Persecution Blog

VOM Radio: The Insanity of God

“The Insanity of God” by The Voice of the Martyrs | Free Listening on SoundCloud 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.

 

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

 

How Richard Wurmbrand Dealt With Betrayal

How would you respond to the person who betrayed you to the authorities, leading to 14 years in prison? Richard Wurmbrand’s response was simple: “We all make mistakes.”

Dale Rhoton, co-founder of Operation Mobilization, joins us again this week on VOM Radio to share about his visits with VOM founders Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, including a walk with Richard when they met the man who had betrayed Richard, leading to his arrest.

Dale also shares thoughts and advice for those sensing a call to missions and talks about his own early days ministering in communist and Muslim nations, and fellowshipping with Christians who faced arrest and persecution for serving the Lord. Even in the worst of human circumstances, Dale testifies, God is able to triumph.

 

 You can also listen to this and every episode of VOM Radio by subscribing to the VOM Radio podcast.

Visiting Richard Wurmbrand

As a young man, Dale Rhoton was invited to join a prayer meeting to ask God to move across the nations. The young man that invited him was George Verwer; later the two would help send thousands of young people into gospel work around the world through Operation Mobilization (OM), the ministry they founded.

On one trip, taking Christian literature from Europe to the Middle East, Dale and his team stopped in to visit a Romanian pastor who'd just been released from prison: Richard Wurmbrand, who along with his wife, Sabina, would later found The Voice of the Martyrs.

Dale shares this week on VOM Radio stories of Bible smuggling, what Richard Wurmbrand was like and how Richard inspired Dale and others to live a life of total commitment to Jesus.

 

You can also listen to this and every episode of VOM Radio by subscribing to the VOM Radio podcast.

Bringing in The Harvest in Ethiopia

In the past 30 years, evangelical Christians in Ethiopia have grown from 1% of the population to more than 20%. Allan Sherer, the Horn of Africa Director for Front Line Mission, calls that church growth "one of the great gospel stories of our generation."

That growth hasn't come without challenges and persecution. And now the challenge is to keep up with the demand for trained pastors and leaders. Hear about Front Line's efforts to meet that need, as well as the amazing ways God is raising up leaders and church planters in Ethiopia and even into neighboring countries on this week's episode of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio.

 

You can also access every episode of VOM Radio as a podcast.

VOM Radio: Zero Percent Chance of Hearing Gospel

The people of Central Asia are caught between their Islamic culture and the authoritarian remnants of 70 years of communist domination. Statistically, many of the region’s people have a zero-percent probability of meeting a follower of Christ or hearing the gospel message of Jesus' love.

"Brother Harold" has served more than a decade building relationships and planting gospel seeds among Muslim people in Central Asia. This week on VOM Radio he shares about the persecution Central Asian Christians face, some of his challenges and God’s victories during 15 years of ministry, and thoughts on how Christians in the United States can minister to Muslims right where we live. He also offers advice to those who sense a calling from God to serve in missions.

 

You can also access every episode of VOM Radio as a podcast.

"God Had Their Back"

Jesus told his disciples to "Go into all the world." He didn’t say it would be easy.

Verne and Denny Johnson have experienced the joy of seeing people come to Christ while serving as missionaries in Ivory Coast. But they’ve also experienced dark days. They watched their children almost die from malaria. War forced them to evacuate their home and leave the people they loved.

But God even used those dark times to bring blessings into their lives, and to open the door for further ministry. Listen as Verne and Denny share their story, and share specific ways for you to pray for missionaries and gospel workers around the world.

 

You can also access all episodes of VOM Radio as a podcast. Visit the VOM Radio web site at www.VOMRadio.net. 

VOM Radio: Tearing Down Walls in North Africa

“Brother Jay” has served more than a decade among Muslims in North Africa, sharing the love of Christ and discipling believers to become strong in their faith and share Jesus’ love with their countrymen.

This week on VOM Radio, he shares how God is tearing down walls to allow His word to go forth. Jay has seen the persecution Muslim converts face, often persecution that comes first from their own families. He’s also seen Western Christians expelled and sent home.

Jay will share with us about the faithfulness of God—even amidst persecution—and how Christians overcome fear to boldly share the gospel and keep serving the Lord in North Africa.

 

VOMRadio: When An ISIS Fighter Wants to Talk

An ISIS fighter wants to talk with you. He says he wants to know more about Jesus. What will you do?

You’d probably have lots of questions. What are his intentions? Is his spiritual hunger real, or is it a trap? Is the Lord really calling me to go to this meeting?

Those questions aren’t new. Ananias had the same doubts when he was told to go visit a man named Saul.

Christians in the Middle East face this dilemma today. This week on VOMRadio we’ll hear what happened when a Christian worker from YWAM was introduced to an ISIS fighter, a man with Christian blood on his hands.

 

You can also access all VOMRadio episodes as a podcast.

VOMRadio: "We Believe in the Power of the Gospel"

Is it easy to reach Muslims with the message of salvation through Christ? No. But Prem Kumar says, “We believe in the power of the gospel.”

Prem is training church planters and sending out gospel workers all over South Asia…including some of the region’s most difficult areas. This week on VOMRadio he tells us how they prepare those workers to face persecution without losing their faith, and about the challenges they are facing and how they overcome. He also shares ideas for reaching out to Muslims, and help us pray more effectively for missionaries working on the front lines.

 

VOMRadio: Tanzania

Tori Rasmussen is a missionary to Tanzania, focusing on spreading God’s Word into African villages and equipping and training national Christians to become missionaries themselves.

In this week's episode of VOMRadio he shares about his work in Tanzania, about the persecution Christians there are facing and about the challenges of equipping tribal believers for outreach to other tribes and cultures. He also shares thoughts for American Christians about gospel outreach to Muslims right here at home.

 

You may also find this episode of VOMRadio interesting and helpful as you are praying for the people of Nepal after the devastating earthquake there over the weekend.