President’s Letter

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

FROM THE VOICE OF THE MARTYRS PRESIDENT:COLE RICHARDS The governments of many nations have declared Bibles to be illegal. And since we, like the apostles, must obey God rather than men (see Acts 5:27–29); they treat us as criminals — smugglers of dangerous contraband — for bringing God’s Word to our Christian brothers and sisters in restricted nations. Likewise, terrorists and other militant groups view us as enemies as we risk our lives to replace the Bibles they have destroyed and to ensure that each Christian in a hostile area has a personal copy of the Bible. This is my 25th year as a Bible smuggler, and I am still astonished at the lengths to which persecutors will go to seek and destroy a book they claim to be fiction. The Bible stands alone as the one book in the world that groups and governments spend an enormous amount of time, money and effort to eliminate. But why? The answer should encourage and excite us. “This is my 25th year as a Bible smuggler, and I am still astonished at the lengths to which persecutors will go to seek and destroy a book they claim to be fiction.” COLE RICHARDS

FROM THE VOICE OF THE MARTYRS PRESIDENT:COLE RICHARDS Women are largely disregarded by the governments and major religions of nations where The Voice of the Martyrs serves. It is understandable, therefore, that some assume the advancement of God’s kingdom in such places is focused on men, with women relegated to supporting roles. But nothing could be further from the truth — either now or throughout church history. While women face particular challenges in frontier missions contexts, God often uses the marginalized or “less likely” to accomplish his purposes. Each of us is tempted by the enemy, through our own attributes, to conclude that we are unfit for God’s use. Our sisters in Christ, whose stories are often featured in our free magazine, are perfect case studies. For example, by human reasoning, what chance does a widow have of leading Muslims to Christ in an Islamist context where women are treated as possessions of their male family members? Faced with thoughts like this, I remind myself of Gladys Aylward’s work in China and Amy Carmichael’s in India. Like all of us, they had no chance on their own but every chance with God. As secularists continually pit men against women in

Insights From Cole Richards, President Of The Voice Of The Martyrs, On Obedience And Fear 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 shares how persecuted Christians can boldly, lovingly, and humbly obey Christ, no matter the cost. PART I: THE “AT ANY COST” MINDSET Our Lord has taught us the first step in preparing for persecution, and our Chinese Christian family members have walked it out in exemplary fashion under a brutal Communist regime for more than 70 years. Christ instructed us to count the cost of discipleship and take up our cross daily. Following Him is costly, but since He is infinitely worthy, we must continue paying without a thought when persecutors raise the price by opposing us. VOM’s founder, Richard Wurmbrand, said, “A man really believes not what he recites in his creed, but only the things he is ready to die for.” The first step in preparing for persecution is identifying the things we will do at any cost. We will read God’s Word, pray, worship, gather with other believers, and witness for Christ, and nothing will stop

Insights From Cole Richards, President Of The Voice Of The Martyrs, on Preparing for persecution. Part I: The “At Any Cost” Mindset Our Lord has taught us the first step in preparing for persecution, and our Chinese Christian family members have walked it out in exemplary fashion under a brutal Communist regime for more than 70 years. Christ instructed us to count the cost of discipleship and take up our cross daily. Following Him is costly, but since He is infinitely worthy, we must continue paying without a thought when persecutors raise the price by opposing us. VOM’s founder, Richard Wurmbrand, said, “A man really believes not what he recites in his creed, but only the things he is ready to die for.” The first step in preparing for persecution is identifying the things we will do at any cost. We will read God’s Word, pray, worship, gather with other believers, and witness for Christ, and nothing will stop us from doing these things with willing and glad hearts. Because we do these things in obedience to the commands of our Lord, their worth is beyond evaluation. The value of everything else in this world pales in comparison, including our