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Insights From Cole Richards, President Of The Voice Of The Martyrs, On Loving those who persecute Us The following reflection is written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the power of the gospel to forgive even our worst enemies. Beware of the prevalent “take-it-or- leave-it” mentality. While skepticism may seem understandable among members of our individualistic culture, we must never put ourselves in a place of criticism or judgment toward any of our Lord’s commands. As I minister to persecuted Christians in restricted nations, I am struck by their willingness to suffer in order to obey Christ’s commands — immediately and without qualification. Their example leads me to ask: Have I unwittingly fallen into a trap of obeying only those commands that I understand and with which I agree? In the face of violent attacks by Islamic extremists, our persecuted Christian family members are showing us how to follow Christ. Our Lord has said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44–45). Since loving our enemies is such a clear command — one

Insights From Cole Richards, President Of The Voice Of The Martyrs, On The hope of Christianity in Bangladesh The following reflection is written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the hope the power of the Gospel offers for the nation of Bangladesh. Most people have at least some degree of national pride, but it seems less common in Bangladesh, which is considered one of the world’s most corrupt and dysfunctional nations. During one of my visits, a Muslim man went out of his way to tell me that he did not understand why any foreigner would visit his country. “What are you doing here?” he asked with a look of incredulity. “My country is corrupt, crowded, desperately poor and full of violent extremists!” The fact that a nation can be characterized by both desperate circumstances and historic revival should be instructive for us. God’s eternal purposes will not be thwarted by the flaws or failings of any nation’s government or economy. Cole Richards, President of VOM While the population of Bangladesh is roughly half that of the U.S., this huge populace is crowded into a frequently flooded river delta that

Insights From Cole Richards, President Of The Voice Of The Martyrs, On the Continued Rise of Violence from Muslim Extremists The following reflection is written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the rise of Muslim extremism and how we are called to share the gospel with even the most violent extremists. Coverage of the violent spread of Islam has varied widely in the news media, leading some to believe it has subsided. It has not. Constant, comprehensive reporting kept the rise and decline of the self-proclaimed “Islamic State” in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) at the forefront of international news in the years following the 2014 fall of Mosul in northern Iraq. But in sharp contrast, the violent spread of Islam across much of the African continent in the last five years — and continuing today — has received little attention. As Christians, we cannot count on the news media or other secular sources to inform us in ways that help us love and serve our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters. As fellow members of the body of Christ, we must share their stories and carry their message ourselves! Let us

Insights From Cole Richards, President Of The Voice Of The Martyrs, On Persecutors Coming to Faith The following reflection is written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the profound power of the gospel to reach even the most violent persecutors. But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about [Saul], how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.”  Acts 9:13–14 The only significant difference between Saul’s violent campaign against Christians in Acts 8 and that of radical Muslims today is their method of execution: Saul’s band killed by stoning, while radical Muslims publicly behead their captives. Both are examples of religious zealots pursuing and killing Christians to eliminate what they view as blasphemy and heresy (John 16:2). And like Ananias in Acts 9:13, we see the attacks against our brothers and sisters in Christ and cry out to the Lord, Look how much evil they have done to your saints!  The violence of Acts 8 continues today, but I am pleased to tell you that the miracle of Acts 9, Saul’s conversion and transformation into the Apostle Paul, also continues. It is our joy to share testimonies

FROM THE VOICE OF THE MARTYRS PRESIDENT:COLE RICHARDS We are blessed to live in circumstances in which we are protected in many ways against those who might harm us. We have access to security measures, which include police forces at various levels of government, security guards, protective fences, secure doors and locks, and even the availability of weapons for personal defense. In order to fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters in northern Nigeria, however, we must understand that they live under constant threat of abduction and murder at the hands of Islamist militants and enjoy none of the security measures we often take for granted. Our Christian family members in northern Nigeria are completely outnumbered and outgunned. Their government lacks both the power and the will to defend them. If this were not the case, a discussion about their courage would include their fight to defend their homes, families, and churches. But what does courage look like when there is no means of defending family and property? “Because of their special courage and inexplicable (supernatural) victory over fear, they are a powerful example of faith for us.” COLE RICHARDS – VOM PRESIDENT Living in an extremely dangerous and violent

From the Voice of the Martyrs President:Cole Richards Like the Old Testament prophet Elijah, today’s persecuted Christians often face powerful persecutors alone. Elijah denounced Israel’s wicked King Ahab, after the king and his wife, Jezebel, led the Israelites to worship the false god Baal. In a dramatic confrontation on Mount Carmel, Elijah stood alone against hundreds of Baal’s prophets. “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord,” Elijah pronounced, “but Baal’s prophets are 450 men” (1 Kings 18:22). Not one Israelite came to Elijah’s aid. Persecution is and always has been a regular occurrence for many in the body of Christ. But if it is normal in church history, why is responding to persecution exceptional? The issue is not whether faithful witnesses for Christ in places like Burkina Faso will face severe opposition but whether they will become discouraged by having to do so alone. Christians living in the world’s most difficult and dangerous places for our faith are, with us, members of one body — the body of our Lord. The suffering of any member of Christ’s body must always be our concern. Leaving them without help discourages them and dishonors Christ. Scripture teaches that there

FROM THE VOICE OF THE MARTYRS PRESIDENT:COLE RICHARDS The histories of the Near East and Middle East are replete with violence and instability. A dark heart of vengeance is at the root of these problems.  At the local and personal levels, we see this clearly in the tribal blood feuds of the Old Testament era and in the so-called honor killings within Muslim families today. At the regional and geopolitical levels, we see it in the 1,400-year history of violence within the Muslims’ Sunni-Shiite conflict and in today’s state-sponsored Islamist terrorism against Jews and Christians. Blinded by ideologies that feature a fallen definition of honor, the people of these regions have long valued revenge, considering it essential to their dignity.  Countering this flawed understanding, the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:19 provides instruction on trusting God’s righteous judgment: “Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.” He then supports this statement by referencing Deuteronomy 32:35, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” As Americans, we may read this as a powerful indictment against the values of non-Christian Middle Eastern ideologies — and rightly so. But we must also be careful to examine ourselves according to God’s Word.

From the Voice of the Martyrs President:Cole Richards Beware of the prevalent “take-it-or-leave-it” mentality. While skepticism may seem understandable among members of our individualistic culture, we must never put ourselves in a place of criticism or judgment toward any of our Lord’s commands. As I minister to persecuted Christians in restricted nations, I am struck by their willingness to suffer in order to obey Christ’s commands — immediately and without qualification. Their example leads me to ask: Have I unwittingly fallen into a trap of obeying only those commands that I understand and with which I agree? In the face of violent attacks by Islamic extremists, our persecuted Christian family members are showing us how to follow Christ. Our Lord has said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44–45). Since loving our enemies is such a clear command — one that Jesus identifies as a distinctive trait of God’s children — we must not allow ourselves to avoid it. From VOM’s founding fifty-six years ago until today, reaching persecutors for Christ has been one of the organization’s foundational purposes. We “equip persecuted

FROM THE VOICE OF THE MARTYRS PRESIDENT:COLE RICHARDS PART 3: OUR HERITAGE As we obediently follow Christ by sharing His love and truth with the lost, we will face opposition at every turn. Our enemy works tirelessly to steal, kill and destroy — all with the objective of silencing Christ’s witnesses. Christ’s faithful witnesses have always been and will continue to be suffering witnesses who must take up their crosses daily. We do not seek suffering, but we resolve to obey our Lord at any cost, understanding that those costs will surely come if we are faithful. Once we understand the reality of opposition and, undeterred by the enemy, choose to pay the price of obedience, many questions arise about applying scriptural principles in difficult situations: I must love my enemies and win them for Christ, but how is that possible? How can I proclaim truth – in love – to people who seek to silence truth by identifying it as hate? I must obey God rather than men, but how and when should I defy authority? Many people respond to opposition by seeking instruction in the particulars, as if a how-to guide or seminar might teach them how to overcome it. But Scripture

Insights from Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs, on Discipleship and Persecution The following reflection on discipleship and persecution is part of a three-part series written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the profound commitment required to love the Lord, emphasizing the inevitable opposition faced by those dedicated to proclaiming the gospel. PART 2: THE ENEMY’S OBJECTIVE To love our Lord is to count the cost of discipleship and consider Him entirely worthy of our faithful obedience, no matter the price and no matter the opposition. As we commit daily to being His witnesses to a lost world, proclaiming His love and truth, and raising up disciples from all nations, we must understand that we will be opposed. In fact, the more faithful we are, the more serious the opposition. It is critical that we remember this truth and know why it is true. Think of the tremendous human and financial resources that are spent opposing Christ at all levels of the fallen world, from the halls of government to rural villages. As you read the testimonies of faithful believers in our free magazine, consider that their persecutors