LAOS: How Should We Prepare for Persecution when Jesus Himself Died?
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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...
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AFGHANISTAN: “Once You Begin to See What God Can Do…”
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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...
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CENTRAL ASIA: Visions, Visas, and Venturing to Unreached People in Afghanistan
VOMRadio
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...
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MISSIONS: Reducing Barriers, Easing Burdens, and Delivering God’s Word
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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 ) 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...
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INDIA: “I Am Willing to Pay the Price. My Heart is Prepared.”
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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;...
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BIBLE ACCESS: More Persecuted Christians Receiving God’s Word
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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 tracks nations where governments...
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INDIA: God Answers Prayer that Fellow Pastor Would be Arrested
VOMRadio
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...
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INDIA: “My Jesus is Victorious. I Will Suffer for Him.”
VOMRadio
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...
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LATIN AMERICA: Obedience Comes with a Price
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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 —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...
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IRAN: Faith in Christ Spreading Through Acts of Mercy
VOMRadio
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 and the outgoing CEO of , 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...
info_outlineIn 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.