After serving many years as a gospel worker in Turkey (now called Türkiye), Pastor Andrew Brunson spent two years in Turkish prison. He was accused, among other “crimes,” of helping plot a coup against President Erdogan’s government and being a leader in the CIA. The reality is that Andrew was in Turkey as a missionary and pastor, working to spread the gospel. Brunson recounts how God was teaching him to stand during dark days of isolation in prison and wondering why God seemed silent in his time of suffering. Listen as he shares how he poured out his frustrations to God, but ultimately chose to lean into God—even though he didn’t feel God’s presence. Through those dark days, Andrew’s wife, Norine served as his pastor and encourager, the only Christian he was allowed contact with. She pointed Andrew to truth and sought to give Godly perspective as he was surrounded by constant pressure from Muslim cellmates. Brunson shares how she was “heroic” in standing with him in spite of risks to her own freedom. You can listen to Norine on VOM Radio as she shares her side to this story. Pastor Brunson also drew strength from the stories of other Christians who suffered persecution. One of those was Richard Wurmbrand, founder of The Voice of the Martyrs and the author of Tortured for Christ and other books. Andrew says he “spent a lot of time with Richard Wurmbrand in prison,” through Richard’s writings. Andrew tells the entire story in his book, God’s Hostage, which you can order here (affiliate link). Brunson has also released a teaching series helping Christians Prepare to Stand in the midst of difficulties and Christian persecution. In the eight-session video series, Brunson shares practical insights from his own time in prison. Listen as Andrew expresses his thanks to those who prayed for him while he was in prison – some even waking up in the middle of the night to pray. “It was hard for me to grasp,” Brunson said. “It was a supernatural move of God.” Pray this week for Christians in prison in restricted areas and hostile nations around the world. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week—and receive daily reminders of specific ways to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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A pastor in Gaza and his team are regularly providing hot meals to hundreds of people sheltering and trying to survive the current conflict. “We have been able to distribute meals to the people in Rafah and the middle of the Gaza Strip,” the pastor said. “The situation is very dire, and people are desperate for food.”

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Rodrigo and Astrid have planted eight churches in the region of Sucre, one of Colombia’s “red zones,” or dangerous areas controlled by guerrilla activity. The guerrillas have extorted them, prohibited them from having services, issued curfews and threatened them. Their oldest grandson has a child with a guerrilla officer, and they fear for his life and the life of their 4-year-old great-granddaughter. Their 14-year-old grandson, who lives with them, has also shared his desire to join a guerrilla group, enticed through the promise of material gifts and financial incentives.

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Many Tanzanian pastors lack access to biblical training and in-depth study resources needed to help their congregations stand firm in their faith. Front-line workers in central Tanzania recently handed out 706 boxes of “Pastor’s Libraries” containing study Bibles and other Christian educational aids designed to help pastors train themselves. “Even before we can attend a Bible college, it feels now like we have a Bible college at home through these materials,” said one church leader upon receiving the boxed study kit. The kits were distributed to pastors from several denominational groups.

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Pastor Matthew is a long-time pastor in the communist nation of Vietnam. Since coming to faith in Christ he’s been persecuted by family, neighbors and by police. Matthew came to Christ through the witness of an American missionary mentor. He heard the gospel message, but he also saw the life she lived and the love she showed to the people around her. He couldn’t know, at the time, the high cost he would pay to follow Christ in Vietnam. “I didn’t know how hard it was to be a Christian in the beginning,” Matthew said, “I chose to become a Christian because God is good.” Pastor Matthew started a church in his home, but police locked the door, cut the power, and told everyone to leave. They accused Matthew of being a spy for the Americans, and said Christianity was a religion only for Westerners. “They are afraid of Christians,” says Matthew. “The power of the authorities is taken away by Jesus.” Ancestor worship is common in Vietnam, and Vietnamese parents and grandparents worry their children who become Christians wont revere them properly after they have died. “The family wants ancestor worship,” Matthew explains, “but we teach young people Who is worthy to be worshiped – Jesus.” Pastor Matthew still encourages young people to respect and love their families. They pray that, as they live out their faith, family members will see a difference in them and be drawn to the truth of Christ. Listen as Pastor Matthew shares about persecution of Hmong Christians and the Vietnamese government’s crackdown on pastors. He’ll share the most effective ways persecuted Christians are encouraged as they continue to train and equip leaders to stand firm in their faith.  He’ll also share how you can pray specifically for the church in Vietnam and those who don’t yet know Christ. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week—and receive daily reminders of specific ways to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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After someone posted a video online of Pastor Keshab Raj Acharya praying against the spread of coronavirus in 2020, police arrested him for spreading misinformation about the virus, claiming that he told people they would be immune to it if they converted to Christianity. Investigations revealed other videos recording baptisms of new Christian converts, which further riled authorities. Eventually, the charges included “outraging religious sentiment,” proselytizing and other violations of anti-conversion laws.

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Pastor Osman was once a practitioner of witchcraft. “I have killed many people,” he said. One day, a pastor visited his village and shared the gospel with Osman, and the message of Christ’s forgiveness changed Osman’s heart. “It was very difficult for me to leave my practice of witchcraft,” he said. “This message sounded good to me to be free from the evil that I was in. The pastor said that whatever you have done, God will forgive you.” After receiving an audio Bible, Osman continued to be changed by God’s Word. “I would listen to it secretly,” he said.

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When Dong became a believer in Jesus Christ, his adult sons became angry that he followed what they saw as a foreign religion. They moved out of his house and took all his farmland and supplies for themselves, leaving him no way to grow food or earn income. Dong appealed to the village chief, who said he would only intervene with the sons if Dong agreed to give up his Christian faith.

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“When people are not discipled, they are frail. Their faith is not strong.” Dr. David Kasali, founder and president of Congo Initiative, is determined to disciple more Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a place where they are being specifically targeted for persecution by terrorist groups and radical Islamists. Listen as David tells about recent attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), including one where a Christian man was murdered on the spot just for acknowledging his faith in Christ and another where a nearby church was bombed during services. Such attacks are becoming more and more common in DRC. Born into a pastor’s family, David shares about his heritage and his father’s love for the Lord and for his people. He’ll tell of his father’s efforts to win an entire village to Christ and plant a church there. David shares how he helps prepare Congolese Christians for persecution and the importance of standing strong in Christ during hardship and suffering. Desiring to see the next generation equipped for spiritual victory, David disciples Christians to read the Bible and pray everyday. He says when we take the Bible and apply it into the context of where we are living, then we can face any challenges of the culture around us. When you do that, David says, “You’re creating disciples and creating people to know what they believe and why they believe it.” Hear David share how the ADF knew a Christian pastor was praying against the activities of their forces, and learn how you can pray for the church in the Congo and how The Voice of the Martyrs is helping provide Bibles and serve persecuted Christians there. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week—and receive daily reminders and specific ways to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

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Pastor Dizzis Ramos’ public ministry has made him a target of government officials in his atheistic Communist country. He serves his local community through construction projects for elderly people in need. Earlier this month, he and another pastor were charged for allegedly falsifying receipts after they legally purchased cement for a construction project. Pastor Ramos was placed under house arrest and the other pastor taken into custody. They are also unable to reach the lawyer who has been handling their case.

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