VOMRadio

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu-nationalist government put India on 21-day lockdown. Every Indian is impacted—Christian, Muslim and Hindu, high caste and low caste, rich and poor. “Brother Bennie” leads Alpha Ministries and he’s in direct contact with gospel workers all over India, as well as Myanmar and Nepal. Listen as he shares what life is like right now for everyone in India, especially Christian brothers and sisters facing both persecution and pandemic. In spite of government oppression and fear of Covid-19, Indian Christians are reaching out and sharing the love of Jesus Christ. The gospel is going forth. Bennie will equip listeners to pray for India, and to reach out to Hindus who live in Western nations. Brother Bennie is a regular speaker at VOM Advance Conferences. Find out when one of these free, one-day events will be in a city near you at www.VOMAdvance.com. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe on your favorite podcast app.

Ebrahim Firouzi, a Christian convert from Islam, has been in and out of prison in Iran since 2011. Last year he completed his most recent prison sentence, but instead of being set free and allowed to go home, Ebrahim has been banished to internal exile in Sarbaz, a city near the border with Pakistan. All of these punishments are a direct result of Ebrahim’s conversion from Islam to follow Jesus and his faithful witness for Christ. This week, speaking from exile, Ebrahim shares his testimony and gives an update on his life today and God’s faithfulness during his time in prison. Multiple times, Ebrahim was given the opportunity to renounce Christ and go free; each time he refused to compromise. “I could never turn my back on my faith,” Ebrahim says. “By God’s grace I endured a few years in prison in exchange for an eternity with Him.” This interview was originally conducted in Farsi by Joseph Hovsepian, the son of martyred Iranian church leader Haik Hovsepian. We are thankful to Joseph and our friends at Hovsepian Ministries for allowing VOM Radio to broadcast this interview and share Ebrahim’s testimony. Pray for the people in Iran and other Islamic nations during Ramadan. For reminders and specific ways you can pray, follow VOM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe on your favorite podcast app.

Right now, Muslims around the world are fasting during daylight hours in an effort to show their devotion and earn Allah’s favor and approval. It is a strategic time for us, as Christians, to pray for Muslims to come to know Jesus Christ as the Savior and Son of God. This week on VOM Radio we’ll hear from people working in Muslim nations and among Muslim people. They’ll help us understand what Ramadan means to Muslims and share specific ways Christians can pray. Finally, our guests will lead in prayer for God’s Holy Spirit to move among Muslims during this month. Make a commitment now to pray for Muslims to meet Jesus Christ throughout the month of Ramadan. Set a reminder on your phone, or put a note next to your Bible to remind you. Also, follow The Voice of the Martyrs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for reminders to pray throughout this important month. Guests helping us pray include: Susanna Koh, the wife of kidnapped Pastor Raymond Koh, from Malaysia. (Hear her story.) Tom Doyle, Uncharted Ministries (Previous appearances on VOM Radio.) JoAnn Doyle, Not Forgotten Ministries (Previous appearances on VOM Radio.) Dr. Mehrdad Fatehi, PARS Theological Center (Previous conversations on VOM Radio here and here.) Lucy, Global Catalytic Ministries (Listen to “Ali,” also from GCIC, here.) Amir Bazmjou, Torch Ministries (Amir’s wife, Rashin, is the daughter of martyred Iranian Pastor Hossein Soodmand. You can hear her story here and here.) Dick Brogden, Live Dead Ministries (Previous conversations on VOM Radio here and here.) Dr. Mike Ansari, Heart 4 Iran Ministries (Previous conversations on VOM Radio here and here.) Dr. Hormoz Shariat, Iran Alive Ministries (Previous conversations on VOM Radio here and here.) Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe on your favorite podcast app.

Steve and Debbie Wolcott have served for decades as missionaries in Africa, seeking to share the gospel and strengthen the church in Congo, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and other nations. The Wolcotts are back this week to finish our conversation about sharing the gospel even when it’s risky. They’ve gone to dangerous places to serve the church; listen as they explain how they think about risk-taking and the values that guide their decisions—decisions that have affected not only Steve and Debbie but their children as well. Perhaps you or people you know are sensing God’s call to serve Him in missions. Steve and Debbie, as experienced missionaries, are uniquely qualified to advise and encourage on that journey. They’ll talk about discerning and answering that call, as well as their own journey of saying yes to God’s call—separately and together—to serve Him and His church in Africa. They will also equip listeners to pray for missionaries, and for the church in some of the African nations where they work—and where Christians are persecuted for the name of Christ. You can hear Part 1 of our conversation with the Wolcotts here. Steve and Debbie are a part of Africa Inland Mission. Learn more about their ministry here.

Steve and Debbie Wolcott have served for decades as missionaries in Africa, seeking to share the gospel and strengthen the church in Congo, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and other nations. The Wolcotts will share how God called them to global mission work. Debbie will talk about her specific ministry helping victims recover from the wounds of trauma using Godly, Biblical principles—and training the church in 22 different languages to spread the healing power of Christ. Steve will share how God allowed him to illustrate the message of salvation in such a way that, 22 years later, one of the men in the audience was able to recall how Steve’s message led him to commit his life to Christ. We’ll explain Christian persecution in Central African Republic—including what motivates attacks and how Christians are responding. Steve will also give context to the spread of Islam on the African continent—and explain how Islam is not just a set of religious teachings, but an entire way of life and framework for all of society. Steve and Debbie will also share the biggest challenges of their work—which will help you pray not only for the Wolcotts but for other missionaries you know and support. Steve and Debbie are a part of Africa Inland Mission. Learn more about their ministry here.

VOM’s President, Cole Richards, joins us to talk about communism and how this old philosophy is motivating new persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters. Why is communism so directly opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ? We’ll look specifically at China and steps President Xi Jinping and his government are taking to bring every aspect of Christian worship and practice under Communist Party control. Richards will also share how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting VOM’s work, and how Christians can respond in the midst of an international health crisis. We’ll look at what China’s Christians face right now, through the experiences of Early Rain Covenant Church, which is the focus of the feature story in the March edition of VOM’s free magazine. Their pastor has been sentenced to nine years in prison, and yet this church continues serving and evangelizing—church leaders even train members to see police interrogations as opportunities to witness for Christ! You can download the Special Report about communism from VOM that is discussed in this episode. Also, learn more about the church in China in previous VOM Radio conversations with Bob Fu, leader of China Aid Association, and with “Brother Enfu,” pastor of an unregistered church congregation in China. Never miss an inspiring episode of VOM Radio. Subscribe to the podcast. You can also access this content—for free—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. Cole Richards is the President of The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM). In addition to leading VOM’s service to persecuted Christians abroad, Cole serves as Publisher and Executive Producer of VOM’s publishing and media initiatives. Cole joined VOM in 2006 after living and ministering in a restricted nation, one of the least-reached in the Middle East, where he, his wife and their children reached out to Muslims and supported persecuted Christians. Cole holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering as well as two master’s degrees: one in missiology, with a focus on evangelism in the Muslim world, and one in business administration (MBA) in the context of organizational leadership. Before entering full-time ministry, Cole served as a USAF officer, focusing on the rise of Islamic terrorist groups in the Middle East.

What does the recent peace deal between the US government and the Taliban mean for persecuted Christians in Afghanistan? Author John Weaver—who lived many years inside Afghanistan—helps answer that question and helps us pray for Afghanistan and our spiritual family there. How is the church growing? How are Muslims—even Taliban members—hearing the gospel? What do “church” meetings look like, and how much access do Afghans have to Bibles? Weaver will introduce Mary, an Afghan gospel worker using the oppressive burqa to cover her evangelism that is reaching Afghan women for Christ. Weaver will talk about the growth of the church in Afghanistan in recent years, the result of seeds planted over many decades by missionaries and other gospel workers and the prayers of millions of Christians around the world, especially after 9-11. He’ll also share the difference it makes when Afghans hear the gospel from a fellow Afghan instead of a foreigner. Finally, he’ll equip every listener to pray, then lead in a special prayer for Afghanistan. John Weaver previously shared on VOM Radio about how he and his bride used their wedding ceremony to demonstrate Jesus’ love inside Afghanistan. Javed and Lowen talked about reaching Afghanistan through media ministry, and Hannelie Groenewald shared the story of the day when her husband, Werner, and their two teen-aged children were martyred in Kabul. Never miss an inspiring VOM Radio conversation: subscribe to the podcast.

“Brother Bayram” is back to finish the conversation we began last week. He came to the United States to further his education and start a business. One day a Christian woman gave Bayram a New Testament. He began to read it, the beginning of a path that would lead him to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Son of God. Listen to the stories of people in Turkey Bayram has seen leave Islam behind and embrace Jesus Christ, the Son of God—and the persecution they’ve endured for making that decision. What are the truths that draw them? What are the misunderstandings of the gospel Christians can address with Muslims? How do new Christians in Turkey think about telling family members that they are following Christ? Finally, Bayram will equip us to pray for Turkey, and for our Christian brothers and sisters there. You can connect online with Brother Bayram and his ministry at www.albtci.org. You can hear David Byle tell his story of persecution in Turkey here. You may also be interested in hearing American Pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife, Norine, tell their story of imprisonment and persecution in Turkey. Never miss a VOM Radio conversation: subscribe to the podcast.

“Brother Bayram” came to the United States to further his education. He started a business, and one day a Christian woman gave Bayram a New Testament. He began to read it, the beginning of a path that would lead him to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Son of God. It was a costly decision: his devout Muslim wife divorced him and won’t allow him to see their daughter. His brother had Bayram committed to a mental hospital—viewing anyone who would leave Islam as mentally unstable. It has been a difficult road, but Bayram’s faith has only grown stronger as he has seen God work in his life and in his country. Listen as he shares the story of his journey to faith, and how his family pressured him to return to Islam and persecuted him for his Christian faith, and stories of those still meeting Jesus Christ in Turkey. Bayram will encourage and instruct listeners about how we—like the woman who gave him a New Testament—might help lead Muslims here in the US toward Jesus Christ. You can connect online with Brother Bayram and his ministry at www.albtci.org. We’ll finish this conversation with Bayram next week on VOM Radio. Between now and then, you can hear David Byle tell his story of persecution in Turkey here: Part 1 and Part 2. You may also be interested in hearing American Pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife, Norine, tell their story of imprisonment and persecution in Turkey.

In India, resistance to the gospel and to Christian missionary activity is very organized. Hindu nationalists all over India are watching for evangelism—and they are ready to persecute Christians. Aaron Miller oversees VOM’s work in South Asia. He’s just met with church leaders from all over India, evaluating the current state of Christian persecution there. He brings us a timely report as President Donald Trump just visited India, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi—whose background is in the Hindu-nationalist RSS movement that is one of the main persecutors of Christians and other religious minorities in India. Several Indian states have passed anti-conversion laws, but church leaders say the laws aren’t stopping people from coming to faith in Christ In fact, in every state where an anti-conversion law has passed, the church is still growing. Aaron will share some specifics of how persecution in India is happening right now, both through physical violence and through more subtle means, like government restrictions and financial controls. But more importantly, Aaron tells stories of Hindus who have found freedom and peace in Jesus Christ and equips us to pray for our brothers and sisters in India right now. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.