The world is watching as ISIS (which now simply calls itself IS, for "Islamic State") takes control of more and more territory in Iraq and Syria. But what does the growth of this radical Islamic group mean for Christians in that region?

One of our VOM workers was in China recently to visit with persecuted believers there, and sat down with "Rainbow," the wife of imprisoned Christian bookstore worker Wenxi Li.

Trauma is a part of life. This truth may be even more apparent in the hostile and restricted nations where VOM ministers. These are very difficult places to live—especially for a Christian.

Each month VOM produces "The Jesus Freaks Minute," a daily radio-PSA that shares the stories of the persecuted church with Christian radio listeners all over the United States and around the world. Here's the script for one of the spots that will air next month, a spot entitled Put To The Test:

The Muslim world is in the midst of celebrating Ramadan, the most holy time on the Islamic calendar. For Christians this is a strategic time to pray for Muslims around the world to come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way.

With this month's newsletter VOM invited readers to adopt a front-line worker by agreeing to pray regularly for that person for a minimum of one year. (If you didn't receive the newsletter, you can sign up for a worker here.)

This week during the VOM staff chapel service Mrs. Peggy Dau, the wife of VOM President Jim, talked about the significance of July 4th, one of her favorite holidays. As Americans celebrate our nation’s independence today, we trust her words will bless and encourage you, and remind you of the importance of praying for our nation on this day and all days:

As Americans celebrate freedom and liberty this week, it is important to remember that persecution for faith in Christ is not only a foreign occurrence that’s never happened in our own country. With that in mind, we share today the story of martyr Mary Dyer, as told in FOXE: Voices of the Martyrs:

We may think, after reading The Voice of the Martyrs’ Newsletter and the many stories about the lives and faith of persecuted Christians, that every story of persecution is a success story. That is not the case. It has never been the case, as expressed in Christ’s parable of the Sower of the Seed. In Luke 8:13, Jesus explains that some seed fell among the rocks, got implanted in the shallow topsoil and burst forth with enthusiasm. But when tribulation and persecution came, it died away. It seemed so promising; the plant looked so good but it lacked a root—it was not really grounded to be able to withstand the storms of persecution or the intense heat or pressure of opposition. Sadly, not everyone is prepared for the testing that will come in some form, whether severe or subtle.