VOMRadio

Martin and Gracia Burnham were serving as missionaries in the Philippines, where Martin was a pilot with New Tribes Mission. The couple went away for a few days together to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Those few days turned into more than a year in the jungle when they were kidnapped by radical Muslim terrorists. Listen 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, and she gives an update on how God continues to work in the hearts of the terrorists that held them hostage. Her story will inspire you to find ways to glorify God, regardless of what challenges you may be facing. Find a VOM Advance Conference where Gracia will be speaking, and purchase Gracia's book, In the Presence of My Enemies, at VOM Books.

“Dr. Andrew” returns this week to share more about what God is doing in the Middle East, including the openness of Muslims to talk about faith and hear the gospel. He’ll also share the consequences that come to those who leave Islam and follow Christ—including a first-hand story of a wealthy man who gave up everything, including his daughter, to follow Jesus. Dr. Andrew will also update us on the effect on Christians of the upheaval and war in Yemen, and ways we can pray for them. He’ll advise listeners on practical ways to start talking to Muslims in our sphere of influence about Jesus—beginning with a call for Christians to know our Bibles more deeply! You’ll be challenged to reach out and equipped to pray more effectively this week on VOM Radio. The two resources that Dr. Andrew recommended to help Christians better understand Islam and how to reach out to Muslims are Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross and What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Quran. (If you order the books through these affiliate links, a small portion of the purchase price comes to VOM as a referral fee.)

“Dr. Andrew” is working to share the gospel in the Middle East, but he hasn’t always had a heart to share Christ’s love with Muslims. Growing up in a nominal Christian family, Andrew was harassed by Muslims his whole life. But God changed his heart and gave him a passion to share Christ’s love with Muslims. His gospel work has brought him to the attention of secret police, who have detained and questioned him many times. Andrew says each time he is detained, even though he feels fear, he also sees an opportunity to share the gospel. Listen as Andrew talks about how he overcomes the fear by focusing on the reality of Who God is rather than on his immediate surroundings. He’ll also share some of the blessings that can be found in persecution, and help us understand the mindset of Middle Eastern Muslims.

After living and working in Afghanistan for more than a decade, John Weaver is often asked, How many Christians are there in Afghanistan? The answer God has laid on John’s heart is simple: there’s not enough! But God is at work, and Afghans—both inside Afghanistan and scattered throughout the world—are coming to know Jesus Christ personally. Listen to hear how John used his marriage ceremony as a way to represent Christ inside Afghanistan, and how villagers responded to the choice by an American, Christian couple to have their wedding in isolated, Muslim Afghanistan. John also shares ways we can pray and reach out to Muslim friends and coworkers right where we live, and advice for young people feeling God’s wonderful call to overseas missions service. John is the author of two books about his work in Afghanistan: Inside Afghanistan: An American Aide Worker’s Mission of Mercy to a War-Torn People and A Flame on the Front Line. (If you order the books through these affiliate links, a small portion of the purchase price comes to VOM as a referral fee.)

After 9-11, the few Americans living in Afghanistan were encouraged to leave the country, for their own safety. John Weaver stayed, feeling that the ministry God called him to there was not yet completed. Listen this week as John shares about his work in Afghanistan, and the challenge of sharing the gospel and discipling new believers in a country where there is no visible church presence, and where persecution often begins with a believer’s own family members. He’ll also share the challenge of serving God in a place where it could cost your life, and how he makes the daily decision to offer his life—to live or to die—for Christ’s service. John is the author of two books about his work in Afghanistan: Inside Afghanistan: An American Aide Worker’s Mission of Mercy to a War-Torn People and A Flame on the Front Line. (If you order the books through these affiliate links, a small portion of the purchase price comes to VOM as a referral fee.)

“Brother Matthew” is a pastor and church planter in South Asia, working among Muslims to share the gospel. After threats against his life and an attack on his brother, he was encouraged by family members to leave his country. He fled to a safe place, but God clearly called him to go back to his home country, in spite of the danger. Matthew obeyed, and since his return he’s seen explosive growth in his church planting work. Matthew says persecution is something God uses to purify and unify the church, and further it’s something that every Christian should be ready to experience. Let Matthew’s story inspire you to walk boldly with Christ, and remember this week to pray for Christians in South Asia.

As a young man, Dmitry “David” Shestakov was a criminal and a drug user. His mother—an atheist—had tried everything to get her son’s attention and turn his life around. In desperation, she went to church and prayed, “God, if You exist, save my son!” God answered her prayer, and after Jesus saved him David committed to tell others the Good News that had transformed his heart. God showed David early on that his service would be costly, and it was. He was arrested for his Christian work and sentenced to long years in prison. “Why me?” he asked. But he saw God working even in prison. One of the things God used to bless—and even protect—David was letters written by VOM readers through www.PrisonerAlert.com. Listen to hear how God used those letters to make David a respected figure in the prison, and help him avoid being beaten by the guards. You’ll also hear how the Uzbek government tried to add years to his sentence, but God miraculously moved and David was released, “like a Scripture came to life.” Finally, David will share thoughts on how we can pray for Christians in prison right now, and for their family members, whose suffering is sometimes even greater than the prisoner’s. After you listen to how letters blessed David, write a letter to a Christian currently in prison at www.PrisonerAlert.com

David is a gospel worker in Turkey facing deportation by the Turkish government, which has stated in court documents that David’s bold witnessing for Christ “exceeded usual religious rituals,” and is therefore a threat to public safety and order. When we left off David’s story in the first half of our conversation last week, David was locked in a deportation center with others waiting to be kicked out of Turkey—including ISIS fighters. Listen as David picks up the story and shares how not only did God protect him from the ISIS fighters, but He also allowed David to lead an Afghan man he met in jail to Christ. David will also talk about the political upheaval in Turkey and how we can pray for another American, Andrew Brunson, currently imprisoned in Turkey. Finally, David will share ways to pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in Turkey during this pivotal time. You’ll also hear the story of a VOM Radio listener inspired by the stories of gospel workers in hostile and restricted nations to reach out right here in the United States.

David is a bold gospel worker in Turkey, even sharing the gospel openly on busy city streets. Naturally, such activity draws attention from police and others, which has led to David being detained numerous times. But his bold evangelism activity is legal--protected by Turkish law. Listen this week to hear David share some of his experiences seeing God come through with protection and opportunities to witness--even opportunities inside a jail cell. After seeing God answer prayer so consistently, David says he's developed the habit of expecting a miracle. Your faith will be inspired this week as you hear David's story. What door might God be opening to you--perhaps even a doorway through a difficult circumstance--to be a witness for Him?

Aaron Miller oversees VOM’s work in South Asia, and recently travelled to India to meet with Christians there. Listen as Aaron shares some of the amazing testimonies he heard on this trip. Meet a retirement-aged man committed to spend the remainder of his life planting churches and sharing the gospel. Hear the story of a bicycle rickshaw driver and his family whose lives were radically changed by the gospel message. And learn about a woman—more than 100 years old!—who met Jesus after she’d come back from being pronounced dead. You’ll also learn how India’s government is actively working to prevent the growth of the church, and directly persecuting those who share their faith in Christ. But those efforts aren’t working, and we’ll hear a report of how the church is growing in spite of government persecution as God’s Spirit moves in that nation, and learn how we can pray for our brothers and sisters there.