VOMRadio

“John” and “Mary” are working among Muslim immigrants and refugees in Europe, sharing the love of Jesus with people from a particular nation. Their work includes contacts with both long-term European residents and new refugees fleeing the crisis in the Middle East; each group requires different approaches when presenting the gospel. Listen as John and Mary share stories from their work—including the unique way God prepared Mary as a teen-ager to work among Muslims—and some common characteristics and experiences among Muslims who are choosing to leave Islam and follow Christ. We’ll also talk about how you can reach out to Muslims, even if you feel intimidated or don’t think you know the Quran well enough or know the right answers for their questions. We’ll inspire your faith and add to your prayer list this week on VOM Radio.

“Brother John” helps lead the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has served as a missionary in Muslim nations, and today is involved in recruiting and sending mission workers to the hardest and most unreached places in the world. Listen as Brother John shares the challenge of sending workers into harm’s way, what motivates him to keep sending even after some workers are martyred, and the joy of seeing God move in Muslim nations. John also shares thoughts on how American churches can do a better job of preparing and inspiring more people to hear God’s call to take the gospel to the world’s toughest places. We’ll also hear more from songwriter Steve Merkel about using music to share the love of Jesus around the world, and his experiences in Islamic nations.

Telling inspiring stories of our persecuted family has always been at heart of VOM’s ministry. We are thankful for wonderful ministry partners who come alongside to help us tell those stories in various forms—books, songs, films—to impact and inspire more Christians with the courage of our persecuted family and the faithfulness of God. This week we’ll meet some of those partners, including Cris Doornbos, CEO of David C. Cook publishers; Steve Merkel, who co-wrote the song “We Stand As One” for the I Am N album; and Bill Curtis, President of Vision Video and producer of The Torchlighters series of animated films telling the stories of Christian heroes, including heroes who boldly stood for their faith in the face of persecution. Listen to hear how our persecuted family has inspired each of these men—and their families—and how they are spreading those stories even further. Get “We Stand As One”: https://secure.persecution.com/p-6549-i-am-n-book-music-cd.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT Get The Torchlighters DVDs: https://secure.persecution.com/p-6228-torchlighters-12-dvd-boxed-set.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT Get The Action Bible: https://secure.persecution.com/p-6113-the-action-bible.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT

Brother “Samuel” leads a media ministry in Pakistan, reaching out to Muslims with the gospel of Christ. It isn’t always a popular message: Samuel has been threatened, his staff has been beaten and his office has been attacked. Charges under Pakistan’s blasphemy law are a constant threat. But God is at work! Muslims are accessing ministry resources and meeting Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Listen as Samuel shares the challenges of serving Christ in Pakistan—“anything can happen at any time”—and how he constantly re-commits himself and his family to the ministry that God has called them to, whatever the cost may be. In spite of the danger, Samuel says it a privilege and joy to see God standing with them and see Muslims coming to faith in Christ. Your faith will be strengthened as Brother Samuel shares this week on VOM Radio.

Semse Aydin’s husband, Necati, was one of three Christian men martyred for their faith and ministry in Turkey. The next day, on national TV in Turkey, Semse offered forgiveness to her husband’s killers, along with the widow of one of the other martyrs. Listen this week as she shares how the Holy Spirit enabled her to forgive, and how God has sustained her and her two children since she gave Necati to Jesus. You’ll also hear how Necati dealt with family members who were still Muslims, and how he went to meet with his killers, even though he thought their motives might not be pure. You’ll be inspired by God’s faithfulness and equipped to pray more for the nation of Turkey and for the families of martyrs this week on VOM Radio. This interview with Semse was recorded live at a VOM Advance Conference; to find a conference in your area, visit http://www.vomevents.com.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is the home of the fastest-growing church in the world. Thousands of Muslims there are choosing to follow Christ. Dr. Mike Ansari leads a movement called Heart 4 Iran, a movement to reach more Iranians with the gospel message of Christ’s love. Mike was born into an Iranian Muslim family, but his mother came to faith in Christ and was radically transformed, ultimately changing her entire family. Today Dr. Ansari broadcasts the gospel message into Iran, where people are hungry to hear. He’ll share how Jesus is transforming Iranian hearts, and how new Christians are boldly witnessing, even at great risk to themselves. Mike will also help you understand how to reach out to Muslims around you, and he’ll share about a project VOM was a part of that delivered thousands of Bibles into Iran. Learn more about God’s work in Iran and how you can pray for our brothers and sisters there this week on VOM Radio.

This week Sister “Amber” shares the rest of the story of her imprisonment and torture in Tibet, including how God ministered to her in the hardest moments of her suffering. You’ll hear how she was eventually released, and the way God showed her that her persecution wasn’t the end of the story. You’ll also hear how God laid on the hearts of people around the world to pray for Amber, including one who drew a picture of Amber and the policemen in the interrogation room. Months later, when Amber saw the picture, it matched exactly the setting of her interrogation, and it contained a ray of spiritual hope. Your faith will be challenged as you hear Amber’s thoughts on what the New Testament calls the “honor” of being persecuted, and she’ll give you first-hand advice on how to pray for Christians in prison right now. Listen to Part 1 of Amber’s story: https://soundcloud.com/the-voice-of-the-martyrs/tibet-i-could-only-rely-on-jesus Photo credit: “Tibet” by Christopher Michel is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (www.flickr.com/photos/cmichel67/5135039514/)

Sister Amber spent more than a decade in Tibet, providing vocational training to the people and sharing the gospel message of Christ’s love. She felt God’s call especially to work among Tibet’s nomadic tribal people, who jokingly call themselves “the roof on the roof of the world.” Amber watched as God brought about a great ministry breakthrough: people who’d been totally closed to her message were now asking to learn more about Jesus. But just days after the breakthrough Amber experienced persecution as police came pounding on her door. Listen as she tells the story. You’ll hear how the Holy Spirit strengthened and spoke to her, and how God brought Amber from a place of terror to the point of being able to express Christ’s love, even to the men violently persecuting her. Photo credit: “Morning Kora in Lhasa, Tibet” by Christopher Michel is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (www.flickr.com/photos/cmichel67/15589457503/)

Nik and Ruth Ripken went to Africa as missionaries. They experienced great works of God, and also great hardship and loss. Malaria almost killed them. Four Christian friends were killed on one day in Somalia. Their 16-year-old son died suddenly. Amidst such loss and suffering, they wondered, “Is Jesus for the tough places?” Seeking an answer, Nik and Ruth travelled the world to sit down with Christians faithfully enduring persecution. They went not as teachers but as students, asking simply to sit at the feet of persecuted believers and learn from them. Your faith will be challenged as Nik and Ruth share some of the faith lessons they learned from the examples of our persecuted family. Photo courtesy of IMB.

The last two weeks on VOM Radio we’ve heard from John Short, the Australian Christian detained in North Korea in 2014 after leaving gospel tracts outside a Buddhist temple. This week we hear another side of the story, from John’s wife, Karen, who was at home in Hong Kong dealing with the media, praying for her husband and receiving encouragement from all over the world. Listen in as Karen shares: How God ministered to her during John’s detention How she and John stayed connected through Scripture—even though they couldn’t communicate at all during his detention How journalists and others responded to Karen’s calm assurance and faith in God How she found out her husband would be coming home The one thing she wishes she’d done differently—it will surprise you! The story of Karen’s faithfulness will inspire you to trust more deeply in God and dive deeper into His Word, even if you’re not planning a trip to North Korea. If you missed our conversation with John, you can listen here: Part 1 and Part 2. Photo credit: “Pyongyang couple, DPRK (North Korea)” by Matt Palsh is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (www.flickr.com/photos/mattpaish/8116231787/)