Biographies

Cole Richards

President

Cole Richards is the President of The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM), a ministry that serves, and serves with, Christians who are severely persecuted for their faith on the world’s most difficult and dangerous missions frontiers. This work is carried out by a multinational team of missionary leaders that responds to persecution and advances God’s eternal kingdom in more than 70 of these countries where following Christ comes at a great cost.

In addition to leading VOM’s service to persecuted Christians abroad, Cole serves as Publisher and Executive Producer of VOM’s publishing and media initiatives.

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Petr Jašek

Global Ambassador

Since 2002, Petr Jašek has worked with The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) to help aid and assist persecuted Christians in hostile areas and restricted nations. His background in hospital administration was beneficial in his role overseeing VOM’s efforts to provide medical care to Christians injured by Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria. As Petr traveled to meet with persecuted believers, he encouraged them with stories from his own experience growing up as the son of a pastor who was persecuted in communist Czechoslovakia.

In December 2015, Petr’s life changed dramatically when he was arrested at the airport in Khartoum, Sudan, after meeting with Christians there to evaluate how VOM could best serve them. Petr was convicted of espionage and sentenced to life imprisonment, before the Czech government negotiated his release in February 2017.

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Todd Nettleton

Vice President of Message

Host, The Voice of the Martyrs Radio

Todd Nettleton is Vice President of Message for The Voice of the Martyrs—USA and host of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio. His most recent book, When Faith Is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians, was published in 2021 by Moody Publishers and won the Christian Book Award for 2022 in the category of Biography and Memoir. Todd serves as a voice for persecuted Christians, inspiring other followers of Christ through the examples of those living in more than 70 hostile and restricted nations where VOM works.

During his more than 25 years of service with VOM, Todd has traveled the world and conducted face-to-face interviews with hundreds of Christians who have suffered persecution in more than 40 nations. He has been interviewed more than 4,000 times by media outlets including CNN, the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, the BBC, Moody Broadcast Network, Christian Broadcasting Network, Newsweek, The Voice of America, Mission Network News and Trinity Broadcasting Network.

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Pastor David Robbins

Director, VOM Church Leader Network

Pastor David Robbins is the encouraging voice and resource provider for the members of VOM’s Church Leader Network. He also serves as VOM’s lead for development of resources for use by church staff and volunteer leaders.

Serving Christ through the local church since 1984, Pastor David has served in a variety of both bi-vocational and vocational pastoral roles — including Sr. Pastor, Adult Ministry Pastor, Student Pastor and Discipleship Pastor — in churches ranging in size from 100 to 8,000 attendees. He has served in church plants, growing churches, plateauing/declining churches and in an Outreach Magazine “Top 100 Fastest Growing Church.” His experience is well suited for equipping pastors and ministry leaders to set ministry direction, shepherd people and communicate truth.

Pastor David is passionate about helping God’s servants lead others in advancing the Great Commission, and he understands the context of those who live as bold and faithful witnesses in hostile areas and restricted nations. In 2003, he co-founded a missions organization that equips and encourages indigenous church leaders in Asia. This ministry, which was entrusted to an indigenous leadership team in 2010, helps ensure that local church leaders receive the biblical training they so desperately need. In addition, as a church missions pastor, he helped establish and coach the leaders of a thriving discipleship ministry in the Middle East. He has served churches and church leaders in 14 nations on five continents.

Pastor David and his wife, Shannon, are blessed with two grown sons, three grandchildren, four dogs and 60 chickens.