Insights From Cole Richards, President Of The Voice Of The Martyrs, On The hope of Christianity in Bangladesh The following reflection is written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the hope the power of the Gospel offers for the nation of Bangladesh. Most people have at least some degree of national pride, but it seems less common in Bangladesh, which is considered one of the world’s most corrupt and dysfunctional nations. During one of my visits, a Muslim man went out of his way to tell me that he did not understand why any foreigner would visit his country. “What are you doing here?” he asked with a look of incredulity. “My country is corrupt, crowded, desperately poor and full of violent extremists!” The fact that a nation can be characterized by both desperate circumstances and historic revival should be instructive for us. God’s eternal purposes will not be thwarted by the flaws or failings of any nation’s government or economy. Cole Richards, President of VOM While the population of Bangladesh is roughly half that of the U.S., this huge populace is crowded into a frequently flooded river delta that
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Siporn is a faithful Christian and a member of the village council in his community. In August, the president of the council confronted Siporn about his faith, promising that Siporn would succeed him as council president if Siporn would recant. Siporn answered, “I will not stop believing in my God, because I have found the truth and chosen the right path for my life.” The council then met without Siporn and voted to remove him from his position.
Read MoreRenee (22) and Rebecca (19) are half-sisters. Their father has four wives and practices animistic sorcery. Years ago, Renee’s mother was unable to conceive, so she went to a Christian outreach hoping for a miracle. There she placed her faith in Christ and received prayer; later she became pregnant and gave birth to Renee. Renee’s father was not pleased when his wife took Renee to church. Renee’s half-sister, Rebecca, became a Christian while training at a hair salon with someone who sang worship songs.
Read MoreOn Aug. 30, 2023, three churches in one district were attacked in the daytime by groups of 20-25 people each. One Christian leader reported that the groups pelted the buildings with stones and bricks, causing damage to windows, doors and gates. The groups chanted Hindu religious slogans during the attacks.
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Insights From Cole Richards, President Of The Voice Of The Martyrs, On the Continued Rise of Violence from Muslim Extremists The following reflection is written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the rise of Muslim extremism and how we are called to share the gospel with even the most violent extremists. Coverage of the violent spread of Islam has varied widely in the news media, leading some to believe it has subsided. It has not. Constant, comprehensive reporting kept the rise and decline of the self-proclaimed “Islamic State” in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) at the forefront of international news in the years following the 2014 fall of Mosul in northern Iraq. But in sharp contrast, the violent spread of Islam across much of the African continent in the last five years — and continuing today — has received little attention. As Christians, we cannot count on the news media or other secular sources to inform us in ways that help us love and serve our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters. As fellow members of the body of Christ, we must share their stories and carry their message ourselves! Let us
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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. 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.
Read MoreSade, who has been nearly blind most of her life, heard screams as attackers raided her village, so she ran with her three daughters in search of safety. Radical Muslim Fulani men had attacked her village before, so Sade knew their lives were in danger. She, her children and several others took shelter in her brother’s apartment. When militants found them and couldn’t break in, they set the building on fire. The apartment filled with smoke, but the group feared leaving.
Read MoreFront-line workers serving North Korean defectors in South Korea have seen an increase in the number of North Koreans expressing interest in joining their basic Christian discipleship classes. These classes use a mobile format to reach students in various parts of the country.
Read MoreRabyia, a young Muslim, asked a Christian evangelist to give her a Bible. She later called him back with a story. She had started reading the Bible in Genesis and then skipped ahead to the Gospels. At first, she thought that Christians had taken the story of Jesus as a prophet of Islam and twisted it to come up with the story she read in the Bible, as she had been taught in school. Then, she had a dream in which she saw a bright light and heard a voice say, “This is my word. Read it.” She began reading the Bible intently and found that it brought her peace.
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