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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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

“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 McKaskel 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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 completely positive. Then, as he was 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 on 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. Nathan will share advice and encouragement to future missionaries and describe his missionary work each day 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. 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 they took their prison bread and the water and turned it into a remembrance of Christ’s suffering. Since they didn’t have a Bible, the scripture they knew in their heart was all they had to hold onto during their worship and prayers to the Lord in prison. Join us next week to hear more of Nathan’s experience in prison and how it 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.