecuted church family, and for current and future missionaries.

In this conversation we refer to a previous episode on VOM Radio with Bob and Kasey, who were enjoying their retirement when God gave them a “holy discontent,” and called them to minister to the people of a very closed Muslim nation.

Learn how you can specifically pray for persecuted Christians in 2023 by requesting a complimentary copy of VOM’s 2023 Global Prayer Guide.

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“Tell me the truth! Dead or alive?”

When Susanne Geske heard the answer to that question—that her husband, Tilmann, had been murdered along with two Turkish Christians, Necati Aydin and Uğur Yüksel—she was overwhelmed with shock. The Geskes had been in Turkey (now called Türkiye) for 10 years. It’s a Muslim country, and they knew there was some risk for Christians. But she never thought their family would be affected.

The five murderers—ages 19 and 20—were arrested at the scene of the crime. Turkish media members rushed to Malatya to report on the “missionary massacre,” and they wanted to interview Susanne. She didn’t know what to say when they came to her door the day after her husband had been martyred.

Praying, she asked, “Lord what should I say?”

The Holy Spirit answered with the words of Christ on the cross: “Forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.” Though Turkish media often paint Christians as an enemy, with the Lord’s help Susanne used this opportunity to share the gospel of forgiveness and the love of Jesus, the reason she could forgive men who killed her husband. Her living example of forgiveness was broadcast all over Turkey.

Listen as Susanne shares how God has become a father to her children and looked after her needs in the 15 years since Tilmann was killed. She’ll also give an update on the killers’ trial, the search for justice and how her church family and neighbors enveloped her with prayers and love in the days after the murder.

She says that in Turkey, and other Muslim nations, people are rejecting Islam and seeking hope and truth. Many Muslims are searching privately online to learn more about Jesus and Christianity. Pray for Christians in Turkey, for those who are seeking truth, and for Susanne and her family.

VOM Radio has also shared a conversation with Semse Aydin, widow of Necati. Listen to that conversation here. VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, wrote about meeting Susanne and Semse in Turkey just seven weeks after the murder of their husbands in his book, When Faith is Forbidden.

Learn more about praying for persecuted Christians in Turkey and other restricted nations and hostile areas when you request your free copy of the VOM 2023 Global Prayer Guide.

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When terrorists invaded the church service and pointed guns at his head, the pastor could have said many things to his congregation. Led by the Holy Spirit, he told them simply, “Be at peace. Soon we will be with Jesus.” Instead of committing murder, the attackers put their guns down and left the church, leaving the pastor and his flock alive and well.

This true story, from persecuted Christians on the Arabian Peninsula, is just one of those you’ll hear this week from Jonathan Ekman, VOM’s Vice President of International Ministry. Join the conversation as Jonathan looks back on VOM’s work in 2022 and looks ahead to challenges and opportunities for persecuted church ministry in 2023.

Listen as Jonathan discusses regions where persecution is changing, and what the next year may look like for Christians in restricted and hostile nations. He’ll also suggest some less-well-known countries, such as Northern Mozambique, Malaysia and Brunei, where persecuted Christians need your prayer.

Are there nations where VOM’s work is likely to change in 2023? Jonathan will talk about the spread of radical Islam across Africa, and what it means for churches and Christian leaders in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Central African Republic and other African nations. He’ll also look at some of the many unknowns faced this year, including intensified Christian persecution in China and upcoming elections in Nigeria and India. Your prayer list will grow as you consider the persecution being faced by Christians around the globe.

One way you can pray more knowledgeably for persecuted Christians in the new year is to request a complimentary copy of VOM’s 2023 Global Prayer Guide. For an in-depth discussion of Christian persecution and current events in China, listen to this recent VOM Radio conversation with Dr. Bob Fu.

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Join this week as we continue to look back on some of the most moving moments of 2022 on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio:

Tim and Dawn, gospel workers in South Asia, tell how stories from the Bible can confront people of other faiths and draw them to Christ.
Brother Malik shares his testimony of coming from a Fulani Muslim family to committing his life to Christ after reading through the Bible ten times.
Soner Tufan, a Christian in Turkey, tells about receiving a 14-page death threat letter from ISIS—and how God turned his difficulties into a blessing.
Victor Kalisher also has received threats as the director of the Israel Bible Society. He’ll tell about his work providing God’s Word to people in Israel in a modern translation they can understand.
Brother Hayel was thrown out of his Druze community when he chose to follow Jesus. Despite what faith has cost him, Hayel continues to share hope using a variety of media. He and his coworker, Brother Dan, challenge listeners to pray for the advance of the gospel.
Brother Silas was raised in a communist country by a Muslim family. Authorities threw him out of his home after he chose to follow Jesus, accusing him of being a spy. The persecution he faced couldn’t silence him.
Pauline Ayyad watched her husband, Rami, boldly live out his faith in Christ in Gaza. She says Rami wasn’t afraid of the threats, but she was terrified. Listen as she tells about the day she learned Rami had been martyred for Christ, and the long process of forgiving his killers, a decision that opened up a new pathway of ministry in her life.
VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, along with his wife, Char, share about meeting persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East and hearing about their sacrifices—and their joy.

After hearing these brief excerpts of these powerful interviews, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations. You can listen below to VOM Radio on your favorite podcast app or listen online at VOMRadio.net.

Brother John in the Himalayas
Tim and Dawn on mission in South Asia
Brother Malik, a Fulani Christian
Soner Tufan leading Christian radio in Turkey
Victor Kalisher, director of Israel Bible Society
Brother Hayel and Brother Dan, gospel workers to the Druze community
Brother Silas from Turkmenistan
Pauline Ayyad, wife of Rami Ayyad, who was martyred for Christ
Todd Nettleton and his wife, Char, on visiting Persecuted Middle East Christians

We praise God for allowing VOM Radio to share these inspiring stories of His power and the faithfulness of our brothers and sisters in restricted nations and hostile areas in 2022. We also THANK YOU for listening and praying for our persecuted family. Please subscribe to the podcast and share VOM Radio with Christian friends you know would also be encouraged by these testimonies!

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Join this week in looking back on some of the most moving moments on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2022:

Author John Weaver reminds us of the power of prayer in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan and how we can pray with and for them.
Benesh, who has planted more than 30 churches inside Iran in only five years of following Jesus, shares how prayer is the foundation of her ministry and outreach.
Pam Arlund explains how the Lord can ask us to lay down our lives for Him, and at the same time we can know that we are perfectly safe. She will also look back on training and sending John Chau, who gave his life to reach the people of North Sentinel Island for the gospel.
Jerry and Stacy chose to leave behind the American Dream to pursue God’s call to Tanzania and then Iraq. Listen as they share how Jesus is using them to encourage refugees with the love of Christ.
Matthew Hanson reminds us of the price our brothers and sisters pay for the sake of sharing Jesus through the story of an imam who found Jesus in Bangladesh.
“Brother Max,” completely transformed by Christ in Uzbekistan, shares his Muslim father’s reaction to his new faith and the New Testament.
Cade Jefferson reminds us that even in the darkest moments in life, God is there through the incredible story of Nathan and the gospel worker God sent to him on a beach in North Africa.

After hearing these brief excerpts, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations. Click on the links below to listen in your favorite podcast app or visit VOMRadio.net.

John Weaver on Afghanistan
Benesh from Iran
Pam Arlund with All Nations
Jerry and Stacy from Love For The Least
Matthew Hanson, VOM regional leader for Central and South Asia
Brother Max from Uzbekistan
Cade Jefferson, VOM regional leader for North and East Africa

We thank the Lord for allowing VOM Radio to share in 2022 these amazing stories of the power of prayer and of Jesus’s love for the lost. We also THANK YOU for listening and praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters in hostile nations and restricted areas. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the podcast and share VOM Radio with Christian friends you know would also be encouraged by these testimonies!

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The nation of China has been on the front pages of newspapers and the top of newscasts in recent weeks with widespread protests and a significant shift in the “zero covid” policy. But how will these developments—and the recent elevation of President Xi Jinping to what is essentially a permanent presidency—mean for our Christian brothers and sisters?

Bob Fu, founder, and president of China Aid, will explain how Chinese Christians are affected by these things, and how they are responding. In Xi’s first 10 years in power, religious freedom has been under constant assault—including within China’s state-sanctioned, registered churches. Christians in China know there will be more persecution in the years to come. Our Christian family in China, both young and old, face the decision to either renounce faith in Jesus or have their future taken away from them. How are they preparing themselves, and especially young believers, to withstand that persecution?

Listen for the story of one Chinese Christian woman in prison who said, “I only began loving the Lord when you arrested me.”

Bob will also give listeners an update on two pastors in jail, Pastors Wang Yi and John Cao, and how they are continuing to serve the Lord and grow in faith—even through their incarceration. Pray for rulers and authorities in China, imprisoned believers, the millions of people in China, and for God’s Word to be available to those in this restricted nation. You can write letters of encouragement to brothers and sisters imprisoned for their faith.

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If there was no spiritual power when believers gather together to worship Christ, then Christians in hostile and restricted nations wouldn’t be attacked. If their worship wasn’t a threat, why would enemies of the gospel try to prevent it?

Jeremy Malkin, who oversees VOM’s international ministry work in west and central Africa, explains that animistic and Muslim communities’ sense that power of Christians gathering together, and they often respond with violence and persecution towards our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Jeremy will share the story of one of our brothers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Matendo, who was abducted by an armed group of Muslims targeting Christians. He was beaten and threatened for his witness, causing long-term damage to his body, yet he is praising God for miraculously sparing his life.

As Christian persecution increases across Africa, there is great need for prayer and support for brothers and sisters who are being driven from their homes and seeing their churches destroyed. On one trip, Jeremy and his team met 300 believers at a church, all wanting to share their story. When Jeremy asked how many had family members who’d been killed by the Islamist rebels, almost everyone in the room raised their hands.

Listen to hear an update on Christians in Niger, Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, Benin and other African nations, and learn how you can be in prayer for the persecuted church there. Subscribe to VOM’s free magazine to read more about Matendo’s story in the January issue, as well as recieve the 2023 VOM Prayer Map. Listen to Brother Malik’s episode on VOM Radio to hear more about this Fulani Christian’s testimony.

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Under the brutal control of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia became known for the killing fields where more than a million people were executed. But today, the country is a field ripe for gospel harvest!

Garth and Caroline Gustafson, who lead the work of Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in Cambodia, see seeds being planted and gospel workers sent out to impact generations to come. From the mid 1960s to early 2000s, Cambodia experienced war and political turmoil, the legacy of which still impacts its people. But God is changing a country that was known for killing to be known for His life-giving power, and now for training and sending out workers to restricted nations all over southeast Asia—nations where Christian persecution is common.

Garth and Caroline serve in a YWAM training center in Cambodia focused on training local leaders to serve in their own country and into surrounding nations. Listen to hear about their work, and about how God is opening doors to impact people around them—even Buddhist monks.

Garth and Caroline will also describe how God led them to serve full time with YWAM and how they train gospel workers who may face persecution for their witness. Garth tells the story of a close friend’s time in jail for his Christian faith—and the surprising reason for his release!

They will help listeners pray for Cambodia and describe how it boosts their faith to hear the stories of persecuted Christians and their faithfulness to Jesus.

You can connect with Garth and Caroline and with YWAM online.

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What might God do if you made the commitment to pray every day for a specific country? What doors might He open to connect with the people and even walk in the land?

Two decades ago, Peter Smith and his wife were challenged to “adopt a country” and specifically pray every day for God’s Spirit to move in that place. The country God laid on their hearts was the Islamic Republic of Iran, a place where Christian persecution is common and missionaries are banned.

Listen to learn how Peter and his wife began to pray; hear how God opened the door for him to visit Iran, “to go on site to gain God’s insights” about the Iranian people and ways to pray for them. He will also share how his whole family has made a conscious effort to reach out to Persian people living in the United States—and found amazing openness to the gospel. Just as Jesus had compassion on the multitudes, we can ask God for that same heart of compassion towards those around us.

As you listen to VOM Radio this week, you’ll be challenged to make the same decision Peter and his family made all those years ago: adopt a country and consistently pray for the people there and specifically for God to work in that nation. Who knows the doors God will open in your life to minister to the people you’re praying for?

If you’ve taken up the challenge to pray for a specific nation in 2023, please let us know!

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Lawrence Tong wakes up each morning excited to pursue this goal: vibrant communities of Jesus followers among the least reached. As the International Director for Operation Mobilization, he oversees the ministry of 5000 gospel workers—including many serving in places where Christians face intense persecution, like Afghanistan, China, Iraq and India.

Lawrence’s first taste of missions—and of the work of OM—came aboard a ship, docking at different ports to share the gospel and train up local Christians. Witnessing a spiritual fire among the young people on the boat, Lawrence committed two years to serving with OM. That commitment has now grown into more than 4o years of gospel work amongst the least reached!

Listen as Lawrence shares about his six years of ministry work in China, and an update on the current challenges faced by persecuted Christians there.

OM workers were able to return to Afghanistan and continue to serve Afghan people, even after the Taliban takeover. These bold believers understand the danger, but their commitment to Christ and the Great Commission is stronger than their fear.

God is still calling people to go to dangerous places to share about Jesus. If you feel called to global gospel work, Lawrence will offer advice about how to think about, pray about and prepare for that calling. He’ll also equip listeners to pray for the persecuted church in Afghanistan, Nepal, and China to stay firm in faith, and help us pray for the work of OM around the world.

To hear more about the history and work of Operation Mobilization, listen to previous VOM Radio conversations with founders George Verwer and Dale Rhoton, and also with OM-USA President Andrew Scott.

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Malik knew the missionary was a kind man. He felt badly that this kind man was going to hell. Malik, a member of the Fulani tribe and the son of a Quranic scholar, decided he would convince the Christian missionary to become a Muslim, so that he could go to paradise.

The missionary refused to convert and told Malik that there were mistakes in the Quran. Malik set out to prove him wrong. He began to carefully study and compare the Bible with the Quran. He never did convince the missionary to accept Islam. Instead, Malik read through the Bible ten times, found truth in Jesus Christ and made the decision to follow Him.

It was not a decision his Fulani family would easily accept. Family members told Malik he had shamed the family, and that if he didn’t return to Islam within three days they had the right to kill him. Malik says he was ready to die rather than renounce his new faith. Thankfully his life was spared.

Listen as Malik shares his amazing testimony—and talks about his work now with Spirit of Martyrdom training pastors and evangelists to work in many parts of Africa, reaching more Muslims for Christ and sending out more gospel workers. Part of that training is preparing new Christians to stand up under persecution. Malik will also share specific ways to pray for God’s work among the Fulani people in Nigeria and other nations of west Africa.

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210 million people in Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Maldives have yet to hear who Jesus is. Almost all the major world religions—including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam—compete for the hearts and minds of people in these countries. Christian persecution is a regular part of following Christ. Pastors have been martyred for their faith, believers beaten and imprisoned, missionaries expelled, and churches burned or bombed.

Tim and Dawn are gospel workers in the region, helping guide gospel efforts and workers. Listen as they unpack what it looks like to follow Christ in South Asia—and how we can pray for gospel advance in the region.

Listen to hear how Christians in Sri Lanka responded to the Easter Sunday church bombings in 2019, and how recent political turmoil in that country has affected their work. They will also equip listeners to pray for persecuted Christians in other nations of South Asia.

What has God put on your heart to do? Has he stirred up your heart for missions work in another country? Tim and Dawn say there’s a reason the Lord placed a particular people group or place on your heart. They will share practical next steps to explore God’s leading into missions. You can see opportunities to serve in their region at the Southern Asia Access web site.

On the first Sunday in November, churches around the world will mark The International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. You can join in prayer with your family, friends and church. Learn specific ways to pray by downloading free resources here, including a video telling Rebecca’s inspiring story from Nigeria.

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Only 1.4% of people in Nepal are Christians. Hundreds of thousands of Nepali people live their entire lifetime without ever meeting anyone who follows Jesus. Hundreds of thousands of people in Sri Lanka (1.4% Christian), Bangladesh (0.4%), Bhutan (0.3%) and the Maldives (0.03%) also live and die without ever hearing the gospel message—or even the name of Jesus.

God broke the hearts of Tim and Dawn for the lost people of South Asia—and called them to go and live in the region as ambassadors for Christ. Listen as they share their backgrounds, how that call came and some of the challenges of adjusting to life and raising a family in South Asia.

Tim and Dawn will also share how they witness for Christ in the context of hostile and restricted nations where Christians are persecuted by speaking Biblical truth into peoples’ lives. Just as Jesus used parables to communicate spiritual truth, Tim and Dawn often share simple stories from the Bible, then invite their listeners to respond to the message of the story. Listen for the story of a Buddhist man responding to the story of Moses and the golden calf.

The tools Tim and Dawn are using to spread the gospel—hospitality, conversation, simple Bible stories—are available to listeners in free nations, too. Who in your life could you share Biblical truth with this week?

Pray for Tim and Dawn and their fellow gospel workers in South Asia.

Don’t forget to access resources from The Voice of the Martyrs for the upcoming International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. And never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

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The anxious mother in India had tried everything. Her son was very sick. It seemed he would soon die. She’d been to the Hindu temples and made offerings to many Hindu gods. Nothing had worked. Her son only became sicker. Then, a traveling salesman suggested that she pray to Jesus. She did—and her son was healed! Amazed and awe-struck, the mother and son hunted down the salesman to find out more about this Jesus who answers prayers. Today, her son is a pastor and evangelist who’s travelled more than 40,000 miles sharing the gospel. God is at work in hostile and restricted nations!

That’s just one of the stories you’ll hear this week from David Witt, CEO of Spirit of Martyrdom and a former staff member at The Voice of the Martyrs. David will also share stories from his encounters with Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM’s founders, and the “holy experience” of visiting one of the prison cells where Richard was held in Communist Romania.

David will also tell how he became aware of and involved in ministry to persecuted Christians, and how God used the attacks of 9-11 to draw the attention of American Christians to radical Islam and the scriptural call to love our enemies.

Today, the ministry David leads is training up church planters and leaders in multiple countries—with an eye on training that’s easily reproducible to other potential leaders. Listen as he shares how those being trained immediately put their learning into action, and how we can pray for these frontline gospel workers.

The International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians is coming soon. CLICK HERE to access resources—including a video about a persecuted Christian in Nigeria—to help your church, small group and family pray for persecuted Christians on this important day.

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Last week, Brother Max shared his testimony of seeking God through following Islam then, when he met Jesus, finding a peace he’d never experienced before. After finding that peace, Max wanted to tell everyone he knew, but he was not prepared for how his community would react with anger and persecution.

Max found it very natural to talk about Jesus with people who had known him before his salvation. They could see his life was drastically different, and they wanted an explanation. Brother Max was eager to share God’s Word with those who asked. He told them he’d found the ‘passport to heaven.’ But leaving Islam is not permitted, and his family and community persecuted him for his faith in Christ.

His father could see how Max’s life had changed for the better—but still urged him to return to Islam. Max explained, “If I take Jesus from my heart, I will become the old Max again.” He challenged his father to read the New Testament.

Persecuted first by those he knew, Max and his witness for Christ soon drew the attention of the government. He was arrested and interrogated by several police. It was a frightening experience; his legs shook with fear as the police questioned him and forced him to write a “confession” that would be used against him, dictating the words he was supposed to write.

Christians gathered outside the police station, praying for Max during the interrogation. The presence and prayers of his Christian brothers and sisters encouraged Max, and a holy boldness came over him. He turned the table on the police, asking them questions instead of answering theirs.

Listen as Brother Max shares how the Lord worked through that situation and later brought Max face to face with the one who prosecuted him—now a follower of Christ! He’ll also share about training new believers in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan to withstand Christian persecution after they leave Islam to follow Jesus. “Our time is short,” he says, “so we should be ready to meet Jesus.”

Max will also equip listeners to pray for Christians in the region—including those facing persecution. Listen to the first part of Max’s story here, and learn more about Max’s ministry, Global Teams, here.

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As a boy in Uzbekistan, Brother Max couldn’t imagine a God that cared about his life or had a plan for him. His biological parents didn’t want him. In his Islamic culture, he felt shame because he was adopted. He was consumed with the idea of getting revenge against his birth parents, who had abandoned him. Every day was dark. He felt hopeless and prayed every night that he would not wake up the next morning.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, radical Muslim missionaries entered Uzbekistan to encourage young people raised under communism to pursue Islam. Max began training under an imam, seeking God, and learning more about how to pray to Allah in the required way and the history of Islam. But those lessons, and his increasing knowledge, never brought the peace he craved. Max had many questions about Islam. Why couldn’t Allah understand his native language? Did Prophet Mohammed’s life match his teachings? But Max was told to just accept the teachings, that his questions had no answers, and he should stop asking.

Max first learned about the God who loved him from a friend whose life had been changed. Max wrestled with this new idea. How could God love me if my biological parents didn’t? If God loves me, why didn’t he help me achieve all the goals I had for my future?

After wrestling spiritually for several months, Max came to fully trust Christ and seek forgiveness for his sin. Instantly, he felt differently. He finally felt peace in his heart, and from that moment his life changed completely. He started sharing his testimony with people who remembered how angry Max had been before Christ, explaining that he was a new creation! He even forgave his biological mother. As a new Christian, Max wasn’t worried about Christian persecution; he simply wanted to share what Jesus had done for him.

Today Brother Max is serving the Lord with Global Teams, where he helps train others to evangelize Muslims and plant churches in hostile and restricted nations.

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Dr. Mike Fullingim felt the specific call to mission service while hearing a sermon from Jeremiah 5:19: “…you shall serve foreigners in a land that is not yours.” But as he looks back, he can see that even as a young boy God was drawing his heart toward missions and people different from him. Twelve years after hearing that sermon, Mike and his family went as missionaries to Papua New Guinea.

Dr. Mike and his wife, Barbara, served eight years on the field, with a break between terms for him to pursue further linguistics education. In 1987, Dr. Mike was finishing his PhD in linguistics and anthropology. After completing his doctoral program, offers for teaching jobs flooded in. But his heart was still in PNG. As he sought God’s will, and considered his children’s educational needs, Dr. Mike took a one-year teaching job at Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

As he wrestled with what direction God was leading, Dr. Mike read a quote from Dwight L. Moody: “It’s better to train ten people than to do the work of ten people.”

Today, 35 years after signing that “one-year contract,” Dr. Mike is still training future missionaries at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. His former students—more than 200—are serving today as gospel workers around the world—including hostile and restricted nations where Christians are persecuted. One of his passions is helping students develop tools to learn language—a key factor in long-term fruitful service on the mission field.

Listen as Dr. Mike shares about his missionary calling, how he wrestled with the painful decision not to return to PNG, and how we can pray for missionaries currently serving around the world—and for God to call forth more workers to go into ripe harvest fields, even in dangerous places.

Read more about Dr. Mike Fullingim’s mission work and legacy of teaching at Oklahoma Wesleyan University here.

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It’s a Bible verse all of us have quoted, one we’ve likely shared with a Christian friend in the midst of a difficult season: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

After her husband Rami, a leader of the Bible Society in Gaza, was murdered, Pauline Ayyad wrestled deeply with this verse. What good would come of her husband being killed? What good could come from raising her two children—and the one about to be born—without their father? Pauline asked God why He even allowed her to marry Rami if he was chosen to die a martyr’s death?

When Rami decided to leave a good, safe job at a bank, Pauline questioned the decision. The couple went into ministry serving kids through Awana, and Rami at the Bible Society, in 2005. Rami had peace about the transition, and eventually Pauline also felt at peace. They settled into what became normal life. Rami faced repeated threats, but refused to be afraid.

“What can they do?” he asked. “The only thing they can do is kill me, and then it would be for Christ.”

Then one day Rami didn’t arrive home from work. The next morning, Pauline learned that her husband’s body had been found. Pauline struggled and questioned God. She did not want to forgive Rami’s killer. She wanted the murderer to pay for his crime.

Listen as Pauline shares how the Holy Spirit was at work, and the five-year journey that brought her to forgive her husband’s killer. She didn’t only quietly forgive in her heart, but posted a message of forgiveness on Facebook. That post has blessed many Christians and challenged many Muslims as it’s been read thousands of times—an incredible witness for the gospel and the power of God’s grace in the face of Christian persecution.

Pauline will also share specific prayer requests for her family and for the church in Israel, including Gaza and the West Bank.

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People all over the world are searching for the truth. Longing for desires and needs to be fulfilled–not by food or entertainment but in a deeper, more lasting way. Brother Dan and Brother Hayel share God’s Word with Druze people, posting short videos on social media. They don’t know who is going to receive the gospel—or who is going to oppose their work—but they know that some will.

Last week Dan and Hayel shared about the hostility of the Druze community to Christians and the persecution Hayel has faced personally as a Druze-background believer in Christ. The high cost of following and proclaiming Christ is known to all who grow up in a Druze community. Many Druze are watching videos shared through Dan and Hayel’s social media ministry, but they fear what may happen if community leaders or even their families were to find out. Brother Dan shares one story about how he found out how closely people are watching their posts—both those interested and those opposed to their work—within five minutes of one post going live!

The spiritual battle in the Middle East continues. Druze voiceover actors involved in the gospel videos are threatened by community leaders. Despite push back and threats, God provides, and the video production is ongoing. And many Druze are watching, often in secret, seeking answers. They ask questions, opening the door for Hayel to further witness, disciple and encourage seekers across Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan.

As Druze people find Christ, it is often almost impossible for them to meet with other believers for worship and teaching. Pray with Dan and Hayel that Jesus will build His church among the Druze. Pray for walls to fall as the gospel saturates the hearts of many Druze, and that they will know Christ and make Him known. For specific prayer updates, please register at Pray4Druze.com and join with others committed to pray regularly for Christ’s work among the Druze.

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“If you read the Bible, He can change you and God will be with you.”

Brother Hayel learned that truth first-hand when he started reading the Bible. In its pages he knew he’d found the One True God. He couldn’t stop reading God’s Word, and hungrily opened it each day. Having found truth, Hayel couldn’t keep himself from sharing the good news with his fellow Druze—even knowing he would be persecuted for doing so.

Hayel desires to see his people, the Druze, changed by the gospel. This people group includes about 1.5 million individuals across Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria; they are distinct ethnically and religiously from the Muslims and others around them. Druze who choose to become Christians face intense persecution. Hayel was forbidden to share his Christian faith, but he refused to stop. He was kicked out from his home and ostracized, but he regards that sacrifice as nothing compared to knowing Jesus.

Today, Hayel is working with Brother Dan to share the gospel with Druze. Dan never planned on living in the Middle East. He was a businessman serving on his local church missions committee when God put Syria on his mind, even though he admits that deep down in his heart he had hatred for Arabs and Muslims. Yet he chose obedience and ended up on a missions trip to Syria before the war there. Through that experience and the people he met, God scrubbed Dan’s heart clean of hatred and gave him a passion to see people in the region reached for Christ—a passion so strong he and his wife moved to the region.

Today, Hayel and Dan serve Druze people through social media ministry. They speak to the Druze in their homes and their heart language with the gospel—through their phones. Listen as they share more about how God brought them together, how their hearts were transformed, and what their ministry to the Druze looks like. Join in prayer for God to open the hearts of the Druze people to receive the message of the gospel!

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Cade Jefferson was called to missions as a young adult. Soon after college, he went to one of the most restricted countries in the world: Afghanistan. Despite difficult images he still carries from that war-torn nation, etched in Cade’s heart are memories of fellowship with believers who welcomed Cade and his wife with warm hospitality.

After leaving Afghanistan, Cade went to North Africa to serve the Lord, service that turned out to be more difficult than he expected. Cade says he was at a very difficult point, mentally and emotionally, when God was merciful to open doors for him to serve with The Voice of the Martyrs. Sean Paton, who was part of opening those doors, had been a pastor at the church that first sent Cade to the mission field many years before. Today, Cade has stepped into a leadership role overseeing VOM’s work serving persecuted Christians in North and East Africa.

Listen to hear the story of a young teenager in North Africa, Nathan, who exemplifies what often happens when a person there chooses to follow Christ. In North African culture, everything is tied to family. Family connections provide home, education opportunities, career openings and even daily needs like food. When a Moroccan, Libyan, Tunisian, or Algerian person accepts Christ, that new Christian is cut off from those privileges. Yet brothers and sisters like Nathan persevere, in spite of persecution, because Jesus is everything to them.

Cade will also equip listeners to pray. Pray for gospel workers who live in North and East Africa to trust in the Lord to provide for the overwhelming needs of our brothers and sisters. Ask God to encourage and uplift their spiritual health, so they may flourish. Pray they will continue to reach out with the love of Christ to Muslims in their communities, in spite of difficulties.

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Muslims in the Middle East are hungry for the gospel! Jerry and Stacy, founders of Love for the Least, say they sometimes repeat the gospel message even after the person they’re witnessing to says they’re ready to accept Christ—just to be sure they understand the decision and the risk of persecution they face.

Last week, in the first part of our conversation with Jerry and Stacy, they shared how God drew them out of the American suburbs to minister in Africa, then called them to Iraq just as the ISIS caliphate was born. This week we’ll hear stories of how God is changing lives in Iraq, Iran, Syria and among Kurds throughout the region.

Jerry and Stacy are working to see healthy house churches multiplying along what they call “The Highway of Holiness,” where 35 million Muslims are still unreached by the gospel. Training local believers is 90% of their effort, using simple tools and practical, easy-to-learn ways to study the Bible and share God’s love.

What powers disciple-making movements, they say, is prayer and fasting. Listen as Jerry and Stacy share amazing ways God’s truth has spread from one individual to larger groups of believers and how He is using miracles to show His power and grow His church. You’ll also hear about a sister in Christ who has become known as “The Magic Prayer” in the prison where she is incarcerated for her ministry work—because other prisoners have seen that her prayers actually get answered.

Jerry and Stacy will also equip you to pray for persecuted Christians, gospel workers and believers throughout the Middle East.

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“Jesus is here already; He’s just waiting for us.”

In 2014, just as ISIS was declaring an Islamic caliphate in Iraq and Syria, God called Jerry and Stacy to go to Iraq. “It was a clear word from the Lord,” Stacy says. Others—including their mission board—told them NOT to go, that it wasn’t safe or smart. But they obeyed God, landing in northern Iraq days later.

Years before, they’d answered God’s call to Tanzania—leaving behind an “American Dream” life to serve in east Africa, where they saw the overwhelming need of the people and learned how to focus on serving the person in front of them. The hospitality of the African people, despite their overwhelming needs, and the sweet sound of Swahili hymns struck a chord in the hearts of Jerry and Stacy.

Jerry and Stacy will challenge listeners to serve the Lord, not with busy work but with lives committed to prayer and fasting, seeking the Lord and His plan and will for each situation. Stacy, who had never read her Bible or finished a Bible study before moving to East Africa, reminds us that God qualifies those He calls. The couple saw God open doors for impactful ministry in Africa, and so they went to Iraq with complete trust in what He was going to do.

Founders of Love for the Least, Jerry and Stacy help refugees in Iraq and serve them through providing education and job training. They provide trauma care for girls sold into ISIS slavery, young widows and children who have witnessed the dark side of Islam. To see a documentary about their work in Iraq, watch “Don’t Forget Them” on Amazon.

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When God called Dr. Leanna Cinquanta to serve as a missionary, she was a young woman fresh out of college. Then God specifically called her to a part of South Asia known as “the graveyard of missionaries.” He led her down a different path from most foreign gospel workers at the time; Leanna lived in a village drinking dirty water, sleeping on a grass mat, subsisting on lentils and rice and contracting the same diseases the local people endure.

As she lived through the hardships of village life, she was able to introduce people to a God greater and more powerful than the millions of gods in their Hindu faith: Jesus Christ. Leanna prayed for the sick and the demon possessed in His name, and she saw people healed and giving glory to the one true God. Listen as Leanna shares about how Jesus is reaching people in South Asia with displays of His power, and how Christians persevere in spite of persecution and hardship.

She’ll also advise American believers how to reach out to those we know with the gospel, including Hindus and Muslims, and equip you and your church to pray for more than a billion people who live in South Asia. Learn more about WIN (formerly Tell Asia), Leanna’s ministry, at win.global, and order a copy of her book, Treasures in Dark Places: One Woman, a Supernatural God and a Mission to the Toughest Part of India (affiliate link).

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William Cameron Townsend said, "The greatest missionary is the Bible in the mother tongue. It needs no furlough and is never considered a foreigner." But what if the “mother tongue” is no longer easily understood? That can often be the case with the Bible in Israel.

Listen as Brother Victor, the director of Israel Bible Society shares what God has done through their organization’s effort to spread God’s Word. It can still be difficult to find complete Hebrew Bibles in Israel. And the majority of the population in Israel cannot easily understand the original Hebrew text, which is now 2700 years old. That’s why the Israel Bible Society has created resources to help Hebrew speakers understand the original text with explanations in today’s Hebrew language.

Sharing about Jesus or the Christian faith is often received negatively by Jews in Israel. Many think becoming a Christian means losing or even betraying their Jewish identity. But as more people in Israel choose to follow Christ, more Jews are acquainted with their own people who have believed in Christ as Messiah while keeping their Jewish roots.

Bible work in Israel is not without opposition, and Victor will share stories of challenges he and the Bible Society have faced. He will also encourage us to pray for God’s Word to go forth in Israel and for God to open hearts to the gospel and increase a hunger for His Word across the Holy Land.

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Sean Paton enrolled in university to study pastoral ministry. But on the first day of his first class, the professor challenged students to think more broadly, to consider if God was calling them to take His love to people who hadn’t yet heard the name of Christ. Sean left class that day and changed his major to missions—and ever since he’s seen and lived a direct link between pastoral and missionary work.

In recent years Sean has led VOM’s work serving Christians on the continent of Africa. Now he’s transitioning back into a pastoral role with an American congregation. Listen as he shares some of the stories he’ll take with him—like the story of meeting the wife and children of a long-imprisoned Eritrean pastor and being inspired by their faithfulness. Sean will tell how persecuted Christians like these impacted his own faith and understanding of the gospel.

He will also encourage listeners to pray—with specific ideas on how to pray for VOM’s international staff that travel extensively and deal often with suffering and pain. Sean encourages pastors to incorporate our persecuted brothers and sister’s stories within their church services, such as during communion or prayer time, as weekly reminders that we are one body in Christ.

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Born and raised in Israel, Dr. Erez Soref knew well many of the places mentioned in the Bible and prominent in the story of the life of Christ. But he didn’t know about Jesus! Traveling outside his country, he met a group of Christians. Through their witness and by reading the New Testament for the first time, Soref was convinced in his heart that Jesus Christ was the Messiah for all–Jews and Gentiles.

Returning to Israel, he was anxious to tell his family and others about his newfound faith. But when he did, he found that they weren’t nearly as excited about it as he was.

Listen as he explains the situation today for Christians in Israel—a democracy where religious freedom is protected by law, but also a place where many don’t want to see the gospel spread. What does it mean to follow Christ? What sacrifices must new believers make? What does persecution look like? Why is it easier to find a Quran printed in Hebrew than a New Testament? And how can Christians in other nations pray for and support Israeli believers?

Today, Dr. Soref is the president of One For Israel Bible College, which provides quality Biblical training to pastors and Christians leaders, as well as other Christians who want to deepen their Biblical understanding. He will share specific ways to pray for our brothers and sisters in Israel, including that they will continue to have open doors, legally, to share their faith.

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For almost 20 years, Brother David was a gospel worker in Turkey—until he was deported from the country and told he’d been permanently banned from reentry. His legal appeals to stay—to Turkey’s Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights—have, so far, failed.

In a holding cell, awaiting his final flight out of the country, David’s biggest disappointment was that he didn’t have cell mates with whom he could share Jesus!

David and his family are currently doing gospel work in Muslim neighborhoods and on busy street corners in Germany. God continues to show why He brought David and his family to Europe through each ministry opportunity He sets before them. Living and working in a free country, David is shocked at busy street corners where no believers are taking advantage of their freedoms to witness to the lost. He challenges listeners to be more engaged in reaching the lost—wherever they are.

David will give an update on the situation for persecuted Christians in Turkey and help us pray for the many gospel workers who’ve been forced to leave the country, and for Turkish Christians still serving Christ there.

David previously shared about his gospel work in Turkey and the court case he’d filed to remain there. Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of David’s previous conversations with VOM Radio.

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An imam (Muslim leader) in Bangladesh was reading the Quran when he came across the name of a person he didn’t know much about: Isa (Jesus). As a local mosque leader, he felt he should learn more about this person mentioned in the Quran, so he asked around his village for a book about Jesus. He was given a New Testament and began to read—and soon recognized that Isa is far more than a prophet. He’s the Son of God and the only way of salvation! But following Jesus can be dangerous in a place where Christians are persecuted, as this now-former imam learned.

That’s just one of the stories you’ll hear this week from Matthew Hanson, VOM’s regional leader for South and Central Asia.

Matthew will also share what Christians in India are facing in the face of a Hindu nationalist government and a nationwide network of radical Hindus infiltrating churches, persecuting pastors or instilling fear in the local people to persecute their own neighbors because of their faith. In spite of that persecution, though, he says Indian Christians—including children—are responding with grace and boldness to their persecutors.

You’ll also hear the story of a Nepali missionary working in a difficult place—and how God miraculously helped her learn the language in only six months!

Matthew will equip listeners to pray for our brothers and sisters in South Asia who are being disowned and threatened by family members because of the gospel. One Christian woman whose entire family rejected her said, “Jesus has given me life. He is real. He is the only God.” Pray believers in South Asia will continue to hold their confidence in Christ.

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In 2021, as the US prepared to withdraw its military presence from the country, radical Islamist Taliban forces swept across Afghanistan. Many Christians—especially those publicly known to follow Jesus—needed to flee the country or risk immediate execution.

Charmaine Hedding, president of The Shai Fund, has worked to help persecuted believers around the world since 2014. When Christians needed help getting out of Afghanistan, she and a committed team quickly stepped forward to help. They arranged flights, helped Afghan Christians hide and get to the airport, and helped find nations willing to accept them as refugees. They worked around the clock to help Afghan believers.

Listen as Charmaine shares how she became involved in helping persecuted Christians, first-hand stories of the hardships Afghans faced, and God’s faithfulness to answer prayer amidst the chaos and upheaval of the Taliban takeover.

She will also share specific ways we can continue to pray for our Afghan brothers and sisters in Christ—both those still living in Afghanistan and those who have relocated to surrounding Islamic Nations.

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Helen Berhane, worship leader and former prisoner in Eritrea, joined us last week to share the first part of her story: how she was persecuted for her faith and yet encouraged all believers to count the cost of following Christ. Helen is back this week for the second half of that conversation.

Thankfully, she had access to the Bible while imprisoned, and the Lord revealed new wisdom and understanding of Him to her as she read from Genesis to Revelations 15 times!

Her knowledge of Jesus increased, and the Holy Spirit gave her overwhelming love and forgiveness towards the ones persecuting her. Supernaturally, she knew when people were praying for her while she was in prison. Many letters were sent, from around the world, to encourage her in prison, and even though she was never able to read the letters, she knows they made a difference.

Copies of Helen’s book, Song of the Nightingale, have been smuggled into Eritrea, and her story has encouraged many people toward faith in Christ. Continue to pray for believers currently in prison in Eritrea—an estimated 250 to 300 Christians as of June 2022, including five currently listed on PrisonerAlert.com.

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Helen Berhane was tortured then imprisoned in a metal shipping container in the African nation of Eritrea. But in spite of terrible persecution she kept singing praises to God!

In 2002, the Eritrean government banned evangelical churches from holding public worship services – forcing Christians to meet illegally, in secret. Helen and other believers did not stop meeting, and it wasn’t long until she and many other persecuted Christians were imprisoned. Helen had intentionally prepared herself; she was ready to stand firm in her faith for Christ even in the face of the persecution she knew was coming. Everything, she says, has a price, including following Jesus.

Listen as Helen shares how she prepared for her trials and the Bible verses that encouraged her even as she was held in the harshest of prison conditions. God’s presence continued to strengthen her to deny herself, stay disciplined and even gain a better understanding of Jesus’ suffering.

Helen would cry – not because of the situation, but because of her experience of the unconditional love of God. And through it all, Helen chose joy and kept on singing. Instead of worshipping in the front of the church or in the spotlight, she worshipped simply in the presence of God.

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Romans 10:14 asks, “How are they to hear without someone preaching?” Dr. Pam Arlund, Global Training and Research Leader for All Nations International, joins The Voice of the Martyrs Radio this week to share about John Chau’s mission to North Sentinel Island, where he was killed in 2018. Arlund was part of screening John for mission service and training him to go and serve.

As a teenager, John sensed God calling him to take the gospel to the Sentinelese people. For nine years, he prepared to go to the island, live among the people, learn their language and share Christ with them. John’s story and legacy are being commemorated this year on Day of the Christian Martyr.

Listen as Arlund shares her memories of John, including his hunger for training and knowledge and his in-depth preparation and planning for life on the island. She’ll also talk about the days after John’s murder, the extreme pressure All Nations leaders experienced from media and others, and the surprising response from some North American Christians.

Pam also shares how we can pray for North Sentinel Island and for God to raise up individuals willing to heed His call to missions and to take the gospel to the ends of the earth—even to places where Christian persecution is common.

Read more about John Chau’s story and watch a video about his mission.

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The Bible promises Christians will be persecuted (John 15:18-20; II Timothy 3:12), yet most Christians in the United States and other Western nations have not experienced persecution for their faith. But what if that’s changing? How should Christians in free nations prepare for possible future persecution?

VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, shares specific lessons from Christians who have already faced persecution and victoriously endured. Todd will also share how followers of Christ in free nations can put these lessons into practice in our own spiritual walk, starting right now.

Listen also for the blessings found in the midst of suffering for Christ and ways God uses persecution to grow and strengthen His church.

In sharing these stories, Todd refers to several previous VOM Radio guests, including Helen Berhane from Eritrea, Nik and Ruth Ripken, Dan Baumann, David Byle and Pastor Hassan from Sudan.

For more stories and lessons from persecuted Christians, read Todd’s book, When Faith is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines With Persecuted Christians.

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“Benesh” has been a believer in Christ less than five years, but in that short time she’s already planted more than 30 house churches in The Islamic Republic of Iran! Benesh grew up in a Muslim home, but over time she began to question many aspects of Islamic teaching. As a teenager, she overheard some women talking about the fact that Christian women—without the oppressive restrictions of Islam—were more free than Muslim women. Benesh was curious to know more about Christianity and the peace and love Jesus offers.

While she was in college, Benesh’s father became very sick. Her mother prayed repeatedly to Allah to heal him, but it didn’t work. Her father died. Shortly after, her mother died also. Her grief at the loss of her parents pushed Benesh further to seek answers about Christ. First, she looked on the Internet. When she moved to a bigger city for employment, a coworker there invited her to a church meeting. Experiencing Christian worship and fellowship for the first time, she knew Jesus wanted her to put her faith and trust in Him.

In spite of her parents’ death Benesh had peace from God, which shocked her sister and other family members. Many were curious why she was different, which gave her open doors to share Jesus. At first, Benesh feared what her family or others would say or do if she shared Christ with them, but she quickly overcame that fear when she realized how hungry Iranians are for the truth.

Sharing your faith can be a dangerous task in Islamic countries, but Benesh was so focused on sharing the joy she’d found in Christ that she almost forgot about the threat of the Islamic regime! Listen as Benesh shares how we can pray for her ministry, for the Iranian regime, and for bold witnesses for Christ in the Middle East—and as she challenges every Christian to tell others about Jesus.

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As a missionary kid, Brother John was raised by parents focused on bringing glory to God’s Kingdom. His father taught theology in the Bahamas and eventually moved the family to an unreached area –British Guiana – so people there could know that true freedom is only in Jesus. As a grown man, John took his own family to serve among Muslims.

Brother John is now the Vice President of Global Engagement for the International Mission Board, helping send missionaries and plant churches all over the world, with a special focus on unreached peoples and areas.

Listen as Brother John shares the story of Dr. Martha Myers and other Christians who served in Yemen before being martyred for their faith in Christ. Yet even in that loss and heartache, the Lord moved to further His Word. With an emphasis on the authority of scripture in missions work, Brother John loves distributing audio Bibles since many unreached people are illiterate or prefer listening to the scriptures rather than reading. He’ll also tell of hearts transformed in the deaf community as they reach out with God’s Word.

More than 90% of the IMB efforts are focused on reaching the unreached for Christ. Pray unreached peoples will encounter the gospel and that the Lord would open doors in restricted nations for Bibles to be distributed.

Listen to Brother John’s previous interview on VOM Radio here where he shared how teaching your children foreign languages is a strategic plan to serve the Lord.

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With a heart to share the gospel, Kenneth Charles has experienced the different forms of persecution Christians in Pakistan face. Kenneth experienced the reality of being persecuted for Christ even as a young boy. He first learned of The Voice of the Martyrs through Tortured for Christ; the book was translated into Urdu by Kenneth’s brother.

Growing up in a Christian family living in an Islamic context, Kenneth knew persecution would come. When he was a young boy, a peer attacked him with a knife. He still bears the scar.

Kenneth came to know Christ through a miraculous healing; a pastor then helped deepen his understanding of Biblical truth. The very next day, Kenneth was accompanying that pastor in ministry – sharing the gospel in villages around the country.

Now, through God’s Vision Ministries, which he founded, Kenneth is distributing audio Bibles in the Urdu language, conducting street ministry, and giving seminary training to church leaders throughout Pakistan—and even in other nations. Listen as Kenneth discusses the great need for leadership training in Pakistan and equipping believers there to answer questions from their Muslim neighbors—many of whom are curious about Christianity.

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Throughout the Middle East, Muslims are surrendering their lives to Christ—in spite of family pressure and overt persecution. VOM’s Middle East regional leader, Aaron Miller, shares stories from the region, and how we can pray for Christian brothers and sisters there. Join as Aaron discusses the situation for church planting in Turkey and the persecution in a place where being Muslim is seen as part of one’s national identity. You’ll also hear about a young husband who was training to be an Imam, qualified to teach the Quran, but has become a devoted follower of Christ. Facing persecution from their family, he and his wife have found a new family through fellow believers.

Aaron will also share the intensity of persecution in Iraq, where lawlessness runs rampant. He will equip us to pray for the believers there. There are many individual cases of persecution—often coming from one’s own family. Aaron shares the heartbreaking story of a young daughter persecuted by her own father—all to punish her mother for leaving Islam to follow Jesus.

Aaron reminds us that as God’s Kingdom advances, the enemy will fight back. Yet we see God’s kingdom prevailing and spreading throughout the Middle East.

Pray for these dear families and churches living for Christ in spite of the cost. Pray for gospel workers in the region, and for VOM international ministry staff, that they would be renewed in their faith as they see and hear stories of persecution and seek to encourage believers living through it.

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Joe and Dawn are back on VOM Radio share what the Lord has been doing through their discipleship training and Bible smuggling ministry in the Middle East. They will also share how God opened a new door to ministry among women trapped in prostitution.

Joe and Dawn are involved in Bible delivery to persecuted Christians in Iran. Believers targeted by the Iranian regime face the challenging choice to flee the country or stay, knowing they could be imprisoned for their faith. A Christian sister has recently begun a two-year prison sentence, yet she reported to prison excited about the ministry opportunities God had prepared for her in prison.

In spite of so much Christian persecution, thousands of Iranians are choosing to follow Christ. Joe says that for many of them, “Islam is getting old.” It is exciting for Joe and Dawn to be involved in the great harvest of church growth happening among people of the Middle East.

There are also burdens Joe and Dawn carry as they labor in this ministry work. Listen to hear how they choose to give their anxieties to the Lord each day, and how they think about raising their children in a “dangerous” part of the world. They will share some of the key lessons they want their children to notice in their lives and in God’s work around them.

Last time they visited VOM Radio, Joe shared his testimony of how he met Jesus as a prisoner through God’s Word, and how his life was completely changed. Listen here as he tells how God transformed him from a prisoner and criminal into a committed follower of Christ.

Joe and Dawn will also encourage you to pray for open doors to deliver Bibles across all parts of Iran, and for their family during a season of rest and Sabbath with the Lord.

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Muslims around the world are commemorating the holiest month on the Islamic calendar: Ramadan. Muslims fast from sunup to sundown as a way to dedicate themselves to Allah and earn his approval. It is a strategic time for Christians to pray fervently for the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus and the truth of the gospel during Muslims’ heightened spiritual interest.

Listen as guests explain the significance of Ramadan, then lead in praying for Muslims to encounter Christ during this month. They will also help listeners pray for persecuted Christians serving amongst Muslims. Our guests, who work in Muslim nations and among Muslims, will provide specific ways we can pray during this Ramadan month and especially the “Night of Power.”

Set a reminder to pray each day during this pivotal time for the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ to Muslims during Ramadan--through dreams and visions, a Christian friend, a Bible, gospel broadcast, social media post or in some other way.

Guests leading us in prayer include:

Susanna Koh, the wife of kidnapped Pastor Raymond Koh, from Malaysia. (Hear her story.)
“Soher” from Yemen
Tom Doyle, Uncharted Ministries(Previous appearances on VOM Radio here and here.)
JoAnn Doyle, Not Forgotten Ministries(Previous appearances on VOM Radio here and here.)
Mehrdad Fatehi, PARS Theological Center(Previous conversations on VOM Radio here and here.)
“Shawki” from Bahrain
Lucy, Global Catalytic Ministries(Listen to “Ali,” also from GCIC, here.)
Amir Bazmjou, Torch Ministries(You can hear Amir’s story here.) (Amir’s wife, Rashin, is the daughter of martyred Iranian Pastor Hossein Soodmand. Hear her story here.)
Dick Brogden, Live Dead Ministries(Previous conversations on VOM Radio here and here.)
David from Egypt
Mike Ansari, Heart 4 Iran Ministries(Previous conversations on VOM Radio here, here, and here.)
Hormoz Shariat, Iran Alive Ministries(Previous conversations on VOM Radio here and here)

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After serving as a gospel worker in western China for ten years, Dr. Pam Arlund now serves on the International Leadership Team for All Nations International, training and sending the next generation of missionaries. God called her to the unreached in China through examples of great missionaries like Hudson Taylor and Robert Morrison. Pam had never left the U.S. before she moved to China. She trusted the Lord would protect her and guide her in building relationships with local people. Like many missionaries, she went through different emotions and difficulties. Yet, her obedience in difficult seasons allowed her to develop a deeper relationship with Jesus.

Listen as Pam shares some of her experience on the field, and how that influenced the way she trains gospel workers today. She will also introduce her new book, Stick Figures Save the World, which explains how simple drawings can help anyone be a witness for Christ.

Pam will also talk about the responsibility of sending missionaries to hard and dangerous places—places where Christian persecution is intense. Finally, Pam shares how we can pray for missionaries we know and encourage them as they persevere in the Lord’s call on their life.

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Last year the world witnessed thousands of Afghans fleeing their country as the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. This week John Weaver, who lived for years in Afghanistan and speaks daily with people still inside the country, shares what is happening now under the Taliban government—especially with regard to our Christian brothers and sisters.

Although many Afghans fled, many have stayed—including Afghan believers in Jesus. Everyone in Afghanistan is dealing with a disrupted economy, with some losing jobs, and others losing family and friends and all dealing with lack of available resources. Amidst Islamist oppression, there are opportunities for Christians to serve and be a witness. The church is underground, a persecuted minority, meeting in small groups yet still quietly finding ways to share the gospel.

Afghans are also being reached in the countries to which they have fled—including via social media. Refugees have gone through trauma and stress. Yet, they have been welcomed into other countries—often more welcomed by Christians than fellow Muslims, which gives new opportunities to share the gospel.

John will share stories of prayers that have been answered since the Taliban takeover—and give listeners current needs to lift in prayer on behalf of Afghan Christians—our brothers and sisters in faith.

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Soner Tufan says many Muslims in Turkey no longer believe Islam can answer the needs of their heart—or their country. Soner leads Radio Shema, broadcasting the gospel message, encouraging persecuted Christians and reaching curious Muslims all over Turkey. And God is multiplying the reach of His message. During Covid quarantine, Radio Shema used digital platforms like Instagram to reach millions of people, seeing ten times more feedback from listeners and twenty times more responses from people coming to faith!

Soner also shares memories of his three friends, martyred 15 years ago this month in the offices of a Christian publishing house in the city of Malatya. Soon after the killings, four teenagers came to the radio station where one threatened Soner: “If you say anything, I will kill you.”

Soner will also help us pray for Christians in Turkey, and for the ministry of Radio Shema. Pray for protection and courage for Christians in Turkey as they face strong opposition. Pray for effective discipleship to raise up more pastors and leaders for the persecuted church, and pray many more Muslims in Turkey will hear the gospel.

Soner is also praying for more radio stations—he estimates that 95% of the people in Turkey have not yet heard the gospel message. Last week, Soner shared how he came to faith in Christ after growing up Muslim, the opposition from his family and friends, and how the ministry of Radio Shema came to be. Listen to last week’s episode here.

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“I’m proud of being Turkish and, at the same time, I am a follower of Jesus Christ.”

Soner Tufan’s words may not seem remarkable to people in Western nations. But in Turkey, where people consider being Muslim an inherent part of their identity and culture, his words immediately capture attention. Radio Shema, the ministry Soner leads, is broadcasting the gospel message all over Turkey, along with the testimony that a person can be a patriotic Turk and also a follower of Jesus.

His message is being received—by Turks curious about Jesus and by those opposed to the gospel. Soner received a 14-page threat letter from ISIS. He’s lived under 24-hour police protection. He says more threats come every week. But he’s seen the Turkish church grow from a handful of believers to thousands, and he refuses to turn away from the work God has called him to.

Soner became a Christian in 1985 through the witness of his Taekwondo instructor. At that time, there were perhaps fifty Christians in Turkey. Today, there are 7,000, and one of the key ways God is reaching Turks is through radio and TV broadcasting. Listen as Soner shares how God opened the door for Christian radio broadcasts in an Islamic nation—even while constructing a church building was impossible!

Soner will share more details of his life as a Christian, the amazing transformation of his brother—who persecuted Soner when he became a Christian—turning to Jesus, and how God has made the impossible happen with Radio Shema in Turkey.

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Tony Benjamin travelled to meet persecuted Christians long before he was the president of a ministry serving such believers. In fact, he wasn’t even an employee when he joined a missions trip to Vietnam. But meeting and ministering alongside persecuted Christians there left a permanent mark on Tony’s life and faith—and today he leads The Voice of the Martyrs Australia.

Tony says more and more Christians in Australia desire to be part of “the fellowship of Christ’s suffering,” and the ministry is growing dramatically each year. He and the staff are finding ways to speak directly to Australia’s Christians—including airing VOM Radio broadcasts. They also are reaching outside Australia’s borders and inviting Christians across the South Pacific into fellowship with persecuted believers.

Listen as Tony shares about witnessing the start of a flourishing ministry in Egypt that today reaches Muslims all over the Middle East and North Africa. As the difficulties Christians face intensify, Tony encourages each of us to enhance our relationship with God, the ultimate source of our strength. Tony will also equip listeners to pray for VOM Australia and its ongoing work to serve and bless persecuted Christians.

Merv Knight, the co-founder of VOM Australia, has previously been a guest on VOM Radio, including remarks he shared on his retirement from the board of VOM-USA and memories of serving with Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, the founders of The Voice of the Martyrs.

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Carter Gates leads VOM’s work in the Asia Pacific Region. This week he shares how he came to be involved in ministry, some travel and ministry experiences, and updates on the persecution of Christians in China, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Carter’s first spark of interest in missions came after reading a VOM book, Jesus Freaks, where he first read about Christians being persecuted for their faith. The stories, including one from North Korea, stirred in him a passion to know more about what his brothers and sisters in Christ are facing. Carter joined YWAM as a sophomore in college, and what he thought would be a few months of service turned into seven years ministering throughout East Asia!

China continues to enforce drastic religious restrictions, including expelling many Christian foreigners, some of whom have lived and worked in China for decades. Local believers say they are ready to take the lead and continue God’s work—even as they face suffering and persecution. Carter will also discuss restrictions and persecution in Myanmar and Vietnam, including how Covid has affected ministry and travel in the past two years.

Carter will also share an opportunity VOM workers had to help Christians obtain ground to bury their dead—something that’s been a blessing to Christians and a powerful testimony to Buddhists living in the surrounding area.

Carter will help us know specific ways to pray for access to God’s Word, strength for the church and for the Lord to continue to lead His people in the Asia Pacific region.

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Listen this week as we share Part 2 (listen to Part 1) of Silas’s story. He will tell of the darkest moments in his life, suffering intense persecution for his Christian faith. Silas and his family continued in obedience to Christ despite threats from the KGB. Silas’s refusal to bow to their agenda angered them.

Silas was arrested and tortured in ways that, as a lawyer, he found unbelievable. He says his doubts, shame, and moments of weakness reminded him to lean into God’s power. By remembering the suffering of Christ, Silas was overwhelmed with comfort.

As Silas trusted the Lord in his suffering, he saw God working on the hearts of others—including his torturers! The head KGB officer who tortured Silas and his Christian friend later asked Silas’s forgiveness and prayer for his family. He was even welcomed into the home of one of the Christians he’d tortured.

Today Silas is involved in ministry through radio/TV broadcasting and various internet platforms to share the gospel in the Turkmen language, knowing how it impacted him to see on film Jesus speaking his own language. Pray for the good news to continue to spread throughout Turkmenistan and to Turkmen people all over the world!

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Brother Silas, raised in the former Soviet republic of Turkmenistan, says that as a young man he was an atheist in his head but a Muslim in his heart. When a family member shared his faith in Jesus Christ, Silas angrily rejected such talk. In his mind, Christianity was foreign to the Turkmen people, the faith of the invading Russians. Yet, as Silas heard the stories and teachings of Jesus, he found himself attracted by who Jesus is. Through a VHS copy of the Jesus Film in the Turkmen language and the divine opportunity to watch it, Silas committed his life to following Christ. Listen as Silas shares how hearing Jesus speak in Turkmen, his own heart’s tongue, made the gospel real and personal to him.

Immediately, Silas experienced overwhelming joy and peace. All his questions had been answered. He began to share Christ with others in his village. But as his obedient actions for Christ became known, Silas got his first taste of Christian persecution.

Government agents, focused on keeping control of Turkmenistan’s people, raided church meetings and even Silas’s home. Be sure to listen next week to hear part two of Silas’s testimony and the intense persecution he faced.

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Across the Middle East, Muslims have questions about their faith. But Islamic teaching doesn’t encourage or allow such questions. As a young man in Morocco, Brother Rachid had questions also; he found answers through a Christian radio broadcast and chose to follow Christ.

Today he hosts an Arabic-language TV program airing all over the Middle East. On the first broadcast, he asked Muslims to call in with questions about Islam and Christianity. In the first half hour of the program more than 800 people called with questions!

Listen to hear how Rachid learned to see outside his own worldview and break down Islamic ideologies he was taught. Over time, his actions and ideas changed; others noticed that his entire life had been transformed.

Persecution came swiftly. When his family found out he was a Christian, they kicked him out of the house. Rachid connected with other Christians, which gave him joy and excitement knowing he had a new family, but also fear he could be imprisoned or persecuted for his faith.

Rachid will advise how we can help Muslim friends find answers to their questions in Christ. Pray for breakthroughs in the hearts of Muslims as the gospel is shared through TV and radio broadcasts all over the Middle East.

You can also watch a video version of Brother Rachid’s testimony.

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Among tribal groups in East Asia, new believers in Christ can be forcibly removed from their homes and villages. Animistic tribesmen desire to please and appease the spirits they worship; those who come to faith in Jesus are seen as angering the spirits. However, those who follow Jesus are part of a new community as brothers and sisters come alongside to encourage one another amidst persecution.

Matt and Linda are working with people from one of these tribes. They’ll explain how the gospel is spreading and what Christian persecution looks like in that setting.

Linda helps run a Sunday school program which is serving children from believing and unbelieving homes alike. Even parents who don’t know Christ are encouraging their kids to go! Listen as Matt and Linda share the importance of teaching Bible stories in these tribal communities, and how younger generations point their parents toward the Lord. As villagers see the power of God and His love for them, hearts are touched and transformed.

Pray for gospel workers in tribal communities in Asia, and for the safe distribution of God’s Word into hostile areas and restricted nations in the region.

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Ten or 20 years ago, persecution of Christians in China varied greatly across China’s 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions. Bob Fu—a former teacher at the Communist Party School in Beijing and prisoner for Christ in China—says things are much different today. Chinese Christian persecution is driven by the national government in Beijing; every province is expected to control religious expression. Fu is the Founder and President of China Aid Association and author of God’s Double Agent. Listen as he shares how the communist government has cracked down on Christians in recent years and how Christians have suffered ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

Bob says persecution of Christians in China today is the worst it’s been since the 1960s and 70s Cultural Revolution. Xi Jinping and other officials are increasing efforts to imprison and detain unregistered church leaders and members—but leaders in state-sanctioned TSPM churches are also persecuted.

Communist ideology is also enforced through digital surveillance. Every Chinese person is required to install a “health app” on their phone, and surveillance cameras throughout the country monitor movement. Online meetings with any religious purpose are now required to register and be approved by provincial authorities, and Bible apps have been forbidden.

As the eyes of the world turn toward China during the Games, join Christians around the world to pray for Chinese Christians—and for their persecutors. Go to www.PrayForChina2022.com to learn more about what is happening in China and how you can pray for Christian brothers and sisters there.

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As a young adult, John sensed the call to surrender his life to bring glory to God and reach Tibetan Buddhists in the Himalayan region for Christ. Listen as John shares how he started in full-time ministry among Tibetan people, their culture, and encouraging stories of persecuted Christians in the region.

Tibetan Buddhists’ beliefs often mix traditional Buddhism with existing shamanistic beliefs of the region. In tightly-knit communities, those who come to faith in Jesus face persecution from families and the broader community.

John connects established Tibetan Christians with new believers to share their experiences of persecution and faith, preparing the new believers for what may come. Listen as John shares encouraging stories of young people finding hope in Jesus.

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Come with us to the Middle East as VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, and his wife, Char, share stories from a recent visit to persecuted Christians in the region. Listen as they share updates on Iraqi refugees who fled from ISIS more than five years ago and what the Lord is currently doing in the lives of persecuted Christians – even one who has only been a believer one week!

You’ll hear about an Iranian woman who, in just two years as a believer, has planted almost 40 churches! She uses every opportunity to pray for others in Jesus’ name. When those prayers are answered, they instantly want to know more about the Lord she serves.

Learn about Christians in the Middle East sacrificially staying with Muslim family members—in spite of persecution—in the hope of seeing their relatives know Christ. Listen also to hear about a service where former Muslims were baptized into new life in Christ—and the joy radiating from the new believers’ faces.

As ISIS drove across the Nineveh plains, many Iraqi Christians fled to surrounding countries as refugees. More than five years later, many are still waiting for a new beginning in another country. They are unable to work and their children can’t attend school. But the church is welcoming them—both Muslim and Christian refugees. VOM continues to partner with churches to help meet Christian refugees’ needs and encourage them in this discouraging season. Learn how you can pray for them and for the church in the Middle East.

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Across Africa, the church is undergoing attacks on its members and their meeting places. Yet despite the destruction, our Christian brothers and sisters exhibit an overwhelming joy in Christ.

Sean Paton and Jeremy Malkin continue the conversation from last week on VOM’s efforts to help our persecuted brothers in Burkina Faso, Benin, Sudan, and Mozambique. Listen as Jeremy and Sean share how Christians are responding to the persecution in these regions—and also share encouraging stories of God’s work in Africa during the past year.

Animistic ideology and belief in the spirits of their ancestors is prevalent in Benin. Christianity is often seen as destroying that culture. New believers are rejecting the rituals and practices of animism and holding fast to their faith in Christ, and therefore being targeted.

In Burkina Faso, thirteen churches were destroyed within a week last year by mobs who wanted to rid the area of Christianity. Yet our brothers and sisters gathered to worship the Lord amidst the destruction because of their hope in Him. Listen as Jeremy shares their stories and how we can pray for them.

In Mozambique, there has been horrific persecution of Christians by Islamic extremist groups who have pledged allegiance to ISIS. This has forced many Christians to flee, and VOM is helping to meet physical needs and spiritual hunger for God’s Word. In Sudan, political tension continues to grow, which has given a window to provide spiritual encouragement and support to Christians through Bibles and other evangelistic resources.

Pray for our brothers and sisters to be bold and courageous for Christ in Africa as they face animistic and Islamist persecution, and to be reminded that what men intend for evil, God can use for good.

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Across Africa, instability and the growing influence of radical Islamist ideology mean more persecution for our Christian brothers and sisters.

Sean Paton and Jeremy Malkin oversee VOM’s efforts to serve persecuted Christians across Africa. Listen as they share updates on how Christians are responding—especially in the Central African Republic and Ethiopia.

Thousands of Christians have been displaced in CAR by a civil war in which Christians have at times found themselves specifically targeted and at other times been caught in the crossfire between different factions. Listen as Jeremy gives an update on their situation, tells of meeting them first hand and describes specific ways we can pray for them.

Ethiopia has also experienced upheaval in the past year, which provided cover for targeting Christians by those opposed to the gospel in the region. Sean will tell us what Christians there are facing, and give ways to pray.

You can be inspired to pray for Christians in these and other nations throughout 2022 when you request your free copy of the 2022 VOM Global Prayer Guide.

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Join us as we continue to look back on some of the most moving moments on VOM Radio in 2021:

“Brother Aaron” says Christian persecution in Pakistan is “like the air”—all around, all the time.
Aaron Miller says his personal experience of persecution was surprising—but sacred as well.
Dan Baumann and Andrew Brunson said they don’t miss being in prison, but sometimes they do miss that intimacy with God. (Register to view the Imprisoned for Christ Virtual Event.)
Ellen Oblander shared how Richard Wurmbrand responded to suffering—even long after he was released from prison.
Anita Smith remembered the death of her husband, Ronnie Smith, in Libya, and how she began to pray for the men who killed him.
Tat Stewart tells about being in Tehran the day the US Embassy was taken over in 1979—and how God honored the spiritual seeds he planted in Iran.
Andy Byrd told of a young lady who came to Christ in the Himalayas—and paid a very high price.
“Brother Stephen” remembered telling the story of Jesus in a Bedouin camp to people who had never heard it before.
Tom and JoAnn Doyle shared how God transformed a man from Syria named Mohammed—and through that transformation reached his wife, Dina, as well.
John Weaver shared specific ways to pray for Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of the country.

After hearing these brief program excerpts, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations. You can search for VOM Radio on your favorite podcast app, or listen online at the links below.

Brother Aaron from Pakistan
Aaron Miller
Dan Baumann and Andrew Brunson panel discussion
Ellen Oblander, editor for Richard Wurmbrand
Anita Smith on forgiving her husband’s murderers
Tat Stewart on living in Tehran in 1979
Andy Byrd, leader of The Send
Brother Stephen from Operation Mobilization
Tom and JoAnn Doyle
John Weaver on Afghanistan

We praise God for allowing VOM Radio to share these amazing stories of His faithfulness in 2021. THANK YOU for listening. Please subscribe to the podcast and share VOM Radio with Christian friends you know would also be encouraged by these testimonies!

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Join in as we begin a look back on some of the amazing testimonies God allowed VOM Radio to share in 2021:

C. Anderson from YWAM shares how she overcame fear to serve the Lord around the world.
Brother Joshua from Cuba says he’s afraid every time he encounters Cuban police or authorities—but trusts God will give him the words to say.
Maria says she told God that if He was calling her to dangerous work in restricted nations, He needed to take away her fear—and God answered her prayer!
Alayu from Ethiopia was given a choice: “choose Jesus or my gun.” He explained to his persecutor that he’d already made that choice: he chose Jesus.
Brother Joe was almost overcome by a spirit of fear when he was told a spy had infiltrated his Bible smuggling network. Listen to how he prayed—and the Biblical example that inspired him to overcome.
Paul and Suzy Childers serve together in ministry with YWAM. Listen to how they consistently send each other out into difficulties and danger, trusting each other into the Lord’s care.
Cheng Jie and her husband—a Chinese pastor—had talked about what would happen if he was arrested. But they weren’t prepared for her to be the one who went to jail.
Both Gracia and Semse lost their husbands to persecution attacks. They shared how they have been able to bear that loss—and how it affected their children.
We’ll also share a brief excerpt from the audio version of VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton’s book, When Faith if Forbidden.

After hearing these brief interview excerpts, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations. You can search for VOM Radio on your favorite podcast app, or listen online at the links below.

C. Anderson
Brother Joshua
Maria from Cuba
Alayu from Ethiopia
Joe and Dawn: “We didn’t come here to be safe.”
Paul and Suzy Childers: Part 1 and Part 2
Cheng Jie
Gracia and Semse: Part 1 and Part 2
When Faith is Forbidden audio book: Departure Day and Day 1

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Also: share a link to VOM Radio with a Christian friend who will also be blessed by these testimonies.

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Jonathan Ekman leads The Voice of the Martyrs’ international work, overseeing a team serving persecuted Christians in more than 70 nations around the world.

As we look back on VOM’s international efforts in 2021, listen to hear how God used Covid-19 to facilitate delivery of 50,000 Bibles into an extremely closed nation, how persecution has increased in Africa and how God may use the Taliban to further the gospel advance in Afghanistan.

Jonathan will also talk about what Christmas looks like in hostile and restricted nations, and encourage us with specific ways that we can pray for our persecuted family members.

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“I was really thirsty for God, hungry for God, to find who He is,” Pastor Amir Bazmjou says. “That’s why I became very fanatic Muslim.”

Amir was born into a Shia Muslim family in Iran, and he grew into a very devout Muslim seeking to earn Allah’s favor. When Shia Islam couldn’t answer the desires of his heart for a relationship with Allah, he became Sufi, a form of Islamic mysticism.

Then someone gave him a Bible. In spite of a lifetime of conditioning not to believe the Bible, Amir began to read. When Amir asked Jesus—if He was real—to change Amir’s heart, God answered that prayer.

Listen to hear Amir’s inspiring testimony, and pray for persecuted Christians in Iran.

Amir’s wife, Rashin Soodmand, is the daughter of Iranian martyr Pastor Hossein Soodmand. Listen to her story. Connect with Amir, Rashin and Torch Ministries at their web site.

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“Pastor Chitria” has been arrested multiple times for his ministry work in Nepal. He says such treatment is an honor and a privilege!

Pastor Chitria talks about preparing believers to stand strong in the face of Christian persecution. He says new Christians preparing for baptism must answer seven questions, including whether they are willing to lose their family, friends and even their freedom to stand for Christ.

Hindus believe there are more than 330 million gods—yet radical Hindus in Nepal see Jesus as a great threat to their life and culture. Pastor Chitria shares one unique challenge Nepali Christians face when one of their fellow believers dies, and how it is used to pressure new believers to renounce their faith in Christ.

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On December 5, 2013, Ronnie Smith was shot and killed in the Libyan city of Benghazi. In this second half of our interview with Anita Smith, Ronnie’s widow, she talks about the legacy her husband left and the faith she continues to exercise in raising their son without his earthly father around.

Shortly after Ronnie’s death, Anita spoke in media interviews about her love for the Libyan people and about forgiving her husband’s murderers—including interviews in Arabic with Middle East broadcasters.

Anita will share some of the things she wants their son to know about his earthly father, and ways God has encouraged and sustained her in the eight years since Ronnie’s murder. She’ll also talk about how the testimonies of other Christians facing persecution and hardship encouraged her faith.

If you missed the first half of the conversation with Anita, listen here. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

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On December 5, 2013, Ronnie Smith was shot and killed in the Libyan city of Benghazi. Within days, Ronnie’s wife, Anita, spoke on national TV in the US about her love for the Libyan people and about forgiving her husband’s murderers. She also did interviews—in Arabic—that were broadcast all over the Middle East.

Listen to Anita Smith share the story—the story of her grief, but also the story of how God was present in those days, and in the years since.

She’ll talk about how God inspired her and Ronnie to pursue overseas gospel work—and how they prayed as they moved to Benghazi just months after the US consulate was overrun by Islamist fighters. She’ll tell how their neighbors welcomed and adopted them—and about the day she received the terrible phone call that Ronnie had been killed.

Listen next week for Part 2 of our conversation with Anita Smith.

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Aaron Miller leads VOM’s work in the Middle East. Recently he spoke in a college chapel, including telling the story of an experience of persecution he endured in India.

Aaron says even though the Bible promises Christians will face persecution, in that moment of suffering as he was punched and kicked he was surprised. But something else happened as well: he experienced God’s presence and grace in a significant and sacred way.

“In a way that I never dreamed of, I had a fellowship with Christ that I did not have before,” he says of that day.

Aaron also shares stories of persecuted Christians in Colombia, Bangladesh and the Middle East.

Aaron Miller has previously appeared on VOM Radio; you can hear some of those conversations here, here and here. Our thanks to Reformation Bible College for permission to share Aaron’s chapel presentation with VOM Radio listeners.

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Join us this week for a podcast concert of prayer on behalf of persecuted Christians around the world in commemoration of the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP).

Leaders from among VOM’s international ministry regions will talk about specific prayer needs in their region of the world, then lead in prayer for persecuted brothers and sisters in those regions. Author John Weaver will lead a special time of prayer for Afghanistan and Christians there in light of the upheaval and transition that took place in that nation this year. Former prisoner for Christ Petr Jasek will lead in prayer specifically for Sudan in light of the recent coup.

Join in prayer for persecuted Christians this week on VOM Radio, then pray throughout the year with help from VOM’s Global Prayer Guide, iCommitToPray.com or the 2022 VOM Prayer Calendar.

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John Grooters is the director of a new movie portraying the marriage, choice to become Christians and early persecution of VOM's founders, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand—told through the eyes of Sabina. SABINA: Tortured For Christ, The Nazi Years will screen in more than 800 theaters in the US for three days only – November 8, 9 and 10. Buy tickets here.

Grooters also directed Tortured For Christ – The Movie, which portrayed how the Wurmbrands were persecuted under communists in Romania. SABINA is a prequel to the first film, telling an earlier part of the Wurmbrands’ story, including their persecution—and how they blessed—Nazi forces that occupied their nation.

Listen as John talks about the challenge of making a film in the Wurmbrands’ native Romania in the midst of a worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. John will also share how God’s hand was on the production, including filming the scene of Richard’s baptism in the very room where it happened!

You’ll hear how Richard and Sabina’s faith has impacted Grooters as he spent five years deeply connected to their story as he created two films, and how he hopes it will impact the faith of viewers around the US and all over the world.

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Jonathan Ekman and Matthew Hanson recently visited persecuted Christians in Central Asia—Christians caught between a growing wave of radical Islam and governments with a communist-style distrust of all religion.

Matthew and Jonathan will share stories from believers they met. Listen to hear “the rest of the story” of one of the chapters in When Faith Is Forbidden (VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton’s book), including how God has built on the legacy of a martyred pastor in Tajikistan.

They’ll also share the story of a woman who faced intense persecution from her own family, yet has seen God take her suffering and create something “beautiful.”

Christians in Central Asia don’t have protection from their governments or from families. Yet the church is growing across the region as more and more people experience the spiritual family of followers of Jesus.

You can receive a free copy of When Faith is Forbidden when you make a donation to The Voice of the Martyrs.

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How long was it from the time you heard Jesus died, until you knew that He rose again? What did you feel in that interim? Grief? Loss? Defeat? And what did it mean when you knew that He did rise again?

“Brother Stephen” has worked with Operation Mobilization for many years sharing the gospel among Muslims, including nomadic peoples in the Middle East. He has told the story of Jesus to people who had never heard it before! Listen for the story of how one woman responded to Jesus’ death.

Brother Stephen will share how God called him to missions, and advise those feeling a call to missionary service today. He challenges us to see Muslims not as an enemy to be defeated, but as a prize to be won for Christ. He’ll also share about Muslims making the decision to follow Christ and the price they often pay for that decision. How can Christians living in free nations reach out to Muslims they know or work with? How can we pray for gospel work among Muslims?

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Rashin Soodmand was 13 years old when Iran’s government executed her father, Pastor Hossein Soodmand, and buried him in an unmarked grave in a part of the cemetery reserved for “the cursed.” But killing this faithful pastor didn’t erase his legacy or stop the growth of the church in Iran.

Her father wasn’t the only martyr of the persecuted Iranian church that Rashin knew well. In this second part of our conversation, Rashin shares things she remembers about other martyrs she knew personally: Haik Hovsepian, who preached at her father’s funeral; Mehdi Dibaj, who encouraged her to attend Bible school; and Pastor Mohammad “Ravanbakhsh” Yusefi.

To learn more about the current ministry activities of Rashin and her husband, Amir, visit the Torch Ministries web site. If you missed the first part of this conversation, listen here.

Next month Christians around the world will join in prayer for persecuted Christians on the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Download your free IDOP resources now.

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Rashin Soodmand was 13 years old when her father, Pastor Hossein Soodmand, was executed in Iran for the crime of apostasy.

Rashin remembers that day as a strange mix of sadness and joy as she, her family and members of their church dealt with the loss of Pastor Soodmand while at the same time celebrating his life and the fact that he had stood boldly in the face of Christian persecution and threats.

Rashin will tell how church leaders encouraged Pastor Hossein to leave Iran and go somewhere safer. He refused; he knew that for him to flee would discourage the hearts of his congregation. She’ll describe the man she knew—a man who genuinely loved people, both Christians and Muslims—and tell of the last time she saw her dad.

To learn more about the current ministry activities of Rashin and her husband, Amir, visit the Torch Ministries web site.

Next month Christians around the world will join in prayer for persecuted Christians on the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Download your free IDOP resources now.

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Joe Handley leads Asian Access, a ministry to train and equip church leaders—including many working in countries where Christians face persecution for their faith.

Listen as Joe shares the story of an imprisoned Christian in Myanmar who found a way to be a blessing, even from inside prison. Joe will also talk about training up leaders in hostile and restricted nations—and especially helping them learn to abide in and rely on Christ.

Hear how Christians in Sri Lanka reached out to those opposing them, and the way it opened a door for the gospel in a formerly-closed village. And learn how the gospel is advancing in India, in spite of persecution.

Don’t forget: the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, coming up November 7. Get free resources from VOM to help you and your church pray.

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Semse Aydin and her husband, Necati, were expecting a baby. Necati had been arrested for gospel work in Turkey, and now the couple had a decision to make. Would they continue advancing the gospel among their countrymen, in spite of the risk of more persecution? Or would they choose a safer path for their now-growing family? Together, Necati and Semse made the decision: they would continue boldly in their Christian work. The decision led them to Malatya, where Necati was murdered in 2007.

This week we continue our conversation with Semse and Gracia Burnham. Both women are widows whose husbands were killed serving in front-line ministry work. Both have experienced God’s faithfulness in the years since, and both consider their suffering for Christ an honor.

Listen as they discuss their husbands’ legacies and what their ministry looks like today.

You can hear in-depth interviews with Gracia and Semse in the VOM Radio Archives. Please continue to pray for them, and their children.

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Gracia Burnham was serving as a missionary in the Philippines with her husband, Martin, when they were taken hostage by a radical Islamist group. Martin was killed in a rescue attempt, leaving Gracia to raise their three children alone. But she was not alone; God has been with her. “I’ve seen God be faithful…He takes special care of the widows,” Gracia says.

Semse Aydin also experienced the loss of a husband when Necati was murdered with two other Christian men in Malatya, Turkey in 2007. The couple had two young children.

Listen this week as these two women share the stories of their pain and loss, but also how God has written a different story, one of joy and forgiveness and provision.

You can hear in-depth interviews with Gracia and Semse in the VOM Radio Archives. Please continue to pray for them, and for their children.

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Tom and JoAnn Doyle are back to finish our conversation about how Jesus is reaching women across the Middle East—including amazing stories of God’s work in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria and other nations.

Tom and JoAnn say these Christian women are committed to following Christ no matter what persecution they face, even the risk of their lives. They are also bold witnesses for Christ; often the greatest initial impact their witness has is on their husbands.

The Doyles help American Christians learn to reach out to Muslims through their work with Uncharted Ministries—and they say Muslims are incredibly open to hearing the Good News!

If you missed the first half of our conversation with the Doyles, listen here. Be sure to get a copy of Tom and JoAnn’s new book, Women Who Risk: Secret Agents for Jesus in the Muslim World. Tom and JoAnn have been with us before on VOM Radio; listen to those conversations here.

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“God loves Afghans!”

Author John Weaver lived in Afghanistan, speaks the language and is in daily contact with people still in the country. He’ll give listeners an update on how the Taliban’s takeover is affecting our Christian brothers and sisters and share specific requests to help us pray for our Afghan family members.

John will also tell us how God is working through current events and even among members of the Taliban. One thing we know He is doing is raising up an army of prayer warriors to intercede on behalf of Afghanistan and pray for the advance of Christ’s kingdom among unreached people there.

Here are six ways you can pray for Afghanistan right now.

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Tom and JoAnn Doyle share the stories of Jesus reaching women across the Middle East—amazing stories of God’s work in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria and other nations.

Their new book, Women Who Risk: Secret Agents for Jesus in the Muslim World, shares exciting stories of Muslim women coming to faith in Christ, then becoming "secret agents" for Christ and His Kingdom—transforming their own lives, their families, friends and even entire nations.

They will share how the Bible's teachings about women are vastly different from the teachings of Islam—and how Muslim women respond when they learn how the God of the Bible loves women.

Tom and JoAnn have been with us before on VOM Radio. You can hear those conversations here.

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Dr. Mike Ansari is the President of Heart 4 Iran, which partners with multiple Christian ministries to reach Iranian people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He’ll explain what the inauguration of Ebrahim Raisi as the new president of Iran means for persecuted Christians and religious freedom.

One of the greatest needs of the church in Iran is Bibles. Mike will tell how VOM is helping meet that need—and thank our listeners for giving to deliver Bibles into Iran. He’ll also talk about the benefits of delivering Bibles in digital form—which are much easier to hide and also to share with friends.

You’ll learn about the need to train leaders for Iran’s growing church—and how Heart 4 Iran is encouraging new believers to share Christ and even plant their own house churches.

Finally, Dr. Mike will equip us to pray for the nation of Iran and our Christian family members there.

Learn more about delivering Bibles into Iran in this VOM Radio conversation with Joe and Dawn. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

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A 16-year-old persecuted Christian girl in the Himalayas would crawl to gather with other believers for worship and Bible study. In spite of suffering and persecution, she would not stop sharing the gospel!

That’s just one story you’ll hear this week in the second half of our conversation with Andy Byrd. He’s part of the leadership team of Youth With a Mission in Kona, Hawaii, and also leads The Send, an international event to motivate Christians to share the gospel.

Byrd has spent significant time in the Himalayas—“the roof of the world”—and says the impact of the Word of God is beyond what we could imagine in countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.

He’ll also tell how COVID opened doors for the gospel and helped people—both Christian and non-believers—focus on what really matters, and what sources truly give hope.

Finally, Andy will advise people—at any age—feeling called to missions, and equip listeners to pray for God’s work overseas.

You can register now to be among the first to get registration and ticket information for The Send, happening next summer in Kansas City. If you missed the first half of our conversation with Andy, you can listen to it here.

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The first time Andy Byrd went on a missions trip, he wasn’t really living a sold-out life for Jesus. But something happened on that trip: the seed of gospel service was planted in his life. After high school, he signed up to train and serve for six months through Youth With a Mission.

That six-month stint has now lasted 23 years as Andy has dedicated his life to spiritual awakening in a generation. Today he serves on the leadership team of YWAM in Kona, Hawaii, and also heads up The Send, an international event to bring about a new Great Awakening and motivate Christians to get involved in sharing the gospel—to those around them and to the ends of the earth.

Listen as Andy shares about his own call to missions, how God has used The Send, and about his time in places where Christians are persecuted, including North Korea.

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Aaron Miller is just back from visiting persecuted Christians in the Middle East, including one of our Christian brothers who was formerly a Sunni Muslim, then became a Shia Muslim and ultimately found love, hope and truth in Jesus Christ.

Aaron also met the family of a man who gave his life delivering Bibles to Iran. Rather than pull back, the family continues to be involved in secret Bible deliveries—in spite of the risk.

Aaron will discuss Christians displaced in recent years by ISIS, by the situation in Syria and other persecution—and how VOM is encouraging and equipping Christians to reach out with the gospel in some of these difficult situations.

Finally, Aaron will share about a young woman sharing the gospel with a “holy recklessness,” who points to one of the blessings of persecution: she says it gives her “a taste of Jesus.”

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Australian John Short was detained inside North Korea after leaving gospel tracts near a Buddhist temple. He was facing years in prison—but he wasn’t afraid.

“Fear and faith cannot exist within my heart at the same time,” he says.

In this second part of our conversation with Mr. Short, he shares how he prayed—out loud—throughout his captivity, how his captors responded to his faith and how his “letter of confession” and eventual release came about.

He’ll also share how, upon landing back in China, he learned for the first time that his captivity was international news. He was deeply moved to learn that Christians in many nations were praying for him during his trial, including a group of Chinese house churches that prayed around the clock during his detention.

Finally, Mr. Short shares specific ways we can pray for the “hermit kingdom” of North Korea.

You can hear John’s wife, Karen, share her side of the story in this episode of VOM Radio.

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Australian John Short was detained in North Korea. He was repeatedly interrogated. He was forced to write a “confession” of his “crimes,” including the offense of wanting more North Koreans to follow Jesus.

But if God asked him today, Short would happily go back to the "Hermit Kingdom." Short shares with VOM Radio how God strengthened him during his captivity, Scriptures and earthly examples of persecuted Christians that most encouraged him, and how he managed to take a measure of control back from his captors — and even make them nervous.

Mr. Short agreed to only two media interviews after his release; one with his hometown newspaper back in Australia, and the other with The Voice of the Martyrs Radio.

Hear the rest of the story when you listen also to our interview with Short's wife, Karen.

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Floyd Brobbel has been involved in ministry to persecuted Christians since birth! Today he leads the work of VOM – Canada, the ministry founded by his parents 50 years ago.

Listen as Floyd tells the story of his first trip for VOM, and a Christian woman in Ethiopia that permanently changed the way Floyd thinks about Christian persecution and what it means to be part of the Body of Christ.

Floyd will also tell of his experiences as a child and young man with Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM’s founders who were both imprisoned for their faith in communist Romania. Floyd knew the Wurmbrands were spiritual heroes, but he also saw their playful side as people and friends.

Brobbel will also tell about his new book, Trouble on the Way: Persecution in the Christian Life (affiliate link).

You can learn more about VOM Canada—and Canadian listeners can subscribe to the ministry’s free newsletter, at www.VOMCanada.com.

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Christians—especially pastors—are being targeted by an Islamist insurgent group in Northern Mozambique, a group that already pledged allegiance to ISIS. A VOM worker recently visited the area and met with Christians who are among 800,000 displaced people. He heard horrible stories of violence and persecution, but also saw persecuted Christians continuing to serve and advance the gospel in spite of their suffering and loss.

Sean Paton will tell us how the church in Mozambique is responding, as well as give an update to listeners on current persecution in Ethiopia and Uganda. Paton is Africa Regional Director for VOM.

Sean will also encourage prayer for Eritrean Christians who fled for refuge into Ethiopia, but now face Eritrean troops who crossed the border during conflict in the Tigray region. He’ll share specific ways to pray for Christians in each nation discussed.

Listen here to learn more about the situation in Mozambique from a previous VOM Radio guest, Will Hart.

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Just a few days before government-mandated “celebrations” of the 100th Anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, we finish a conversation with Bob Fu, former prisoner for Christ and the founder of China Aid Association. Bob points out the terrible cost of decades of control in China by a philosophy that places zero value on human life.

Bob will talk about the choice some Chinese Christians are making to stay in their country in spite of the constant threat of persecution. He’ll also tell how some Christians are choosing to leave, seeing no future under President Xi Jinping.

China’s pressure and persecution efforts also reach outside their borders—including harassing Bob and his family in the United States.

Bob will help us pray for Christians in China; he also says Chinese Christians are praying right now for the United States and believers here.

Bob Fu is the author of two books: God’s Double Agent, which tells the story of Bob’s coming to faith in China and eventually being forced to flee the country; and The Politics of Inclusive Pluralism: A Proposed Foundation for Religious Freedom in a Post-Communist, Democratic China. You can listen to the first part of our conversation with Bob here.

This month you can receive a free copy of When Faith is Forbidden, the new book by VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton, when you make any donation to help persecuted Christians through The Voice of the Martyrs. Learn more and give online.

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Bob Fu is a former prisoner for Christ and the founder of China Aid Association, serving and sharing the stories of persecuted Christians in China. He says persecution of Christians in communist China is the worst it has been in 40 years—since the days of the Cultural Revolution.

Bob will share a recent case of persecution and the story of how our brother Chen Wensheng—a former mafia leader—thought of ten days in prison as a “spiritual retreat.” Brother Chen went right back to publicly witnessing for Christ the moment he was released.

Pastor Bob says Chinese Christians understand they are in a spiritual battle, rather than a physical one. Listen to hear how they gain strength to face opposition and persecution, and how the church prepares believers—even youth—to stand strong.

This month you can receive a free copy of VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton’s new book, When Faith is Forbidden, when you make any donation to help persecuted Christians through The Voice of the Martyrs. Learn more and give online.

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Paul wrote to the Corinthian church that, “a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (I Cor. 16:9). “Brother Aaron” says Paul’s ministry description could have been written about Christians in the restricted nation of Pakistan in 2021.

Listen as Aaron shares how Christian persecution is “like the air” in Pakistan—something that’s always present and almost taken for granted by people there. He’ll also explain how the church prepares believers—especially young people—to be strong in their faith and ready to withstand societal pressure and persecution.

Aaron will also talk about the types of persecution faced by former Muslims who leave Islam behind to follow Christ. Finally, he’ll equip listeners with specific ways to pray for Pakistan and the church there.

To learn more about how you can pray for Christians in Pakistan and other restricted nations, request your free copy of VOM’s 2021 Global Prayer Guide.

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“Uncle Monnie” has worked alongside Chinese Christians for decades. He says the pressure and persecution Christians face there today is even worse than during the Cultural Revolution.

Listen as Monnie shares about the changes he’s seen in China and the response of believers he’s trained to face persecution and continue to advance the gospel. Some of those Monnie helped train now serve Jesus in restricted Muslim nations in the Middle East and around the world.

Learn how you can pray for Chinese Christians, and how persecution is teaching Christians from different backgrounds to work and minister side-by-side. Finally, Monnie will provide an update on current events in Myanmar.

Listen to Uncle Monnie’s first visit with VOM Radio here.

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Tune in this week for the second half of our conversation with Pastor Tat Stewart, who lived and ministered in Tehran as the Islamic Revolution swept through Iran. Listen to how he was encouraged by his final conversation on Iranian soil before he and his family were expelled from the country. You’ll also hear how God showed him he could have a more far-reaching ministry to Iranians outside the country than he could ever have living inside the Islamic Republic.

“I could not stay away from what God was doing with Iranians,” he says.

Tat also shares how hungry the Iranian people were for the gospel—even teenagers craved deep teaching and were willing to invest long stretches of time in Bible study and prayer.

Tat continues to minister to Iranian Christians through Talim Ministries, including publishing and mentoring Iranian pastors.

If you missed the first half of our conversation with Tat, which included how God called him to Iran as well as his experiences on the day the US Embassy was taken over in 1979, listen here.

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“Let’s drive by the American Embassy and see what’s going on…”

It was November 4, 1979 when Tat Stewart said those words to his wife as they drove home from church in Tehran, Iran. Iranian students had overrun the US Embassy that day. They would go on to hold 52 embassy staff members and others hostage for 444 days.

Stewart, his wife and their children moved to Tehran earlier that year, just months after Ayatollah Khomeini arrived back in Iran and the Islamic Revolution took control of the country. Tat went to serve as the pastor of a church for expatriate Christians. But his experiences in Iran began many years earlier, when his parents moved there to serve as medical missionaries.

Listen as Tat shares how he continued to minister as the Islamic revolution went on all around him, how he became a contact person for American citizens needing help amidst the chaos and how God protected and provided through that dangerous season—and ultimately led them to leave Iran.

Tat Stewart continues to serve and train Iranian church leaders today through Talim Ministries.

Find more conversations with Iranian Christians in the VOM Radio archives, or search for VOM Radio on your favorite podcast app.

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“Brother Bennie” is back to talk about persecution of Christians in India, including the story of three close friends recently arrested for their evangelistic work. Hear how God worked during their time in prison—especially once they received a copy of the Bible.

Bennie will talk about recent passage of anti-conversion laws in several Indian states, and how Christians and churches are affected by such laws. He says the India of today is dramatically different from the India he knew as a child, and even from how the nation was five or ten years ago.

In addition to praying for India during the current coronavirus surge, Bennie will give listeners specific ways to pray for imprisoned Christians there, and for the nation as a whole.

Learn more about Alpha Ministries, and read Bennie’s book, My Father’s Business.

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When Susi Childers met a woman who’d had three children killed in an attack in Northern Nigeria, God used the pain of three miscarriages in Susi’s life to open the door for a powerful time of connection and ministry. Listen as Susi shares the story, and offers encouragement to Christians wrestling with suffering, loss or even persecution right now.

Paul and Susi Childers have spent more than two decades working to spread the gospel through Youth With a Mission (YWAM).

They will give advice about blending the responsibilities of marriage and family with the missionary calling God has placed on their lives to serve Him—including very practical things that they do in their home and with their children.

Listen to the first half of our conversation with Paul and Susi from last week, and previous VOM Radio conversations with Paul Childers.

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Paul and Susi Childers have spent more than two decades working to spread the gospel to the nations at Youth With a Mission (YWAM).

Listen as Susi shares how God called her from a career in photography to go as a missionary—and how He turned her camera into a bridge-building tool for sharing the gospel. “Don’t think because you don’t have a typical ‘Christian’ job that you can’t be used [in missions],” she says.

Susi started out by committing to serve for one year, a commitment that has now been renewed for 24 years! She will offer advice if you sense God may be asking you to get involved in spreading the gospel to the world.

Paul and Susi will also tell us how they think about risk—for themselves and for each other—and how they involve their children in sending and praying as they answer God’s call to go into all the world.

Hear previous VOM Radio conversations with Paul Childers.

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“Brother Jeff” served as a long-time gospel worker in South Asia and Indonesia—places with intense Christian persecution. Today he helps lead Assemblies of God World Missions (AGWM).

Listen as he shares about the time he was arrested for his work, how God worked to set him free and how his arrest actually opened a doorway to more (and more secure) ministry opportunities.

He’ll also talk about the challenges he and his wife experienced in their early years of missionary service, and how God’s clear call on their lives became an anchor they could hold on to in difficult seasons. His stories will help you know how to pray for missionaries currently in the field.

Jeff will also offer advice to listeners sensing a call to serve God cross-culturally, including the need for a sense of adventure: “In 23 years [of overseas ministry],” he says, “the greatest things we did were not planned.”

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Brother Alayu was a very young man when he became a follower of Christ. Soon after, he was persecuted for that choice, even facing a communist official who told Alayu to “choose Jesus or my gun.”

Alayu chose Jesus—and he continues to do so. Today, he is a leader with Global Call, a church-planting work in Ethiopia and surrounding nations, where he has seen great hunger for the gospel and a great move of God—in spite of the persecution Christians often face.

Listen as he shares about ministry today in areas dominated by Ethiopian Orthodox teaching—a mixture of ancient Jewish teachings, some Christian ideas and even traditional African religious and witch doctor practices. Alayu and his workers have seen many people—even Orthodox priests—come to life-changing faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Alayu will also describe the importance of delivering Bibles and equip us to pray for Ethiopia and for the church there.

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Karen Short’s husband, John, was detained inside North Korea, held incommunicado. Yet Karen never felt panicked about what would happen to him. “I simply trusted the Lord,” she says.

John Short, an Australian Christian, was detained in North Korea in 2014 after leaving gospel tracts outside a Buddhist temple while part of a tour. Karen was home in Hong Kong, dealing with media attention, praying for her husband and receiving words of encouragement from all around the world.

Listen in as Karen shares:

How God ministered to her during John’s detention
How she and John stayed connected through Scripture—even though they couldn’t communicate during his detention
How journalists and others responded when they observed Karen’s calm assurance and faith in God
How she learned that her husband would be released and allowed to return home
The one thing she wishes she’d done differently—it will surprise you!

The story of Karen’s faithfulness will inspire you to trust more deeply in God and dive deeper into His Word, even if you’re not planning a trip to North Korea.

VOM Radio also shared John’s side of the story of what happened in North Korea. Listen here.

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Through books and other writing, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand became a voice for persecuted Christians all over the world. This week we’ll meet the woman who shaped and polished so many of Richard’s printed words.

Ellen Oblander served many years as the editor for Richard Wurmbrand, co-founder of The Voice of the Martyrs. She worked on many of his books, as well as on VOM’s free monthly magazine. Over the years Ellen became much more than an editor; she grew into being almost a member of the family.

Listen as she shares the story of being given a copy of Tortured For Christ, then soon afterwards hearing Richard Wurmbrand speak for the first time and meeting his wife, Sabina. She saw, first-hand, Sabina’s incredible behind-the-scenes ministry supporting her husband and advancing the work of VOM.

Ellen will also talk about Richard’s constant writing, his editing process and the times she’d pick up the phone to hear Richard unpack some Scripture passage he’d just read or a spiritual truth he was pondering.

She’ll also tell about her time with Richard and Sabina in the latter years of their lives, and how Richard always looked to be a witness for Christ.

Learn more about the lives of Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand by reading WURMBRAND: Tortured For Christ The Complete Story. Order your copy today. Listen to an interview with the principal writer of the book here.

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Petr Jasek was imprisoned 445 days in Sudan. He traveled to the country on behalf of The Voice of the Martyrs to meet with and encourage Sudanese Christians. His first cellmates were arrested ISIS fighters—men who hated Christians and quickly began to persecute Petr.

In his lowest moments, God brought to mind names and faces of other persecuted Christians—men and women Petr had met personally during his years serving with VOM. He began to pray for other persecuted believers, and his spirit lifted as his focus changed from his own difficulties to his prayers for other Christians.

Listen as Petr shares how God prepared him to face persecution, how he had prepared his own family for his arrest, and how he prays for Christians after his experience of long months in prison and facing a death sentence for his gospel work.

This conversation with Petr was recorded as a part of the Imprisoned For Christ Virtual Event. You can still watch the entire event—featuring three former prisoners for Christ sharing their stories—on-demand when you register here.

Petr’s first VOM Radio interview was recorded just eight days after his release from prison.

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Dan Baumann and Pastor Andrew Brunson were arrested in Muslim nations because of their Christian faith. They both experienced depression and even thoughts of suicide in prison, yet testify that God was faithful even in those desperate moments.

Listen as they share the challenges of prison and their thoughts on loving our enemies and how much they don’t miss being in prison.

One of the things that helped Brunson during his time in prison was something Baumann had written in one of his books. He’ll share that story—and then hear how Dan responds to the idea that God used something he’d written to sustain and bless a fellow Christian during a season of suffering.

This conversation happened as a part of the Imprisoned For Christ Virtual Event, already viewed by more than 150,000 Christians in 50+ countries. The event is still available for you and your church. Register here.

Both Dan and Andrew have previously been guests on VOM Radio (as well as Andrew’s wife, Norine). Listen to the full VOM Radio interviews with Dan Baumann and Pastor Andrew Brunson.

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As a teenager in Cuba, “Maria” encountered the book Tortured For Christ, written by VOM’s founder, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand—when she was told to burn the books before Cuban authorities could find them and arrest her father!

Today, Maria and her husband, “Pedro,” help VOM serve persecuted Christians in Cuba and other Latin American nations. Listen as they share a recent experience when Cuban authorities issued an arrest warrant for Pedro, and how Pedro and Maria experienced the prayers of Christians around the world in that time of pressure and trial.

Listen also to learn how Cuban pastors are pressured by communist authorities, and whether or not anything changed for Cuban Christians after the death of Fidel Castro.

Bonus content: This is release week for the new book, When Faith is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines With Persecuted Christians, written by VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton. We’ve posted the first two chapters of the audiobook version into the podcast stream. Listen to: Departure Day: Preflight Checklist and Day 1: Beyond Our Control.

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This is release week for VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton’s new book: When Faith is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians, published by Moody Publishers.

In this special bonus episode, VOM Radio listeners can hear a preview of the audiobook version, which will be available soon wherever audiobooks are distributed. Today’s chapter is Day 1: Beyond Our Control.

You can learn more about the book, and order your copy, at www.WhenFaithIsForbidden.com.

Also, be sure to register to be a part of this weekend’s Imprisoned For Christ Virtual Event and watch as Todd interviews former prisoners for Christ (and former VOM Radio guests), Dan Baumann and Pastor Andrew Brunson.

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Today is release day for VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton’s new book: When Faith is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians, published by Moody Publishers.

In this special bonus episode, VOM Radio listeners can hear a preview of the book: the first chapter of the audio book, available soon wherever audiobooks are distributed.

You can learn more about the book, and order your copy, at www.WhenFaithIsForbidden.com.

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We’re trading chairs this week on VOM Radio! Todd Nettleton has a new book releasing March 2 from Moody Publishers: When Faith is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines With Persecuted Christians. So he’s in the guest chair this week, and Janet Parshall—nationally syndicated host of In The Market With Janet Parshall—has graciously agreed to fill in as our VOM Radio host for the week.

Todd’s new book contains 40 of the most powerful and inspiring stories he’s heard in interviews with persecuted Christians over the past 20+ years. He’ll also share a little of how God brought him to work at VOM, including time as a missionary kid in Papua New Guinea.

You can learn more about When Faith is Forbidden, including links to order your copy, at www.WhenFaithIsForbidden.com. In celebration of the book’s launch, we’ll offer the first two readings from the audio book version in the podcast stream next week. So be sure to subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast!

Don’t forget to register for the Imprisoned For Christ Virtual Event, coming up on March 5.

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“Joe” was in prison in the United States—justly, he says. As a young man his life was filled with drugs and crime. A fellow prisoner gave Joe a Bible, and Joe’s life was transformed as he found forgiveness and surrendered his life to Jesus Christ.

Having seen the power of God’s Word first-hand, Joe committed his life to getting Bibles to as many people as possible. He and his wife, “Dawn,” are now part of a team delivering Bibles into the Islamic Republic of Iran. It’s dangerous work, but Joe and Dawn have counted the cost and answered God’s call.

Joe will tell his story of salvation, and share about the work he’s doing today—including how God allowed Bibles to be delivered throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Dawn will explain how she thinks about the danger her family is in—including making peace with the fact that her children are at risk.

They’ll also help equip listeners to pray for Bible delivery work into Iran and also around the world.

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Cheng Jie, whose English name is “Esther,” was the wife of a pastor in China. She and her husband had discussed the idea that he could be arrested and go to prison for his Christian work. They hadn’t believed that she would be targeted by the communist government. But in 2014 she was called to the police station for a “meeting” about the school Esther was running. The meeting with police turned into Esther’s arrest and two years in a Chinese prison.

At the time of her arrest, Esther’s sons were aged 3 and 1. Listen to her share how they were affected by her arrest and imprisonment—and even the challenges after she was released and returned home.

She’ll also talk about how God enabled her to have a ministry in the prison—and even the prison guards saw the difference her ministry made.

While she was in prison, Cheng Jie was among the prisoners featured on VOM’s web site that enables Christians to write letters to prisoners. Listen to hear her speak directly to those that prayed for her and wrote letters to her while she was in prison, and advise how we can pray for Christians in prison today.

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As a college student in San Francisco, Brother Kevin explored many avenues of spirituality, including pursuing Zen Buddhism and Transcendental Meditation. But an experience of darkness caused him to call out for Jesus, and Christ revealed himself to Kevin as both real and powerful.

Since that day, Kevin has wanted to tell people about Jesus, including Muslims, Hindus and people of other faiths. Today he helps lead YWAM Frontier Missions, sending workers to share the gospel in places where Jesus’ name is completely unknown.

It’s not an easy work. Kevin will share stories of gospel workers he’s sent out who have been arrested, beaten, kidnapped and even killed. Kevin says he’s seen blessing come out of even very difficult circumstances—and he’s thankful for the unique role that VOM plays in helping Christians enduring persecution.

He will also share how he prays on certain days each week for Muslims and Hindus to come to Christ. If you’d like guides to help you pray with Kevin visit www.pray30days.org (Muslims) and www.pray15days.org (Hindus and Buddhists).

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“Brother Joshua” is a church leader in Cuba. He says for Christians on the island, persecution is expected. Police regularly call Joshua in for interrogation, and he says every time they call he feels intimidation and fear about what might happen. But he says as the questioning begins he can feel God’s presence and God’s provision of an answer for each question. And as he senses God’s power taking over, he says his fear shrinks and disappears.

Joshua will give an update on the persecution of the church in Cuba, including one church which recently had its building demolished by the government. Have things changed for the church since the death of Fidel Castro? How difficult is it for Christians to get Bibles? How do pastors deal with the knowledge that every time they preach, government spies are present to watch, listen and cause problems?

You’ll also hear about an opportunity to spend an evening hearing from three former prisoners for Christ: the Imprisoned For Christ Virtual Event, coming up March 5. Get more information and register—it’s free—here. You can also sign your church up as a host site for this virtual event.

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Reed Olson helps VOM to get Bibles and other Christian materials into hostile and restricted nations around the world. Listen to Reed share about God’s call on his life, and his excitement to use every hour, every tool and every possible channel to deliver to every person God’s life-changing Word.

He’ll also share how VOM resources are being translated and delivered freely into hostile and restricted nations around the world—in some cases connecting Christians facing persecution in different countries who pray for and inspire each other. Finally, he’ll update how the church in Latin America is growing and becoming a great missionary-sending church.

VOM Radio listeners can access many of these free resources at www.VM1.global.

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Martin and Gracia Burnham were serving as missionaries in the Philippines, where Martin was a pilot with New Tribes Mission (now called Ethnos 360). The Burnhams went away for a few days to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Those few days turned into more than a year in the jungle when they were kidnapped and held hostage by radical Muslim terrorists.

Listen this week as Gracia tells how she wrestled with God and even with her own faith during those dark days of captivity. She’ll also share how she experienced the prayers of God’s people, even as Martin was killed during a rescue attempt.

Gracia says at times in the jungle she couldn’t allow herself to even think about her three children because it was just to difficult. Yet now she knows the full story of God’s faithfulness to them. She will also give an update on how God continues to work in the hearts of the terrorists that held them hostage.

Gracia’s story will inspire you to find ways to glorify God, regardless of what challenges you may be facing. You can read the whole story in her book, In the Presence of My Enemies (affiliate link).

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C. Anderson is a leader in Frontier Missions for YWAM – Youth With a Mission. She’s developed a course based on the principles of II Timothy 2:2 with the aim of developing DMM—Disciple Making Movements.

Anderson was born an MK in Africa, but after traumatic experiences in her youth she decided she would never live anywhere she felt unsafe. Yet God called her to lay down that need for safety to answer His call to missions, and gave her the grace to answer His call.

Listen to learn how DMMs are developing and growing, and how the Biblical principles cross national and ethnic boundaries to grow and build the church in many nations, including India, Iraq, Afghanistan and southeast Asia.

The course Anderson developed, “Getting Started in Disciple Making Movements,” is available online. Anderson will tell us how she felt God leading her to develop the course for use online before the coronavirus pandemic hit—and has seen the fruit of the course explode during the past 12 months. She’ll also speak specifically about next steps for those feeling called to missions, and equip us to pray for church leaders and church planters all over the world.

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This week we look ahead to VOM’s work serving persecuted Christians in 2021 with VOM’s President, Cole Richards, and Vice President for International Ministry, Jonathan Ekman.

Jonathan will give an update on the two countries added to VOM’s 2021 Global Prayer Map—Burkina Faso and Cameroon—and how persecution of Christians in those nations is increasing, and how VOM is responding to help the church. He’ll also talk about what those changes mean for VOM’s work and workers, and how efforts are already underway to effectively serve Christians in those nations.

You’ll be inspired by the story of an African pastor who chooses to stay and serve in a place where he knows his life is at risk, and the reason he stays.

Cole and Jonathan will help listeners understand the rise of radical Islam in Africa, and how the growth of such ideology affects our Christian brothers and sisters. Jonathan will also explain the growing need for help in the Central African Republic and in Ethiopia, two countries where persecution is growing and the needs of persecuted Christians are, at times, overwhelming.

Cole will discuss how VOM helps listeners and magazine readers understand the upheaval around the world and how the Body of Christ is affected by each situation. He will also talk about how American Christians are inspired to learn what Biblical discipleship looks like—and are growing to understand that even in the United States Christians may be called on to pay a price for their faith.

Cole will also preview some of the ways VOM will continue to tell the stories of persecuted Christians in 2021, including a coming feature film focusing especially on the life and faith of Sabina Wurmbrand and a new book written by VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton.

How do we allow these stories to inspire us—and inspire our children and grandchildren—that boldly following Christ, and being willing to sacrifice for following Him, is what normal Christianity looks like?

Begin 2021 with an in-depth discussion of what it means to follow Christ and truly live for Him. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Please also share VOM Radio with a Christian friend.

When Faith Is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians

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Join this week as we continue our look back on some of the amazing testimonies God allowed VOM Radio to share this year:

Pam tells us about Muslim women coming to faith in Christ, including one who saw that her Christian friends were different, and wondered why.
Amin tells how he began reading the Bible as a committed Muslim teenager, studying the book to try to prove why the Bible was wrong. But in the end, reading God’s Word led him to Jesus Christ.
Brother Bayram came to faith after someone gave him a New Testament. When he told his family in Turkey of his new faith, persecution began immediately.
Living in Iran, Omid had a dream in which he saw a man in white give him a wrapped gift. The next day, his taxi driver gave him a gift that looked very much like the gift he’d been given in his dream. Inside was a Bible, a book that would change Omid’s life.
Brother John tells about a young family in Syria finding Christ in the midst of their child’s medical crisis, and how Jesus gave them hope and joy.
Ali tells us how God healed two Christians in Iran from COVID-19. They were in separate hospitals, but each had the same dream on the same night, and walked out of the hospital completely healed!
Brother Jeremy recalls meeting the family of Pastor Jean Paul Sankagui, who had been martyred just days earlier in The Central African Republic.

After hearing these brief excerpts, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations. You can search for VOM Radio on your favorite podcast app, or listen online at the links below.

Pam, along with her husband Dave (Part 1 and Part 2)
Amin from Algeria
Brother Bayram from Turkey (Part 1 and Part 2)
Omid from Iran (Part 1 and Part 2)
Brother John, working in Syria
“Ali” on God’s work inside Iran
Brother Jeremy on meeting a martyr’s widow in the CAR

You’ll also want to listen to the first part of our look back on 2020 in last week’s episode.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Also: share a link to VOM Radio with a Christian friend who will also be blessed by these testimonies.

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Join in as we begin a look back on some of the amazing testimonies God allowed VOM Radio to share this year:

Brother Paul from Nigeria tells how he heard the Lord’s voice telling him to get off the bus he was on. Moments after he obeyed, that bus was attacked by terrorists and he realized God had spared his life.
Sean Paton tells the story of a pastor and his family executed by Islamists in Burkina Faso after refusing to deny Christ.
Aaron Miller explains why some Christian leaders in Colombia would rather not be called pastor, and how church leaders in India are preparing for the increased persecution they’re sure is coming.
Ebrahim Firouzi shared from inside Iran, where he’s still being held in internal exile. He told how prosecutors encouraged him to renounce his faith in Christ and go free—an offer Ebrahim refused.
Joy Subasiguller shared about choosing to be grateful to God, even as she faced expulsion from Turkey, the nation where she’d lived for 10 years and where her children were born. VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, will also give an update on what has happened with Joy’s case since our original broadcast.
Finally, Will Hart, CEO of Iris Global, will share about learning to lay down his life—and even his wife’s safety—in answer to God’s call.

After hearing these brief excerpts, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations. You can search for VOM Radio on your favorite podcast app, or listen online at the links below.

Paul from Nigeria
Sean Paton on Burkina Faso
Brother Aaron on Colombia, and on new martyrs this year and on meeting with church leaders in India
Ebrahim Firouzi
Joy Subasiguller
Will Hart

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Sitting in a solitary confinement cell in Iran, Robert Aserian felt God comforting him with these words: “If you are here, it is My plan.” God had prepared him for prison in a unique way: as a pastor he’d counseled many Iranian Christians after they’d suffered imprisonment, so he knew some of the challenge he would face.

Listen as Robert shares the challenges of interrogation, prison and solitary confinement. One way Robert passed the time in solitary confinement was composing and preaching sermons—even though his congregation wasn’t there to hear them. He also tells how every prisoner goes through difficult times in prison, and how he responded during those difficult days.

Robert will also discusses how former prisoners face intense pressure and isolation after they’re released, and tell us that praying for prisoners after their release may be more important even than during their time in prison. Finally he’ll equip us to pray for the nation of Iran and for the church there.

Rev. Robert Aserian serves today as Director for Training at Pars Theological Centre, training and equipping leaders for the Iranian Church. You can hear conversations with other leaders of Pars here and here.

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When Robert Aserian first prayed to Jesus, it was an atheist’s prayer: I don’t know if you are real, Jesus, but if You are please show Yourself to me. Jesus answered that prayer, and Robert has been following Him passionately—and encouraging others, including Iranian Muslims, also to follow—ever since. He even taught a class on Christian theology to Islamic clergy members.

Listen to Robert’s story of coming to faith, then experiencing God’s call to ministry. Robert will share about different martyrs of the church in Iran he knew and learned from, and describe how their legacy emboldened him to serve Christ inside the Islamic Republic, no matter what persecution he might face—including the day authorities came to his house early in the morning to take him to prison.

Today, Rev. Robert Aserian is the Director for Training at Pars Theological Centre, training and equipping leaders for the Iranian Church. You can hear conversations with other leaders of Pars here and here. You can also hear directly from children of some of the martyrs Rev. Aserian was inspired by, including the son of Pastor Haik Hovsepian and the daughter of Pastor Hossein Soodmand.

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In the midst of his persecution, Pastor Dmitry “David” Shestakov remembered Christ on the cross, and determined in his heart that if Christ suffered willingly, David also would persevere through his time of suffering.

As a young man, David was a criminal and a drug user. His mother’s desperate prayer to God—even though she was an atheist—led to Shestakov surrendering his life to Christ. Once surrendered, he immediately began to tell others about Jesus. He knew, early on, that such witness would be costly.

Listen to how God used letters written by VOM readers via www.PrisonerAlert.com to bless and protect David while he was in prison in Uzbekistan—even saving him from being beaten by guards. You’ll also hear how the Uzbek government tried to add years to his sentence, but God miraculously moved and David was released, as he says, “like a Scripture came to life.”

David will also help us know how to pray for Christians currently in prison, and for their family members.

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2020 has been eventful everywhere! But it has been especially eventful for the people of The Islamic Republic of Iran. But in the midst of great challenges—health, economic, political—God is moving! “Ali” is sharing the gospel inside Iran. Listen as he shares how God is even using the COVID-19 pandemic as a catalyst to spread the gospel and grow the church.

Ali will share how God answered prayers for new strategies for gospel workers to use in the midst of the pandemic and national lockdowns. He’ll also share how Jesus miraculously healed two church leaders hospitalized with COVID-19.

Ali will tell more stories of God’s power at work in Iran. Listen for the story of one man’s dramatic encounter with Christ that opened the way for 250 people to commit their lives to Jesus.

This spiritual revival isn’t coming without a price; persecution is very real. Ali and his church leaders understand that “suffering is not a bad thing” when it is God’s plan. “We have to learn,” he says, “to suffer well.” Ali will equip us to pray for Iran in the midst of current challenges, and talk about how the move of God in Iran is crossing international borders to reach surrounding nations.

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The phone message was clear: “We know you are there! And we’re going to kill you!”

Todd Lafferty received that phone message as he was preparing to host a meeting of Christian leaders in his home. He had to decide how much risk he was willing to take to continue spreading the gospel.

This week we continue our conversation with Todd about his experience as a missionary in Southeast Asia and his work now helping lead the International Mission Board.

He’ll share a story of God’s work among an unreached people group in Southeast Asia, and how not even persecution could stop the spread of the gospel. What powered that work? Todd will share about a women’s prayer group that agreed to pray specifically every day—and how God answered their prayers.

Listen to Todd share how every listener can reach out to Muslims—and gives advice about how to prepare for those conversations. He’ll also talk about the first steps for people sensing God’s call to missions, and equip us to pray for gospel work around the world.

If you missed it, listen to the first part of our conversation with Todd. Please share this episode with your Christian friends; especially those considering a call to missions or Christian service.

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Todd Lafferty came to Christ as a college football player. It wasn’t long after coming to faith that he sensed God’s call to go and tell others—even others living outside the United States. He and his wife answered that call, serving in the United Kingdom and eventually in Pakistan.

Today Todd helps lead the International Mission Board, equipping and sending missionaries to tell the story of Jesus’ love all over the world, including places where Christians face persecution.

Listen to hear Todd tell about arriving in Pakistan, fighting through the culture shock and temptation to pack up and return to familiar surroundings. He will also equip you to pray, especially for newer missionaries going through some of those same challenges today.

Finally, Todd will share the story of an Islamist Pakistani assassin who became a believer in Christ and then a bold evangelist, in spite of threats and danger.

Please share this episode with your Christian friends; especially those considering a call to missions or Christian service.

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Christians around the globe are praying specifically for persecuted Christians as we commemorate the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP). We will honor this special day as we talk about specific ways to pray for persecuted believers and pray together this week on VOM Radio.

Host Todd Nettleton will share a story from Petr Jasek’s time imprisoned in Sudan that shows the real, practical difference our prayers make for those facing persecution for Christ.

And we’ll pray together, led by Christian leaders from around the nation:

Pastor Craig Groeschel from Life.Church
Ed Stetzer, author, radio host, professor and executive director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center
Michael Tait, lead singer of The Newsboys
Dr. Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Greg Mundis, executive director of Assemblies of God World Missions
Priscilla Shirer, author and speaker with Going Beyond Ministries

VOM has created resources to help you, your family and your church pray for persecuted Christians—on IDOP Sunday and throughout the year. You can download resources here. If you haven’t already, sign up to receive new prayer requests by email each week at www.iCommitToPray.com.

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In 1999 a new book presented the stories of persecuted Christians in a powerful, memorable way. The book—Jesus Freaks by dc Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs—inspired an entire generation to passionately follow Christ, no matter the cost.

This week a new, updated version of the book releases, including some classic stories from the original edition and powerful new stories written to inspire a new generation to live like a Jesus Freak.

Michael Tait, one of the members of dc Talk (now the lead singer of the Newsboys), and Dan Pitts, co-manager of the band, will tell us how the original book came about and how they saw it impact readers. They’ll also talk about how the ministry baton was passed in their own families, and the impact they hope to see from this new edition of a Christian classic.

Order your copy of the revised and updated edition of Jesus Freaks HERE.

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God is at work in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh! Even amidst the Covid pandemic, the gospel message is advancing among Rohingya people. But it’s not without cost; Rohingya Christians risk intense persecution.

Dave and Pam lead Operation Mobilization’s work in western and central Asia, overseeing gospel workers reaching Muslims in multiple countries. They will share first-hand accounts of the gospel’s advance and the persecution Christ followers endure in their region of the world.

They will also offer advice to Western Christians who want to build a bridge to Muslims living in their countries. It starts, they say, with simple things like hospitality and friendship. Dave and Pam also give listeners encouragement for seasons of struggle and discouragement.

Finally, they will equip us to pray for God’s work in Muslim nations—including praying for our Christian brothers and sisters and praying for government leaders in those nations.

November is a strategic time to pray for persecuted Christians as churches around the world commemorate the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Download resources to help you and your church pray.

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Dave and Pam lead Operation Mobilization’s work in western and central Asia, overseeing gospel workers reaching Muslims in multiple countries.

Listen as they discuss their call to missions and how God led them to work among Muslims. They will also share how finishing the task of reaching the Muslim world for Christ will require a better understanding of risk—a theology of suffering that allows Christians to victoriously endure persecution.

Dave will challenge us to think Biblically about reaching Muslims, to intentionally see them as people God loves and that Jesus died for, rather than allowing our vision to be influenced by media portrayals or geopolitical animosities.

Fear is real, and Dave and Pam will talk about how it affects them, and practical ways to fight through fear and reach those around us for Christ.

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Sean Paton leads VOM’s work on the continent of Africa, and he’ll share this week about significant changes in two African Countries: Sudan and Ethiopia.

In Sudan, there are reasons for optimism after the Sovereign Council leading the country revoked the apostasy law, which required the death penalty for anyone who left Islam to follow another faith. Sean will share how Christians in Sudan say, “no one is looking” at the church right now. While that window is open, bold believers are working diligently to advance Christ’s Kingdom.

The treatment of Christians is also changing in Ethiopia, but the trend is more persecution rather than less. Sean will help us understand some of the history of the church in Ethiopia, including how persecution is really a part of its DNA. He’ll also discuss different streams within the Christian community and how persecution is affecting each.

Sean will share the story of specific brothers and sisters who’ve faced attacks, and how they’ve responded with love and forgiveness to persecution. He’ll also talk about how VOM is helping—including letting Christian leaders know that VOM will stand with their families if God calls them to lay down their lives for His service. Finally, he’ll talk about specific ways to pray for both Ethiopia and Sudan.

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What does your church do to help new believers grow in their faith? Imagine how much more difficult it would be to disciple new Christians if you couldn’t meet together in person, or if they couldn’t admit openly that they were now following Christ for fear of persecution?

“Brother Mark” works with Christians in 22 countries in North Africa and the Middle East, and he will tell us about the persecution faced by Christians in Muslim nations of that region.

We’ll talk about the new reality in Sudan after the overthrow of Omar al Bashir and his Islamist regime. There is more freedom for Christians—but still threats against the church.

What is the journey new Christians must make in order to be ready to face persecution and respond with forgiveness, love and hope? How is their identity, and their place in the culture, affected by their decision to follow Christ?

Brother Mark has been with us before on VOM Radio; you can listen that episode here.

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Al Shabaab is advancing in Northern Mozambique, attacking and killing Christians and others.

Will Hart leads Iris Global, which works to share the gospel in 34 nations around the world. We’ll focus this week on Africa, and especially Mozambique, where radical Islamist terrorists are taking territory and targeting churches and Christians.

Will also shares how God radically saved him and sent him to the nations. He’ll talk about overcoming fear as he and his wife went to minister in the Congo—at the time one of the most dangerous countries in the world. Listen to how God protected them, even providing elite military guards to watch over them in the country.

He’ll also advise those sensing a call to missions and equip us to pray for the nation of Mozambique.

Connect with Will and Iris Global through their web page, YouTube channel and Instagram.

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Dr. Hormoz Shariat, the founder and president of Iran Alive Ministries, and his wife Donnell are back with us this week to finish our conversation about how God called them to share the gospel with 1,000,000 Iranians—a calling that grew out of a family tragedy and great loss.

Hormoz will tell us he’s not a “natural” evangelist—he calls himself a shy nerd—but says God has given him strength and boldness to share the gospel. Listen as he describes getting laid off from his job and voted out by his church as blessings that unlocked the doorway to greater seasons of ministry.

Hormoz will also share current needs of the church in Iran, equipping listeners to pray specifically for that country and for our brothers and sisters there.

Hormoz’s new book, Iran’s Great Awakening: How God is Using a Muslim Convert to Spark Revival**, released last week. As a VOM Radio listener, you can receive a complimentary copy when you make a donation of any size to Iran Alive Ministries. You can donate online, or donate on your smart phone by texting the word IGABook to 74784.

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Dr. Hormoz Shariat was among thousands of Iranian Muslims marching in the streets of Tehran during the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Today, he’s “The Billy Graham of Iran” with a vision to reach one million Iranians for Jesus Christ. He tried Islam, but says it didn’t work to meet the needs of his heart and life.

Hormoz’s wife, Donnell, was born in America, yet she too was marching in those streets after moving to Iran—and converting to Islam—to marry Hormoz.

Today Hormoz leads Iran Alive Ministries, one of VOM’s partners in spreading the gospel to the people of Iran. Listen as Hormoz and Donnell tell the story of how God changed their hearts—and saved their marriage—through the love of Jesus and the faithful witness of His followers.

Hormoz’s new book, Iran’s Great Awakening: How God is Using a Muslim Convert to Spark Revival**, releases this week. As a VOM Radio listener, you can receive a complimentary copy when you make a donation of any size to Iran Alive Ministries. Donate online and request your copy here.

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Joy Subasiguller has lived in Turkey for 10 years. She’s a pastor’s wife and the mother of three small children. In the eyes of Turkey’s government, she’s also a threat to national security! Her application for continued residency in Turkey has been denied, and Joy faces expulsion from the country.

Joy’s husband, today the pastor of a Turkish church, was born into a Muslim family. Joy will share how he decided to leave Islam and follow Jesus Christ—and the persecution he endured for that decision.

Listen to hear how God called Joy to missions, and to Turkey, and how He’s given her and her husband complete peace, even as they face complete upheaval in their life and ministry.

Joy will update listeners on her court case as she seeks the overturn of the expulsion order and that she be allowed to remain in Turkey. She’ll suggest specific ways to pray for her and her family, and for the broader church in Turkey.

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Omid Sabouki serves as the President and CEO of Jubal Band Ministries, helping reach Iranian Muslims with the message that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He loves us.

Omid will tell us this week about the persecution of Christians by Iran’s government, including arrest, imprisonment and even assault at the hands of interrogators. He’ll talk about the importance of getting more Bibles to the church in Iran—a challenge VOM is helping to meet through various Bible delivery methods. He’ll explain how he and other Christian leaders are training church leaders—both inside and outside Iran—to serve the rapidly-growing number of Iranian Christians.

Omid will share the pain he feels when one of his workers inside Iran is arrested, and how he prepares workers to face persecution without losing their zeal for Christ—including sharing stories from VOM about persecuted Christians in other nations, like North Korea.

Finally, Brother Omid will equip listeners to pray for Iran and the ongoing gospel work inside the Islamic Republic.

Brother Omid shared his testimony of coming to Christ, including a dream, a taxi driver and a Bible, in the first part of our conversation.

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Omid Sabouki grew up in a Muslim household in Iran. Today he is a follower of Christ, and helping reach more Iranian Muslims with the message that Jesus is the Son of God and that He loves us.

Listen to Omid’s story of finding Jesus, including a dream during which a man in white told Omid, “stay on my way.” The next morning, the driver of his taxi gave Omid a package. Inside the package was a complete Bible. That Bible led Omid and his wife to faith in Christ—a decision that would cost him his relationship with his family.

Listen to Omid’s story of finding Christ, then finding a spiritual family through a home church. Soon after, persecution forced Omid to leave Iran after the government closed his business and froze his bank accounts. But Omid says, “God had a plan for me.”

Listen to Omid’s story of coming to faith and how God sustained him through persecution and trials. And hear how his ministry into Iran continues to lead others to Christ—including placing Bibles into mailboxes all across Iran.

Omid serves as the President and CEO of Jubal Band Ministries.

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Andrew Scott is back to talk about missions right now—including the effects of coronavirus on international gospel workers. He says every follower of Christ is called to be part of spreading Jesus’ glory around the world. Andrew is the President and CEO of Operation Mobilization – USA, and the author of a book, SCATTER: Go Therefore and Take Your Job With You (affiliate link).

Andrew will talk about how world missions is changing—including more missionaries raised up and sent out from developing world nations. He’ll also share how OM is collaborating with other mission orgs—including The Voice of the Martyrs—to complete the task of preaching Christ to every tribe, tongue and nation.

Finally, he’ll share thoughts for those thinking about what role they might play in overseas gospel work, and coach every listener in how to pray for mission workers and the advance of Christ’s Kingdom around the world.

OM’s founders, George Verwer (interview) and Dale Rhoton (Part 1 and Part 2), have also been guests on VOM Radio.

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Scatter: Go Therefore and Take Your Job With You

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Aaron Miller leads VOM’s work in South and Central Asia, including India, where five Christians have been killed in the past two months.

Listen as he shares how coronavirus is affecting VOM’s work, including stories of blessings that have grown out of the COVID-19 pandemic. One pastor said his interrogation was postponed because authorities in his area are focused on the virus, not on the church.

Aaron brings unique expertise on persecution in India. Listen to the stories of some of the recent martyrs, including a teenager who stepped up when his pastor could no longer shepherd the flock in his village—and paid with his life. You’ll also hear how a husband, knowing persecution was coming, prepared his wife to stand strong in her faith even if she became a widow.

How does VOM respond when a Christian is killed in India or other nations? How are help and encouragement delivered to family members left behind? How can we pray for Christians in South and Central Asia?

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“Brother Joel” continues the conversation we left off last week about God’s work in China, work which continues in spite of an ongoing wave of Christian persecution and the coronavirus pandemic. Brother Joel helps VOM distribute Bibles in every part of China. He’ll give us an update on current challenges for Bible efforts in China—including Chinese Christians currently in prison simply for providing people—including children—access to God’s Word.

Joel will tell us how new laws in China affected foreign Christian workers, including thousands who found their visas cancelled and were forced to leave China, sometimes almost immediately. He’ll also talk about a current project to complete a new translation of the Bible into Chinese—a translation more favorable to Communist Party and socialist principles.

Yet in spite of persecution, the virus and the other challenges facing China’s church, Joel says Chinese Christians are encouraged and excited about what God is doing in their nation. He’ll equip listeners to pray with current, specific needs of the church in China.

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In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, the government’s focus on persecuting Christians and closing churches hasn’t faded. In fact, there’s been an increase in persecution in recent months as Chinese Communist Party leaders continue their efforts to control the hearts and minds of the people.

Churches have been closed. Pastors have been arrested. But Chinese Christians are responding with boldness, finding new ways to spread the gospel even amidst pandemic and persecution.

“Brother Joel” helps VOM distribute Bibles in every part of China, and this week he’ll share what’s happening with the church in China. How is coronavirus affecting the church? Why does the Communist Party fear Christians so much? What does persecution in China look like right now?

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Americans will celebrate Independence Day on July 4th. And while Americans celebrate freedom and liberty, 600 persecuted Christians in the African nation of Eritrea will spend another weekend in prison—some of them have been in prison more than 15 years!

Dr. Berhane knows what it’s like inside Eritrean prisons. He spent 11 months in prison for his faith in Christ. But, even in prison, he saw God’s hand at work and found opportunities to witness to others—including prisoners about to be executed. Imagine the feeling as prison guards would read the names of prisoners scheduled for execution that day, each prisoner wondering if this was the day their name would be on that terrible list.

Yet in the midst of suffering and executions, Dr. Berhane says he experienced an inner peace through the presence of Jesus Christ. “Whenever I read the Scripture,” he says, “it’s full of persecution.” Listen as he explains how there is more freedom for Christians to worship inside Eritrean prisons than for Christians outside of prison.

Today, Dr. Berhane is a voice for persecuted Christians in Eritrea through Release Eritrea, a UK-based charity. Be inspired as he shares his own story, and equips every listener to pray for Christians in Eritrea, including those 600 currently in prison.

You can write letters on behalf Christians in prison in Eritrea through PrisonerAlert.com.

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Ed Cannon is the President and CEO of FEBC. For 75 years, FEBC has been using radio to communicate the gospel to the least-reached people on earth. Their radio signals—and internet connections, smartphone apps and social media feeds—reach people speaking 129 languages in 50 countries. Included in those countries are hostile and restricted nations where Christians are persecuted for their faith in Christ.

Ed has travelled the world to meet and support the broadcasters—including a 10-hour stay in jail when police discovered him carrying Christian materials for distribution in a hostile nation. Listen as Ed talks about the workers who lead FEBC’s in-country work, and how their commitment to Christ and to sharing the gospel inspires Ed’s own walk with Christ.

Listen as Ed shares how FEBC signals and content are reaching minority language groups, including a Khmu language broadcast sponsored in part by VOM.

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Brother Jeremy, VOM’s deputy regional director for Africa, met Mary Sankagui just days after her husband—a pastor in Central African Republic—was killed for his faith in Christ and his ministry in a Muslim neighborhood. In spite of her loss, the woman Jeremy encountered had a deep sense of joy. Listen to hear Jeremy share the story of Pastor Jean-Paul Sankagui, and give us an update on current persecution in CAR and how the church there is responding and training the next generation of church leaders.

Cole Richards, VOM’s President, joins us first to talk about Day of the Christian Martyr (free resources here). How are Christians in free nations inspired by stories of exemplary Christians who served in the face of persecution and laid down their lives to advance Christ’s Kingdom? How can we pray for the families of martyred Christians?

Learn more about the Central African Republic and the church there in VOM’s Global Prayer Guide.

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Covid-19 has hit hard in Syria, yet many are unwilling to acknowledge the illness in their honor-shame culture where getting sick can bring shame on a family. Brother John will update listeners on how the virus is affecting Syria—and how God’s Kingdom is advancing even amidst the pandemic.

Learn what Christian persecution looks like today in Syria, and how Christians there respond. You’ll also hear specific ways to pray for Syrian Christians.

John will share the story of God’s work in one family. Their son was born with a birth defect, and his mom felt such shame she attempted suicide multiple times. Then she met Jesus—and the transformation was so dramatic it radically changed the outlook for her family and impacted people all over their city.

Brother John leads Ananias House, working to proclaim the light and hope of Jesus Christ in the Middle East and North Africa.

To learn more about the honor-shame culture in the Middle East, listen to our conversation with Audrey Frank about sharing the gospel in an honor-shame culture.

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When Petr Jasek spent 445 days in prison in Sudan, Omar al-Bashir was the dictatorial leader of the country. Since Petr’s release, Bashir’s government has been overthrown and Bashir locked inside one of the same prisons where Petr had been held.

But are things really different for Christians in Sudan? Petr will answer that question as he returns to finish the conversation we began last week about his arrest and imprisonment in Sudan.

In prison, Petr felt the Lord’s presence very near as he spent hours every day reading the Bible and praying. What has he done to maintain that same closeness as he returned to his normal, busy life?

The story of Petr’s imprisonment—and the ministry God allowed him inside—is told in a brand new book, Imprisoned with ISIS: Faith in the Face of Evil. You’ll receive a copy for free when you make a donation to VOM here.

Petr first told his story to VOM Radio listeners nine days after his release from prison. You can hear that conversation—recorded in Prague—here.

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In 2015, Petr Jasek traveled to Khartoum, Sudan, to meet with pastors and other Christians to evaluate how The Voice of the Martyrs—a ministry Petr has served with since 2002—could help and encourage persecuted Sudanese believers.

Petr was arrested at the airport on his way out of the country, charged with espionage and other crimes and sentenced to life in prison before the Czech government negotiated his release.

The story of Petr’s imprisonment—and the ministry God allowed him inside—is told in a brand new book, Imprisoned with ISIS: Faith in the Face of Evil. You’ll receive a copy of this outstanding book for free when you make a donation to VOM here.

Listen as Petr shares his story and updates listeners on his current ministry around the world.

Petr first told his story to VOM Radio listeners just nine days after his release. You can hear that conversation—recorded in Prague—here.

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Brother Jeremy is VOM’s deputy regional director for Africa, helping oversee all VOM projects to serve persecuted Christians on the African continent.

Jeremy will update us on how Covid-19 is affecting Africa, and how VOM workers continue serving persecuted Christians in spite of the coronavirus. Jeremy will update us on the situation in Nigeria, including the amazing testimony of kidnapped Pastor Lawan Andimi—who turned his “proof of life” video into an opportunity to testify for Christ.

Jeremy will also talk about how Boko Haram has expanded operations into northern Cameroon and other nations and how that’s affecting Christians. Finally, he’ll equip us to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Africa.

Learn how to pray for Christians in Nigeria from VOM’s Global Prayer Guide.

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Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, many around the world are dealing with fear and discouragement. Andrew Brunson knows those feelings well.

After serving more than 20 years as gospel workers in Turkey, Pastor Andrew and Norine Brunson were suddenly arrested, accused of plotting with terrorist groups to overthrow the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Norine was subsequently released, but Andrew spent two years in prison.

Listen as they share how God sustained them through this time of intense testing, including the brokenness Andrew felt, and his decision to rejoice—and even dance—as an act of obedience to God. Norine will talk about how she tried to encourage Andrew on her prison visits, and even gave him scripts to help him stand against fear, depression and hopelessness.

Listen to the complete conversation—three full episodes—with Andrew and Norine Brunson at www.VOMRadio.net/Brunson.

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Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu-nationalist government put India on 21-day lockdown. Every Indian is impacted—Christian, Muslim and Hindu, high caste and low caste, rich and poor.

“Brother Bennie” leads Alpha Ministries and he’s in direct contact with gospel workers all over India, as well as Myanmar and Nepal. Listen as he shares what life is like right now for everyone in India, especially Christian brothers and sisters facing both persecution and pandemic.

In spite of government oppression and fear of Covid-19, Indian Christians are reaching out and sharing the love of Jesus Christ. The gospel is going forth. Bennie will equip listeners to pray for India, and to reach out to Hindus who live in Western nations.

Brother Bennie is a regular speaker at VOM Advance Conferences. Find out when one of these free, one-day events will be in a city near you at www.VOMAdvance.com.

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Ebrahim Firouzi, a Christian convert from Islam, has been in and out of prison in Iran since 2011. Last year he completed his most recent prison sentence, but instead of being set free and allowed to go home, Ebrahim has been banished to internal exile in Sarbaz, a city near the border with Pakistan. All of these punishments are a direct result of Ebrahim’s conversion from Islam to follow Jesus and his faithful witness for Christ.

This week, speaking from exile, Ebrahim shares his testimony and gives an update on his life today and God’s faithfulness during his time in prison. Multiple times, Ebrahim was given the opportunity to renounce Christ and go free; each time he refused to compromise. “I could never turn my back on my faith,” Ebrahim says. “By God’s grace I endured a few years in prison in exchange for an eternity with Him.”

Pray for the people in Iran and other Islamic nations during Ramadan. For reminders and specific ways you can pray, follow VOM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Right now, Muslims around the world are fasting during daylight hours in an effort to show their devotion and earn Allah’s favor and approval. It is a strategic time for us, as Christians, to pray for Muslims to come to know Jesus Christ as the Savior and Son of God.

This week on VOM Radio we’ll hear from people working in Muslim nations and among Muslim people. They’ll help us understand what Ramadan means to Muslims and share specific ways Christians can pray.

Finally, our guests will lead in prayer for God’s Holy Spirit to move among Muslims during this month.

Make a commitment now to pray for Muslims to meet Jesus Christ throughout the month of Ramadan. Set a reminder on your phone, or put a note next to your Bible to remind you. Also, follow The Voice of the Martyrs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for reminders to pray throughout this important month.

Guests helping us pray include:

Susanna Koh, the wife of kidnapped Pastor Raymond Koh, from Malaysia. (Hear her story.)

Tom Doyle, Uncharted Ministries (Previous appearances on VOM Radio.)

JoAnn Doyle, Not Forgotten Ministries (Previous appearances on VOM Radio.)

Dr. Mehrdad Fatehi, PARS Theological Center (Previous conversations on VOM Radio here and here.)

Lucy, Global Catalytic Ministries (Listen to “Ali,” also from GCIC, here.)

Amir Bazmjou, Torch Ministries (Amir’s wife, Rashin, is the daughter of martyred Iranian Pastor Hossein Soodmand. You can hear her story here and here.)

Dick Brogden, Live Dead Ministries (Previous conversations on VOM Radio here and here.)

Dr. Mike Ansari, Heart 4 Iran Ministries (Previous conversations on VOM Radio here and here.)

Dr. Hormoz Shariat, Iran Alive Ministries (Previous conversations on VOM Radio here and here.)

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Steve and Debbie Wolcott have served for decades as missionaries in Africa, seeking to share the gospel and strengthen the church in Congo, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and other nations.

The Wolcotts are back this week to finish our conversation about sharing the gospel even when it’s risky. They’ve gone to dangerous places to serve the church; listen as they explain how they think about risk-taking and the values that guide their decisions—decisions that have affected not only Steve and Debbie but their children as well.

Perhaps you or people you know are sensing God’s call to serve Him in missions. Steve and Debbie, as experienced missionaries, are uniquely qualified to advise and encourage on that journey. They’ll talk about discerning and answering that call, as well as their own journey of saying yes to God’s call—separately and together—to serve Him and His church in Africa.

They will also equip listeners to pray for missionaries, and for the church in some of the African nations where they work—and where Christians are persecuted for the name of Christ.

You can hear Part 1 of our conversation with the Wolcotts here. Steve and Debbie are a part of Africa Inland Mission. Learn more about their ministry here.

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The Wolcotts will share how God called them to global mission work. Debbie will talk about her specific ministry helping victims recover from the wounds of trauma using Godly, Biblical principles—and training the church in 22 different languages to spread the healing power of Christ.

Steve will share how God allowed him to illustrate the message of salvation in such a way that, 22 years later, one of the men in the audience was able to recall how Steve’s message led him to commit his life to Christ.

We’ll explain Christian persecution in Central African Republic—including what motivates attacks and how Christians are responding. Steve will also give context to the spread of Islam on the African continent—and explain how Islam is not just a set of religious teachings, but an entire way of life and framework for all of society.

Steve and Debbie will also share the biggest challenges of their work—which will help you pray not only for the Wolcotts but for other missionaries you know and support.

Steve and Debbie are a part of Africa Inland Mission. Learn more about their ministry here.

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Burkina Faso is not a country we’ve previously discussed on VOM Radio. But in the past 18 months the country has seen repeated jihadi attacks on churches, pastors and other Christian targets.

Sean Paton, VOM’s Africa regional director, explains the increase of persecution in Burkina Faso, including government changes and the rise of groups linked with Al Qaeda, ISIS and other Islamist factions. He’ll describe how VOM monitors persecution and makes the decision to ramp up our work in a particular country to equip and encourage Christians undergoing persecution—some for the first time. He’ll also share about other African countries where persecution is increasing.

Sean will tell some of the stories of courageous believers in Burkina Faso, including one pastor who, along with his son and nephews, was abducted and then executed after they refused to renounce their faith in Christ.

Finally, Sean will equip listeners to pray for the church in Burkina Faso, as well as VOM’s international ministry workers who travel to meet with and serve persecuted Christians.

Sean has previously shared on VOM Radio about VOM’s ministry in Nigeria and about the overthrow of the Islamist government in Sudan.

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VOM’s President, Cole Richards, joins us to talk about communism and how this old philosophy is motivating new persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters. Why is communism so directly opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ? We’ll look specifically at China and steps President Xi Jinping and his government are taking to bring every aspect of Christian worship and practice under Communist Party control.

Richards will also share how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting VOM’s work, and how Christians can respond in the midst of an international health crisis.

We’ll look at what China’s Christians face right now, through the experiences of Early Rain Covenant Church, which is the focus of the feature story in the March edition of VOM’s free magazine. Their pastor has been sentenced to nine years in prison, and yet this church continues serving and evangelizing—church leaders even train members to see police interrogations as opportunities to witness for Christ!

You can download the Special Report about communism from VOM that is discussed in this episode. Also, learn more about the church in China in previous VOM Radio conversations with Bob Fu, leader of China Aid Association, and with “Brother Enfu,” pastor of an unregistered church congregation in China.

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What does the recent peace deal between the US government and the Taliban mean for persecuted Christians in Afghanistan? Author John Weaver—who lived many years inside Afghanistan—helps answer that question and helps us pray for Afghanistan and our spiritual family there.

How is the church growing? How are Muslims—even Taliban members—hearing the gospel? What do “church” meetings look like, and how much access do Afghans have to Bibles?

Weaver will introduce Mary, an Afghan gospel worker using the oppressive burqa to cover her evangelism that is reaching Afghan women for Christ.

Weaver will talk about the growth of the church in Afghanistan in recent years, the result of seeds planted over many decades by missionaries and other gospel workers and the prayers of millions of Christians around the world, especially after 9-11. He’ll also share the difference it makes when Afghans hear the gospel from a fellow Afghan instead of a foreigner.

Finally, he’ll equip every listener to pray, then lead in a special prayer for Afghanistan.

John Weaver previously shared on VOM Radio about how he and his bride used their wedding ceremony to demonstrate Jesus’ love inside Afghanistan. Javed and Lowen talked about reaching Afghanistan through media ministry, and Hannelie Groenewald shared the story of the day when her husband, Werner, and their two teen-aged children were martyred in Kabul.

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“Brother Bayram” is back to finish the conversation we began last week. He came to the United States to further his education and start a business. One day a Christian woman gave Bayram a New Testament. He began to read it, the beginning of a path that would lead him to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Son of God.

Listen to the stories of people in Turkey Bayram has seen leave Islam behind and embrace Jesus Christ, the Son of God—and the persecution they’ve endured for making that decision. What are the truths that draw them? What are the misunderstandings of the gospel Christians can address with Muslims? How do new Christians in Turkey think about telling family members that they are following Christ?

Finally, Bayram will equip us to pray for Turkey, and for our Christian brothers and sisters there.

You can connect online with Brother Bayram and his ministry at www.albtci.org.

You can hear David Byle tell his story of persecution in Turkey here. You may also be interested in hearing American Pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife, Norine, tell their story of imprisonment and persecution in Turkey.

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“Brother Bayram” came to the United States to further his education. He started a business, and one day a Christian woman gave Bayram a New Testament. He began to read it, the beginning of a path that would lead him to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Son of God.

It was a costly decision: his devout Muslim wife divorced him and won’t allow him to see their daughter. His brother had Bayram committed to a mental hospital—viewing anyone who would leave Islam as mentally unstable.

It has been a difficult road, but Bayram’s faith has only grown stronger as he has seen God work in his life and in his country. Listen as he shares the story of his journey to faith, and how his family pressured him to return to Islam and persecuted him for his Christian faith, and stories of those still meeting Jesus Christ in Turkey.

Bayram will encourage and instruct listeners about how we—like the woman who gave him a New Testament—might help lead Muslims here in the US toward Jesus Christ.

You can connect online with Brother Bayram and his ministry at www.albtci.org.

We’ll finish this conversation with Bayram next week on VOM Radio. Between now and then, you can hear David Byle tell his story of persecution in Turkey here: Part 1 and Part 2. You may also be interested in hearing American Pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife, Norine, tell their story of imprisonment and persecution in Turkey.

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In India, resistance to the gospel and to Christian missionary activity is very organized. Hindu nationalists all over India are watching for evangelism—and they are ready to persecute Christians.

Aaron Miller oversees VOM’s work in South Asia. He’s just met with church leaders from all over India, evaluating the current state of Christian persecution there. He brings us a timely report as President Donald Trump just visited India, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi—whose background is in the Hindu-nationalist RSS movement that is one of the main persecutors of Christians and other religious minorities in India.

Several Indian states have passed anti-conversion laws, but church leaders say the laws aren’t stopping people from coming to faith in Christ In fact, in every state where an anti-conversion law has passed, the church is still growing.

Aaron will share some specifics of how persecution in India is happening right now, both through physical violence and through more subtle means, like government restrictions and financial controls. But more importantly, Aaron tells stories of Hindus who have found freedom and peace in Jesus Christ and equips us to pray for our brothers and sisters in India right now.

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

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Aaron Miller leads VOM’s international work in Latin America, and he just returned from visiting Christians living and ministering in the “red zones” of Colombia—places where paramilitary groups and Marxist guerillas battle for control and brutally persecute Christians.

One of those Aaron met with was Alex, the subject of a VOM video for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Alex was pulled off a bus by FARC guerillas and almost killed. Yet he has forgiven the attackers—and even helped disciple the imprisoned FARC commander who led the bus attack.

Hear why gospel workers in Colombia would rather not be called pastor, even if they function in that role in their community. Hear the story of a man whom God called to full-time ministry while he was being held captive for doing ministry work. And hear the story of how an Action Bible inspired a young woman to resist the call to take up arms.

Miller has previously been a guest on VOM Radio, when he told his own story of encountering persecution in India.

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This week marked the three-year anniversary of the disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh in Malaysia, a military-style operation that took less than 40 seconds and was captured on a nearby security camera.

Three years later, there is still no word on what happened to Pastor Raymond; his car has never been found. The kidnapping wasn’t his first taste of persecution; Pastor Raymond had been mailed a box of bullets as a warning to stop his ministry.

VOM launched an international petition drive calling Malaysia’s government to account for this crime. Add your signature online at www.ReleaseRaymond.com.

This week we will hear again from Raymond’s wife, Susanna, about how Pastor Raymond continued ministry in spite of threats and danger. She’ll describe the spiritual deepening she saw in her husband in the months before his abduction, and how she knows God was preparing him for the challenging time to come.

Susanna says God has carried her and her family since Raymond’s forced disappearance. He’s even enabled them to forgive those who took her husband away. She’ll share specific scriptural promises and Christian songs that have helped her through dark hours of grief and anxiety.

Susanna and her family have been greatly encouraged by notes, cards and letters from members of their spiritual family around the world. You can join in encouraging her by sending a card or a note of encouragement to:

Susanna Koh
107
Liew Sow Yoke
Lot LG109B, One Utama Shopping Center,
No. 1, Lebuh Bandar Utama,
47800 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan,
Malaysia

You can hear encouraging conversations like this one every week! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

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“Uncle Monnie” has ministered in more than 150 countries, including many hostile and restricted nations where Christians are persecuted. He serves not as a “father” to persecuted-church pastors, but as an “uncle,” one who comes alongside and encourages, but isn’t the decision-making authority figure.

Uncle Monnie says he quickly realized, in his first overseas ministry experience, that he needed to go as a fellow learner alongside God’s people he was there to serve. He equips pastors to study the Bible for themselves, to not be reliant on a Westerner or an outside organization for their spiritual food. He also prepares them to face persecution—including looking together at real-life case studies from persecuted Christians in other nations.

Listen as Monnie talks about how he does ministry with Fulani former-Muslims in Africa, Christian leaders and pastors in China, Sudan, Nigeria, Nepal, Lebanon and other nations.

Monnie has also served as a missions pastor in large American churches, and he’ll share challenges and struggles of that job, as well as encouragement for those currently serving God in that role. He’ll also challenge American Christians to be more grounded in our faith.

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“Brother Amin” is a church leader from Algeria—a place where in recent months the government has forcibly closed numerous church buildings.

Amin says when persecution happens, that’s the time new Christians see the reality of the Body of Christ—the reality that they have a new family, joined together through the blood of Christ. But how do they prepare for persecution? And how do they overcome fear and keep spreading the gospel in spite of hardships?

Amin will share his own story, from being a radical Muslim trying to disprove the Bible to becoming convinced that the Bible was actually the truth. His decision wasn’t without cost: he’ll tell of the persecution that he faced after leaving Islam to follow Jesus. He’ll also equip listeners to pray for the nation of Algeria and our spiritual family there, and to reach out to Muslims that we know right here in the US.

Algeria is just one of the countries featured in the newly-updated, 2020 VOM Global Prayer Guide. Request your free copy today!

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In Part 2 of our conversation, Paul Childers, leader of YWAM’s University of the Nations in Kona, Hawaii is back along with another Paul, the leader of YWAM’s work in Nigeria.

Paul is reaching Muslims—even terrorists—in Nigeria for Christ. He says it is his passion to see people come to know Jesus that overcomes any fear he might have ministering in dangerous places. He will also share about a special ministry to widows whose husbands were killed in persecution.

Childers says that the way to prepare for Christian persecution is to fall in love with Jesus and really understand his Lordship over our lives.

Paul and Paul will help us to pray for Christians in Nigeria and other nations, and also talk about the need for Bibles: there are 227 languages spoken in Nigeria that don’t yet have the whole Bible translated into their language.

Another tool to help you pray effectively for persecuted Christians is VOM’s newly-updated 2020 Global Prayer Guide. Request your free copy today!

Paul Childers has been a guest before on VOM Radio. You can hear that interview here. You can also listen to our conversation with Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM.

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Paul felt God speaking to him, and the message was clear: “Get off this bus. Right now!” Paul obeyed, and his obedience saved his life.

Jesus told His followers to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him. God still calls His children to the uncomfortable, and even the dangerous. Paul, who leads the work of Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in Nigeria, shares this week on VOM Radio how God called him to minister in a difficult and dangerous part of Nigeria—a place where Christian persecution is a constant reality. He’ll also share how God protected him as he answered God’s call—including getting him off of that bus.

Today, many of Paul’s coworkers in gospel work are former radical Muslim persecutors of Christians miraculously transformed by the love of Jesus.

We’ll also hear from Paul Childers, who leads YWAM’s University of the Nations in Kona, Hawaii. Childers offers an encouraging update on what God is doing around the world from his front-row seat to missions work in many nations. He’ll talk about a move of God that’s raising up a generation of people willing to truly take up their cross and follow God’s call to any place on earth, no matter how difficult or dangerous.

Paul Childers has been a guest before on VOM Radio. You can hear that interview here. You can also listen to our conversation with Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM.

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Bob Fu is founder and president of the China Aid Association, and he’s one of the most knowledgeable people in the world on the Christian persecution in China. He’ll help explain why the Chinese government is cracking down on churches—even registered, “legal” churches— and how it is demanding Christians’ first loyalty be to the Communist Party and President Xi Jinping.

Wang Yi, pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church, was sentenced to nine years in prison by a Chinese court. Listen as Fu describes current oppression of the church in China—and how the church is responding. How can government leaders in free nations respond, and will it make a difference?

Bob will also share an update on the “prison ministry” of pastor John Cao—including a poem Cao wrote about God’s faithfulness to him in prison and his love, even for his persecutors. Pastor Cao is one of the Chinese prisoners you can write letters to through PrisonerAlert.com.

Use the link below to order a copy of Bob’s book, God’s Double Agent.

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Jonathan Ekman is VOM’s vice president for international ministry, overseeing VOM’s work to serve and stand with persecuted Christians in the 70+ countries where they are persecuted. This week he’ll help us look ahead to 2020 and equip us to pray for persecuted Christians—and for VOM workers who directly serve them—in the New Year.

Jonathan will talk about persecution response, including specific examples of what VOM’s work looks like and how it is carried out inside hostile and restricted nations. He’ll talk about specific places where the need for VOM’s work is increasing, including India, China and Iran. He’ll also talk about how VOM’s staff members think about risk as they work in hostile and restricted nations—and what kind of people he’s looking for to join VOM’s international ministry team.

To help you pray effectively for persecuted Christians in 2020, request your free copy of VOM’s newly-released 2020 Global Prayer Guide.

Listen to Jonathan’s message—previously broadcast on VOM Radio—entitled “The Gospel Wildfire.”

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This week, we’ll finish our two-part look back at some of the amazing stories God allowed VOM Radio to tell in 2019. We’ll share stories of God’s people in restricted nations in Asia, and look at how persecution affects not only the Christian being persecuted directly, but their family members as well.

Hearing small pieces of these episodes will make you want to hear the whole conversation with each of these guests. Here are links to listen online to all the episodes excerpted this week (you can also search for each episode in your favorite podcast app):

Brother Enfu from China, who sees constant government surveillance as an opportunity to witness for Christ.

Another pastor from China shares about why China’s government is so worried about church growth.

Brother Josh tells the story of a Christian in Laos who was fired from his job for following Jesus.

Dr. Eric Foley shares the amazing faithfulness of Pastor Han, martyred by North Korean agents inside China.

Norine Brunson was very intentional to encourage her husband, Pastor Andrew Brunson, while he was in prison in Turkey, and she shares how much the prayers of Christians around the world meant to her and Andrew. Andrew shares about one of the low points of his imprisonment, and how he felt victorious even in that low moment.

Dr. Mary Ho paints for listeners a clearer picture of John Chau, the young man martyred on North Sentinel Island in 2018.

Rashin Soodmand remembers her father, martyred in Iran when Rashin was only 13 years old.

Susanna Koh tells us the pain of missing her husband, Pastor Raymond Koh, who was abducted in Malaysia almost three years ago. Esther Koh talks about trying to forgive those who abducted her father, without knowing what happened to him or what exactly she needs to forgive. (You can sign a petition on behalf of Pastor Raymond Koh at www.ReleaseRaymond.com.)

Please share this episode with Christian friends who share your heart for our persecuted Christian family in hostile and restricted nations.

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This week and next on VOM Radio, we’ll look back at some of the amazing stories God has allowed us to tell in 2019. This week we’ll focus especially on stories of God’s work in Muslim nations, places like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Afghanistan and other Islamic nations where Christians often face persecution.

Hearing small pieces of these conversations will make you want the whole story from each of these guests. Here are links to listen online to all the episodes excerpted this week (you can also search for each episode in your favorite podcast app):

Brother Hannu from Finland, who talked about how God grabbed his heart for Muslims
Lowen, from Operation Mobilization, who gives us five “good F-words” to reach out to Muslims
John Weaver, author of Najiba
Audrey Frank, author of Covered Glory
Brother Rachid, who ministers to Muslims all over the world via television, internet and phone calls
Hormoz Shariat of Iran Alive Ministries, who speaks via satellite television into Iran every evening
Mariam, rescued by Jesus while trying to commit suicide in Iran

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VOM this week issued a Special Report about the church in Iran—a timely subject in light of current mass protests all over that nation. This special bonus episode of VOM Radio works hand-in-hand with that special report to help you understand current events in Iran and how they are affecting our Christian brothers and sisters there.

Peter Smith has been praying for and watching events in Iran for more than two decades. He’s made connections with Christian workers inside the country and Persian ministries around the world, giving him a unique understanding of what is happening in the country and how the church is being impacted.

Request your copy of the VOM Special Report about the church in Iran.

Listen to how Peter came to adopt Iran for prayer—and the blessings that resulted—in this episode of VOM Radio. Also, search for other guests involved in ministry to Iran by using the search bar at www.VOMRadio.net.

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“Sister Nilufar” (not her real name) is ministering in the name of Jesus and sharing the gospel inside the Islamic Republic of Iran—a nation riven by protests and upheaval in recent weeks. It’s also a nation where Christians are persecuted by their government.

Listen as Nilufar tells the story of a young woman, Eldora, who became a follower of Christ—leaving behind a difficult life and becoming a bold witness among members of her family. God revealed the pain in her past and rescued her from a life of depression and addiction.

Eldora immediately began to bring friends and family members to meet the Savior who had rescued her life, and God revealed to Nilufar that He had significant plans for one of Eldora’s friends, Sara, like the Samaritan woman in John 4.

You’ll be encouraged and amazed as you hear stories of God working in miraculous ways inside Iran—inspiring Christians with specific ways to share the gospel and reach out to their countrymen.

VOM just issued a special report on current events and how they are affecting the church in Iran. Request your copy at www.VOMRadio.net/IranReport.

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Javed and Lowen are working with Operation Mobilization to reach people in Afghanistan with the gospel and disciple new believers to follow Jesus in spite of persecution and violence. Listen as they share how God is working in Afghanistan, in spite of Taliban influence and Christian persecution that often starts with a new believer’s own family.

What are the challenges Afghan believers face? And what are the response of Afghans—both positive and negative—when they encounter the gospel of Jesus Christ?

There is encouraging news as well: the Afghan church is growing, and Muslims are seeing the difference Jesus makes. Listen for the story of a threatened Christian family who were defended by their Muslim neighbors.

Javed and Lowen will also help us understand how to pray for Afghanistan and for the church there—and why that ministry is so important right now.

Finally, they will share insights on ministering to Muslims, including five F’s to help American believers reach out to Muslims living here in the United States.

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YouVersion’s Bible App was one of the very first apps available to install on an iPhone. Since launch, the app has been installed on 400 million devices worldwide, giving people all over the world—including nations where Christians are persecuted—free access to God’s Word.

But Brian Russell, the man who leads the YouVersion team, doesn’t have a background as a tech entrepreneur. Instead, his background is ministry, including living and doing gospel work in a closed country.

Listen as Brian talks about his ministry work, how VOM influenced him, and the how the Bible App was created—as a side project. He’ll also share about the reach YouVersion has today and the impact it’s making by putting God’s Word into the hands and hearts of people all over the world.

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Thirty years ago this month the Berlin Wall came down. Within days, communism had fallen in Eastern Europe. This week we’ll hear how these events affected Christians living behind what had been the Iron Curtain, from two eyewitnesses.

Petr Jasek grew up behind the wall as the son of a pastor in Czechoslovakia, and saw the dramatic changes first-hand as fellow Christians celebrated opportunities they’d never imagined under communism. He will talk about those exciting days in his country, and how the legacy of persecution still affects the Czech church today.

Merv Knight is the co-founder of VOM-Australia and a long-time associate of Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM’s founders. He’ll share how VOM responded to the wall’s fall, immediately swinging into action to take aid and Bibles to brothers and sisters in newly-freed nations. At the time, many thought that the window of freedom might not remain open for long. Christians that VOM workers found were desperate for God’s Word and thrilled to have access to Bibles and other evangelism tools.

You can hear Petr share about his imprisonment in Sudan here. You can hear Merv share about his experiences with the Wurmbrands and the early days of VOM’s ministry here and here.

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In 2016, missionaries Norine Brunson and her husband, Pastor Andrew Brunson, were arrested in Turkey. Norine was released 12 days later, but Andrew remained in prison for two years. Norine remained in Turkey throughout his imprisonment to support Andrew and fight for his freedom.

Listen as Norine tells VOM Radio how she helped Andrew battle for his faith and freedom as she watched him suffer and as they both missed significant family events in the United States during Andrew’s imprisonment.

Hear Norine describe the lowest point in Andrew’s imprisonment and how she saw God bring good out of even the darkest days of Andrew’s discouragement and doubt.

Norine also shares with VOM Radio listeners how they can pray for the nation of Turkey as well as for the families of Christians imprisoned because of their faith in Christ.

Listen to the VOM Radio interview with Pastor Andrew Brunson here. You can purchase a copy of Andrew’s book, God’s Hostage, here (affiliate link).

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Dr. Mary Ho, executive leader of All Nations, is back to continue our discussion of the life and legacy of John Chau, killed one year ago this month attempting to take Jesus’ love to the people of North Sentinel Island. John’s sacrifice has drawn comparisons to Jim Elliott and Nate Saint, and Mary will talk about the qualities they shared, especially a sacrificial, deep love for Jesus.

Mary will tell us more about All Nations, the ministry she leads which sent John to the island, including how they train missionaries and church planters all over the world and then coach each one as they put their training into practice. She will also discuss what it will take to reach the hardest places—places like North Sentinel Island—with the gospel message.

John Chau felt called to North Sentinel Island after reviewing this list of unreached people groups; would you consider choosing one unreached people group to specifically pray for?

You can connect online with All Nations-USA or All Nations-International, and listen to Part 1 of our conversation with Dr. Mary Ho about John Chau’s life, calling and ministry.

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One year ago this month, John Chau gave his life for Jesus Christ and the gospel on North Sentinel Island, and island in the Bay of Bengal governed by India.

Dr. Mary Ho is the executive leader of All Nations, the mission organization that sent out John Chau and sends gospel workers all over the world, including countries where Christians are persecuted. Listen as she describes the John Chau she knew: unassuming, humble, soft-spoken, and with a clear calling from God to go to the people of North Sentinel Island.

Dr. Ho will also talk about the criticism that came after John’s death—in secular media and even from within the church, and describe her own perspective on fulfilling the Great Commission and how missionaries bring blessings, not problems, to the nations where they go.

John was a young man when he went to the island, but he was not unprepared for challenges he might face there. Mary will tell us how much effort John put forth—years of effort—preparing to arrive on the beach that sunny morning last November.

This is Part 1 of our conversation with Dr. Mary Ho; tune in next week to hear Part 2 as we continue to honor the life and sacrifice of John Chau.

Connect online with All Nations-USA or All Nations-International.

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The world knew Pastor Han Chung-Ryeol as a persecuted Christian pastor and a man who served North Korean refugees crossing into China—in spite of threats and danger.

Dr. Eric Foley, the leader of VOM-Korea, knew Han as coworker and friend. This week Dr. Foley shares personal stories of the courageous pastor murdered by North Korean agents inside China. Pastor Han’s story is the subject of this year’s International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church video from VOM.

Just months before Pastor Han’s murder, he visited Dr. Foley and they talked openly about the threats against Pastor Han’s work. One of Han’s coworkers had already been kidnapped and taken to prison in North Korea. There were threats the same thing could happen to Pastor Han.

But Pastor Han reminded the Foleys that the shepherd’s job is to care for the sheep—and his sheep were along the North Korean border, where they needed their shepherd. He was willing not only to go, but to lay down his life for the sheep God had entrusted to his care.

Listen and be inspired by the example of faithfulness, commitment and courage lived out by Pastor Han Chung-Ryeol, and prepare your heart and your church to pray for persecuted Christians in North Korea and around the world on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, November 3.

Also listen to Dr. Foley’s previous visit to VOM Radio, where he discussed why the North Korean regime of the Kim family is so threatened by Christianity.

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Pastor Andrew Brunson, author of a new book called God’s Hostage, was imprisoned in Turkey for two years, and he says every single day was a battle to overcome his fear and grief and anxiety. One of those who inspired him in these battles was Richard Wurmbrand, VOM’s founder. In Part 2 of our interview with Brunson, he explains how Wurmbrand inspired him to dance inside his prison cell. He says he didn’t feel joy or happiness, but he set his will to act joyfully in spite of his feelings.

Listen as Andrew shares how he came to “embrace my assignment” of being in prison for Christ.

Andrew will share about the song God birthed in his soul while he was locked in prison, and how his heart changed over long months in prison to a posture of faithfulness and trust in spite of not seeing his outward circumstances change. That heart change, he says, was his victory over the terrible circumstances and injustice he faced in prison.

Finally, Brunson will tell the story of a letter he wrote to Norine that clearly demonstrated his changed heart as he expressed commitment to drink every drop that the Lord had ordained for him to drink from the “cup of suffering.”

Order your copy of God’s Hostage (affiliate link). You can also listen to Part 1 of our conversation.

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Pastor Andrew Brunson spent two years in Turkish prisons accused, among other “crimes,” of helping plot a coup against President Erdogan’s government there.

There were very dark days for Brunson, isolated in prison and wondering why God seemed silent in his time of suffering. Listen as he shares how he poured out his frustrations to God, but ultimately chose to lean into God—even if God seemed to remain distant.

Through those dark days, Andrew's wife, Norine served as his pastor and encourager, the only Christian he was allowed contact with. Listen as he tells how she was “heroic” in standing with him in spite of risks to her own freedom.

Pastor Brunson also took strength from the stories of other Christians who suffered persecution. One of those was Richard Wurmbrand, founder of The Voice of the Martyrs and the author of Tortured for Christ and other books. Andrew says he “spent a lot of time with Richard Wurmbrand in prison,” through Richard’s writings.

Andrew tells the entire story in a new book, God’s Hostage, which you can order here (affiliate link).

Prior to the start of Andrew’s trial in Turkey, his daughter Jacqueline was our guest on VOM Radio. You can hear our conversation with her here.

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Gary Lane has been telling the stories of persecuted Christians for decades. As International News Director and Senior Correspondent for CBN News, he’s gone to meet them—he’s traveled to more than 100 countries—and been drawn not only to tell their stories, but also actively serve and stand with bold believers enduring persecution.

A month after 21 Christians were martyred by ISIS on the beach in Libya, Gary went to Egypt to meet the families of many of those beheaded on the sand. When he met these families—just weeks after their loved ones were killed—he was moved and challenged by their strong faith. They told him what an honor it was that their loved ones had died for Christ, and expressed forgiveness to the ISIS murderers.

Gary also served three years on staff at VOM. He’ll share how he encountered VOM workers on the front lines in Sudan and how that led to a cooperative effort between VOM and Operation Blessing—and eventually to Gary serving on VOM’s staff.

Gary will tell about his first encounters with persecuted Christians, and how he transitioned from simply being a neutral observer, reporting on their suffering to actively providing help as a brother and fellow member of the Body of Christ.

Watch Gary’s program, The Global Lane, including this episode, which includes an interview with VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton.

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Brother Rachid is the host of an Arabic-language television program, answering on-air questions that Muslims have about faith and about Jesus Christ. The first day his program went on the air, Rachid was hoping 10 or 20 Muslims might call in with questions. They received 800 calls in the first half hour!

He knows first-hand the persecution that comes when a Muslim rejects Islam: Rachid’s own family kicked him out when he became a Christian.

Listen as Rachid shares his story of coming to Christ, his family’s rejection and what it meant for him to come into fellowship with other Arab Christians. He’ll also help listeners understand some of the teachings of Islam that directly contradict the gospel message—and advise us on reaching out to Muslims we know.

You can watch a video about Brother Rachid’s testimony here.

September marks the five-year anniversary of VOM Radio, and all month we’ve heard clips from powerful stories God has allowed VOM Radio to share over the past five years. This week: a clip from “Sister Amber,” who was arrested in Tibet. You can hear her entire, powerful testimony here.

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This week we’ll meet the pastor of an unregistered church congregation in China. Because of the danger to him for sharing his story, we aren’t sharing his name and you’ll only hear the voice of his translator during the interview.

He’s been detained by police more than 20 times, and he says of course there is fear when police raid his church or come to arrest him. But he’s seen God work through him inside prison cells, including seeing fellow prisoners come to Christ for the first time, and says he’s willing to go back to prison if his being there is part of God’s purpose.

He’ll give an update on the current wave of persecution in China, and talk about why the Communist Party leaders are so afraid of the growth of the church. Finally, the pastor will give specific ways to pray for the nation of China as a whole, and for the church there, including Christians currently in prison for their faith in Christ.

We’ll also hear, as we continue to commemorate the five-year anniversary of VOM Radio, from a man detained inside North Korea—just one of many powerful stories God has allowed VOM Radio to share over the past five years. (You can hear his complete story here.)

Never miss a VOM Radio conversation: subscribe to the podcast.

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Brother Semeone is a church leader from Ethiopia—a country with a long Christian history, but where persecution can come from different directions, often beginning with members of a new convert’s own family.

Learn some of the history of the church in Ethiopia—including how persecution and hardship have helped the gospel spread. “Persecution,” he says, “has its own way of purifying the church.”

Semeone will also share how the church—within Ethiopia and around the world—steps in to help Ethiopian Christians in times of trouble, and what it means to him to be a part of the extended family of God.

We’ll also continue our commemoration of the five-year anniversary of VOM Radio this month by looking back at another powerful moment from the past five years as “Dr. Andrew” shares about the terror he feels when police detain or interrogate him—and how he overcomes that fear by focusing on Who God is. You may want to go back and listen online to our full conversation with Dr. Andrew. Listen to Part 1 and Part 2.

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Early in 2017, Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted off the streets of Malaysia—a military-style operation that took less than 40 seconds. He hasn’t been seen or heard from since.

Since our first VOM Radio conversation with Raymond’s wife, Susanna (listen here), the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia issued a formal report on Pastor Raymond’s disappearance. Susanna will give us an update on what that report said.

Raymond and Susanna’s daughter, Esther, will tell the story of the day she found out her dad had been taken, and what she misses most since his forced disappearance. She’ll also talk about the amazing way God prepared and strengthened her mom to go through this season of suffering.

After you listen, sign the petition to join Christians around the world in demanding that Malaysia's government explain Pastor Raymond's disappearance.

Susanna shared what a blessing it was to receive encouraging cards and letters from Christians all over the world after her last visit with VOM Radio. You can mail your cards and letters to her at:

Susanna Koh

#107

Liew Sow Yoke

Lot LG109B, One Utama Shopping Center,

No. 1, Lebuh Bandar Utama,

47800 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor Darul Ehsan,

Malaysia

September marks the five-year anniversary of the launch of VOM Radio, and all this month we’re sharing highlights of the amazing stories God has allowed VOM Radio to tell over the past five years. This week’s clip features the story of an ISIS trainer who wanted to find a copy of the Bible. You can hear that entire episode, featuring a conversation with a gospel worker in the Middle East we called “Julian,” by clicking here.

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“Brother Enfu” is the pastor of an unregistered (illegal) church in China. Every time his church meets, members know police could raid the service and close down their meeting. Other churches in the area have already been closed. Church members have been told to stop attending services, or risk losing their jobs.

How do Christians deal with the constant, oppressive surveillance state that is modern-day China? “Everything is illegal in China,” Enfu says. So how do Christians overcome fear to continue serving Christ in spite of the high cost they may be asked to pay?

Listen as Brother Enfu shares how persecution is becoming more intense in China, and how pastors and churches are responding—and the gospel continues to spread. Enfu also gives specific ways to pray for brothers and sisters in the Chinese church, and for him and other church leaders.

Brother Enfu has been on VOM Radio previously; you can hear that conversation here.

Never miss a VOM Radio conversation: subscribe to the podcast.

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Pastor Pierre serves the Lord in Lebanon, including reaching out to refugees who have fled violence and war in Syria to find a safer place to live and raise their families.

Listen as Pierre shares how Muslims have become more open to the gospel in the midst of suffering, and how Christians have sacrificially helped meet needs and share Christ among refugees. He’ll also talk about the persecution Christian converts face, sometimes even at the hands of their own families.

Pastor Pierre will also share the story of a man from Syria who came into genuine relationship with Christ after he lost everything in Syria—and even had his life threatened by terrorists. His family now joyfully shares that losing everything they owned on earth was worth it, because it brought them into joyful, eternal fellowship with Christ.

Pastor Pierre also equips us to pray for the church in Syria, Lebanon and throughout the Middle East.

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Most Americans look at the world through a lens of right vs. wrong; a person is either guilty or innocent. But in the Muslim world, most people see the world in terms of honor and shame. Audrey Frank is the author of a new book, Covered Glory: The Face of Honor and Shame in the Muslim World (affiliate link), which explores honor/shame cultures and specific ways Christ speaks to people with that cultural worldview.

Listen to learn how the honor/shame worldview affects every decision many Muslims make, how men and women play different roles in upholding honor, and how the Scriptures were written from within an honor/shame culture. She’ll also discuss how persecution of Christians often grows out of perceived shame.

Audrey will also remind us of God’s loving heart to reach Muslims, and advise listeners on specific ways to reach out to Muslim friends and coworkers with the message of Jesus’ love for them.

Connect with Audrey via her web site, www.AudreyFrank.com.

Notes: This interview was recorded at the Crescent Project national conference. The foreword to Audrey’s new book was written by Nik and Ruth Ripken, who have been previous guests on VOM Radio.

Covered Glory: The Face of Honor and Shame in the Muslim World

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“I really shouldn’t be alive,” says Brent Teague. He’s one of a small number of Americans who have survived an Al Qaeda attack. While serving in Niger, he was shot multiple times and left for dead. But as he prepared to say goodbye to life on earth and enter heaven, Brent sensed God telling him that his earthly ministry wasn’t finished yet.

Later, he discovered that God had worked a miracle—before he was even shot—that led police to find him before it was too late. Hear the incredible story of his rescue, and how God has used the story of the attack, and even the physical scars, to open doors for ministry for both Brent and his wife, Shelley.

Brent and Shelley will also share advice for creating opportunities to share the gospel with Muslims that you know, and talk about their ongoing work for the gospel in West Africa.

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Dr. Mike Ansari leads Heart4Iran, working with different ministries to reach Muslims in Iran with the gospel message, and to strengthen Iranian believers to withstand persecution and continue boldly serving Christ.

Dr. Mike will tell us the story of an Iranian Christian woman currently in prison for distributing Bibles inside Iran—a project supported by VOM—and how she is responding to persecution with boldness and grace, even witnessing for Christ inside the prison.

You’ll also learn how VOM partners with Christians from restricted nations to support and further their vision and ministry, and about the intense persecution Christians are facing right now inside Iran—where they are seen as one of the biggest threats to the Islamic Republic.

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Merv Knight has served persecuted Christians for more than 50 years, including co-founding The Voice of the Martyrs Australia and serving for decades as a member of the board of directors for VOM-USA. He worked side-by-side with Pastor Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM’s founders and former prisoners for Christ in Romania.

Recently Merv spoke to the staff at VOM headquarters on the occasion of his retirement from active service on the ministry’s board. Listen as he shares insights about the Wurmbrand family, the early days of the ministry and some of the persecuted Christians who inspired Merv over his many years of serving through VOM.

He’ll tell about:

Hiding money on a Russian train so that it wouldn’t be confiscated before it could be delivered to the families of Christian prisoners in Siberia.
Meeting a pastor’s daughter in the former Soviet Union, and blessing her with Christian literature.
Meeting with Chinese house-church Christians, and seeing how careful they were to hide and protect the only Bible they had: small gospel tracts.

Finally, Merv will challenge each of us to be faithful in the things that God has called us to do to serve Him and build His Kingdom, wherever we are.

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Ron Morse was a teenager when his missionary family was told to leave Burma. But before the family could get out of the country, the borders were closed—for six years!

Listen as Ron describes living in the jungle, making everything the family needed—including cooking pots and blackboards for school—and how God used those difficult years to plant seeds in his life that are still bearing fruit today as he serves the Lord and the people of Southeast Asia through North Burma Christian Mission.

With the story of a snake bite, Ron will challenge all of us to be willing to do anything to share Christ. He reflects on lessons he learned from his parents and grandparents as he watched them serve in difficult circumstances, and offers advice for those exploring a call to missions today. He’ll also equip listeners to pray specifically for the church in Myanmar and for missionaries serving around the world.

Read about Ron’s family and their years in the jungle in Exodus to a Hidden Valley (affiliate link), written by Ron’s father, Eugene.

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God called John Weaver to Afghanistan as a single man, and he stayed in the country even after 9/11 when the U.S. government encouraged all Americans to leave. John committed his singleness to God, making peace with the fact that he might never get married while living and working in an isolated village in Afghanistan.

It was only weeks after making that commitment that John met Jeanne—an American woman born in Kabul whom God had brought from half a world away to be John’s bride.

Listen to the story of their amazing romance, which is also told in a new book called Najiba: A Love Story from Afghanistan (affiliate link). You’ll hear how they courted and married according to Afghan traditions, honoring the culture in which they served while still shining as a lighthouse for Christ and for God’s amazing blessing that is Christian marriage.

John will also demonstrate specific ways we can pray for Afghanistan.

John has shared previously on VOM Radio. Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of that conversation. John was also part of the 2019 Martyrs Memorial induction ceremony, which you can watch online here.

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What questions would you expect from a Christian suffering in prison for their faith? When Dr. Hormoz Shariat from Iran Alive Ministries received a call from an imprisoned church leader in Iran, he expected hard questions about suffering and why God would allow it.

Instead, the Iranian man simply encouraged Hormoz. Imprisonment, and even torture, were an honor, this brother said, because he was suffering for Christ.

Persecution of Christians in Iran—especially converts from Islam—is different from other places. In most Islamic nations, persecution starts with the convert’s own family. But in Iran, Pastor Hormoz says, most people—including Muslims—have a favorable view of Christianity, and don’t take offense at family members following Christ.

Persecution in Iran is real, though, coming from the Islamic government that knows it has lost the hearts of the people—and is turning to violence to maintain power and control.

Listen and be encouraged by how the church in Iran is growing, with specific stories of Iranians who have left Islam behind to follow Jesus Christ. The challenge now, Hormoz tells us, is not evangelism. The challenge is to disciple the many new Christians in Iran and help them mature in their faith. He will share how Iran Alive is creating resources specifically for the Persian church. Finally, Hormoz will help us pray specifically for Christians inside Iran—and for government leaders as well.

You can connect directly with Iran Alive ministries by texting “Iran” to 74784.

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In the second half of this conversation, Hannelie Groenewald recalls the day her husband and two teen-aged children were killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The names of Werner, Rodé and Jean-Pierre Groenewald will be unveiled on the Martyrs Memorial in Bartlesville, Oklahoma on Saturday, June 29 as a part of the commemoration of Day of the Christian Martyr, 2019.

In this interview, recorded in 2016, Hannelie recalls the Psalm she read over and over again as she waited to hear whether her family members were alive or dead, and the amazement of Afghans at her ability to forgive the Taliban which had murdered her entire family. She’ll also describe the blessing of knowing that Christians around the world were praying for her as she grieved—and the hope she has because of God’s promise of eternity in heaven.

Hannelie shares hard-earned truth with listeners who may be struggling to forgive someone who has wronged them, and her thoughts on working through fear with God’s help. She’ll also equip us to pray more effectively for the nation of Afghanistan and for our Christian brothers and sisters there.

You can watch the induction ceremony for Werner, Jean-Pierre and Rodé Groenewald onto the Martyrs Memorial by going to www.Persecution.com/martyr. The event will also be available through Facebook Live on the VOM Facebook page.

Listen to Part 1 of the conversation here.

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After the attacks of 9/11, God called Werner and Hannelie Groenewald to go and share Jesus’ love in Afghanistan. Even some of their own family members said, ‘NO! God would never call you to take your children to Afghanistan!’

Inside the country, they served and loved the Afghan people in the name of Jesus. Hannelie, as a doctor, provided medical care. Werner worked in leadership development and humanitarian aid. Their work, and the fact that they served in the name of Jesus, did not go unnoticed by radical Muslims in Afghanistan.

In 2014, a Taliban attack on their home took the lives of Werner and the Groenewalds’ son and daughter, Jean-Pierre and Rodé. Hannelie was not home at the time of the attack, and her life was spared. Listen as she tells the story of God’s call to Afghanistan, and how God increased her faith even in the days and weeks before the attack, preparing her to endure faithfully a terrible loss.

You can watch online as the names of Hannelie’s family, Werner, Jean-Pierre and Rodé are added to The Martyrs Memorial on Day of the Christian Martyr, June 29th. You can find more information, and register to access the video of the ceremony, at www.Persecution.com/martyr.

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Ali, a follower of Christ in Iran, and his family have experienced God’s rescue numerous times. First, God rescued Ali’s father from alcoholism. Then Jesus rescued Ali from drug addiction and hopelessness. They began to follow the God Who rescued them. But following Jesus in Iran is costly: persecution came quickly as Ali’s grandfather gave him one week to denounce Christ and return to Islam, or else.

Ali and his parents could never denounce the God Who’d rescued them, though, and they lost their home, their money and their support system.

God miraculously provided for their needs—including a rice bowl that never emptied. Ali and his family couldn’t help but tell everyone around them about the God who rescued people and answered prayer, and soon they’d helped 60 people meet Jesus.

Their ministry was noticed, and Ali’s father and brother were arrested; Ali had to move to a different city to avoid arrest himself. In spite of the risks, he continues to share the gospel stories of Christ, and to see Iranian hearts, sick and tired of religious duty and oppressive leaders, warmed by Jesus’ love. The biggest love, he says, is when you lay down your life for others.

Listen to Ali’s story, including how he and his wife prepare for the possibility of more persecution and specific ways you can pray for the church in Iran, this week on VOM Radio.

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God called Ruth to serve Him in missions in a nation in South Asia. She answered His call, but the government of that country told her she had to leave—and never come back! Listen to how she responded to this persecution, and how God worked to return her to Christian ministry in that country within 30 days!

“Peter” and “Ruth” are spreading the gospel through training people to memorize and share the Scriptures. The process enables new believers to quickly drive deep roots into the Bible and compels them to share gospel stories with those around them. The process also quickly crosses language barriers because it works even in languages where the Bible is still being translated. And it works for believers of all ages.

Hear an example of a Word by Heart, and see how even a one-minute story can drive discussion and lead people to spiritual truth.

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“Only Christianity can cut the root of our communism.”

—Kim Il Sung, founder of North Korea

Why is the government of Kim’s grandson, Kim Jong Un, so threatened by the gospel of Jesus Christ? Why do Christians in North Korea face such fierce persecution? Dr. Eric Foley, co-founder and leader of VOM-Korea, answers those questions, and helps us pray for North Korea and VOM’s work to get Bibles and gospel radio broadcasts to people there.

Dr. Foley will talk about the difference made by President Donald Trump’s meeting in Vietnam with Kim, and why the current leader of North Korea can never actually be the President there, because that title is held eternally by his grandfather.

We’ll discuss how the North Korean government preserved and publicized the story of a Christian martyr, Cha Deoksun. You can watch the video the regime created about her life, and death, here.

Dr. Foley will also provide an update on VOM-sponsored Bible balloon launches into North Korea, which delivered 30,000 Bibles last year. Surveys show this Bible work is making a difference: today eight percent of North Koreans have actually seen a Bible—a dramatic increase from even a few years ago.

To learn more about Christians in North Korea, order a copy of Dr. Foley’s book, These Are The Generations (affiliate link). You can also learn about the history of the church and persecution in North Korea by reading Restricted Nations: North Korea, written by VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton.

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John Grooters spent many months deeply immersed in the story of VOM’s founders, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand. They lived exemplary Christian lives, even loving and witnessing to their torturers. Their example has deeply challenged Grooters, who directed Tortured For Christ – The Movie, as well as the video segments for the WURMBRAND small-group curriculum.

Listen as Grooters shares the philosophy that drove this project, and the challenges for Christian filmmakers competing with big-budget Hollywood studios. John will share how viewers responded to the film—including a 10-year-old boy who committed his life to Christ after seeing Richard and Sabina’s example of following Christ under persecution.

You can receive a complimentary copy of Tortured For Christ – The Movie on DVD when you make a donation to VOM’s work with persecuted Christians. You can learn more about Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand through the Wurmbrand small group study, or by reading WURMBRAND: Tortured For Christ The Complete Story.

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Would you give up your job to keep following Christ? Listen this week to the story of a teacher in Laos presented with that very question, and the choice he made.

The Khmu were once kings and rulers, but today they are seen as nobodies in society and looked down on by the Lao people. But God is reaching the Khmu, and many are leaving behind the worship of spirits and the fear of the witch doctors for the peace that comes through relationship with Christ.

Our guest, Brother Joshua, is part of Khmu Christian Connection, helping reach Khmu people in Laos, Vietnam, China and Thailand with the gospel message and then discipling them and training leaders to share the gospel with friends and neighbors—in spite of persecution.

Brother Joshua is a second-generation worker with KCC. You can hear our conversation with Josh’s dad here.

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“Brother Jeff,” from YWAM Frontier Missions, has a reason so many Muslims around the world are coming to know Jesus: prayer. He says Christians have been much more committed in recent years to praying for Muslims to meet Jesus, and God is answering those prayers.

Right now, Ramadan, is an especially strategic time for prayer, and Jeff will equip listeners to pray for Muslims seeking Christ, as well as those who’ve already decided to follow Him, and may be facing challenges and persecution because of their decision.

Jeff will discuss how to prepare believers to face persecution, including helping develop a well-thought-out theology of risk for workers taking the gospel to hard places. He’ll also advise listeners about reaching out to Muslims in western nations.

You can learn more about the Muslim World Prayer Guide at www.30daysprayer.com.

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Mariam was abused as a young girl. As a teen, she took 12 pills a day to treat her depression. She was an atheist, believing no god would allow her to suffer so much. The betrayal by her father and abuse by another man left Mariam hating men. Without hope, she tried suicide five times.

But Jesus rescued Mariam! Listen to the amazing story of how she experienced Christ’s presence in an amazing way even as she tried to end her life, and how Jesus completely transformed her. Hear also about Mariam’s ministry today telling Muslims—especially women and girls—inside the Islamic Republic of Iran about the Jesus whose miracles saved and healed her.

Mariam will also share specific ways to pray for the people of Iran right now.

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In this special episode of VOM Radio we’ll bring listeners an update on Christians in Sri Lanka and how they’re responding to Easter Sunday bombings that killed 250+ people and injured hundreds more. VOM's vice president of international ministry will talk about why the location and the bombers were surprising, and equip listeners with specific prayer requests from Sri Lankan church leaders.

We’ll also discuss the coup in Sudan and possibilities for change there in light of the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir. Sean Paton, VOM’s Africa regional director, will explain the kinds of persecution Sudanese Christians have faced in 30 years under Bashir. What is happening, and how much hope for more religious freedom is there under a new government? Sean will also give specific ways to pray for Sudanese Christians in the days to come, and then Petr Jasek—who spent 14 months in prison in Sudan—will lead us in prayer for the nation and for Christians there during this time of turmoil.

Please share this week's episode with your Christian friends and invite them to join in prayer for Christians in Sudan and Sri Lanka.

You can hear Petr tell the story of his imprisonment here.

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Dick Brogden says when Muslims choose to leave Islam behind and follow Jesus Christ, often three things happen along their pathway to Christ: a love encounter, a truth encounter and a power encounter. Listen as Brogden—who’s ministered to Muslims for more than 25 years—shares the story of a power encounter that prepared a couple from Yemen to hear the gospel message and commit their lives to Christ.

He’ll also talk about the role of the American church in standing with Christians facing persecution, and offer advice for those feeling God’s call to missions—he says make disciples where you are now; don’t wait until you arrive on the mission field. Finally, Dick will share about his family’s burden for the nation of Saudi Arabia, and the direction that God is leading them based on that burden.

You can learn more about Live Dead at their web site, and order a copy of Dick’s book, Live Dead Joy, here (affiliate link).

Live Dead Joy: 365 Days of Living and Dying with Jesus

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Dick Brogden has served in the Arab World for 25 years, planting gospel seeds and leading teams to plant churches among unreached people groups. His teams have to be prepared to face opposition and persecution, but also withstand spiritual attacks on their marriages, relationships, parenting or other areas of life.

Listen as Dick talks about God’s missionary call to reach every tribe and tongue and nation, and how that first requires us to abide in Christ. He’ll give advice on developing our spiritual muscles and challenge us to make even our time an offering to Jesus. He’ll also talk about challenges that come in every effort to share God’s love, and the need to not grow weary even if we have “a 90% failure rate.”

Finally, Dick will share stories of places he’s seen God do amazing work in bringing Muslims to faith in Christ, and how upheaval in parts of the Middle East has driven many Muslims to ask questions about their faith and to explore other spiritual options.

You can learn more about Live Dead at their web site, and order a copy of Dick’s book, Live Dead Joy, here (affiliate link).

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On February 13, 2017 Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted off the streets of Malaysia. Nearby security cameras captured the entire crime. In the two years since, Koh hasn’t been seen or heard from; his car has never been found. It wasn’t Raymond’s first taste of persecution; he’d previously been mailed a box of bullets as a warning to stop his ministry.

Our guest is Susanna Koh, Raymond’s wife, who will talk about how Pastor Raymond continued to minister in spite of the threats and danger. She’ll also describe a spiritual deepening she saw in her husband in the months before his abduction, and how she knows God was preparing him for the challenging time to come.

Listen as Susanna shares how God has carried her and her family through the past two years, and how He’s even enabled them to forgive those who took her husband away. She’ll share specific scriptural promises and Christian songs that have helped her through dark hours of grief and anxiety.

After you listen, sign the petition to join Christians around the world in demanding that Malaysia's government explain Pastor Raymond's disappearance.

Susanna Koh #107 Liew Sow Yoke Lot LG109B, One Utama Shopping Center, No. 1, Lebuh Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia You can hear encouraging conversations like this one every week! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

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Joel C. Rosenberg is the best-selling author of 13 novels and five nonfiction books and an expert on the politics of the Middle East. Listen as he shares how and why Middle Eastern leaders are reaching out specifically to American Evangelicals, and the opportunities that’s opened for those leaders to hear Biblical truth.

What are important things American Christians should understand about the Middle East, including persecution our brothers and sisters there face? Why is the gospel finding fertile soil, even in the face of radical Islamist groups? Which countries are seeing more people come to Christ…and why? And how can we pray for the nation of Israel, and for other nations in the region?

Visit Joel’s web site, and order his new novel, The Persian Gamble, here (affiliate link).

The Persian Gamble: A Marcus Ryker Series Political and Military Action Thriller: (Book 2)

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Dr. David Garrison is a long-time missionary who’s worked with Muslims in several countries, and has become a student of God’s work among Muslims around the globe. He is the author of a book about movements of Muslims coming to Christ, A Wind in the House of Islam: How God is Drawing Muslims Around the World to Faith in Jesus Christ.

Listen as Garrison describes what he considers a “movement” of Muslims coming to Christ, and some of the motivations that lead followers of Muhammad to become followers of Jesus—and the pressure and persecution they face after making that decision.

Today Dr. Garrison is working with Global Gates to help American Christians reach out to Muslims from around the world who currently live in the United States—and often are in regular contact with friends and family members back in their home country.

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Brother Hannu leads the VOM-affiliated mission in Finland, inviting Finnish Christians into fellowship with persecuted brothers and sisters all over the world. As a young Christian he was involved in smuggling Bibles into the Soviet Union. Later he would take Bibles and Christian videos into tightly-closed Middle East nations, including Iran and Libya.

Listen to stories from some of his Bible delivery adventures, and more importantly the “holy moment” when God grabbed Hannu’s heart and filled it with love for the Muslim people of the Middle East.

Hannu will also talk about the work of VOM’s Finnish sister mission, especially his burden to reach young Christians there and invite them to fellowship with Christians willing to go to jail or even die rather than deny their faith in Christ.

You can learn more about the family of ministries begun around the world by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand here.

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John Grooters directed Tortured For Christ – The Movie, a feature-film telling the amazing story of VOM’s founders, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand. The story has inspired millions of Christians over the past 50 years through Pastor Wurmbrand’s best-selling book, Tortured For Christ.

Listen as John talks about turning this iconic book into a film, including the challenge of portraying Richard’s suffering in an appropriate way. John will also share how God’s hand was on the production, including snowfall and sunshine in Romania that miraculously cooperated with the filming schedule.

Hear how God led John to just the right song for the close of the film—a song written by a Christian cellmate of Richard Wurmbrand in prison! You’ll hear how Richard’s faith impacted John as he studied the story and created the film, and how he hopes it will also impact the faith of the viewers, including ending the movie not with a scene of suffering but a scene of American Christians worshipping the Lord.

US Residents: as a THANK YOU for your generous donation in the month of March to support VOM's work assisting persecuted Christians, VOM will send you a complimentary copy of Tortured For Christ - The Movie on DVD. You can give online here.

VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, has also been a guest on John’s podcast, “No Shame,” which is available wherever you listen to podcasts. You can hear the interview with Todd by clicking here.

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Tessie DeVore leads The Lumo Project, which has been called “The Gospels for a Visual Age.” Listen to hear the story of bringing the pages of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—word-for-word, right from the text—to film in a way that brings the stories to life in a new way. She’ll also share how these films can be easily translated and produced for multiple languages—including the languages of restricted and hostile nations.

Tessie will describe the power of people seeing Jesus on the screen as they hear the words from the Scriptures, and the process of translating and releasing the films in multiple languages. You’ll also hear a story of how the film is making an impact on one family living in a hostile nation.

Learn more about Lumo Project on its web site, and see samples from the movies on the Lumo Project YouTube channel.

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Are there blessings found in being in prison for Christ?

Yonas Haile was a Christian worship leader and filmmaker in the African nation of Eritrea. When his gospel film was released, the Eritrean government was furious; from that day, Yonas was targeted. He says Eritrean Christians are “ready always” to face persecution.

Listen as he tells of the joy that God blessed him with, even in the midst of horrible suffering and prison. Yonas also experienced God’s miraculous power, including walking out of an Eritrean prison just as Peter walked out of prison in the book of Acts.

He’ll also share about opportunities to be a witness for Christ and offer hope through the gospel of Christ—even in prison. Finally, Yonas will update on whether changes have happened in Eritrea since the country signed a peace agreement with Ethiopia. And he’ll give specific ways we can pray for that nation, and for our spiritual family members there—especially those in prison for Christ.

Helen Berhane, another Eritrean worship leader, helped Yonas make his gospel film. You can hear her interview with VOM Radio here.

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Is anyone outside the reach of God’s grace? Listen this week to hear stories of radical militants in Nigeria meeting Jesus and committing their lives to His service—even at great cost.

Paul Childers leads The University of the Nations for Youth With a Mission (YWAM). He’s trained Christians all over the world to tell the gospel story of Jesus’ love, and reminds us that Jesus’ gospel “still works” to change peoples’ hearts. YWAM workers are seeing that in Nigeria—literally seeing thousands of former militants now following Christ.

Paul will also tell about finding the courage to go to hard places to share Jesus’ love and encourage His followers. Listen to hear how the book of Revelation came alive in a new way as he ministered alongside persecuted Christians. He’ll also offer advice to those God may be calling into missions, and give us ways to pray for the work of YWAM around the world.

You can hear more about the early days of YWAM from the ministry’s founder, Loren Cunningham, in this episode of VOM Radio.

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Nik and Ruth Ripken are back for the second half of our conversation. How do we bear other Christians’ burdens (Gal. 6:2), both those living in hostile and restricted nations, and missionaries that serve in difficult places around the world? Why is it so important, before we offer help, to offer a listening ear to hear the stories on the hearts of the people that we want to minister to?

As veteran missionaries who have served for 35+ years, Nik and Ruth offer advice to American Christians on how we can minister to missionaries home from the field.

How should young people feeling a call to missions respond, prepare and pray? Nik and Ruth offer advice for those sensing God’s call to serve Him in far-off and even difficult places—and remind us that ALL followers of Christ are called to GO…the only question is WHERE each Christian is called to go to.

How have the Ripkens kept their marriage strong and fresh through 35 years of ministry in difficult places…and how has God used their marriage as a spiritual lighthouse to reach Muslims for Christ? Why is it that Muslims often ask them about their marriage, and about how they raised their children?

What are some specific, practical ways we can pray for missionaries that we support and send out? How do we pray for Christians in the midst of persecution? How can we pray for the nation of Somalia, a nation where the Ripkens served heroically in the midst of a tragic famine.

This special podcast edition of this week’s conversation includes bonus material not included in the broadcast version. If you missed the first half of our conversation with Nik and Ruth, you can listen to it here. Their first visit to VOM Radio, following the release of the film version of Nik’s book, The Insanity of God, is here.

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Nik and Ruth Ripken have served 35+ years as missionaries and conducted extensive interviews with hundreds of persecuted Christians from all parts of the world. They went not as teachers but as students, simply to sit at the feet of persecuted believers and learn from them. The bold believers they met shared amazing lessons about living out faith in Jesus in the midst of hostile enemies, literally sheep among wolves.

What are the qualities that allow faith to thrive in such hard places? How are churches built in nations closed to Christian witness? Are there ways we can reach out to people from hostile nations, right here in the United States?

Nik and Ruth also offer insights for American Christians on ways we can encourage and bless missionaries that our churches are sending out and supporting—both while they serve and when they come home to refresh and recharge.

Nik is the author of The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected, which was also made into a film. You can listen to Nik and Ruth’s previous conversation on VOM Radio, conducted when the film was released, here.

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Fouad Masri founded Crescent Project (www.CrescentProject.org) to train American Christians to share the gospel with Muslims. In 25 years since, the group has trained more than 21,000 Christians to reach out with love to those deceived by Islam. Listen this week as Fouad helps ignite your passion for reaching out, and equips you to enter those conversations with confidence and grace.

Listen as he shares how God implanted the passion in his heart—as a young man in Lebanon—to reach Muslims with the hope of Jesus. What questions are on the hearts of Muslims? How is Jesus the Answer to those questions? How can we pray for our Muslim friends and coworkers?

God calls us to be light in darkness for Muslims, and Fouad and Crescent Project provide tools that equip and enable our light to shine more clearly.

Other workers associated with Crescent Project have been guests on VOM Radio, including Jami Staples talking about women’s ministry (Part 1, Part 2) and Ali Sassi, who while still a Muslim was challenged by a Christian friend to demonstrate how the Bible had been changed—a challenge that ultimately led him to faith in Christ.

The Bridges Study app from Crescent Project, which equips Christians to reach out to Muslims, is available for iOS and Android.

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Rashin Soodmand was 13 years old when her father, Pastor Hossein Soodmand, was executed in Iran for the crime of apostasy. His body was quietly buried in an unmarked grave in a part of the local cemetery reserved for “the cursed.”

Yet only three days later, Rashin wrote a letter to God promising to follow Christ boldly, just as her father had—even if it meant great sacrifices. Today she is living out that promise, including ministering to the church inside Iran.

Her father wasn’t the only martyr of the Iranian church Rashin knew well. In this second part of our conversation, Rashin shares some of the things she remembers about the other martyrs she knew personally: Haik Hovsepian, who preached at her father’s funeral; Mehdi Dibaj, who encouraged her to attend Bible school; and Pastor Mohammad “Ravanbakhsh” Yusefi.

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Rashin; if you missed Part 1 of her amazing testimony, listen here. To learn more about the current ministry activities of Rashin and her husband, Amir, visit the Torch Ministries web site.

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Rashin Soodmand was 13 years old when her father, Pastor Hossein Soodmand, was executed by the Iranian government for the crime of apostasy—leaving Islam to follow another faith. Listen as she shares how her family’s life was changed, but also how proud she is of a father who chose to lay down his life rather than deny Christ.

Listen as she recalls the man her father was, loving his congregation and loving his family, and how people were drawn to his kindness and love.

Rashin will tell how church leaders encouraged Pastor Hossein to take his family, leave Iran and go somewhere safer; hear his exact words as he flatly refused, saying that to do so would discourage the hearts of his congregation.

She’ll also describe the last time she saw her dad, and the day she heard that he’d been executed.

This is Part 1 of our conversation with Rashin; click here to hear the second half of her story, including how God has used the loss of her father to equip her to minister to hurting people inside and outside of Iran to this day. To learn more about the current ministry activities of Rashin and her husband, Amir, visit the Torch Ministries web site.

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Would you like to be on staff, delivering aid and encouragement to persecuted Christians in the 70+ nations where VOM works?

Jonathan Eckman leads a staff of 65 people living in 24 nations who conduct VOM’s international ministry, being the hands and feet on the ground among persecuted Christians all over the world. This week he shares about VOM’s international work, and some of the people from among our persecuted family who have inspired his personal faith walk.

Listen to understand better how VOM’s international ministry happens in the 70+ nations where VOM works, the importance of partnerships, and where Jonathan sees persecution increasing as we enter a new year; and where things are getting better for Christians—or at least not getting worse.

Jonathan will also share how you can pray for VOM workers as they travel in and out of restricted nations and provide help and encouragement to Christians who are persecuted for the name of Christ, as well as their families who remain at home. He’ll also issue a challenge to pray for church and mission leaders conducting Great Commission work in an increasingly complex and hostile world.

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This week we continue our look back on some of the amazing testimonies God has allowed VOM Radio to share in 2018.

Brother Blake and Brother Joel told us about the state of the church, and the increased persecution, in China and how Chinese Christians wear out their Bibles.

Manfred Mueller challenged the way his fellow Germans—and many Americans—think about refugees, urging us to see a gospel opportunity.

“Sister Sahar” came to the US as a Muslim student from Saudi Arabia. Today she is a follower of Christ, and she shared ways we, as Christians, can reach out to Muslims we know today.

“Brother Fahdi” told us that God is at work in Yemen, drawing Muslims to faith in Christ.

Brother Aaron shared the story of how VOM’s help to a Christian family in Central Asia arrived at exactly the right time.

John Grooters, the director of Tortured For Christ—The Movie, shared an inspiring chapter from the life of Richard Wurmbrand, VOM’s founder.

George Verwer, the founder of Operation Mobilization, encouraged American Christians not to lose gospel focus, and to be intentional about sharing our faith in Christ with people around us.

If you’ve been blessed by these snippets from conversations on VOM Radio this year, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversation with each of these guests:

Brother Blake and Brother Joel: here and Brother Joel on Bibles in China: here.

Manfred Mueller, the head of VOM’s sister office in Germany: here.

“Sister Sahar,” from Saudi Arabia: here.

“Brother Fahdi,” talking about Yemen and other Middle Eastern countries: here.

Aaron, on VOM’s work in Central Asia: here.

John Grooters, on the making of Tortured For Christ—The Movie: here, and on the making of the Wurmbrand video-based small-group curriculum: here.

George Verwer, the founder of Operation Mobilization: here.

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Join us as we look back on some of the amazing testimonies God has allowed VOM Radio to share this year.

Helen Berhane explained the power of worshipping the Lord while locked in a shipping container in Eritrea.

Gary Witherall talked about God’s help to choose forgiveness, and even love, just minutes after Gary’s wife, Bonnie, was martyred in Lebanon.

Brad Phillips shared the story of Morris, a church leader in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan, who forgave the man who attacked his daughter—and even paid the fine to get the young man out of prison.

Dan Baumann told what happened when God challenged him to love the man beating him inside a prison in Iran—and the breakthrough that happened when Dan did indeed show love.

Finally we’ll hear some of the ways these guests have encouraged us to pray for persecuted Christians this year.

If you’re blessed by these snippets from conversations on VOM Radio this year, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversation with each of these guests:

Helen Berhane: Part 1 and Part 2

Gary Witherall: Part 1 and Part 2. You can also order a copy of Gary’s book, Total Abandon (affiliate link).

Brad Phillips: here.

Dan Baumann: Part 1 and Part 2. You can also order a copy of Dan’s book, Cell 58 (affiliate link).

Cell 58: Imprisoned in Iran (International Adventures)

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If you’re already in prison for your faith, and facing a possible death penalty, Petr Jasek says you can be even more bold about sharing Jesus. After all…how much worse could your situation get, from an earthly perspective?

Jasek and Pastor Hassan Abduraheem Taour were cell mates in a Sudanese prison, on trial together for alleged espionage against the nation of Sudan, and this week they are together on VOM Radio in a special episode recorded at a VOM Advance Conference.

Listen to how they found JOY even as they were physically suffering and were separated from families and loved ones. Listen as Petr shares how he could physically feel the prayers of people around the world while he was in prison. Both men will share how God had specifically prepared them to face persecution and imprisonment.

Petr will also talk about how God brought back to his mind the words of songs he had learned as a child, and about the invisible “prayer map” on the walls of his prison cell. Both Petr and Hassan will share what it meant to them for Sudanese Christians to gather outside the courtroom and boldly sing hymns of praise to God as the men were taken to and from their court hearings.

Finally, you’ll be equipped to pray specifically for Christians in prison right now for their faith in Christ, as well as for their family members waiting, hoping and praying for their incarcerated loved ones.

You can hear the VOM Radio interview with Petr Jasek, recorded just eight days after he was released from prison in Sudan, here: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Our interview with Pastor Hassan is here: Part 1 and Part 2.

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Today we conclude China Week on VOM Radio. All week we've looked at the increasing persecution of Christians in China in conjunction with a new VOM Special Report on China.

Today: “Sister Amber” shares her story of being arrested and persecuted at the hands of Chinese officials in Tibet. It’s one of the most impactful conversations we’ve ever shared on VOM Radio.

But just days after the breakthrough Amber experienced persecution; police came pounding on her door.

Listen as she tells the story. You'll hear how God ministered to her in the hardest moments of her suffering. You'll hear how she was eventually released, and the way God showed her that her persecution was not the end of the story.

You'll also hear how God laid on the hearts of people around the world to pray for Amber, including one who drew a picture of Amber surrounded by policemen in the interrogation room. Months later, when Amber saw the picture, it matched exactly the setting of her interrogation, but also offered a ray of spiritual hope.

Your faith will be challenged as you hear Amber's thoughts on what the New Testament calls the "honor" of being persecuted, and she’ll give first-hand advice on how we can pray for Christians in prison right now.

If you did not yet receive a copy of VOM’s Special Report on the increase of persecution in China, request your copy at www.VOMRadio.net/China.

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It’s Day 4 of China Week here on VOM Radio as we look at the increasing persecution of Christians in China in conjunction with a new VOM Special Report on China.

Today: Brother Joel is back with us to talk specifically to the state of Bible distribution in China. Listen to hear why Chinese believers need a new copy of the Bible every 3-5 years. He’ll also talk about how he and his family think about the possibility that he might face persecution.

Tomorrow China Week concludes as we hear from “Sister Amber;” one of the most impactful interviews that has ever aired on VOM Radio.

If you did not yet receive a copy of VOM’s Special Report on the increase of persecution in China, request your copy at www.VOMRadio.net/China.

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It’s Day 3 of China Week here on VOM Radio as we look at the increasing persecution of Christians in China in conjunction with a new VOM Special Report on China.

Today: an interview recorded inside China with one of VOM’s Bible distribution partners, a man who risks three years in prison every time he leaves his home to minister for Christ. Listen as our brother shares about growing up in a family of persecuted Christians, and the story of his very first arrest, and the thoughts on his heart as he went through that testing time.

Tomorrow China Week continues as we hear more from Brother Joel about the challenges of getting Bibles to our spiritual family members all across the country.

If you did not yet receive a copy of VOM’s Special Report on the increase of persecution in China, request your copy at www.VOMRadio.net/China.

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It’s Day 2 of our special China Week here on VOM Radio as we look into the increasing persecution of Christian brothers and sisters in China.

New laws went into effect in February that greatly affect our Christian brothers and sisters in China and how they are able to live out their faith. Then, in March, term limits were abolished for China’s President, allowing current leader Xi Jinping to lead the country for many more years.

Today Brother Blake and Brother Joel will share what these changes mean for churches in China, and how Christians are responding to continue serving Christ in the face of increased communist oppression. Blake and Joel will also equip and inspire you to pray for China’s Christians during these days of increasing pressure.

Tomorrow China Week continues as we meet one of our Chinese brothers involved in Bible distribution there.

If you did not yet receive a copy of VOM’s Special Report on the increase of persecution in China, request your copy at www.VOMRadio.net/China.

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In this special episode Cole Richards, VOM’s CEO, shares about a new special report issued by The Voice of the Martyrs about the increased persecution of Christians in the nation of China.

Cole will talk about what has changed in recent months in China, and how Christians there are responding by continuing to serve Christ, regardless of what the government does or what pressure they face.

We’ll also discuss how this crackdown in China is affecting VOM’s work in the country, and what American Christians can learn from the way our Chinese brothers and sisters are responding to the challenges of persecution they face. Finally, as we always do on VOM Radio, we’ll talk about specific ways that you can pray for our spiritual family in China.

Note: This is the first of five special episodes this week focusing in China, released in conjunction with a VOM Special Report about the increase in persecution on Christians in China this year. If you did not already receive a copy of this special report, you can request a copy at www.VOMRadio.net/China.

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“Brother Fahdi” spent many years doing gospel work all over the Middle East and North Africa, equipping church planters and leaders and helping to reach Muslims with the gospel message of Christ’s love. Listen as he discusses the situation for Christians in Yemen, Algeria and other nations.

What happens when a Muslim in the Middle East comes to faith in Christ? Fahdi will describe the persecution they are likely to face, but says in spite of such persecution God is reaching many hearts.

Fahdi will explain how Muslims think about Shariah Law, the lies they’ve been told about Christianity’s teachings, and how Christians—in the Middle East and the United States—can reach out to share the truth of the gospel with love for Muslim friends and neighbors.

Finally, Brother Fahdi will equip us to pray for Christians across the region, and especially in the war-torn country of Yemen.

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The gospel worker in Somalia knows that his life is in danger. He’s seen ministry coworkers gunned down by radical Muslims. But he doesn’t fear death, seeing as the Apostle Paul did that “to die is gain.”

This week we’ll hear from “Brother Michael,” who assists VOM to serve alongside persecuted Christians in the Horn of Africa, including that bold evangelist in Somalia and others like him in Ethiopia, Sudan and other nations.

Listen to hear the story of an Imam who came to faith in Christ, then had both his job and his family taken from him. Michael will also share about a woman who committed her life to Christ in a Muslim village, then woke up one night to find her home on fire and watched it burn as neighbors refused to help her.

Michael will also tell us why a motorcycle can make a huge difference in the ministry of Front-line workers supported by VOM, helping them reach exponentially more villages and more people with the gospel message of Jesus’ love.

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Operation World says the fastest growing church in the world is in the Islamic Republic of Iran. What is driving this incredible revival among Iranian people?

Rev. Dr. Mehrdad Fatehi leads PARS Theological Center, training leaders for the Iranian church in Iran and around the world. He’ll help us look behind the scenes at the phenomenal growth of the church in Iran, and the pressure house churches—and especially church leaders—face right now from the Islamic government. Listen to hear how God intervened to bring an end to one believer’s police interrogation. How does a new Christian believer in Iran find other believers to connect and fellowship with? How are leaders trained when public, open theological education is impossible?

Hear how PARS focuses on both increasing knowledge from education and study, as well as mentoring to help students practice the behaviors of leadership, face the challenges that come with ministry in a closed nation and continue their personal spiritual growth.

Finally, Dr. Fatehi will help us pray more specifically for the needs of our brothers and sisters inside the Islamic Republic.

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When this year began, there was talk of war between North Korea and the United States. By June, we watched video of President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smiling and shaking hands. Big changes!

What does it mean? How are those changes affecting our Christian brothers and sisters in the DPRK? Dr. Eric Foley, the President of VOM-Korea, joins us to offer answers to those questions, and helps us look at news coverage of North Korea not as Americans or Koreans, but as members of the Body of Christ.

Dr. Foley will talk about changes on the Korean peninsula, and how those changes are affecting Christian work there—both north and south of the DMZ. He’ll share why this has been the most difficult year ever for VOM balloon launches into North Korea, and explain why North Korean defectors are such a significant part of reaching North Korea with the gospel message.

Finally, Dr. Foley will give very specific advice on how we can be in prayer for North Korean Christians.

Will you commit to pray for North Korea this week? Join us on VOM Radio and equip yourself to pray more knowledgeably for the “hermit kingdom.”

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George Verwer is the founder of Operation Mobilization; OM has mobilized more than 200,000 people to spread the gospel to the furthest parts of the world. Listen as George shares how he thinks about risk, and his challenge to Christian believers to refocus from comfort and convenience to serving the Lord.

George will share about OM workers he has known who’ve sacrificed everything for Christ, and also how he makes tough leadership decisions—including sending mission workers into dangerous places.

Verwer challenges each of us to be involved in sharing the gospel message and to focus more on the things of Christ than on the daily news or our social media feed.

He’ll also share about his early encounters with VOM’s founder, Richard Wurmbrand, and how George declined to use OM vehicles to smuggle Richard out of Romania.

Listen to OM co-founder Dale Rhoton on VOM Radio here and here. Current OM-USA President, Andrew Scott, has also been a guest on VOM Radio.

Purchase George's book, Messiology (affiliate link).

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What do our brothers and sisters in Central Asia face in walking out their faith in Christ? A hard path filled with loss and persecution—but also a path filled with joy! Aaron Miller oversees VOM’s work there, and he’s just back from meeting with and hearing the testimonies of our persecuted family there about how God’s Kingdom is advancing even in small steps, one conversation or one taxi ride at a time.

Listen to hear specific types of persecution that Christians in Central Asia face, and ways VOM is standing with them—and in some cases has stood with them for years.

You’ll meet Rebekah, whose husband was martyred for his faith years ago, and who now says that the hard path of losing her husband has opened the door for even greater ministry in her nation—especially to women who’ve experienced loss and hardship.

One of those Rebekah is ministering to is Rachel. Listen to hear why getting a driver’s license was a major accomplishment for Rachel—and how it is already improving her, and Rebekah’s, ability to minister for Christ.

Lydia is the widow of a pastor. Her family is trying to get her to marry a Muslim man. it's an offer she has repeatedly refused, even though in her culture it is very difficult for a single mother. Listen to hear specific ways you can pray for Lydia and her children—and what the support of Christians around the world has meant to her.

Hear the story of a second-grade boy boldly sharing about Jesus with classmates and friends—even though he lives in a restricted nation where such talk can lead to trouble.

You’ll hear about Caleb, who was so convicted after he came to faith in Christ that it changed the way he did his work—which ultimately cost him his job as a policeman. Listen to hear how God continues to meet his family’s needs, and how God let VOM play a role in their story—at exactly the right time.

Your faith will be encouraged and you’ll be equipped to pray for our brothers and sisters in Central Asia this week on VOM Radio.

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Brad Phillips shares an update on the current situation for Christians in Sudan, including persecution of Nuba Christians along the border with South Sudan. You’ll be inspired by the story of Morris, who paid the fine demanded from the Muslim who attacked his daughter. Morris saw an opportunity for the gospel instead of taking an opportunity for revenge or anger.

You’ll be challenged as you hear how the gospel is advancing in Sudan in spite of persecution and threats, and equipped to pray for our Sudanese family members as they boldly share the gospel.

You can hear Phillips’ previous visit on VOM Radio here.

Hear VOM staff member Petr Jasek share about his 14 months in prison in Sudan here.

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In the midst of his persecution, Dmitry “David” Shestakov remembered Christ on the cross, and determined in his heart that if Christ suffered willingly, David also would persevere through his time of suffering.

As a young man, David was a criminal and a drug user. His mother’s desperate prayer—even though she was an atheist—led to Shestakov surrendering his life to Christ. Once surrendered, he immediately began to tell others about Jesus. He knew, early on, that such witness would be costly.

Listen to hear how God used letters written by VOM readers on www.PrisonerAlert.com to bless and protect David while he was in prison in Uzbekistan—even saving him from being beaten by guards. You’ll also hear how the Uzbek government tried to add years to his sentence, but God miraculously moved and David was released, as he says, “like a Scripture came to life.”

David will also help us pray for Christians currently in prison, and for their family members.

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Joe Handley leads Asian Access, a ministry to train and equip church leaders—including many working in countries where Christians face persecution for their faith.

Listen as Joe shares the process used to train leaders, and the special challenges of raising up leaders prepared to endure and thrive in spite of persecution and hostility. Joe will also talk about how the principles taught translate across cultural boundaries from country to country, equipping leaders to boldly follow Christ and serve His people. Finally, Joe will equip us to pray for these leaders, as well as the ministry of Asian Access.

Don’t forget: the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is coming up November 4. Get free resources from VOM to help your church pray.

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Brother “Ali” says that the current situation in Iran is “chaos.” But he says God is using that chaos as “a perfect storm” to bring more Iranians to faith in Christ.

You’ll be encouraged by stories of how God is reaching Iranian people with His love—a love that can overcome depression, sickness and need, replacing chaos with the peace of God.

Listen as Ali shares the story in the Bible that inspires him to challenge Muslims to go to the mosque more often, and how he sees lives changed dramatically—often in a very short time—after an Iranian meets Jesus.

Ali will also talk about the blessings of persecution, how the fear and danger he faces each day shapes his spiritual walk, and how the church in Iran talks about suffering.

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“Brother Joel” is back to discuss current persecution in China and how the church there is responding. Joel speaks especially to the current status of Bible distribution in China, and why Chinese Christians need a new Bible every 3-5 years.

Joel will also tell how he and his wife personally think through and plan for the possibility they will receive “the gift of persecution,” and who inspired him to be involved in this sacrificial, dangerous ministry effort. Finally Joel will help us pray for the church in China, and for VOM’s work in that nation.

Listen here for a recent update on increasing persecution in China, and here for Brother Joel’s first-ever interview with VOM Radio.

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In Part 2 of our interview with Pastor Hassan Abduraheem Taour he shares how his heart remained upbeat, even as the judge pronounced him guilty and sentenced him to 12 years in prison. He’ll talk about how reading the Bible is different inside prison than when you’re free. Hassan says he experienced persecution as a blessing from God—a blessing that brought him to weep tears of joy. “It is really a privilege to be persecuted,” he says.

Your faith will be encouraged, and you’ll be challenged to pray for Sudan as you hear Pastor Hassan’s amazing testimony this week on VOM Radio.

Hear Part 1 of our conversation here.

Pastor Hassan was imprisoned with VOM’s Africa regional director, Petr Jasek. You can hear Petr’s side of the story here.

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Pastor Hassan Abduraheem Taour helped train Sudanese pastors to be ready for persecution. He didn’t know that he was also preparing himself for the day he’d be arrested in Sudan, charged with aiding espionage alongside VOM’s Africa regional director, Petr Jasek, and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

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Pastor Kumar is a part of the All India Christian Council, helping Christians all over India who face persecution and pressure for living out their faith in Christ. Listen as Kumar talks about how persecution in India is increasing, to the point that every day a Christians is facing persecution somewhere in India. What challenges will a Hindu who chooses to follow Jesus likely face?

Kumar will also share about so-called “anti-conversion” laws in India, and how they affect evangelism. He will share his own experience facing persecution and even death threats as he shared the gospel—and how he felt God’s hand in those moments. Finally, Kumar will equip all of us to pray for our brothers and sisters in India.

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Pastor John Cao has trained literally thousands of Chinese church leaders, including many who have taken the gospel to other parts of China and even across the border into other nations. In recent years Cao’s ministry has expanded to Myanmar, where he set up schools to minister to poor children from minority tribal groups. But his bold ministry in and out of China has not gone unnoticed by Chinese authorities. Today Pastor John sits in a Chinese prison, sentenced to serve seven years on the charge of “illegal border crossing.” Yet even in prison, he has found reasons to rejoice!

Dr. Bob Fu, the founder and president of China Aid Association, will share the story of his friend, Pastor John Cao, as well as update us on the state of the church in China and specific ways that we can pray this week for that nation and our brothers and sisters there.

Sign the petition on The White House web site, asking President Trump to intervene on behalf of Pastor John Cao.

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This weekend marks the launch of a new video-based curriculum to allow your family, Bible study group or Sunday School class to take an up-close look at the lives and faith of Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand. Our guests are Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs and one of the on-screen speakers in the video series, and John Grooters, the director of the video segments as well as of Tortured For Christ – The Movie. Listen as they describe the lessons from Richard and Sabina’s lives that most impacted them, and what they hope American Christians will draw out of this six-week study. We’ll also share how you can get a free DVD and digital download of Tortured For Christ – The Movie when you buy the curriculum video DVD and included group leader’s guide.

Watch the trailer and purchase WURMBRAND six-week video curriculum.

Listen to John Grooters share about the making of Tortured For Christ – The Movie in a previous episode of VOM Radio.

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Over the weekend of June 23-24, hundreds of Christians were killed and thousands displaced in attacks by jihadis from among the Fulani people in the Middle Belt of Nigeria. Listen as Brother Sean, VOM’s Africa regional director, shares an update from Christians recovering from those attacks and reports how VOM is directly helping more than 5,000 affected Christians.

Sean will provide some context for the ongoing violence in Nigeria, where more than 6,000 people—mostly Christians—have been killed in violent attacks this year. Sean will also report good news: God is at work among the Fulani people! Just in Nigeria, more than 35,000 Fulanis have left Islam behind to follow Jesus Christ. You’ll gain perspective and understanding to help you pray effectively for our Christian family in Nigeria this week on VOM Radio.

You can give online to provide help for injured and displaced Christians in Nigeria. You can also write a note of encouragement that VOM Will deliver to a Nigerian Christian.

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The first time “Kyung-ja” heard about God, it wasn’t from a missionary or on a gospel radio broadcast. She first heard about God from a female North Korean guard who was beating her!

Listen this week as our sister from North Korea shares about the suffering she faced in her homeland, suffering that led her to flee her country, but also eventually led her into relationship with Jesus Christ.

You’ll gain new understanding of the incredible oppression faced by North Korea’s people under the brutal regime of Kim Jong-un as you hear Kyung-ja’s story. You’ll also be inspired to pray many more North Koreans will find peace in Jesus Christ—peace that can’t be confiscated by their government.

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Last week we heard Gary Witherall talk about how God called him and his wife, Bonnie, to serve evangelizing Muslims in the Middle East. In this second part of our conversation, Gary describes the day his wife, Bonnie, was martyred in the clinic where she served Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Gary talks about hearing God’s voice in that time of grief, and making a conscious choice to forgive his wife’s killers, something he says today is “the greatest gift I’ve ever given anybody.” You’ll also hear about how God has brought fruit from Gary and Bonnie’s sacrifice, and how God is still using Gary today to share His love around the world as he continues to serve with Operation Mobilization. You can learn more about Gary’s story by reading his book, Total Abandon (affiliate link).

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Gary Witherall and his wife, Bonnie, heard God’s call to tell people in the Middle East about Jesus. They answered that call by moving to Lebanon, where they served with Operation Mobilization, building relationships with Lebanese people and Palestinian refugees—until the day Bonnie was martyred in the clinic where she served refugee women.

Listen as Gary shares about how God called them to the Middle East, what their work there was like and how each day of their ministry was unique. He’ll also share how things changed on 9-11, when Gary and Bonnie saw people all around them celebrating the murder of more than 3,000 Americans.

After the attacks, they found their life and ministry more difficult, but they never considered leaving. In fact, it was after 9-11 that Gary and Bonnie determined they would stay and serve the Lord—no matter the cost. “I think we were martyred on that day,” Gary says. You’ll be challenged as Gary asks the question: what do you love so much you’d be willing to die for it?

Be sure to join us next week on VOM Radio as Gary tells about the day Bonnie gave her life for Christ. You can learn more about Gary’s story by reading his book, Total Abandon (affiliate link).

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There have been significant changes in China this year, changes that greatly affect our Christian brothers and sisters and how they live out their faith. First, new “regulations on religion” took effect, attempting to give China’s communist government more control over church activities. Secondly, term limits were abolished for China’s President, allowing current leader Xi Jinping to lead the country for many more years.

Listen this week as Brother Blake and Brother Joel share what these changes mean for churches in China, and how Christians are responding to the changes to continue serving Christ in the face of communist oppression. Blake and Joel will also equip you to pray for China’s Christians during these days of increasing pressure.

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Bryson Vogeltanz works with Passion Ministries to call 18-25 year olds to a deeper walk with Christ, and to be involved with the work of God around the world. Listen as he shares how young people at a Passion Conference were challenged to help VOM deliver Scripture Balloons into North Korea, and how they overwhelmingly responded.

He’ll also talk about putting on a Passion event inside a predominantly-Muslim country, and how seeing young people answer Christ’s call has inspired his own faith and his pastoral work right here in the United States.

Finally, Bryson will challenge each of us to “tell Jesus stories” to those around us in order to draw others to Christ.

You can learn more about Passion events and register for Passion 2019 here.

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Ben Foley is the president of Serve Now, a ministry empowering churches and Christian leaders in many different countries to serve the Lord and to reach out with the Bible in one hand and a cup of cold water in the other.

Listen in as Ben shares about the work of Serve Now, and how God very specifically guided him into the ministry. He'll also share the first prayer request of Christians under threat of persecution in countries where Serve Now works, and it's not the one you're likely expecting.

Ben will also share how God gave him an opportunity for a very brief taste of persecution, and how he found God's grace sufficient, moment-by-moment, through that experience. The experience also showed him first-hand the difference it makes when the Body of Christ is praying for those facing persecution.

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Al Fadi is a former Wahabbi Muslim from Saudi Arabia. He says when he tells Saudi friends that he’s now a Christian, they say, “That’s impossible!” They don’t believe a Saudi Muslim would ever leave their religion to follow another faith.

But Al Fadi did leave Islam behind when he encountered followers of Christ during university studies in the United States. Listen as Al Fadi shares how his heart was changed as he met and watched true followers of Christ. “If their holy book is corrupted,” he asked himself, “how is it that the followers of that book are so different?”

He’ll also share about how his family responded to the “shame” of having a family member choose to follow Christ. You’ll be encouraged by Al Fadi’s testimony, and inspired and equipped to reach out to Muslims you know with the love of Jesus.

Connect with Al Fadi's ministry online.

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Rebecca George is the principal writer for VOM’s new book: WURMBRAND: Tortured For Christ the Complete Story. Listen this week as she shares how she went about researching the lives of Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, the founders of The Voice of the Martyrs. Rebecca will tell us what her writing process is like, and why she felt the need to start the story by telling about the Wurmbrand’s life before Christ—to show the difference that Christ made. She’ll talk about wrestling with how many details of the Wurmbrands’ terrible suffering to include, and how her own walk with Christ was impacted by the example of Richard and Sabina. Finally, Rebecca will give us a preview of the project she’s working on now: the story of another imprisoned Christian. Order your copy of WURMBRAND here.

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This weekend marks Father’s Day, and our guest is Phil Nettleton, long-time missionary and father of VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton. Listen as Phil shares about how God called him into missionary service, about the challenges missionaries face on the field and specific ways that you can pray for missionaries that you know or that your church is sending. He’ll also share how God makes each place a Christian serves and each season of ministry a “favorite.” Phil will talk about learning the power of going into a different culture as a learner instead of an expert. Finally, Phil will talk about serving the Lord in the seasons of life after “retirement”—a word he reminds us is not mentioned in the Bible.

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Scott Brawner leads Concilium, an organization which provides safety, security and crisis-management training to missions, churches and ministries working in the U.S. and around the world. Listen this week as he shares thoughts on answering the need for those called to be gospel workers to be aware and intelligent about security and safety while still honoring the higher call of Jesus to take the gospel message to every nation—even the dangerous ones. Scott will talk about first steps if you are feeling called into mission service, and also share how he is involved in training and inspiring young people into missions through the Fusion Program, which includes both US training and overseas deployment and offers students college credits for the experience.

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Sam Brownback serves as the United States Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, leading the State Department’s efforts to promote religious freedom and the protection of religious minorities around the world.

Listen this week as he shares about how religious freedom serves as a foundation for many other freedoms, and which countries he sees moving the wrong direction on the issue. He’ll also share how his own faith motivates his work, and stories of both success and failure in his decades of work on behalf of persecuted religious minorities.

Finally, Ambassador Brownback shares how we can pray for him and other of our government officials working on behalf of persecuted Christians around the world, and reminds us that our prayers and our actions really do make a difference.

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Manfred Mueller leads Hilfsaktion Martyrerkirche (HMK), The Voice of the Martyrs’ sister mission in Germany. Listen as he shares about the early days of HMK’s work in Germany, including the rejection of the message of Richard Wurmbrand when he first came out from behind the Iron Curtain.

Manfred also recalls his own childhood, when his parents and grandparents were involved in delivering Bibles into communist nations. Manfred will also share inspiring stories from persecuted Christians he has met during his years of service at HMK and how those stories are impacting the way he lives out his own faith in Christ.

Finally, Manfred will discuss how having hundreds of thousands of Muslim immigrants and refugees has impacted life in Europe, and how the church there is responding to “the biggest opportunity for missions our country has seen in decades.”

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Sister Amber spent more than a decade in Tibet, providing vocational training to the people and sharing the gospel message of Christ’s love. She felt God's call especially to work among Tibet's nomadic tribal people, who jokingly call themselves "the roof on the roof of the world." Amber watched as God brought about a great ministry breakthrough: people who'd been totally closed to her message were now asking to learn more about Jesus. But just days after the breakthrough Amber experienced persecution as police came pounding on her door. Listen as she tells the story. You'll hear how God ministered to her in the hardest moments of her suffering. You'll hear how she was eventually released, and the way God showed her that her persecution wasn't the end of the story. You'll also hear how God laid on the hearts of people around the world to pray for Amber, including one who drew a picture of Amber surrounded by policemen in the interrogation room. Months later, when Amber saw the picture, it matched exactly the setting of her interrogation, but also offered a ray of spiritual hope. Your faith will be challenged as you hear Amber's thoughts on what the New Testament calls the "honor" of being persecuted, and she’ll give first-hand advice on how we can pray for Christians in prison right now.

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“Brother Steven” is a church leader from the nation of Uganda, a country where more than 80% of the people identify themselves as Christians but where some areas are almost entirely Muslim and even pushing for Sharia law. Steven says Muslims in the country have an aggressive strategy to recruit Christians to convert to Islam, and he’ll share how Christians are responding. Church leaders are working to strengthen and deepen the faith of Uganda’s Christians, while also seeking to reach out to Muslims with the gospel message of Christ’s love. Listen to become more informed and learn how you can pray for the church in Uganda this week on VOM Radio.

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Brother Harold has lived and ministered in Central Asia more than 15 years, serving among Muslims and seeing the challenges faced by those who choose to leave Islam and follow Christ. Listen this week as he challenges American believers to be more committed and more involved in gospel efforts to reach the unreached. Harold will share some of the challenges mission workers are facing around the world, including the sometimes-discouraging work of planting seeds of the gospel into hard, rocky soil where Jesus’ name has never been preached. Harold will equip us to pray better for the people of Central Asia, and for gospel workers serving in missions around the world.

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Sister Sahar was born into a Muslim family in Saudi Arabia. When she came to the U.S. to attend university, a Christian friend shared the love of Christ and a Bible with her, and Sahar came to realize that Jesus was more than a prophet—He is the Son of God. But choosing to follow Christ came with a price: Sahar’s mom refused to speak to her for months after finding out that she was a Christian. Today, Sahar works to share Jesus’ love with other Muslim women in the Middle East through a ministry called Unveiling Beauty (www.UnveilingBeauty.org), and the joy in her life is one of the things God uses to show Muslim women how following Jesus is so very different from following Muhammed. Sahar will encourage listeners to reach out with love to Muslims right around us, and instruct on specific ways to pray for the nation of Saudi Arabia.

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Brother Hamid from Iran is back on VOM Radio to finish telling the story of his conversion to Christ, and the persecution he faced in Iran after choosing to leave Islam. Hamid shares that, even as military officials were persecuting and beating him, the Holy Spirit reminded him to love them and care for their eternal souls. Hamid will also discuss how open Iranian people are to the love of Christ—both Iranians in Iran and those in other nations around the world, and how American Christians can participate in sharing the gospel with Muslims. If you missed Part 1 of Hamid’s story, listen to it here. Tune in also to hear thoughts from Dan Baumann, who shared the story of his arrest in Iran last month on VOM Radio, about reaching out to Muslims here in the United States, and his thoughts and advice for those feeling a call into missions.

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On Monday, April 16, American pastor Andrew Brunson will begin his trial in a Turkish court room. He’s charged with espionage and terrorism, and a guilty verdict could carry a 35 year prison sentence. Andrew and Norine Brunson have served the people of Turkey for 23 years. This week on VOM Radio, their daughter Jacqueline shares about her dad’s arrest and how he’s doing as he awaits the opening of the trial. Jacqueline and her siblings were raised in Turkey and consider it home. Listen as she shares about her parents’ love for the Turkish people and culture, and how the family has seen God’s sovereign hand at work, even in the midst of this challenging ordeal. Finally, Jacqueline will give us specific ways to pray for Andrew, Norine and others involved as the trial begins Monday, and how we can pray for the wider Body of Christ in Turkey. Please share this conversation with other Christian friends to encourage them to pray as Andrew’s trial begins on Monday.

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Hamid was born into a Muslim family in Iran. As a computer science student, he regularly visited different online chat rooms. One day he saw a chat room called “God is Love.” Hamid was intrigued, because the god he knew in Islam was not love. Christians in the chat room encouraged Hamid to read the Bible, and he began to do so. Soon he was convinced that the God of the Bible is the true God, and that Jesus was the Son of God. But following Jesus in Iran comes with a cost. First, Hamid’s own family turned against him. Then, during his mandatory military service, officers pressured him daily to denounce his faith. But Hamid refused to compromise or deny Christ, even as he was sent far from home. His attitude was simple: If God allowed me to be sent here, there must be someone here He wants me to share Jesus with! Be inspired by Hamid’s faith and faithfulness this week on VOM Radio.

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One of the countries that most dominates our U.S. news cycle is North Korea. “Mrs. Kim” was born and raised in the “Hermit Kingdom.” Listen as she shares how she learned that hers was a Christian family, and how she had to keep that secret to avoid government pressure and even arrest. She’ll share how she committed her life to Christ, how she escaped from North Korea—multiple times—and paid the price when she was recaptured and sent back. You’ll also hear how Mrs. Kim’s son was recaptured, and her heartbreak as she doesn’t know today if he’s alive or dead. Be inspired to pray for North Korea this week as you hear Mrs. Kim’s amazing story.

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Listen this week to the second half of our conversation with Dan Baumann, who was imprisoned on a trip to Iran and regularly beaten by guards. You’ll hear how Dan saw the heart of his tormentor changed by the love of God, and how he found out he’d be released—exactly on the schedule God had revealed to him on the day of his arrest. Dan will also share how God gave him experiences that have kept his heart soft towards the Iranian people, and practical advice on how we can pray for Christians in prison for their faith today. Dan will also talk about the unique prayer that his mother prayed right after his arrest in Iran. If you missed Part I of our interview with Dan, you can listen to it here. After you listen to this week’s episode, order a copy of the book which tells the story of Dan’s experiences in Iran, Cell 58 (affiliate link), and learn more about his ministry, YWAM.

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Dan Baumann was living in Central Asia when he and a friend decided to make a Christmas-break visit to Iran. They experienced the warm welcome of the Persian people and culture, right up to the point where they tried to cross the border and exit the country. Passports were confiscated, and Dan found himself in a jail cell, interrogated harshly and beaten regularly.

Dan experienced the depth of depression in prison, even making a plan to “escape” a long prison sentence by taking his own life. But God was still there, and Dan found Him to be faithful to show His amazing love, even in prison.

God also taught Dan a great deal about loving our enemies, a difficult challenge when your enemies are literally beating you each day. Hear about that life-changing lesson this week on VOM Radio, and be back next week to hear the conclusion of our interview with Dan Baumann.

After you listen to this week’s episode, order a copy of the book which tells the story of Dan’s experiences in Iran, Cell 58 (affiliate link), and learn more about his ministry, YWAM.

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“I was willing to die [for Christ]. But the only thing that happened to me was I got tortured for seven years....” Listen this week as Brad Phillips shares how he was inspired by these words of thankfulness from a bold Sudanese believer who suffered greatly for the gospel message. Brad leads Persecution Project Foundation, VOM’s project partner serving Christians from Sudan. In Brad’s years of ministry in Sudan, he’s met countless brave Christians who have suffered for the gospel, and his own faith has been inspired by their faithfulness to Christ under extreme suffering. Brad will share some of their stories this week, as well as ways that The Voice of the Martyrs is standing with and supporting our brothers and sisters in Sudan. As Brad and Todd discuss this week, one of the ways you can help Christians in Sudan (and other nations) is by providing a VOM Action Pack.

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One year ago Petr Jasek walked out of a Sudanese prison, a free man after 445 days as a prisoner of the government of Sudan. Listen as Petr—who served as VOM’s regional director for ministry in Africa—shares what God has done and taught since Petr’s release, including the release of the Sudanese men who were on trial with Petr and the emotion of being reunited with them. Listen also for further discussion of Petr’s time in prison, how God moved and how Petr coped with the stress and the persecution he faced in the prison. Petr will also talk about how he and his family prepared ahead of time for the possibility of his arrest, and how his story has impacted Christians in his native Czech Republic. Right after his release, Petr shared the full story of his arrest and time in prison, including sharing his first prison cell with ISIS fighters. You can listen to those interviews here: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

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Dan Brokke is the president of Bethany International (www.BethanyInternational.org), an organization with the goal of “Taking the church to where it is not, and helping others do the same.” Listen as Dan shares how Bethany set the goal of engaging with 500 unreached, unengaged people groups by 2020. He’ll share where they are in that process, and how the organization trains workers to go to the hard places of the earth and take the gospel places where people have never before heard the name of Jesus. He’ll also share stories from some of the places where the gospel has broken out like a wildfire, with hundreds and even thousands of people making the decision to follow Christ. Finally, Dan will help us think about how to pray for workers going out to these fields—with prayer concepts right from the Scripture—and pray for other missionaries we know and support.

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Dr. Hormoz Shariat, the president and founder of Iran Alive Ministries, has been called “The Billy Graham of Iran” by author Joel Rosenberg. Millions of Iranians refer to Shariat as, “my pastor” as he speaks to them in their living rooms each evening through satellite television. In recent months, protests broke out all over Iran; people marched in the streets against their Islamic government. Dr. Hormoz will help us understand what the protests mean, and he’ll share how he encouraged Christians in Iran to use the protests as an opportunity to share the gospel, and how they saw new hearts come to Christ. Gain a better understanding of the nation of Iran, and specific ways that you can pray for Christian believers and Muslims there, this week on VOM Radio.

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Tom and JoAnn Doyle have been married almost 38 years, and God has used their marriage to draw others to Christ in the United States and even in the Middle East. Listen in as they share how they’ve seen God use their marriage. They’ll tell you what Muslims see as different about a Christian marriage and how they have worked to balance God’s call to ministry and marriage in order to be successful at both. Tom and JoAnn will also share some real-life examples of how they’ve dealt with conflict, and give specific advice for different stages of your marriage. As we approach Valentine’s Day next week, spend a half hour thinking about marriage as ministry, and pray that God will use your marriage to bring others to Christ.

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John Grooters is the director of a new movie portraying the story of VOM's founders, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, the story told by Richard in his best-selling book, Tortured For Christ.

Listen this week as John talks about turning this iconic book into a film, including the challenge of portraying Richard’s suffering in an appropriate way. John will also share how God’s hand was on the production, including snowfall and sunshine in Romania that miraculously cooperated with the filming schedule and how He led John to just the right song for the film—a song written by a Christian cellmate of Richard Wurmbrand in prison!

You’ll hear how Richard’s faith has impacted John as he studied the story and created the film, and how he hopes it will also impact the faith of the viewers, including ending the movie not with a scene of suffering but a scene of American Christians worshipping the Lord.

Learn more about the film, and order the DVD, at www.TorturedForChrist.com, and hear VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, as a guest on John’s podcast, “No Shame,” by clicking here.

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Episode Summary: Join us this week as we get to know Cole Richards, who has served more than a decade at VOM and in January stepped into the role as President and CEO of the organization. Cole will share about how God called him to missions work and share about some of the persecuted Christians he’s met who have inspired his own faith walk, and how VOM plays a unique role within the wider missions community. Cole will also give listeners an early look at some of the exciting opportunities VOM will pursue in the coming year, including a new book and movie telling the story of Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM’s founders, and an important effort to bless and minister to more than 1,000 widows in Nigeria. Cole opens up about the impact he hopes the stories of our persecuted brothers and sisters will have on American Christians—including VOM Radio listeners—to inspire them to live more boldly for Christ right where they are. Finally, he’ll share advice on how to pray for persecuted Christians, including how he makes his prayers for our persecuted family personal. If you live in the United States and do not receive VOM’s free monthly newsletter, sign up here.

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For years, Helen Berhane read Scriptures about forgiving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. But during long months as a prisoner in Eritrea—including long stretches locked in a metal shipping container—Helen got to see those Scriptures come to life in her own spirit and actions.

In this second half of our conversation, she shares how she found that in the fires of intense persecution she was able to forgive and even love her persecutors. She’ll also share what it meant to know that other Christians around the world were praying for her and writing letters on her behalf, and how God’s Word powerfully impacted her as she read it while in prison.

After hearing how much Christians writing letters made a difference for Helen, you’ll want to write letters to Christians currently in prison in Eritrea. Finally, Helen will encourage us with ways we can pray for Eritrea—both for our brothers and sisters in prison there and for government leaders in the country who are persecuting our Christian family.

If you missed Part 1 of our conversation with Helen, you can listen to it here.

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Helen Berhane was a well-known worship leader and gospel singer in the churches of Eritrea when the government outlawed evangelical churches. In one week these churches went from meeting openly in large public services to being underground, meeting in homes and hiding from police.

In the midst of that crackdown, Helen was arrested, beaten and put in prison. Listen as Helen shares how she prepared her heart, ahead of time, for the days when she would face persecution.

She’ll talk about the Scriptures she drew strength from, and how she was able to keep singing praise to God, even as her suffering increased. Listen to how she experienced God’s amazing presence, even locked inside a metal shipping container for many months.

Listen also to Part 2 of our conversation with Helen.

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Jim Dau served at VOM for 18 years, including in recent years as VOM’s President and CEO. Join VOM Radio this week to hear about Jim’s recent visit to persecuted Christians in Myanmar (Burma), including a family that faced intense persecution just days after coming to faith in Christ. Jim will also look back on some of the Christians that impacted him during his service at VOM, and some of the spiritual qualities he’s seen in these brothers and sisters that inspired his own faith. He’ll share how he prays for our persecuted family members, and how he and his wife, Peggy, have been intentional to share the stories of persecuted Christians with their grandchildren to inspire their commitment to Christ, using VOM resources like The Torchlighters and I Am N videos. If you live in the U.S. and do not receive VOM’s free monthly newsletter, sign up at persecution.com.

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MovingMomentsof2017Part2 by The Voice of the Martyrs

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This week we begin a look back at some of the most memorable moments on VOM Radio in 2017. Hear Petr Jasek share how, after he was arrested in Sudan and put into a prison cell, he realized God had been preparing him for that moment, and had even shown him the prison cell door in a dream. Brother David will share how when police showed up to arrest him in Turkey, he was excited that God must have big plans for ministry in store. Dr. Andrew says when he was arrested, he was terrified. Being afraid isn’t the problem, he says, as long as you aren’t controlled by that fear but instead are controlled by the reality of Who God is. David Shestakov shares what it meant to receive letters from Christians around the world while he was imprisoned in Uzbekistan. Sister Leanna shares how God called her out of a career training horses to share His love in India. And finally we’ll share a miracle story of a Bible delivery to Christians inside Syria—a story that will inspire you with how God’s hand is still at work in the Middle East today. Use the search feature at www.VOMRadio.net to hear the entire conversations with each of these guests.

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Loren Cunningham, the founder of Youth With a Mission (https://ywam.org/), is back with us this week on VOM Radio, fresh off of a visit to the nation of Nigeria. Listen as he shares why Nigeria is such a strategic nation in reaching Africa for Christ. God is working to bring people to Christ in Nigeria—including militants violently opposed to the gospel—and He’s using YWAM workers in powerful ways to build His Kingdom in that nation. Cunningham will also share advice for those seeking God’s will for their lives, advice that grows out of his decades of working with God around the world and sending out more than five million gospel workers. Finally, he’ll equip listeners with specific ways to pray for Nigeria right now. You can hear Loren’s previous conversations with VOM Radio https://secure.persecution.com/radio/default.aspx?pdid=6834 and https://secure.persecution.com/radio/default.aspx?pdid=6837. And order a copy of Loren’s latest book, End Bible Poverty Now http://amzn.to/2yteYnl (affiliate link).

We Can End Bible Poverty Now: A Challenge to Spread the Word of God Globally

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Edward Ayub is back to continue our conversation about gospel work and persecution in Bangladesh. Listen as he shares about a training center where Christians, Muslims and followers of other faiths come together to study the different religions. Edward shares how some Muslims who come to the center find that Jesus offers answers to questions of their heart that Islam has no answers for. He also gives advice for American Christians who want to reach out to Muslims, saying that Muslims appreciate a direct approach that openly presents the gospel. Finally, he equips listeners to pray effectively for Bangladesh and the church there. You can give online to help support front-line gospel workers in Bangladesh and other nations where they face persecution for sharing the gospel. If you missed the first half of our interview with Edward, you can listen to it here.

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Edward Ayub grew up in a Muslim family, and aspired to be “one of the best Muslims.” When a Christian came to witness to Ayub during the Ramadan fast, Ayub was deeply offended. He gathered some friends and beat the Christian badly. When the Christian came back days later, Ayub was sure he was seeking revenge. Instead, that Christian forgave his attackers and continued to befriend Ayub. That response—forgiveness—forced Ayub to look more deeply at the teachings of Islam, and he found that the gospel of Christ answered questions Islam had no answer for. When Ayub chose to leave Islam behind and follow Christ, his village and even his own family turned against him. Listen to his amazing story, and hear how Christians in Bangladesh are facing persecution today, this week on VOM Radio. For more inspiring stories of brothers and sisters who are willing to face persecution rather than turn their back on Christ, subscribe to VOM’s free monthly newsletter at persecution.com

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Cuban pastors go to church each week knowing government spies are planted among their congregation, people wanting to collect evidence to get the pastor arrested. It’s just one of many ways the Cuban government brings constant pressure against the church.

Listen in as Jonathan Ekman, VOM’s Vice President for International Ministry, shares stories from a recent visit to Cuba and the believers he met there and how they inspired his faith.

Believers in Cuba willingly pay a high price for following Christ and building His church—a price that extends to their children as well. You’ll be inspired by their faithfulness, and inspired to pray for Christians in Cuba by this conversation.

You can give online to support VOM’s work in Cuba and other nations through a gift to support Front Line Ministry at https://vomradio.net/donate.

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The family in Myanmar had recently come to Christ when they were called to the monastery to stand before the entire community and a gathering of Buddhist monks. The monks explained that there was no room for Christians in that area. If the family wouldn’t denounce their new faith and return to Buddhism, then their safety couldn’t be guaranteed. Boldly, the family said that, whatever the cost, they would keep following Jesus. Within 48 hours, the high cost of their stand for Christ became clear. Listen as Brother John shares this amazing story and more stories of how God is at work in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). John will also share how “Tortured For Christ,” written by VOM’s founder, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, inspired him in his walk of faith and in his ministry for the Lord. Your faith will be inspired as you hear how Christians in Myanmar are advancing the gospel in spite of opposition. (You can give online to VOM’s Front-Line Ministry Fund, which provides financial help for Front Line gospel workers like John and those he leads, including things like pigs and motorcycles that he talks about in this episode.)

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North Korea is heavily featured in current news, especially as U.S. President Donald Trump visits Asia. This week on VOM Radio we’ll look behind the headlines with Dr. Eric Foley, the President of VOM-Korea who oversees VOM work to encourage Christians inside North Korea and to reach North Koreans with the gospel message of Christ—North Koreans living inside North Korea and those living in other nations. Why does Dr. Foley consider North Korea to be the most religious nation on earth? What has changed in recent months that has dramatically cut the flow of North Korean people across the border into China? And how are North Koreans responding to the gospel message of salvation through Christ instead of the propaganda of the brutal Kim regime? You’ll have greater understanding and greater ability to pray effectively for North Korea after this week’s episode of VOM Radio. Learn more about the history of the church in North Korea by reading RESTRICTED NATIONS: North Korea, written by VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton.

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Our guest this week says there is a special spiritual window open right now in a place you might not expect: The Islamic Republic of Iran. “Ali” is a gospel worker in that country with amazing testimonies of how God is at work inside Iran right now, showing off His power and bringing Iranians into fellowship with Jesus. Ali will challenge us with the difference between a convert and a disciple and share stories of how Christ is making disciples—followers willing to face persecution—inside Iran. You’ll be inspired and challenged to take small steps of obedience in your own faith walk. Ali will also share ways American Christians can reach out to Muslims right here in our country. Learn more about Ali’s ministry at http://catalyticministries.com.

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Isaac Six has worked on the issue of religious freedom in Washington DC for years, and currently serves at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (www.uscirf.gov). At age 16 he got first-hand experience being detained in a restricted nation. “It’s almost impossible not to be changed,” he says, when a Christian encounters the incredible examples of our persecuted brothers and sisters who stand boldly for Christ in spite of persecution and suffering. Isaac will help us understand the purpose and function of the USCIRF and how it works within the U.S. government, and with other nations, to promote religious freedom. He’ll share examples of when U.S. involvement has positively impacted a persecution case, and examples of when it hasn’t been as effective in bringing about change. Finally, Isaac will equip listeners to pray specifically for Christians serving in U.S. government roles in these challenging days.our interview that did not air as part of the radio broadcast version of this week’s episode.)

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YWAM Frontier Missions (www.YWAMFM.com) is sending gospel workers to unreached peoples around the world, including many nations where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Listen as leaders from YWAM discuss the places where they see God working mightily today, and describe how they train church planters to thrive in hostile regions. They’ll talk about the most important quality they look for in gospel workers, a tenacity that will hang onto their faith and their calling in spite of hardship or persecution. Brian and Louise Hogan will share some of their story of planting a church in Mongolia (you can hear their full story here and here), and how that shapes the way they train church planters today. Kevin (who previously appeared on VOM Radio here) will share about how gospel workers take the training YWAM gives them and translate it into their specific cultural setting to meet the needs of the people where God has called them. (This extended online episode contains bonus portions of our interview that did not air as part of the radio broadcast version of this week’s episode.)

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Dr. Carl Moeller is the CEO of Biblica: The International Bible Society, helping deliver God’s Word to people all over the world. Biblica is one of the organizations VOM partners with in delivering the Scriptures into hostile and restricted nations. Listen in as Dr. Moeller discusses Bible delivery into countries where Christians are persecuted, what it means to Christians in those countries to have their own copy of God’s Word, and the ways that persecuted Christians have inspired him to take his own walk of faith with Christ to a deeper level.

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“Whenever I read the Scripture, it’s full of persecution.” For Dr. Berhane, a Christian from Eritrea, persecution is not only in Scripture, it’s also a part of his personal story. He spent 11 months in prison for his faith in Christ. But even in prison he saw God’s hand at work and found opportunities to witness to others. Listen as he shares about how prison guards would come and read the names of prisoners to be executed that day, with each prisoner wondering if that day was the day their name would be on the list. Yet in the midst of suffering and executions, Dr. Berhane says he experienced an inner peace through the presence of Jesus Christ. Today, he is a voice for persecuted Christians in Eritrea, and says there is more freedom for Christians to worship inside Eritrean prisons than there is for Christians outside of prison. Be inspired as he shares his own story, and equips us to pray for Christians currently imprisoned in Eritrea, this week on VOM Radio.

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Petr Jasek, VOM’s Africa Regional Director, was visiting persecuted Christians in Sudan and assessing how VOM could best help believers there. But instead of flying home from the trip, he was detained at the airport in Khartoum. Listen as Petr shares highlights from his story, which is also told in the October issue—the 50th Anniversary Edition—of VOM’s free monthly newsletter. Listen as Petr shares about his first night in a jail cell, how God had uniquely prepared him with a dream and how he discovered that his cell mates were radical Muslim ISIS fighters. Hear how God used a Sudanese guard to save Petr’s life, and how God revealed that He had a purpose for Petr’s imprisonment, a purpose so great that Petr stopped praying for his release. Petr also shares how he learned to wait upon the Lord during 445 days in prison, and how he experienced God’s deepest peace in the times of his most intense persecution. To hear Petr share the entire story of his arrest, imprisonment and eventual release, click here.

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What might God do if you made the commitment to pray every day for a specific country? What doors might He open? Two decades ago Peter Smith and his wife were challenged to adopt a country and specifically pray every day for God’s Spirit to move in that country. The country God led them to was the Islamic Republic of Iran. Listen to hear how Peter and his wife began to pray, how God opened the door for him to visit Iran, and how his family has reached out to Persian people living in the United States. In the 20 years since Peter and his family began to pray, God has opened amazing doors for them to impact Iranian people for Christ. As you listen this week, you’ll be challenged to make the same decision Peter and his family made all those years ago: to adopt a country and specifically pray every day for the people in that country. Who knows the doors God will open in your life to minister for Him to the people you’re praying for?

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UGANDA: We Stand With the Church by The Voice of the Martyrs

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Brother Jack and Brother Sean just returned from Northern Nigeria, an area where it’s very dangerous to be a Christian; an area where radical Islamic group Boko Haram is active.

“You can’t be a pastor, you can’t be a believer, without Boko Haram knowing who you are in these areas,” says Jack. Christians in the area have seen their homes and churches targeted, while Muslim homes even right next door aren’t bothered in Boko Haram attacks.

Jack and Sean will also share about persecution by Fulani Muslims in Nigeria, and how that persecution is coordinated with Boko Haram attacks.

In the midst of what is often a war zone, brave Christian pastors are boldly ministering for Jesus Christ and building His church. Often times they must send their families to someplace safer while they continue to minister in the hostile areas. Yet without their bold faithfulness, thousands of Christians would lose their pastors.

Listen to how these pastors’ sermons have been changed by their personal experience with persecution. Be encouraged this week by the stories of how the Body of Christ is standing firm in Nigeria, even amidst tragedy, loss and hunger. You’ll also be equipped, as you listen, to pray specifically for our brothers and sisters in Nigeria.

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The first time “Brother Dan” travelled to India was on a mission trip 25 years ago. With one visit to this vast country, he was hooked! Six years ago, Dan moved to India full time, working to share the gospel and strengthen the church. Listen this week as Dan shares how God is at work in India, including performing miracles that show He is more powerful than any of the millions of gods Hindus follow. Dan will also share some of the challenges our Indian brothers and sisters are facing, and what persecution looks like for an Indian who leaves Hinduism to follow Jesus. Finally, he’ll equip each of us with ways we can pray for Indian Christians, and for their nation.

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When “Brother David” told his Tibetan Buddhist family that he had left Buddhism and was following Jesus Christ, they kicked him out of the family. They wouldn’t even let him take his suitcase with him!

But God provided for David, not only to survive but to attend Bible school and become a bold evangelist and church leader. Listen as David shares his story, and how God has allowed him to minister over the years, including sending a Bible to the Dalai Lama.

Hear how he is training evangelists to work all over South Asia and discipling more Christians to spread the gospel message of Jesus’ love. He’ll also share how you can help lead Buddhists to Jesus, and help you pray effectively for Christians in Tibet and the surrounding nations.

(If you missed Part 1 of our conversation with David, listen to it here.)

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“Brother David” was born into a Tibetan Buddhist family. He was even chosen for special training by the Dalai Lama.

Yet even as he learned more about Buddhism, he was filled with darkness and says he was a man who “never had peace.” But he saw something different—light—in his roommate, a man he didn’t know at that time was a Christian. David asked him why he was different.

Before that conversation, David had never heard the word Christian, and had no idea who Jesus was. Invited to a Christian meeting, David committed to following Jesus Christ and his life was forever changed.

Listen as David shares his amazing testimony of coming to know Christ, how he grew deeper in his Christian walk, and how his community and even his own family responded to his decision to follow Jesus Christ.

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Just weeks after coming to faith in Christ, Pastor Pierre read Richard Wurmbrand’s book, Tortured for Christ. The book helped him understand, even as a young Christian, that following Christ “is not a cheap path.”

Today, Pierre is a pastor and church leader in Lebanon, a nation facing the challenge of caring for two million refugees from neighboring Syria.

Listen as Pastor Pierre shares about his own walk of faith, why he and his wife chose to name their daughter after a martyr, and how Christians in Lebanon are responding to the flood of Muslim refugees in their nation. Pastor Pierre will also talk about witnessing to Muslims, and he’ll share how he has found that blessings come out of persecution.

Learn more about Bonnie Witherall, the martyr for whom Pastor Pierre and his wife named their daughter, in FOXE: Voices of the Martyrs, and in this interview with her husband, Gary.

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“Aaron” is living and ministering among Muslims in North Africa. As he has lived and worked among his Muslim friends, many of whom are very religious, God has challenged Aaron to be sure that what he is pointing these Muslims toward is Jesus Christ, and not just a culture or a new list of rules different from the rules they are following under Islam.

Those who answer the call to follow Jesus are often ostracized by their families and unable to find work, yet they willingly sacrifice to follow the Savior they’ve met. Listen to Aaron challenge us as Christians in the United States to point Muslims here to Jesus Christ, and to pray for the advance of God’s Kingdom in North Africa.

Aaron’s path to serving in overseas ministry began very young. As a child Aaron was inspired by stories of Christians standing boldly for Christ in spite of hardship and persecution. You can share inspiring stories with your children through the Torchlighters DVDs from The Voice of the Martyrs.

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The Bible distribution team in Pakistan was robbed at gunpoint. A team member was hit with a rifle butt. Their money was stolen, along with their phones and everything else of value. But later, the bandits were arrested and taken to court, facing years in prison. Bible team members were asked to testify, and what they said in open court shocked the judge, the lawyers and the entire courtroom. Listen to VOM Radio this week to hear that story from Faisal and Carrie, who are part of Grace Bible Church of Pakistan.

Pakistan is 98% Muslim, but Faisal and Carrie say it’s “the perfect place” to share the gospel, because the need for the gospel is so great. They are showing the light of Christ in Pakistan through ministry to children in a school and through leadership development training for pastors and church leaders, in addition to Bible distribution work. Learn more about their ministry in Pakistan, and how you can reach out to Muslims in the United States, this week on VOM Radio.

The first part of the story of the Bible team in Pakistan was told in VOM’s April, 2017 newsletter. Sign up to receive VOM’s free monthly newsletter here. Give online to support Bible distribution in Pakistan and other restricted nations here.

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Growing up the home of missionary parents in Ecuador, Gene Jordan has always known the story of five men—Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian—who gave their lives in the jungle to reach an isolated Indian tribe. But for Gene, it wasn’t a far-off story. The five martyrs and their surviving families were close friends of Gene’s parents. One of Gene’s prized possessions is a picture of him, age 2, standing with Saint in front of the famous, yellow Piper Cub airplane later shredded by spears on the riverbank. As a teen, Gene helped Mission Aviation Fellowship pilots wash their airplanes and clean up the hangar, always hoping for an empty seat on the next flight. As an adult, Gene became one of those pilots and was sent back to Ecuador to follow in the footsteps of “Uncle Nate.” Listen as he shares reflections on a life serving in missions, and the difference the gospel makes in the hearts of individuals, and even entire villages, as the people find in Jesus a reason to live.

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Patrick Klein has carried Bibles into hostile and restricted nations all over the world. He’s been warned many times to STOP. But he continues, answering the call of God and leading teams taking the Word of God into some of the world’s hardest-to-reach places.

Patrick is the founder and president of Vision Beyond Borders, and he’ll inspire you to think about how you value your own Bible as he shares how Christians in hostile and restricted nations treasure the Word of God, sometimes risking their lives to own or keep a copy.

Patrick will also share how God called him into this work—in a bathroom in China—and tell inspiring stories of how God has closed the eyes of customs agents and border guards to make a way for Bibles to get through. What greater gift can we give someone, Patrick asks, than the Word of God?

Visit the Vision Beyond Borders web site.

Give online to support VOM’s Bible distribution efforts through The Bibles to Captive Nations Fund.

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Martin and Gracia Burnham were serving as missionaries in the Philippines, where Martin was a pilot with New Tribes Mission. The couple went away for a few days together to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Those few days turned into more than a year in the jungle when they were kidnapped by radical Muslim terrorists. Listen as Gracia tells how she wrestled with God and even with her own faith during those dark days of captivity, and how she experienced the prayers of God’s people, even as Martin was killed during a rescue attempt. Gracia bears witness to God’s faithfulness to the Burnhams and their children, and she gives an update on how God continues to work in the hearts of the terrorists that held them hostage. Her story will inspire you to find ways to glorify God, regardless of what challenges you may be facing. Find a VOM Advance Conference where Gracia will be speaking, and purchase Gracia's book, In the Presence of My Enemies, at VOM Books.

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“Dr. Andrew” returns this week to share more about what God is doing in the Middle East, including the openness of Muslims to talk about faith and hear the gospel. He’ll also share the consequences that come to those who leave Islam and follow Christ—including a first-hand story of a wealthy man who gave up everything, including his daughter, to follow Jesus. Dr. Andrew will also update us on the effect on Christians of the upheaval and war in Yemen, and ways we can pray for them. He’ll advise listeners on practical ways to start talking to Muslims in our sphere of influence about Jesus—beginning with a call for Christians to know our Bibles more deeply! You’ll be challenged to reach out and equipped to pray more effectively this week on VOM Radio.

The two resources that Dr. Andrew recommended to help Christians better understand Islam and how to reach out to Muslims are Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross and What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Quran. (If you order the books through these affiliate links, a small portion of the purchase price comes to VOM as a referral fee.)

What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur'an

Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross

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“Dr. Andrew” is working to share the gospel in the Middle East, but he hasn’t always had a heart to share Christ’s love with Muslims. Growing up in a nominal Christian family, Andrew was harassed by Muslims his whole life. But God changed his heart and gave him a passion to share Christ’s love with Muslims. His gospel work has brought him to the attention of secret police, who have detained and questioned him many times. Andrew says each time he is detained, even though he feels fear, he also sees an opportunity to share the gospel. Listen as Andrew talks about how he overcomes the fear by focusing on the reality of Who God is rather than on his immediate surroundings. He’ll also share some of the blessings that can be found in persecution, and help us understand the mindset of Middle Eastern Muslims.

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After living and working in Afghanistan for more than a decade, John Weaver is often asked, How many Christians are there in Afghanistan? The answer God has laid on John’s heart is simple: there’s not enough! But God is at work, and Afghans—both inside Afghanistan and scattered throughout the world—are coming to know Jesus Christ personally. Listen to hear how John used his marriage ceremony as a way to represent Christ inside Afghanistan, and how villagers responded to the choice by an American, Christian couple to have their wedding in isolated, Muslim Afghanistan. John also shares ways we can pray and reach out to Muslim friends and coworkers right where we live, and advice for young people feeling God’s wonderful call to overseas missions service. John is the author of two books about his work in Afghanistan: Inside Afghanistan: An American Aide Worker’s Mission of Mercy to a War-Torn People and A Flame on the Front Line. (If you order the books through these affiliate links, a small portion of the purchase price comes to VOM as a referral fee.)

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After 9-11, the few Americans living in Afghanistan were encouraged to leave the country, for their own safety. John Weaver stayed, feeling that the ministry God called him to there was not yet completed. Listen this week as John shares about his work in Afghanistan, and the challenge of sharing the gospel and discipling new believers in a country where there is no visible church presence, and where persecution often begins with a believer’s own family members. He’ll also share the challenge of serving God in a place where it could cost your life, and how he makes the daily decision to offer his life—to live or to die—for Christ’s service. John is the author of two books about his work in Afghanistan: Inside Afghanistan: An American Aide Worker’s Mission of Mercy to a War-Torn People and A Flame on the Front Line. (If you order the books through these affiliate links, a small portion of the purchase price comes to VOM as a referral fee.)

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“Brother Matthew” is a pastor and church planter in South Asia, working among Muslims to share the gospel. After threats against his life and an attack on his brother, he was encouraged by family members to leave his country. He fled to a safe place, but God clearly called him to go back to his home country, in spite of the danger. Matthew obeyed, and since his return he’s seen explosive growth in his church planting work. Matthew says persecution is something God uses to purify and unify the church, and further it’s something that every Christian should be ready to experience. Let Matthew’s story inspire you to walk boldly with Christ, and remember this week to pray for Christians in South Asia.

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As a young man, Dmitry “David” Shestakov was a criminal and a drug user. His mother—an atheist—had tried everything to get her son’s attention and turn his life around. In desperation, she went to church and prayed, “God, if You exist, save my son!” God answered her prayer, and after Jesus saved him David committed to tell others the Good News that had transformed his heart.

God showed David early on that his service would be costly, and it was. He was arrested for his Christian work and sentenced to long years in prison. “Why me?” he asked. But he saw God working even in prison.

One of the things God used to bless—and even protect—David was letters written by VOM readers through www.PrisonerAlert.com. Listen to hear how God used those letters to make David a respected figure in the prison, and help him avoid being beaten by the guards. You’ll also hear how the Uzbek government tried to add years to his sentence, but God miraculously moved and David was released, “like a Scripture came to life.”

Finally, David will share thoughts on how we can pray for Christians in prison right now, and for their family members, whose suffering is sometimes even greater than the prisoner’s. After you listen to how letters blessed David, write a letter to a Christian currently in prison at www.PrisonerAlert.com

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David is a gospel worker in Turkey facing deportation by the Turkish government, which has stated in court documents that David’s bold witnessing for Christ “exceeded usual religious rituals,” and is therefore a threat to public safety and order. When we left off David’s story in the first half of our conversation last week, David was locked in a deportation center with others waiting to be kicked out of Turkey—including ISIS fighters. Listen as David picks up the story and shares how not only did God protect him from the ISIS fighters, but He also allowed David to lead an Afghan man he met in jail to Christ. David will also talk about the political upheaval in Turkey and how we can pray for another American, Andrew Brunson, currently imprisoned in Turkey. Finally, David will share ways to pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in Turkey during this pivotal time. You’ll also hear the story of a VOM Radio listener inspired by the stories of gospel workers in hostile and restricted nations to reach out right here in the United States.

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David is a bold gospel worker in Turkey, even sharing the gospel openly on busy city streets. Naturally, such activity draws attention from police and others, which has led to David being detained numerous times. But his bold evangelism activity is legal--protected by Turkish law. Listen this week to hear David share some of his experiences seeing God come through with protection and opportunities to witness--even opportunities inside a jail cell. After seeing God answer prayer so consistently, David says he's developed the habit of expecting a miracle. Your faith will be inspired this week as you hear David's story. What door might God be opening to you--perhaps even a doorway through a difficult circumstance--to be a witness for Him?

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“Tanya” is a Christian worker in Central Asia, living and ministering in a country where she must always be cautious about what she says openly and who she says it around. Listen to hear how Christians in the former Soviet Union are carefully sharing the gospel, and are willing to endure persecution if that’s what it takes to see God’s love spread to their countrymen. As a mom and a pastor’s wife, Tanya shares how the threat of persecution impacts the way Christians raise their children to follow Christ. You’ll be inspired as Tanya shares how Christians living under persecution need and are blessed by Christians in free nations who pray for them and fellowship with them. Finally, you’ll learn ways to pray as Dr. Jason Peters guest-hosts this week’s episode of VOM Radio.

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Aaron Miller oversees VOM’s work in South Asia, and recently travelled to India to meet with Christians there. Listen as Aaron shares some of the amazing testimonies he heard on this trip. Meet a retirement-aged man committed to spend the remainder of his life planting churches and sharing the gospel. Hear the story of a bicycle rickshaw driver and his family whose lives were radically changed by the gospel message. And learn about a woman—more than 100 years old!—who met Jesus after she’d come back from being pronounced dead. You’ll also learn how India’s government is actively working to prevent the growth of the church, and directly persecuting those who share their faith in Christ. But those efforts aren’t working, and we’ll hear a report of how the church is growing in spite of government persecution as God’s Spirit moves in that nation, and learn how we can pray for our brothers and sisters there.

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Listen this week for an update on the church in Nepal, especially how the church has been impacted by Nepal’s recent adoption of a new constitution which included anti-conversion provisions. Michael Huff has been the leader of Operation Mobilization in Nepal and is now based in the US helping to mobilize Christians to take the gospel all over the world. Listen as Michael shares how OM is working to raise up Christian workers and evangelists in Nepal, and some of the lessons Nepali Christians have taught him during his years of ministry there. He’ll share how two Christian workers there responded to persecution in the village they were working in; and an amazing story of how God supernaturally gave the Scriptures to a young boy—a boy who would grow up to be a church leader in Nepal. Learn more about OM’s work in Nepal and around the world at www.OMUSA.org.

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When God called Leanna to missions she was a young woman fresh out of college. Then God specifically called her to a part of South Asia known as "the graveyard of missionaries." He led her down a different path from most foreigners at the time; Leanna lived in a village, drinking dirty water, sleeping on a grass mat and subsisting on lentils and rice. As she lived through the hardships of village life she was able to introduce people to a God greater and more powerful than the millions of Gods in their faith: Jesus Christ. Listen as Leanna shares about how Jesus is reaching people in South Asia with demonstrations of His power, and how believers are persevering in spite of persecution and hardship. She’ll also advise American believers how to reach out to those we know with the gospel, and equip us to pray for more than a billion people who live in South Asia. Learn more about Leanna’s ministry at TellAsia.org; order a copy of her book, Treasures in Dark Places: One Woman, a Supernatural God and a Mission to the Toughest Part of India (affiliate link).

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For Christians in Syria and other Middle East nations, human logic is clear: get out! Go someplace safe! In spite of such advice, Tom and JoAnn Doyle tell us many Christians are choosing to STAY and serve the Lord and witness for Christ. These bold brothers and sisters are standing in the fire of war and persecution, and they are finding—just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did—that God is standing with them. Listen to the story of Jamila, a 12-year-old girl healed from cancer after a Christian man prayed for her in Jesus’ name, leading to hundreds of Druze people coming to faith in Christ. That’s just one of the stories in Tom Doyle’s new book, Standing in the Fire. You’ll be encouraged as you hear what God is doing in the Middle East, and challenged as Tom and JoAnn give insights into how we, Christians in free nations, can emulate the lessons offered by our brothers and sisters standing in the fire. Order “Standing In The Fire” by Tom Doyle (affiliate link http://amzn.to/2ni1lX).

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From the first days after his arrest in Sudan, Petr Jasek repeatedly said, “God is the One who holds the key to my cell.”

Jasek, a Czech citizen, is VOM’s Africa regional director and he was just released after 14 months in prison in Sudan. In this third and final part of our conversation with Petr, he shares about how he stopped praying to be released from prison and simply focused on fulfilling the Lord’s purpose for him inside prison walls.

Listen as Petr shares what it was like to hear the judge announce that he was sentenced to life in prison, and the verse he read from Psalms moments before he found out God would be using the key and opening Petr’s cell door.

Petr will also share—from his personal experience—how we should pray for Christians in prison, and for their families who sometimes suffer more than the prisoners. You will be challenged to think about what it means to wait on the Lord as you hear Petr share how, after 445 days, God set this captive free. (Listen to all three parts of our conversation with Petr to hear the full story of God’s work in his life during his time in prison.)

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What verse of Scripture would you grab onto if you were locked in prison for your faith? Petr Jasek, a Czech national and VOM’s Africa regional director, was released last month after 445 days in prison in Sudan. Listen as he shares the verse that became a theme for him during those long months in prison. It was not a verse about setting captives free. Instead, it was a verse about the holiness of God. It became a theme for Petr; he would use it to guide his prayers and recite it over and over each day throughout his imprisonment. Meditating on God’s holiness provided strength for Petr as his radical Muslim cellmates began to pressure, persecute and torture him. Listen also for the story of the opportunity God provided that encouraged Petr as he began to lose hope after four months in prison. Petr’s story challenges each of us to think about how we deal with hardship or opposition, and reminds us to seek God’s plan and His will, even when we’re uncomfortable or suffering. (Listen also to the first part of our conversation with Petr in last week’s episode: Prisoner Set Free.)

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Petr Jasek, a Czech national and VOM’s Africa regional director, spent 445 days in a Sudanese prison. Days after returning home, Petr sat down with VOM Radio to share his story and thank the thousands of people who prayed for him and his co-defendants during his long months in prison. Listen in as Petr shares about going to the airport to leave Sudan in December of 2015, and the point when he knew that what he faced was much more than a routine security screening. He’ll share how he kept praying as he was questioned, and how he found out that his cell mates were members of ISIS. Your faith will be encouraged as you hear how God had been preparing Petr—even years before his arrest—to remain faithful even during months in prison.

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What would you do if a group of angry young men came streaming into your Sunday School class this Sunday, faces masked and swinging clubs as they came? Aaron Miller helps lead VOM’s work in South Asia, including the nation of India, where he previously served full-time as a gospel worker. Listen in as Aaron shares what happened when he found himself at a Christian gathering in India that was attacked by radical Hindus. It was a small taste of persecution that was a part of God’s preparation for Aaron to serve persecuted Christians in India and other South Asian nations. It was also a blessing. Even as he was being slapped and kicked, Aaron says God gave him a sense of His presence, His blessing. Listen this week to have your faith inspired, and hear specific ways to pray for the nation of India and our spiritual family there.

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Selena grew up in the home of a pastor in the Middle East. Today she’s working among Muslim people in the US—including refugees from the Middle East. Selena has seen firsthand that Muslims who choose to follow Christ face persecution, even in the United States. Selena will share how Christians in Lebanon have responded as their country has been flooded with refugees, and encourage American Christians with how we can respond to Muslims and refugees that we encounter here in the US. Finally, she’ll equip us to pray for the church in Lebanon, and for outreach ministries to Muslims right here in the US.

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There are 2.8 billion unreached people on earth; they will live their entire lives without ever hearing the gospel message of Jesus’ love for them. Andrew Scott wants to motivate and mobilize Christians around the world to GO to those billions and reach them for Christ. Andrew is the President and CEO of Operation Mobilization – USA, and the author of a book called SCATTER: Go Therefore and Take Your Job With You. Andrew wants to see more American Christians understand that people from every vocational background—doctors, businessmen, engineers, artists—are called to share His glory with the nations. Listen to his advice for those feeling a call to live and represent Christ among those 2.8 billion unreached people, and pray that the Lord of the harvest (Luke 10:2) will send out more workers—and maybe even send you. Visit OM’s web site http://www.omusa.org/, or the Scatter Global site https://www.scatterglobal.com/ to learn more about getting involved with God’s work around the world. Order your copy of SCATTER: Go Therefore and Take Your Job With You http://amzn.to/2kUhUru (affiliate link).

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“Enfu” is the Chinese word for “blessing.” When we went to China to secretly interview a Chinese house church pastor, he suggested Enfu as his pseudonym. Every time Pastor Enfu and his congregation meet together, it is illegal. Listen this week as he shares the challenges of being a pastor in a nation cracking down on the church. Some of the challenges will seem obvious. Others will be ones that Christians in free nations may have never thought of, like handling church finances when the church doesn’t legally exist. How does his church train new leaders? How do they prepare Christians to stand strong in the face of persecution? We’ll hear answers to those questions, and Enfu will share with us specific ways to pray for Chinese Christians—and encourage us with the fact that they are praying for the church in America as well. You’ll be encouraged as you come with us to China this week to meet “Pastor Blessing.”

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Come with us on a visit to China and join in a conversation with one of VOM’s Bible smuggling partners. He is working alongside others to deliver Bibles into every province of China, but that work comes with great risk. All the workers know they could face arrest, interrogation and three years of imprisonment for their Bible-delivery work. Yet they are not intimidated! Listen as our brother shares about growing up in a family of persecuted Christians. He’ll tell us the story of his first arrest, and the thoughts on his heart as he went through that testing and ministry. He’ll also help explain the differences between registered and unregistered churches in China, and equip you to pray for that nation and our spiritual family there.

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Listen in this week as we converse with two ministry leaders. First, we’ll share the second half of our conversation with Loren Cunningham, the founder of Youth With a Mission (YWAM). Listen as he talks about getting the Scriptures into every remaining language on earth (www.EndBiblePovertyNow.org) and about the legacy words that are driving him forward with the ministry of YWAM all over the world. Then we’ll hear from Charles Morris, President of Haven Ministries (www.HavenMinistries.org). Charles has just returned from northern Iraq, including villages recently liberated from ISIS control. What’s left of those villages? What challenges await Christians hoping to return to the homes ISIS kicked them out of? Listen in as Charles answers those questions and advises us on specific ways to pray for Christians and non-Christians in Iraq right now.

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Loren Cunningham is the founder of Youth With a Mission (YWAM), an organization that has equipped and sent more than five million people on short-term mission trips. God called him to ministry at age 13, and later gave him a vision to call and equip waves of young people to wash up on every continent on earth to share the gospel message. Listen as Loren shares about how God called him, and some of the amazing things he’s seen (and eaten!) over his years of ministry. He’ll also offer advice for those listening for God’s call now, and share how YWAM prepares workers to go to the world’s hardest places with the gospel. Finally he’ll share how the Bible lays the foundation for great spiritual awakenings, which is the reason VOM and YWAM are distributing Bibles all over the world. Listen and learn from one of the great missions leaders of our time, this week on VOM Radio.

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It’s easy to think of Pakistan—a nation where 96.4% of the people are Muslims—as a nation completely closed to gospel witness. Brother Charles, an American teaching at a university in Pakistan, has found that there is much more openness than you might expect. Charles interacts every day with Muslims in that nation, helping create dialogue and initiate relationships that can lead to faith in Christ. One of the keys, he says, is presenting the core of the gospel, because so many Muslims have never heard a genuine, clear presentation of the true gospel. Charles will share how God led him and his family to Pakistan and why they stay in spite of political ups and downs and safety concerns. He’ll advise listeners on how we can dialogue with Muslims in ways that plant gospel seeds, and equip us to pray specifically for the nation of Pakistan. WEB BONUS: Click the link below to hear more of our conversation with Charles, including specifics of how he interacts with his university students from across the religious spectrum, how he structures his course work, and other information about his ministry work. https://secure.persecution.com/radio/default.aspx?pdid=6828

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As he leads VOM’s international work, Brother Jonathan has a front-row seat to see what God is doing around the world: thousands of Muslims and Hindus coming to faith in Christ! That spread of the gospel comes with a price, though, and Jonathan oversees VOM’s efforts to provide spiritual and physical aid to Christians affected by persecution and equip front-line workers to continue spreading the gospel. Listen as Jonathan shares some of the exciting plans for VOM’s work in 2017, as well as how his encounters with persecuted Christians have impacted the way he lives out his faith each day. Jonathan will also share some of the challenges of our international work, and equip you to pray specifically for VOM workers going out to serve in dangerous places around the world.

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Her husband is currently in prison in China. His legal work representing Christians and other oppressed people was considered a “threat” by China’s government, and today he’s serving a five-year prison sentence. But “Sister Wong” refuses to be silenced. This week on VOM Radio she shares her story, including how her husband advised her to pray when she was finally able to visit him in prison. His prayer request wasn’t for himself, but for the church in China. She also shares some of the passages of Scripture that are carrying her through this challenging season in her life. Your faith will be challenged and you’ll be better equipped to pray for China this week on VOM Radio.

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This week we continue looking back on some of the most impactful testimonies shared with us this year on VOM Radio. We’ll hear how God reached into the home of the police chief in a Southeast Asian village—even as the police chief was fighting against the gospel. We’ll hear from former prisoner Bob Fu what it means to a prisoner when he or she knows that Christians are praying for them. Sean will tell us how God used VOM to help save the life of an evangelist in Bangladesh after he was brutally attacked. Samuel will tell us about the risks of following Christ in Pakistan. We’ll hear from three different people impacted by a 2007 attack in Turkey that took the lives of three Christians. Brother Gokhan was a friend of those killed; Tim is now the pastor or the church the three men attended; and Semse Aydin is the widow of one of the martyred believers. Then we’ll hear from three guests who told us about the church in Iran—the fastest growing church in the world. Dr. Sasan will share with us about how Iranian Christians find joy in persecution. Nazanin works in a call center for one of our media partners, witnessing to and discipling Iranian believers by phone. Dr. Mike Ansari will tell us about a special effort to get Bibles digitally into Iran. Finally, Maryam and Marziyeh will share about the miracle of finding God’s Word inside the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran. You’ll be inspired and challenged as we look back on some of the amazing stories God has allowed us to share on VOM Radio in 2016.

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This week we look back on some of the most impactful testimonies shared with us this year on VOM Radio. We’ll hear from Dale Rhoton of Operation Mobilization—one of the first Westerners to visit VOM’s founder, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, after Richard’s release from prison in Romania. We’ll hear how God used a nameless woman walking along a road in Kenya to grab the heart of an American woman, Jami Staples, to reach Muslims for Christ. We’ll hear from Bob and Kasey, who left behind an American-dream retirement to serve Muslims half-a-world away. We’ll hear from two gospel workers—Hannelie Groenewald and Nik Ripken—who experienced gut-wrenching loss while serving overseas, yet found God faithful even in that loss. And we’ll hear how a passion for God’s Word kept John and Karen Short connected to Him and to each other, even while John was detained in the world’s most-closed country. Your faith will be inspired this Christmas season by the faithfulness and courage of these brothers and sisters—and by how God worked through each of them to further His Kingdom aims. (Note that you can hear our entire conversations with each of these guests by searching in the VOM Radio archives.)

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In one of the most-listened-to episodes of VOM Radio from 2016, “Sister Amber” shares how Christ was with her even as she was being tortured and abused in Tibet. After more than a decade in Tibet, Amber watched as God orchestrated a great ministry breakthrough: people who'd been totally closed to the gospel message were now asking to learn more about Jesus. But just days after that breakthrough Amber experienced persecution as police came pounding on her door. Listen as she tells the story, including how God ministered to her in the most painful moments of her suffering. You'll hear how God showed her that her persecution wasn't the end of the story. You'll also hear how God laid on the hearts of people around the world to pray for Amber, including one who drew a remarkably-accurate picture of Amber and the policemen in the interrogation room—and how God’s plans included those policemen. Your faith will be challenged as you hear Amber's thoughts on what the New Testament calls the "honor" of being persecuted. Listen to the complete interview with Amber here: Part One: https://secure.persecution.com/radio/default.aspx?pdid=6590 Part Two: https://secure.persecution.com/radio/default.aspx?pdid=6599

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In one of the most-listened-to episodes of VOM Radio in 2016, Australian John Short shares the story of his detention in North Korea. He was repeatedly interrogated. He was forced to write a “confession” of his “crimes,” including the offense of wanting more North Koreans to follow Jesus. But if God called him today, Short would happily go back. Mr. Short shares this week on VOM Radio how God strengthened him during his captivity, the Scriptures and earthly examples that most encouraged him, and how he managed to take a measure of control back from his captors — and even make them nervous. Mr. Short agreed to only two media interviews after his release; one of them was with The Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network. You can hear the second half of our conversation with Mr. Short in the episode “North Korea: Faith or Fear?”; also hear his wife, Karen, share about her experiences while he was detained in the episode “North Korea: ‘I Simply Trusted the Lord.’” North Korea: Faith or Fear?: https://soundcloud.com/the-voice-of-the-martyrs/north-korea-faith-or-fear North Korea: “I Simply Trusted the Lord”: https://soundcloud.com/the-voice-of-the-martyrs/north-korea-i-simply-trusted-the-lord

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“Pastor Tim” leads a church in Malatya, Turkey—a church which almost ten years ago saw three of its members martyred for their faith in Christ. This week we’ll hear how that loss affected the church and how God has moved in Malatya in exciting ways in the past 10 years. We’ll also hear an update on how one of the martyr’s families continues to serve the Lord in that city—and even to love the murderers. Tim will also update listeners on the overall situation for the church in Turkey, especially in light of recent political upheaval there, and how we can pray for that nation and for our brothers and sisters serving Christ there. Finally, he’ll share important truths about ministering and reaching out in a Muslim culture—truths that we can use as we reach out to Muslims we know.

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Dr. Sasan and Dr. Mehrdad are providing theological training for church leaders in Iran through PARS Theological Centre (http://www.parstheology.com/). It is a challenge even to connect with students in a closed Muslim nation, let alone train them up to lead churches and withstand persecution. Listen to hear some of the unique challenges of training leaders in the context of persecution, where Christians often wonder who they can trust. We’ll also look at some of the blessings that come to those willing to suffer rather than deny their faith in Christ, and how you can pray for the fast-growing church in Iran.

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“Steve” and “Mai” left behind the American Dream to serve God in Southeast Asia—a place Mai had left decades before as a refugee and said she’d never return to. But God began to call them, and Steve and Mai submitted to His will. It wasn’t easy, especially leaving children and grandchildren in the United States to move to Asia. But as God opened each new door, Steve and Mai said “yes” to His plan. God led them to set up a simple recording studio with used equipment they purchased on eBay. Steve went online and taught himself basic audio editing skills. Today they are producing Christian radio programs and Christian music in the language of Mai’s tribal people; Steve edits the programs even though he doesn’t speak Mai’s tribal language. Steve and Mai’s story will inspire and encourage you that when God calls, He will always provide what is needed to accomplish His plans if we’re willing to say “yes,” and take the next step. What door is God asking YOU to walk through for His Kingdom? You can connect with Steve and Mai’s work in Southeast Asia at www.AheadHillTribes.com.

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Ali Sassi is a Tunisian man who always accepts a challenge. So when a Christian friend challenged him to demonstrate when and how the Bible had been changed (which nearly all Muslims believe has happened), Ali accepted the challenge. He figured he’d read the Bible for an evening and be able to demonstrate the changes. Instead he spent two years reading and studying, and at the end of that time he was convinced that the Bible had NOT been changed, and that Jesus IS the Son of God. His decision to follow Christ was costly as even his own family turned against him. Today Ali works with Crescent Project to help train Christians to reach out boldly to Muslims—the same way a Christian reached out to him. His story will inspire you to pray for and reach out to share Jesus’s love with those around you.

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In the second half of our conversation, Hannelie Groenewald recalls the day her husband and two teen-aged children were killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

She tells us which Psalm she read over and over again as she waited to hear whether her family was alive or dead, and the amazement of Afghans at her ability to forgive the Taliban murderers. Hannelie shares hard-earned truth with listeners who may be struggling to forgive someone who has wronged them, and talks about her future and God’s faithfulness as she is finding her footing after the loss of her family and seeking God’s plan for her in the coming years.

She’ll also equip us to pray more effectively for the nation of Afghanistan and for our Christian brothers and sisters there. You can watch a video telling the story of Hannelie and her family, which was produced by VOM for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

Please share this video with your church family or other Christian friends.

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When Hannelie Groenewald and her family left their comfortable home in South Africa to serve on the front lines in Afghanistan, they knew the danger. But God’s call was clear, and they went in spite of the risk. Hannelie became not only wife and mom, but also teacher and doctor and cook in a country that isn’t known for welcoming foreigners—especially women. As time passed, God strengthened her faith, even if He didn’t answer all her questions or prayers. She didn’t know the extent of the sacrifice her family would be called to make, and in fact says she wasn’t strong enough to make such a sacrifice. But God prepared her, even in the days and weeks immediately before the murder of her husband and children, to stand strong in the face of suffering and persecution. Hannelie’s inspiring testimony will challenge you to consider what you’re willing to risk to share God’s love in an increasingly hostile world. Request a DVD or download the video telling the story of Hannelie and her family, which was produced by VOM for this year’s International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Please share this video with your church family or other Christian friends. https://secure.persecution.com/idop/default.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT

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“Bob” and “Kasey” were living the “American Dream.” Bob retired from a good job, but in retirement he began to experience what he calls a “Holy discontent.” He felt God calling him to lay everything on the altar. Bob and Kasey began to pray, committing themselves to do whatever God asked of them. Today they are ministering in Central Asia, training believers to dig deep into the Scripture and to reach more people for Christ. Yes, there have been sacrifices. But they say Jesus is worth every sacrifice they’ve made as they share the joy and excitement they are finding in serving Him and serving people in His name in Central Asia. Bob and Kasey challenge us to think about what God may be asking of us, and remind us that we’re never too old to make an impact for Christ’s Kingdom. Listen also to learn more about this year’s International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church and how you can get a free video to share with your church body to encourage them to pray for persecuted Christians around the world. https://secure.persecution.com/idop/default.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT

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God is at work in Iran! Nazanin works in a call center for Mohabat TV, one of our VOM partners broadcasting the gospel into Iran and surrounding nations via satellite TV and internet. Each day Nazanin and her team take calls from inside Iran. Many are from Muslims who want to know more about Jesus and even commit their lives to following Him. Other callers are Muslims who want to argue against the Christian message or convert the call center workers back to Islam. Some are even threatening and angry. Listen as Nazanin shares the story of a policeman who picked up the phone in the home of a Christian he’d come to arrest—and how God used that phone call to plant the seeds of the gospel in his life! Nazanin will give American Christians advice on how to reach Muslims in our country, and specific ways that we can pray for God’s work in Iran. You’ll be inspired by what God is doing in Iran, this week on VOM Radio.

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Dr. Sid Webb and Dr. Jason Peters just returned from Southeast Asia, where they met with persecuted Christians in Vietnam and Laos. They heard first-hand about the persecution Christians in these nations face, and also saw how God is doing amazing things in that region. They’ll share how authorities in Laos prevent Christians from advancing in their education or getting jobs simply by refusing to stamp “the family book.” Hear about a secret Christian training center hiding in plain sight in Vietnam, and how pastors in Laos are being trained to endure persecution and even to show love to their persecutors. You’ll also learn how VOM is standing with front line workers in the region, equipping them to serve more boldly and reach more people with the gospel. Finally, they’ll equip us to pray in specific ways for Vietnam, Laos and for our Christian brothers and sisters in that region.

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“There is something astounding happening right now” in the Muslim world, says Jami Staples, Director of Women’s Training for Crescent Project (http://www.crescentproject.org). Muslims are coming to know Jesus Christ! Not just a few, but thousands! Listen this week as Jami shares the story of an American woman reaching out electronically to Muslim women living in a restricted nation. Hear how God is working among Muslims—even through the miraculous—and how Christians simply living out their lives and their love of Jesus can make a huge impact on Muslim friends looking on. We’ll also hear how persecution is a reality for Muslim converts—even in free nations like the US or those in Western Europe—and a special call to reach out to refugees who’ve lost everything in their own country. Grow your heart for Muslims and lengthen your prayer list, this week on VOM Radio.

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Jami Staples works with Crescent Project (http://www.crescentproject.org) to train American women to reach out to Muslims—right here in the US. Listen as she shares how God grabbed her heart for Muslim women, using a veiled woman whose name she’ll never know walking across an East-African roundabout. In just a moment, God changed Jami’s heart and life forever. What are the two themes Jami hears in every testimony of a Muslim woman coming to faith in Jesus? You’ll hear stories of women who even in recent months have opened their hearts to Jesus, and the price they must pay to follow Him—even in America. You’ll be inspired to go deeper in your own faith and to look with love on Muslims in your community this week on VOM Radio.

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“Brother Sam” is a gospel worker in the Middle East, where part of his ministry is reaching out with help to refugees displaced by ISIS from Iraq and Syria. By helping with practical needs—shelter, education, medical aid—Brother Sam and other Christians have the opportunity to share the gospel and introduce Muslim refugees to Jesus Christ. Such work comes with risk and threats, but Sam tells us that persecution creates “a healthy environment for the Lord to work.” And God is working! Listen this week to hear stories of divine healing, Muslims coming to faith and Christians passionately reaching out in the name of Jesus. Your faith will be inspired!

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“Brother James” works to reach Muslims and train believers to plant churches in the Middle East, a place where choosing to follow Christ comes with a high cost. This week he shares with us how God is shaking things up in that region—both inside the church and inside the hearts of Muslims—to spread the gospel and draw more Muslims to Christ. James will also share the challenges of his work, and how he and his Operation Mobilization coworkers identify those God is calling to the difficult, sometimes dangerous work of planting churches in that Islamic region. The Middle East is beset by bloodshed and hardship, but James tells us God is redeeming even evil activities in the region to advance His Kingdom. Be ready to add to your prayer list and to consider how you can reach out to Muslims in your city, this week on VOM Radio. Photo credit: “Librarian” by Michał Huniewicz is licensed under CC BY 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/m1key-me/14764185168/

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Bob Fu is a former prisoner for Christ in China. He is also the founder and president of the China Aid Association and one of the most knowledgeable and widely-heard voices speaking out on behalf of persecuted Christians in China. This week Bob will share with us about an ongoing crackdown against Christians and churches in China, a crackdown that includes Christians in prison, church buildings destroyed and even Christian children prevented from pursuing their education. But Bob will share good news, too: in the midst of that persecution, God is at work. One fruit of the current campaign against the church is a newfound unity among believers from different backgrounds and denominations. Bob will also share an update about Gao Zhisheng, a Christian human rights attorney who has been terribly abused and persecuted, but has found God faithful even in the depths of human suffering. Finally, we’ll hear an update on brand new developments in the case against Asia Bibi in Pakistan.

Click below to order a copy of Bob’s outstanding book, “God’s Double Agent."

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“Brother Mark” works among Christians in the Middle East and North Africa, training new believers and equipping them to reach out and win Muslims to Christ. This week he’ll share stories of what new believers face after leaving Islam—often starting with persecution from their own families. He’ll talk about witnessing to Muslims and equip listeners to answer some of the questions Muslims may ask about Christianity and the Bible. Finally, Mark will talk specifically about some of the nations of North Africa, including updates on Christians in Egypt and Mauritania, and how we can pray for Christians all across that region.

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Her husband was the village police chief, the man responsible to make sure no more people in the village became Christians. And now she had chosen to follow Christ! Her husband pressured her to renounce her faith; then he beat her. Then he threatened her life. “I’m willing to die,” she answered. That’s just one of the stories you’ll hear this week from Brother Sionh, the voice of the Khmu Christian radio broadcast in Southeast Asia. He’ll also share the great need for leaders within the rapidly-growing Khmu church and how VOM is helping equip and train new leaders to meet that need. Finally we’ll hear how we can pray for Laos and for our brothers and sisters there. Watch the video Brother Sionh refers to telling the story of one imprisoned Laotian believer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFEvc60mABA

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Imagine seeing three of your best friends murdered for their faith in Christ. Brother Gokhan experienced that loss, living in Malatya where three Christians—all part of his church—were murdered. Today Gokhan is a part of Sat-7 TURK, sharing the gospel across the nation via satellite television. He tells us that risk is a part of sharing the gospel in Turkey. “We need to be sacrifice people,” he says. But he reminds us that the power to endure persecution doesn’t come from us, it comes from God. Listen this week to learn more about what recent political turmoil in Turkey means for the church and how you can be praying for our brothers and sisters in that nation.

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Julia and Sam are two of the college students who served as interns this summer at VOM. Listen in as they share some of their experiences, and what they’ve learned—both professionally and spiritually—during their two months of service. How will they be different when they go back to their college campuses? What have their duties been at VOM, and what did they learn about VOM’s ministry that surprised them? We’ll also share details about VOM’s intern program for next year, and how to apply if God is nudging you toward service as an intern at VOM.

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Dr. Berhane spent 11 months in prison for his Christian faith and work; he watched friends and fellow prisoners led away to execution. But he also saw God’s hand at work as fellow prisoners accepted the gospel message and turned their hearts toward Christ. Dr. Berhane tells us what God taught him through dark days of suffering and how he prepared himself to face persecution. Finally, he’ll update listeners on the current situation for believers in Eritrea and share specific ways to pray for that African nation.

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What does it mean for Christians in prison to get letters from Christians around the world? It means that they are part of a family, and they are not forgotten.

In Part 2 of our interview with Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh they share more of the story of how God used them inside Iran's notorious Evin Prison, where they spent 259 days.

Listen as they share the heartbreak of seeing children born in prison and later taken from their mothers. Maryam and Marziyeh share how their treatment in prison changed when letters from around the world began arriving, and they'll give ideas about how we can talk to Muslims about our faith in Christ.

You'll be inspired by the faith of these two women who consider it an honor to have been allowed to suffer for Jesus.

Write letters to Christians still in prison today at www.PrisonerAlert.com.

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Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh were bold evangelists in Iran, sharing their faith and distributing Bibles in that Islamic nation. Their evangelism work caught the attention of the authorities, and the two women ended up in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, where they spent 259 days.

But even in prison, Maryam and Marziyeh saw God’s hand at work, providing for them and allowing them to be witnesses for Him.

“We experienced in prison how we should trust God and how we should trust His plans,” Maryam says. Listen as they share how they began their ministry, what happened the day of their arrest, how they saw God at work in prison and even about the most discouraging day in Evin.

You will be inspired as you hear Maryam and Marziyeh share about their sacrificial love for Christ.

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Merv Knight is one of the longest-serving members of VOM’s worldwide family, having met VOM founder Richard Wurmbrand on the first day of August in 1969. Merv shares this week stories of the Wurmbrands, how they ministered both under persecution and after coming to the free world, and some of the challenges they faced launching a ministry to serve persecuted believers around the world. Merv also shares testimonies from some of the many persecuted Christians he’s met during more than 45 years of service to our persecuted family, and the lessons he’s learned from the lives of those willing to suffer and even die rather than deny their faith in Christ.

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VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton recently travelled to meet with persecuted Christians in the Middle East. This week he shares highlights from the trip and stories of some of the Christians that he had a chance to meet, including a former prisoner in Iran, a pastor working with refugees from Iraq and Syria and a Turkish believer who shared the challenges of raising children in an overwhelmingly-Islamic culture. Todd and Dr. Jason Peters also discuss the importance of praying for Muslims during Ramadan, which is going on right now. Come along with VOM Radio this week on a visit to members of our persecuted family in the Middle East.

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The United States and Cuba have diplomatic relations after more than 50 years of animosity. President Obama recently visited Cuba. But has anything changed for the church or for Cuban Christians? Pastor “Jose” is a Cuban church leader, and he’ll share this week a reminder that Cuba is still a communist nation and that our Christian brothers and sisters there are still persecuted. But Jose also has exciting news: Cuba’s Christians are not afraid of the government or persecution and they are boldly sharing the gospel. House churches are being planted and are growing, in spite of efforts by the government to exert control and instill fear in believers. We’ll also welcome back to the studio “John and Mary,” working among Muslims in Europe, to hear how persecution happens even to Muslims living in free nations in Europe. Mary also offers advice to people sensing God’s call to missions.

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“John” and “Mary” are working among Muslim immigrants and refugees in Europe, sharing the love of Jesus with people from a particular nation. Their work includes contacts with both long-term European residents and new refugees fleeing the crisis in the Middle East; each group requires different approaches when presenting the gospel. Listen as John and Mary share stories from their work—including the unique way God prepared Mary as a teen-ager to work among Muslims—and some common characteristics and experiences among Muslims who are choosing to leave Islam and follow Christ. We’ll also talk about how you can reach out to Muslims, even if you feel intimidated or don’t think you know the Quran well enough or know the right answers for their questions. We’ll inspire your faith and add to your prayer list this week on VOM Radio.

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“Brother John” helps lead the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has served as a missionary in Muslim nations, and today is involved in recruiting and sending mission workers to the hardest and most unreached places in the world. Listen as Brother John shares the challenge of sending workers into harm’s way, what motivates him to keep sending even after some workers are martyred, and the joy of seeing God move in Muslim nations. John also shares thoughts on how American churches can do a better job of preparing and inspiring more people to hear God’s call to take the gospel to the world’s toughest places. We’ll also hear more from songwriter Steve Merkel about using music to share the love of Jesus around the world, and his experiences in Islamic nations.

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Telling inspiring stories of our persecuted family has always been at heart of VOM’s ministry. We are thankful for wonderful ministry partners who come alongside to help us tell those stories in various forms—books, songs, films—to impact and inspire more Christians with the courage of our persecuted family and the faithfulness of God. This week we’ll meet some of those partners, including Cris Doornbos, CEO of David C. Cook publishers; Steve Merkel, who co-wrote the song “We Stand As One” for the I Am N album; and Bill Curtis, President of Vision Video and producer of The Torchlighters series of animated films telling the stories of Christian heroes, including heroes who boldly stood for their faith in the face of persecution. Listen to hear how our persecuted family has inspired each of these men—and their families—and how they are spreading those stories even further. Get “We Stand As One”: https://secure.persecution.com/p-6549-i-am-n-book-music-cd.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT Get The Torchlighters DVDs: https://secure.persecution.com/p-6228-torchlighters-12-dvd-boxed-set.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT Get The Action Bible: https://secure.persecution.com/p-6113-the-action-bible.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT

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Brother Sean oversees VOM’s work in South Asia. As he prepared for a recent trip to Bangladesh, word came that a pastor there had just been martyred for his Christian witness. Listen as Sean discusses his thoughts as he went to meet members of that pastor’s family and the challenges they and other families of martyrs still face each day. You’ll also be encouraged and amazed by the story of “Stephen;” he was shot in the face, stabbed and had his throat slit, but survived to continue preaching the gospel in his village! Learn how VOM helped Stephen and helps other persecuted Christians in Bangladesh, how our international staff members make decisions about the best ways to provide help, and how you can pray for a nation where less than one percent of the population knows Jesus.

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Brother “Samuel” leads a media ministry in Pakistan, reaching out to Muslims with the gospel of Christ. It isn’t always a popular message: Samuel has been threatened, his staff has been beaten and his office has been attacked. Charges under Pakistan’s blasphemy law are a constant threat. But God is at work! Muslims are accessing ministry resources and meeting Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Listen as Samuel shares the challenges of serving Christ in Pakistan—“anything can happen at any time”—and how he constantly re-commits himself and his family to the ministry that God has called them to, whatever the cost may be. In spite of the danger, Samuel says it a privilege and joy to see God standing with them and see Muslims coming to faith in Christ. Your faith will be strengthened as Brother Samuel shares this week on VOM Radio.

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Semse Aydin’s husband, Necati, was one of three Christian men martyred for their faith and ministry in Turkey. The next day, on national TV in Turkey, Semse offered forgiveness to her husband’s killers, along with the widow of one of the other martyrs. Listen this week as she shares how the Holy Spirit enabled her to forgive, and how God has sustained her and her two children since she gave Necati to Jesus. You’ll also hear how Necati dealt with family members who were still Muslims, and how he went to meet with his killers, even though he thought their motives might not be pure. You’ll be inspired by God’s faithfulness and equipped to pray more for the nation of Turkey and for the families of martyrs this week on VOM Radio. This interview with Semse was recorded live at a VOM Advance Conference; to find a conference in your area, visit http://www.vomevents.com.

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The Islamic Republic of Iran is the home of the fastest-growing church in the world. Thousands of Muslims there are choosing to follow Christ. Dr. Mike Ansari leads a movement called Heart 4 Iran, a movement to reach more Iranians with the gospel message of Christ’s love. Mike was born into an Iranian Muslim family, but his mother came to faith in Christ and was radically transformed, ultimately changing her entire family. Today Dr. Ansari broadcasts the gospel message into Iran, where people are hungry to hear. He’ll share how Jesus is transforming Iranian hearts, and how new Christians are boldly witnessing, even at great risk to themselves. Mike will also help you understand how to reach out to Muslims around you, and he’ll share about a project VOM was a part of that delivered thousands of Bibles into Iran. Learn more about God’s work in Iran and how you can pray for our brothers and sisters there this week on VOM Radio.

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This week Sister “Amber” shares the rest of the story of her imprisonment and torture in Tibet, including how God ministered to her in the hardest moments of her suffering. You’ll hear how she was eventually released, and the way God showed her that her persecution wasn’t the end of the story. You’ll also hear how God laid on the hearts of people around the world to pray for Amber, including one who drew a picture of Amber and the policemen in the interrogation room. Months later, when Amber saw the picture, it matched exactly the setting of her interrogation, and it contained a ray of spiritual hope. Your faith will be challenged as you hear Amber’s thoughts on what the New Testament calls the “honor” of being persecuted, and she’ll give you first-hand advice on how to pray for Christians in prison right now. Listen to Part 1 of Amber’s story: https://soundcloud.com/the-voice-of-the-martyrs/tibet-i-could-only-rely-on-jesus Photo credit: “Tibet” by Christopher Michel is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (www.flickr.com/photos/cmichel67/5135039514/)

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Sister Amber spent more than a decade in Tibet, providing vocational training to the people and sharing the gospel message of Christ’s love. She felt God’s call especially to work among Tibet’s nomadic tribal people, who jokingly call themselves “the roof on the roof of the world.” Amber watched as God brought about a great ministry breakthrough: people who’d been totally closed to her message were now asking to learn more about Jesus. But just days after the breakthrough Amber experienced persecution as police came pounding on her door. Listen as she tells the story. You’ll hear how the Holy Spirit strengthened and spoke to her, and how God brought Amber from a place of terror to the point of being able to express Christ’s love, even to the men violently persecuting her. Photo credit: “Morning Kora in Lhasa, Tibet” by Christopher Michel is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (www.flickr.com/photos/cmichel67/15589457503/)

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Nik and Ruth Ripken went to Africa as missionaries. They experienced great works of God, and also great hardship and loss. Malaria almost killed them. Four Christian friends were killed on one day in Somalia. Their 16-year-old son died suddenly. Amidst such loss and suffering, they wondered, “Is Jesus for the tough places?” Seeking an answer, Nik and Ruth travelled the world to sit down with Christians faithfully enduring persecution. They went not as teachers but as students, asking simply to sit at the feet of persecuted believers and learn from them. Your faith will be challenged as Nik and Ruth share some of the faith lessons they learned from the examples of our persecuted family. Photo courtesy of IMB.

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The last two weeks on VOM Radio we’ve heard from John Short, the Australian Christian detained in North Korea in 2014 after leaving gospel tracts outside a Buddhist temple. This week we hear another side of the story, from John’s wife, Karen, who was at home in Hong Kong dealing with the media, praying for her husband and receiving encouragement from all over the world.

Listen in as Karen shares:

How God ministered to her during John’s detention
How she and John stayed connected through Scripture—even though they couldn’t communicate at all during his detention
How journalists and others responded to Karen’s calm assurance and faith in God
How she found out her husband would be coming home
The one thing she wishes she’d done differently—it will surprise you!

The story of Karen’s faithfulness will inspire you to trust more deeply in God and dive deeper into His Word, even if you’re not planning a trip to North Korea.

If you missed our conversation with John, you can listen here: Part 1 and Part 2.

Photo credit: “Pyongyang couple, DPRK (North Korea)” by Matt Palsh is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (www.flickr.com/photos/mattpaish/8116231787/)

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Australian John Short was detained inside North Korea after leaving gospel tracts near a Buddhist temple. He was facing years in prison—but he wasn’t afraid.

“Fear and faith cannot exist within my heart at the same time,” he says.

Finally, Mr. Short shares specific ways we can pray for the “hermit kingdom” of North Korea.

Listen to the first part of our conversation with Mr. Short here.

Photo credit: “Star of the DPRK” by John Pavelka is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/28705377@N04/4610365613)

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Australian John Short was taken prisoner in North Korea. He was repeatedly interrogated. He was forced to write a “confession” of his “crimes,” including the offense of wanting more North Koreans to follow Jesus.

But if God asked him today, Short would happily go back to "the hermit kingdom." Short shares with VOM Radio how God strengthened him during his captivity, the Scriptures and earthly examples that most encouraged him, and how he managed to take a measure of control back from his captors — and even make them nervous.

Mr. Short agreed to only two media interviews after his release; one with his hometown newspaper back in Australia, and the other with The Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network.

Hear the rest of the story when you listen also to our interview with Short's wife, Karen.

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Cole Richards and Jason Peters served as executive editors for a new project from The Voice of the Martyrs: I Am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremists. This week on VOM Radio they share with us some of the powerful stories of these believers and their faithfulness, and the themes of their stories—Sacrifice, Courage, Joy, Perseverance, Forgiveness and Faithfulness—that inspire each of us in our own walk with Christ. Habila forgave Boko Haram fighters that shot him in the face. A Syrian Christian father continues to serve Christ in spite of his son being kidnapped by radical Muslims. Jason and Cole give us a peak behind the scenes at the creation of the I Am N project, and worship leader Greg Sykes talks about writing and performing a new song inspired by the faith of these bold believers. See all the I Am N resources available at www.i-am-n.com.

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“Lance” is a gospel worker in the nation of Turkey, a nation where 99.8% of the almost-80-million people are Muslims. This week on VOM Radio, Lance shares some of the challenges he faced in moving to a Muslim nation, building relationships and reaching out with the gospel. Lance also helps train students and others to impact the Muslim world for Christ, and he’ll share some of the most important qualities needed to work effectively among Muslims. He’ll also encourage listeners with ways we can pray for God to move in Turkey, and invite you to be a part of what God is doing in that nation from wherever you live.

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For Christians in China, persecution is just “part of the package” for those who follow Christ. Dory, part of VOM’s newsletter staff, just returned from China, where she met Christians who face arrest and imprisonment for following Jesus Christ. In fact, one of her meetings with a pastor had to be cancelled because the pastor was arrested before she could meet him. Dory found Christians who are not surprised by suffering, and in fact prepare to face it. She’ll share about her visit to China and tell the stories of the bold believers she met there, and about tracing part of her own family heritage to a martyrs’ graveyard in China.

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How would you respond to the person who betrayed you to the authorities, leading to 14 years in prison? Richard Wurmbrand’s response was simple: “We all make mistakes.” Dale Rhoton, co-founder of Operation Mobilization, joins us again this week on VOM Radio to share about his visits with VOM founders Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, including a walk with Richard when they met the man who had betrayed Richard, leading to his arrest. Dale also shares thoughts and advice for those sensing a call to missions and talks about his own early days ministering in communist and Muslim nations, and fellowshipping with Christians who faced arrest and persecution for serving the Lord. Even in the worst of human circumstances, Dale testifies, God is able to triumph. (Photo courtesy of Operation Mobilization)

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As a young man, Dale Rhoton was invited to join a prayer meeting to ask God to move across the nations. The young man that invited him was George Verwer; later the two would help send thousands of young people into gospel work around the world through Operation Mobilization (OM), the ministry they founded. On one trip taking Christian literature from Europe to the Middle East, Dale and his team stopped in to visit a Romanian pastor who’d just been released from prison: Richard Wurmbrand. Dale shares this week on VOM Radio stories of Bible smuggling, what Richard Wurmbrand was like and how Richard inspired Dale and others to live a life of total commitment to Jesus. Photo courtesy of Operation Mobilization.

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Dr. Jason Peters and VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton just returned from meeting Christians and delivering aid in northern Iraq. This week they’ll share about the Christians they met, many of whom have been displaced by the advance of ISIS over the past 18 months. They’ll also talk about some of the ways VOM is helping these Christians, including the launch of a new effort inviting American believers to prepare a medical first-aid kit to give to these displaced Christians. They’ll share other ways VOM is helping Christians, and the story of a displaced Christian who is experiencing joy and contentment in spite of living in a tent surrounded by enemies of the gospel. There is good news coming from the Middle East; we’ll talk about what God is doing in the region, and how longstanding strongholds are being shaken, this week on VOM Radio.

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For the first few days after Bob Fu was arrested for his Christian work in China, his prayers were pretty simple: “Lord, get me out of here!” He even prayed that God would punish his interrogators for persecuting God’s children! But as days passed, Bob saw that God had a ministry for him in prison, and his prayers changed. Instead of praying only to be released, he asked God to USE HIM while he was in prison. And God answered his prayer. Today Bob is the president of the China Aid Association, a bold advocate for China’s Christians and author of God’s Double Agent. Listen as he shares why the Chinese government is so afraid of the growth of the church, and how persecution is spreading even to government-sanctioned churches. We’ll also talk about the biggest needs of the Chinese church, so that you can pray effectively for our brothers and sisters in China. Get the book “God’s Double Agent” at VOM Books: https://secure.persecution.com/p-5341-gods-double-agent.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT

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Turn on the news and you’ll see upheaval in every corner of the world, including attacks on our Christian brothers and sisters. But Cole Richards, Executive Vice President at The Voice of the Martyrs, reminds us that in the midst of this earthly suffering God is producing eternal fruit every single day. Listen as Cole shares some of the ways God has allowed VOM to help persecuted believers in the past 12 months—especially Christians displaced by ISIS. He’ll also give listeners a preview of an exciting new way YOU can be involved to directly help Christians facing persecution, as well a new book coming soon from The Voice of the Martyrs.

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Balloon launches are one of the key ways that VOM is delivering Bibles into North Korea. This week Dr. Eric Foley shares how weather balloon and GPS technology are even allowing us to pinpoint where the Bibles are landing. Recently North Korean government press also confirmed the delivery of these Bibles, and threatened to turn South Korea into a "sea of fire" if the balloon launches continued. Dr. Foley tells how South Korean police tried to stop the balloon launches after the threats...and how God opened a path. We’ll also talk about the best books to read to truly understand the situation for our brothers and sisters in North Korea, and hear from a reader blessed by VOM Radio. Thanks for joining us this week on Voice of the Martyrs Radio.

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The North Korean government has built a counterfeit religion to control it s people, a mirror image of Christianity that features their own trinity, their own meeting halls, their own sacred writings and even their own hymns to their god – Kim Il Sung. Following a different deity, like Jesus Christ, is a treasonous act deserving of death. Many describe North Korea as “the worst place in the world to be a Christian.” But Dr. Eric Foley, the leader of VOM Korea, tells us that North Korean Christians don’t say that! Instead they focus on serving Jesus Christ in spite of watchful government eyes and great danger. This week on VOM Radio you’ll hear how North Korean Christians pray—sometimes right out in the open!—and how you can pray for them more effectively.

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Last week we looked back on some of the best moments of VOM Radio during 2015. This week we finish our look back on some of the incredible stories that God has allowed us to tell this year. You’ll hear about an Iranian pastor who called it an “honor” to be tortured for Jesus. A gospel worker in the Muslim world reminds us to love our enemies…even terrorists. A missionary tells the story of a miracle that saved his life: a phone call reporting to police the Al Qaeda attack against him and his exact location, except the phone call came in BEFORE the attack had happened! And finally the story of God’s work in Mongolia, and the terrible sacrifice one missionary couple made to see the gospel advance there. This week we’ll continue with our look back on some of the best moments of this first full year of VOM Radio. Listen to highlights of the program recently named Radio Program of the Year by the National Religious Broadcasters.

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VOM Radio has had the opportunity to share some amazing stories this year! Listeners have heard stories of God’s faithfulness and protection over believers in hostile and restricted nations. We’ve shared stories of enemies of the gospel—even ISIS fighters!—coming to know Jesus Christ personally. We’ve lengthened your prayer list and given ideas about how you can share the gospel with Muslims and others in your sphere of influence. This week we share some of the best moments of this first full year of VOM Radio. Listen now to catch up on highlights of the program recently named Radio Program of the Year by the National Religious Broadcasters.

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“Mike” and “Rose” serve the Lord in Mexico, where they planted a secret church in a tribal village hostile to evangelical work. They’d been warned that gospel work in that village was dangerous, but God’s call was clear. Several villagers came to Christ, and they began a secret Bible study. But the Good News didn’t stay secret for long, and Mike and Rose were evicted from their home and kicked out of the village. Listen in as they share how God moved through that difficult time to encourage them and empower local Christians stand strong in their young faith, and draw others into the Kingdom.

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In the past 30 years, evangelical Christians in Ethiopia have grown from 1% of the population to more than 20%. Allan Sherer, the Horn of Africa Director for Front Line Mission, calls that church growth “one of the great gospel stories of our generation.” That growth hasn’t come without challenges and persecution. And now the challenge is to keep up with the demand for trained pastors and leaders. We’ll hear about Front Line’s efforts to meet that need, as well as the amazing ways God is raising up leaders and church planters in Ethiopia and even into the neighboring countries.

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In a message recorded at a recent VOM conference (www.VOMEvents.com), VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton shares stories of some of the witnesses (Acts 1:8) for Christ that he’s met during 17 years of service with The Voice of the Martyrs. Todd offers Biblical truths from the lives of these Christians—Biblical truths that Christians who are not persecuted can practice and live by in order to impact those around them for Jesus Christ.

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Before Patrick Klein leaves on a trip to deliver Bibles into hostile and restricted nations, he asks God to show him His plan for that trip. Sometimes God closes the eyes of customs officials and ushers the Bibles through without incident. Other times God has a different plan: Patrick is stopped and has opportunities to witness to officials trying to confiscate Bibles and hinder the gospel. After meeting with Christians who have faced imprisonment and beatings for God’s Word, Patrick has learned to see either outcome as a part of God’s plan. This week on VOM Radio you’ll hear more stories of Bible smuggling around the world, as well as how you might join a trip* to personally carry Bibles into hostile and restricted nations. * https://visionbeyondborders.org/get-involved/go/

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Imagine hefting a suitcase with 80 Bibles inside onto the X-ray machine in Iran. Patrick Klein has carried Bibles into hostile and restricted nations all over the world. He’s been warned many times to STOP. But he continues, answering the call of God to take the Word of God into some of the world’s hardest-to-reach places. He’s seen God close the eyes of customs agents and border guards. And he’s also seen God open the hearts of those most opposed to the Gospel. Listen as Patrick shares stories of the miraculous ways God intervened to allow him and his Vision Beyond Borders smuggling teams safe passage and used them to make a Kingdom impact all over the world.

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The house church pastor had been arrested and tortured. Now he wanted to talk to his leader. Dr. Hormoz Shariat expected the pastor to ask how a loving God could have allowed him to suffer. The pastor would ask, and how he would answer? Instead, the young man called being tortured for his faith in Christ an honor. It is bold witnesses for Christ like this that God is using to change the nation of Iran. Listen in this week to hear Pastor Hormoz share the stories of these faithful believers and explain how persecution in Iran is different from what Christians in other Muslim nations are facing. Encourage your faith and equip yourself to pray for the church in Iran with this week’s episode of VOM Radio.

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The Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 promised great things for the Iranian people. The mullahs that took over the nation promised an Islamic paradise on earth. More than 35 years later, Iran’s people have lost hope in their government, and in the religion it upholds. Dr. Hormoz Shariat speaks daily to millions of Iranians through satellite television. He shares the hope of Jesus with a nation that has lost hope in their Islamic government, and he sees great waves of people who have rejected Islam now embracing Jesus, the Savior. This week on VOM Radio, Pastor Hormoz shares exciting things God is doing in Iran and challenges Christians in the United States to be as committed to our God as radical Muslims in the Middle East are committed to theirs.

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Those who come to Christ in Sri Lanka—especially in rural areas—face challenges and trials from Buddhist or Hindu family members or village leaders. Sometimes the challenges are extreme: church buildings torn down, Christians beaten and even martyred for their faith. Yet God is at work: even with persecution the church in Sri Lanka is growing. Rev. Godfrey Yogarajah, the leader of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka, is in a unique position to tell us about both the exciting growth in the Sri Lankan church and the persecution that our brothers and sisters there are facing, and how they prepare to stand strong even in the midst of persecution. You’ll meet him this week on VOM Radio.

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The people of Central Asia are caught between their Islamic culture and the authoritarian remnants of 70 years of communist domination. Statistically, many of the region’s people have a zero-percent probability of meeting a follower of Christ or hearing the gospel message of Jesus’ love. “Brother Harold” has served more than a decade building relationships and planting gospel seeds among Muslim people in Central Asia. He’ll share about the persecution Central Asian Christians face, some of his challenges and God’s victories during 15 years of ministry, and thoughts on how Christians in the United States can minister to Muslims right where we live.

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Muslim women face oppression in society and even in their own families, sometimes forced to hide even their very faces from the world. JoAnn Doyle leads an outreach to share the truth with Muslim women that they are Not Forgotten, that Jesus Christ loved them so much He even gave His life for them. Listen in as JoAnn shares how we can reach out to Muslim women, even through simple acts of kindness and conversation. We’ll also answer a question from a reader about how Christians inside the world’s most closed nation—North Korea—pray and worship Jesus Christ.

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Merv Knight read Richard Wurmbrand’s book, Tortured for Christ, and it changed the path of his entire life. Merv helped found VOM-Australia and worked side by side with Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand for decades. This week he gives us an inside look, with stories of what it was like to minister alongside Richard and Sabina but also what kind of people they were behind the scenes and the deep love for Christ that allowed them to endure persecution while still holding firmly to their faith. Merv will also share the stories of some of the persecuted Christians that have inspired his own faith during almost five decades of ministry with The Voice of the Martyrs.

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Meeting with persecuted Christians and telling their stories has literally changed Ramsey Tripp’s life. Ramsey is a filmmaker and pastor who helped create several VOM videos released in conjunction with each year’s International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). This week Ramsey shares the stories behind some of those films, and how telling the stories of the faith and faithfulness of persecuted believers through film has impacted his own faith and walk with Christ. After you listen to our conversation with Ramsey watch the story of Alex in Colombia (a) and order a free DVD to share this year’s film, Suta, with your church family on IDOP Sunday, (b) November 1. a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16pG6NCqp9M b. https://secure.persecution.com/giftslip/default.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT

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Jesus told his disciples to “Go into all the world.” He didn’t say it would be easy.

Verne and Denny Johnson have experienced the joy of seeing people come to Christ while serving as missionaries in Ivory Coast. But they’ve also experienced dark days.

They watched their children almost die from malaria. War forced them to evacuate their home and leave the people they loved. But God even used those dark times to bring blessings into their lives, and to open the door for further ministry.

Listen as Verne and Denny share their story, and share specific ways for you to pray for missionaries and gospel workers around the world.

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When a fully veiled woman came to his church and asked to be baptized, this pastor from Iraq wasn’t sure how to respond. But the woman had been reading and memorizing the New Testament, and her faith in Christ was genuine. In spite of terrorism and radical Islam, God is moving in Iraq. Listen this week to hear an Iraqi pastor’s first-hand account of how God is working, how the church is growing and how the Islamic State is pushing Muslims toward Christ.

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Jonathan and Nick, two of VOM’s international workers, just returned from visiting bold Christian workers all over China, including one woman who shared the gospel with them! Listen in to hear how God is at work in China, even in the midst of a serious crackdown by Communist Party leaders. We’ll also hear how VOM is helping to support persecuted Christians, and the adventure of landing at one of the world’s highest airports. Photo credit: “Tibet, Lhasa” by Göran Höglund (Kartläsarn) https://www.flickr.com/photos/kartlasarn/6982310326/ Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

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“Brother Jay” continues the conversation about working in North Africa, including the biggest challenge that new Muslim converts to Christianity face, and how they prepare Christians—from their first days walking with Christ—to face persecution and rejection. Jay also shares ways that American Christians can reach out to Muslims who live right here in the United States. Then we’ll talk with Christian recording artist Nicole C. Mullen about her love for VOM’s book, “Jesus Freaks,” how she prays for persecuted believers and why she shares the stories of the faith of persecuted Christians with her children. Jesus Freaks: https://secure.persecution.com/p-310-jesus-freaks.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT Photo credit: “Ahmed” by Guillaume Lecoquierre https://www.flickr.com/photos/glecoquierre/4219732856/ Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

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“Brother Jay” served more than a decade among Muslims in North Africa, sharing the love of Christ and discipling believers to become strong in their faith and share Jesus’ love with their countrymen. He shares how God is tearing down walls to allow His word to go forth. Jay has seen the persecution Muslim converts face, often persecution that comes first from their own families. He’s also seen Western Christians expelled and sent home. Jay will share with us about the faithfulness of God—even amidst persecution—and how Christians overcome fear to boldly share the gospel and keep serving the Lord in North Africa. Photo credit: “Ousseni” by Guillaume Lecoquierre https://www.flickr.com/photos/glecoquierre/4219789824/ Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

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Pastors in the “red zone” areas of Colombia—areas controlled by FARC guerillas—are targets. The FARC resents the gospel message which makes it harder to recruit the population to support the guerilla movement. Pastors in such areas face danger and threats. This week on VOM Radio we’ll discuss how The Voice of the Martyrs provides such pastors with training and encouragement and how these encounters bless them, as well as the VOM workers involved. You’ll also hear an update on two ongoing court cases; the case against Asia Bibi in Pakistan and the ongoing trial of two pastors accused of espionage in Sudan.

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Brother Jonathan, a VOM international ministries worker, says there is a gospel wildfire burning. Around the world, we’re seeing the gospel go forward like never before in the history of the church. But what is the air that gives life to this wildfire? What is the fuel, the spark, and the accelerant? Jonathan shares examples from our persecuted family of how this holy fire is lit and how it burns brightly, even in the midst of persecution and suffering. He also challenges Christians in free nations to pray and boldly work to see this same wildfire burn in our nations as well.

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Most American Christians think persecution is something that happens only in far-off places. Many don’t realize that Christians in Mexico—right next door—can face persecution. In Chiapas, Zapatista rebels pressure those who choose to follow Jesus to renounce their faith in Christ and return to the traditional religion and superstitions of the area. Christians are kicked out of their homes and villages, left with nothing. “Ivan” oversees VOM’s ministry to these bold believers, and this week he shares about meeting with them and how God continues to work in spite of the persecution they face.

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The sheikh had just exited Syria, where he’d been providing Islamic theological training to ISIS fighters. Now, he was looking for a Bible. Not to burn it—but to learn more about Jesus Christ. This Islamic teacher is not alone; God is working in the hearts of Muslims all over the Middle East—even the hearts of radical ISIS fighters trained to find glory in bloodshed. After years in the Middle East as a part of Operation Mobilization, “Julian” will share amazing true stories of God’s Kingdom advancing among Arab Muslims. He’ll also share how Christians are facing persecution, and being empowered by God to stand strong, and even to forgive those who kill their family members. Celebrate with us the stories of God’s advancing Kingdom this week on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network.

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Before sunrise, a North Korean Christian seals his small, secret radio into a plastic bag and buries it in the ground. He will dig it up late that night to listen again to Biblical teaching while trying to avoid the prying eyes of his neighbors and his government. At the same time, a radio transmitter built by Adolf Hitler’s propaganda machine broadcasts Jesus’ love on a million watts of broadcast power, and a Christian in the Middle East secretly downloads the Gospel of John onto his phone. TWR is using radio waves, smart phones and internet connections to share the gospel message around the world, and The Voice of the Martyrs is partnering to provide content to strengthen those serving Christ under persecution. Learn more about this important work this week on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network.

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Christians in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan are under attack from their own government. When a plane flies overhead, our Sudanese brothers and sisters dive into fox holes to escape falling bombs. Hospitals and even schools are specifically targeted by the Islamic government of Sudan. Many Christians have fled their homes and are living in caves or in the mountains in hopes of finding safety. Yet even in the midst of attacks, some Christians are finding ways to reach out with Jesus’ love. VOM’s Dr. Jason Peters visited Christians in Sudan, and this week on VOM Radio he shares their inspiring and heartbreaking stories.

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Sergio Cariello is a world-famous comic-book artist. And he’s a missionary. Sergio has drawn the famous faces of Batman, Spiderman and the Lone Ranger. He’s also brought the story of Jesus to life in a whole new way through the creation of The Action Bible, a tool VOM is helping to translate and distribute in the most difficult places on earth. This week on VOM Radio, Sergio shares how God is using his drawing gifts to spread the gospel and bring people to Christ, and challenges each of us to commit to serve God with the gifts and talents He has given each of us. Get The Action Bible on VOM Books: https://secure.persecution.com/p-6113-the-action-bible.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT

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The Church in Niger is growing and getting stronger. Earlier this year, enemies of the gospel responded: churches were burned and Christians’ homes were attacked. Missionary Ron Childs shares what happened during those attacks, and how Niger’s Christians responded with forgiveness and boldness. Ron also shares how VOM provided assistance to affected Christians after the attacks, and the response of Christians encouraged by that help. You’ll be equipped to pray for the nation of Niger, and also hear two stories of answered prayer as God stepped in to save the lives of His people through miraculous intervention. (One of those stories is from VOM’s book, Extreme Devotion. Sign up to receive devotionals in your email box each morning here: https://secure.persecution.com/extremedevotion/default.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT)

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What would you do if an ISIS fighter wanted to meet up with you? You’d probably have lots of questions. What are his intentions? Is his spiritual hunger real, or is it a trap? Is the Lord really calling me to go to this meeting? Those questions aren’t new. Ananias had the same doubts when he was told to go visit a man named Saul. Christians in the Middle East face this dilemma today. This week on VOM Radio we’ll hear what happened when a Christian worker from YWAM was introduced to an ISIS fighter, a man with Christian blood on his hands.

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Thirty percent of the world’s population is “unreached,” meaning there is no church among their people. It’s hard for American Christians to imagine two billion people living their entire lives without ever hearing the name of Jesus or meeting a believer in Christ. Gina F. and Kevin S. are part of the leadership of Youth With A Mission’s Frontier Mission teams, sending gospel workers to those places where there is no church and the people have never heard of the love of Christ. This week on VOM Radio we’ll meet them and hear what kind of workers are going to these difficult places and how it feels when a Christian worker you sent is arrested, tortured or even killed for the gospel.

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“Even if you take my life here in front of my wife…I will not deny Christ.” The Iraqi Christian stood at an ISIS check point. The fighters’ guns were pointed at him. Their instruction was clear: deny your faith and become a Muslim. He said no, and miraculously God intervened and our Iraqi brother lived to tell the story. This is just one of the stories that Joe, a VOM international worker, will share this week on VOM Radio after returning from a recent trip to the Middle East. He’ll also tell how VOM helps displaced Christians from Iraq and Syria forced from their homes by the Islamic State. We’ll also learn how Muslim converts face persecution right here in the United States, and how your church can engage with Muslim immigrants and refugees in your city.

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For years the Christians in Syria prayed for God to bring revival to their country. Little did they know that revival would come, but it would come in the midst of war and suffering and death. This week “Brother John” shares the story of that revival, and the amazing ways that God is working in Syria today to strengthen and unify His church and to bring Muslims to fellowship with Jesus. John also brings a challenge to American Christians: are we willing to pay a price to see revival in our own country? You’ll be encouraged to pray for Christians in the Middle East this week, and VOM’s international ministry leader will also answer a question about whether or not persecuted Christians can or should defend themselves from their persecutors.

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Is it easy to reach Muslims with the message of salvation through Christ? No. But Prem Kumar says, “We believe in the power of the gospel.” Prem is training church planters and sending out gospel workers all over South Asia…including some of the region’s most difficult areas. This week on VOM Radio he tells us how they prepare those workers to face persecution without losing their faith, and about the challenges they are facing and how they overcome. He’ll also share ideas for reaching out to Muslims, and help us pray more effectively for missionaries working on the front lines.

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Tori Rasmussen is a missionary to Tanzania, focusing on spreading God’s Word into African villages and equipping and training national Christians to become missionaries themselves. This week on VOM Radio he shares about his work in Tanzania, about the persecution Christians there are facing and about the challenges of equipping tribal believers for outreach to other tribes and cultures. He also shares thoughts for American Christians about gospel outreach to Muslims right here at home.

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House church leaders in China teach new believers that to be a faithful follower of Christ, one must be willing to suffer for his faith. Bob Fu led a double life in China, making his living as a teacher in a Communist Party school then working after school to lead people to Christ and build up China’s house churches. It wasn’t long before his own willingness to suffer was tested. Today, after fleeing to the West, Dr. Fu is one of the foremost voices for China’s persecuted church. This week he’ll tell us about his work and update us on a new wave of persecution in China, a wave that has extended beyond unregistered house churches and even into the Communist Party sanctioned Three Self Patriotic Movement. After listening to our conversation with Bob Fu, order a copy of his book, God’s Double Agent. Purchase God’s Double Agent at VOM Books: https://secure.persecution.com/p-5341-gods-double-agent.aspx?SOURCE=VOMRADIONT

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Tom Doyle, author of the books Killing Christians and Dreams and Visions, shares more this week about the true nature of Islam and how the God of the Bible is reaching and rescuing Muslims in the Middle East. Tom will also share how he deals with fear as he goes into dangerous places, and suggests ways that American Christians can reach out to Muslims living in our cities and neighborhoods, even if we don’t have a graduate degree in apologetics. We’ll also discuss specific ways to pray for people in the Middle East, both our Christian brothers and sisters and Muslims. Purchase Tom Doyle’s books at VOM Books. Dreams and Visions: https://secure.persecution.com/p-5330-dreams-and-visions.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT Killing Christians: https://secure.persecution.com/p-6134-killing-christians.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT

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Tom Doyle, author of a new book about Christians facing persecution in the Middle East, tells us that, in spite of the advance of Islamic State, God is changing the hearts of people in the region as Christians continue to boldly share the gospel message in spite of the risks and violence. He’ll share the story of a Muslim convert forced to choose between her daughter and her Savior, and a group of pastors ready to die rather than leave the work God has called them to in Syria. Tom also challenges Christians in free nations to live with the same boldness and faith, and reminds us that believers facing persecution are praying for Christians in America.

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His cell phone rings. When Brother Matthew answers, it is an angry voice, threatening to kidnap his children and abuse his wife. Radicals in Nepal are angry at his Christian witness and his support for Christians there. Matthew and his family have been forced to move multiple times, to different cities, because of the threats. Yet they boldly continue to serve our persecuted family in Nepal. Brother Matthew says when he sees the suffering other Nepali Christians endure, he doesn't even feel his own suffering is worth mentioning. You’ll meet this brave Christian brother and learn how to pray for our spiritual family in Nepal this week on VOM Radio.

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Padina was ready to kill herself on live TV to earn Allah's favor and prove the God of the Christians was powerless. Instead, she met Jesus Christ and saw Him heal her mother from sickness. She became passionate to introduce her countrymen to the Savior.

Today she leads a house church network inside Iran, including training church leaders to be ready to face arrest, harassment and persecution. She'll tell us how they prepare to face persecution, and describe ways VOM is helping and strengthening the church in Iran today.

Finally, we'll talk about specific ways to pray for Christians inside Iran.

You can also watch a video about how Padina came to Christ.

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The face of radical Islamic terror is easy to find: simply turn on the news. But how should Christians respond? Should we pretend the challenge doesn’t exist? Should we quake in fear? This week Cole Richards, the leader of VOM’s international work, helps listeners examine these issues through the lens of scripture and in view of eternity. He also shares highlights of the great work accomplished by VOM’s international staff last year, including distributing more than one million Bibles and touching the lives of more than four million Christian brothers and sisters living in hostile and restricted nations around the world.

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Not many Americans have been attacked by Al Qaeda terrorists and lived to share the story. Brent Teague was shot twice and left for dead, but God wasn’t finished with Brent or with his ministry in West Africa. In fact, God had already performed a miracle to provide for Brent’s rescue…before he’d even been shot! This week on VOM Radio we’ll hear Brent’s incredible story, as well as an update on recent attacks and church burnings in Niger and how Christians there are responding with love and forgiveness, even to their persecutors.

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In spite of Boko Haram attacks, Christian brothers and sisters in Northern Nigeria continue to serve Jesus. This week Ray and Denise Thorne share how God brought them together in ministry—through disappointment and heartbreak—to serve Him and to serve persecuted believers. We’ll hear how they met widows of martyred Christians in Nigeria, encouraged women who’d been kidnapped and abused by Boko Haram fighters and met a faithful Christian miraculously sustained by God even after being shot in the face with an AK-47, and how he encouraged his son to forgive the attackers. Ray and Denise’s stories from our persecuted family in Nigeria will lengthen your prayer list and encourage your faith.

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Gilbert Hovsepian’s father, Pastor Haik Hovsepian, was a church leader in Iran with an outreach to Muslims and a voice that wouldn’t be silenced. He was threatened many times. Then he disappeared. For 12 days Gilbert and his family searched and worried. Gilbert says those 12 days were the hardest of his life. Then Haik’s body was found, stabbed repeatedly. Listen to VOM Radio this week as Gilbert shares how his family responded, and how the prayers and care of the Body of Christ around the world encouraged and carried them. He’ll also share how God has taken the misery of those days and used it to shape a ministry that still reaches into Iran today, strengthening the church and leading Muslims into fellowship with Jesus.

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One of the great blessings of traveling for VOM is meeting bold and on-fire believers serving Jesus in hostile and restricted nations. That great blessing comes with a heavy burden, though. Especially when those believers—people we know and love, people with whom our staff have shared fellowship—come under severe persecution. This week on VOM Radio, Jeremy, part of VOM’s international team, will tell us about that burden. We’ll learn what it’s like to get that phone call that says one of our partners—and a close friend—has been gunned down in Afghanistan.

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Last week Brian and Louise shared about their efforts to plant a church in Mongolia. This week they unwrap some of the principles they learned in that process, lessons they are now teaching to pastors and church leaders around the world, including nations where VOM works. We’ll also hear a first-hand report from a former prisoner for Christ in Uzbekistan, who tells us that the letters we write to Christians in prison really do make a difference. You can write a letter to a Christian imprisoned for their faith at www.PrisonerAlert.com.

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Brian and Louise were part of a church planting team in an isolated city in Mongolia. They saw God do amazing things as the gospel took root and the church grew in strength. But they also saw Satan attack, trying to regain territory he’d lost to Christ’s Kingdom. The attacks even reached into Brian and Louise’s own home. Listen in to hear the story of God’s work in Mongolia, and Brian and Louise’s testimony that even in the darkest times, God was faithful. We’ll also answer a listener’s question about Action Packs and how packing an Action Pack is a blessing for a Christian family in a restricted nation, and for the American family that packs the bag.

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This week on VOM Radio we talk with former Congressman Pete Hoekstra about how the United States government responds to Christian persecution around the world, and how we can influence our leaders in Washington DC to be more informed and involved in standing up for our persecuted family. Then Cole Richards, who leads VOM’s international work, gives us an inside look into how VOM works in hostile and restricted nations, how we find and help Christians facing persecution and ways you can pray for our international workers.

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Of 700,000 villages in India, 600,000 have no Christian presence at all. Our VOM Radio guest is answering God’s call to change that. This week we’ll learn how Ebenezer Samuel and VOM partner Serve India Ministries are training pastors and church planters to go into those villages all over India, in spite of persecution and increasing government animosity toward Christians. You’ll hear how VOM is helping strengthen the Indian church, and how you can pray for our Christian brothers and sisters and for the entire nation of India.

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Brother John first heard about VOM’s ministry when he was given a copy of Richard Wurmbrand’s book, Tortured for Christ. After reading the book, his heart was touched and he told the Lord that he would be honored to receive the gift of persecution. Today he helps to support and encourage the church in Myanmar in spite of the persecution and challenges there. We’ll learn about VOM support for the church in Burma through leadership training, Bibles, tools for front-line workers and other projects. Get your own copy of “Tortured for Christ” at https://secure.persecution.com/referafriend/default.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT

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Tens of thousands of Christians have been displaced by the advance of the Islamic State in Iraq. Many families were forced out of their homes with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. This week Todd and Adam discuss traveling to Iraq to deliver aid from VOM to those displaced Christians, hearing their stories of suffering and seeing first-hand how God is working even during this time of upheaval and suffering in Iraq. We’ll also discuss how listeners can pray for and support these believers.

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“Are you willing to go to jail for three years in order to keep working with us on this project?” It is an intimidating question, but those who secretly deliver Bibles to China’s Christians know that it is a very real risk. “Brother Joel” is one of VOM’s Bible distribution partners, helping deliver Bibles into every province of China. Every single year he asks each one of his workers that question: are you ready to go to jail to keep giving away Bibles? Listen in this week to learn about Joel’s work and how his workers answer that question. They aren’t worried about what their government says or does; they worry instead about what the Bible says and about reaching China for Christ. You’ll be encouraged and challenged as you hear what God is doing in China this week on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio.

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God is alive in Syria! This week we talk with “John,” a Christian worker from Syria who shares that in spite of the civil war and advances by radical Muslims, God is still at work in Syria. You’ll hear how Christians are responding in the midst of the strife there, how VOM is assisting Syrian Christians and you’ll learn specific ways you can pray for God’s people in Syria. Also in this episode, a caller asks for an update on Asia Bibi’s case in Pakistan.

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Martin and Gracia Burnham were serving as missionaries in the Philippines when they went away for a few days together to celebrate their anniversary. Those few days turned into a year in the jungle when they were kidnapped by radical Muslim terrorists. Listen to this exclusive VOM Radio interview as Gracia tells how she wrestled with God and even with her own faith during those dark days of captivity, and how she experienced the prayers of God’s people, even as Martin was killed during a rescue attempt. Gracia bears witness to God’s faithfulness to the Burnhams and their children. Her story challenges each of us to glorify God regardless of what trials we may be facing. Purchase Gracia’s book “In the Presence of My Enemies” at https://secure.persecution.com/p-5134-in-the-presence-of-my-enemies.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT

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How do you prepare to face persecution? Ali—who ministers inside Iran—tells us how he and his wife talk through what might happen, and how they will persevere through it by God’s grace. He also shares how God is moving inside Iran, including the surprising Bible story God used to reach the heart of a prostitute. Then we’ll learn more about volunteering to serve at VOM and hear how two people decided they’d come to Bartlesville and serve the Lord by serving our persecuted family.

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Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh knew they were putting their lives on the line. They knew it when they handed out New Testaments, and they knew it when they shared the message of Jesus with their countrymen.

Their bold witness for Christ would cost them: they spent 259 days in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison. But even in prison God had a plan as He opened the doors for incredible ministry among their fellow prisoners.

Listen to their incredible story.

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Pastor Eric Foley, VOM’s project partner for North Korea, discusses the persecution of our brothers and sisters in the most restricted nation on earth, a nation where the dictator wants to be worshiped as a God. Todd and Pastor Foley also discuss VOM’s Letter of Confession campaign to raise awareness about persecution in North Korea, and how North Korea’s government responds when the world shines a light on their dismal human rights record.

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VOM staffer Grace Taylor shares how she learned about VOM when her parents received the newsletter, and how God planted the seeds through that which grew into her serving full-time with VOM. Dmitry Shestakov, former prisoner for Christ in Uzbekistan, shares what it meant when Christians around the world wrote letters of encouragement to him in prison. And Anna, the wife of a VOM international worker, shares about God’s call to their family to serve persecuted believers.

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We hear different things about the church in China. Some say the church is completely free; others will tell you that persecution is real and common. Where does the truth lie? Nick, one of our VOM international workers, recently returned from China and shares an update on the status of the church there and some personal thoughts about what it means to sit down with persecuted Chinese believers and hearing their stories, including the family of a pastor who is in prison right now.

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