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. 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.
Read More
In 2025, a 16-year-old Pakistani Christian named Reena took a job at a restaurant to help support her family. An older Muslim man who worked there tried to convert her to Islam repeatedly, but she refused. In January 2026, as she was walking home, she was grabbed and forced into a van. Her family told authorities and tried to confront the man at her workplace but were told Reena had converted to Islam and married him.
Read MoreSince the beginning of 2026, more than two dozen Christians, including converts and church leaders, have been arrested and detained without any charges in a Middle Eastern nation. “Family members haven’t been able to contact them,” said a front-line worker, adding that at least three Christians disappeared without anyone knowing what happened to them. “The situation is bad. Families are struggling.”
Read MoreOn Dec. 24, 2025, Muslim leaders insisted on an official ban and pressured a local pastor in West Java province to cancel his church’s planned holiday worship services. Religious and government leaders cited the potential for attacks from radical Islamist groups but could not identify a specific threat. While a public announcement was made that the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations were canceled, the 70-member church decided to continue their services as planned. “I was indeed under pressure in the video [announcing the ban],” said Pastor Irianto Budy.
Read More“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.
Read MoreKazakh church leaders are reporting an upswing in harassment during church services by government officials. “In four different churches on the outskirts of Almaty since the end of December, police have showed up, interrupted services and demanded names and IDs,” said a front-line worker. He said that this seems like a new tactic: “In the past, pressure from the government has mostly been against radical Islam, not against churches.”
Read MoreCuban pastor Luis Guillermo Borjas requests urgent prayer for the release of his son from prison on fabricated charges. In June 2025, the pastor’s disabled son, Kevin, was conscripted into the army, an act that the family believes was retribution for their ongoing Christian ministry. Kevin was court-martialed when he could not complete his service and is now being held in a military prison in deplorable conditions without adequate food.
Read MoreChristians in Nigeria are being repeatedly killed and kidnapped by Islamists and bandit groups, even during worship services. In Nov. 2025, around 300 schoolchildren were taken from a Christian school in one state. In Jan. 2026, around 30 people were killed in an attack in the same area. And on Sunday, Jan. 18, 172 Christians were kidnapped as they participated in services inside three different churches in another state. “The situation seems to be getting worse for Christians in Nigeria,” said a front-line worker.
Read More“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.
Read MoreIn November 2025, a Nigerien pastor was abducted by Islamists in the middle of the night, driven across the nearby border into Nigeria and taken to a remote area. His captors told him they had brought him to a place where they regularly executed Christians and said they were going to kill him as well. They tied him to a tree and then went to sleep. As they slept, the pastor untied himself and escaped.
Read More