Eyewitnesses said it was like a scene from a movie. On Feb. 13, 2017, three black SUVs surrounded Pastor Raymond Koh’s silver sedan and forced it to the side of the road. Men dressed in black got out of their vehicles, grabbed Pastor Koh and shoved him into one of the SUVs while men on motorbikes stopped any approaching cars. The SUVs and Pastor Koh were gone in 40 seconds, and no one has heard from him since. Susanna is convinced that her husband’s abduction is tied to a 2011 confrontation with officers from the Selangor Islamic Department. As she and her husband hosted a dinner one night for sponsors of a charity they had started in 2004, 30 officers raided the event on the assumption that they were evangelizing Muslims, an illegal act in Malaysia. While some Muslims were among those attending the dinner, its sole purpose was to thank sponsors of their Harapan Komuniti (Hope Community) charity, which helped the poor, single mothers, children, drug addicts and those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. About 120 people from various backgrounds attended the event in a local church. During the raid, the officers took photographs and videos of those in attendance, and
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Since accepting Christ, Ton, age 17, and Tan, 15, have been harassed for their decision by their mother and older siblings. Their mother and the rest of the family are aggressively pressuring the girls to travel to Vientiane to prostitute themselves and send the money back to the family.
Read MoreAssetou became a Christian while training to become a hairdresser. When she completed her training, she returned home, and her parents, who practice an animistic, traditional religion, were unhappy with her new faith.
Read MoreMamta Devi has faithfully followed Jesus for three years. Since her conversion, she has faced opposition from her family members and neighbors. She lives with her husband and his parents and brothers.
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In 320, Constantine, the Roman emperor of the West, pressuredLicinius, the emperor of the East, to legalize Christianity in hisregion — and Licinius conceded. Later, however, fearing treasonamong the troops, Licinius broke his alliance and decided to eliminateChristianity from his territory. He authorized Agricola, the commanderof his forces in the Armenian town of Sebaste (now Sivas, Turkey), tocarry out his evil intentions. Agricola knew of forty soldiers who were devout Christians andskilled in battle. In an attempt to force them to renounce their faith, heannounced to these men, “Either offer sacrifice to the gods and earngreat honors, or, in the event of your disobedience, be stripped of yourmilitary rank and fall into disgrace.” Then Agricola had the soldiersimprisoned to think about what he had told them. That night theyencouraged themselves by singing psalms and praying. The next morning Agricola brought out the forty men and tried topersuade them with flattery, praising them for their valor and good looks.These Christian soldiers were determined, however, not to fall prey tothe commander’s empty words. So Agricola sent them back to prison toawait the arrival of an official. While the soldiers waited, they preparedthemselves for martyrdom. When the official arrived, he again attempted to
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Dr. Mike Fullingim felt the specific call to mission service while hearing a sermon from Jeremiah 5:19: “…you shall serve foreigners in a land that is not yours.” But as he looks back, he can see that even as a young boy God was drawing his heart toward missions and people different from him. Twelve years after hearing that sermon, Mike and his family went as missionaries to Papua New Guinea. Dr. Mike and his wife, Barbara, served eight years on the field, with a break between terms for him to pursue further linguistics education. In 1987, Dr. Mike was finishing his PhD in linguistics and anthropology. After completing his doctoral program, offers for teaching jobs flooded in. But his heart was still in PNG. As he sought God’s will, and considered his children’s educational needs, Dr. Mike took a one-year teaching job at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. As he wrestled with what direction God was leading, Dr. Mike read a quote from Dwight L. Moody: “It’s better to train ten people than to do the work of ten people.” Today, 35 years after signing that “one-year contract,” Dr. Mike is still training future missionaries at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. His former students—more than 200—are serving today as gospel workers around the world—including hostile and restricted nations where Christians are persecuted. One of his passions is helping students develop tools to learn language—a key factor in long-term fruitful service on the mission field. Listen as Dr. Mike shares about his missionary calling, how he wrestled with the painful decision not to return to PNG, and how we can pray for missionaries currently serving around the world—and for God to call forth more workers to go into ripe harvest fields, even in dangerous places. Read more about Dr. Mike Fullingim’s mission work and legacy of teaching at Oklahoma Wesleyan University here. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.
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When more than 20 Christian children in northern Kenya received candy from Muslim evangelists in November 2018, they readily pledged to return to Islam, which predominates their Borana Oromo tribe. But days later, Christian workers arrived with a load of cargo that proved more precious and lasting than sugar — children’s Bibles. Christian workers led five donkeys loaded with children’s Bibles through thick forests and across winding rivers to reach the village of Uran Lataka, near Kenya’s border with Ethiopia. They then distributed copies of the illustrated Bible to 52 children, including many who had recently turned their backs on the Christian faith. As the children saw the Bible stories told through the book’s colorful, dramatic images, they were hooked, and in the days that followed most who had been enticed by the Muslims’ candy renewed their commitment to Jesus. “One of the kids couldn’t stop looking through the pictures of the Bible when he received it, even after reaching home,” a VOM worker said. In addition to strengthening the children who were secure in their Christian faith and re-engaging those less committed, children’s Bibles have also proved valuable to Sunday school teachers as a resource for weekly lessons. After
Read MoreOn the evening of August 8, William was sitting outside his home in a Christian settlement of 28 families in southwest Pakistan while children played nearby. Without warning, two masked men rode by and began shooting.
Read MoreRussia’s invasion of Ukraine has essentially halted grain exports from both countries, and an impending food crisis faces other countries throughout the Middle East, some of which were already experiencing a significant economic crisis before hostilities began.
Read MoreChristians in a northern Kenyan village are rejoicing as they begin construction on a new church. In this area, death threats and persecution from Muslim neighbors had forced them to meet in the safety of a local police station. Front-line workers say the construction of a new church is a step toward the full acceptance of Christianity in the village.
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