“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.
Read MoreGod 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.
Read MoreMartin 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
Read MoreHow 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.
Read MoreMaryam 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.
Read MorePastor 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.
Read MoreVOM 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.
Read MoreWe 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.
Read MoreAfter 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. 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.
Read MoreDr. 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. 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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