Religious fanaticism has a prominent place in recent news coverage. Those who are committed to proving that religion is by nature irrational and fanatical have more than enough examples to support their belief. Religious people are seen as lunatics, extremists who are willing to do almost anything to promote their cause and belief system. Unfortunately, there are those who, in the name of religion, are willing to do just about anything to promote their cause. They are inflexible and intolerant to the extreme. And there are those, in the name of irreligion, who are just as fanatical and capable of doing the same things.

I recently had the privilege of speaking with a Muslim convert to Christianity. Thousands of Muslims have experienced dreams and visions of God, and “Baris” took the time to share how a vision of Jesus changed his life.

For years the Christians in Syria prayed for God to bring revival to their country. Little did they know that revival would come, but it would come in the midst of war and suffering and death.

I am traveling back from the Nuba mountains of Sudan, where I joined VOM workers for nearly a week traveling in the bush inside Sudan. It is impossible to adequately describe the devastation and suffering of Christians in this place. I will spend several blog posts sharing stories and insights from our family members there.

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.”

During a recent interview at Breakaway, an incredible student ministry at Texas A&M University, Jeff Johnson asked me to share the perspective of Christians who have been forced to flee from ISIS. You can watch the entire interview here.

In a Persecution Blog post last week, Ann Kay asked the question, "Can Boko Haram Be Stopped?" This week news came from Nigeria that the government had rescued almost 300 women and girls held captive by Boko Haram. Ann responds to the news:

If you've ever read VOM's newsletter you've probably seen a picture like this one, a picture where someone's identity has been concealed. But you've also seen pictures of other Christians—sometimes in the same country—with their faces uncovered and clearly visible. What's the deal? In today's post I'd like to take you inside the decision-making process that determines security-related issues in VOM reports about persecution.

IT SEEMED A very small cough, and so much was waiting to be done. But in a week I was in bed with bronchitis. Hunger, shortages, and the Budapest adventure brought me down with a thump. So I was on my back, feeling exhausted and ethereal, when an uninvited visitor called. A Russian woman doctor. Her face was a mask of tragedy.