Over the last fifteen years living and ministering in South Asia, Brian, a leader with Operation Mobilization, has witnessed numerous changes. One aspect that hasn't changed is openness to the gospel.

Brian will explain where Christian persecution usually begins and how it can feature a mix of family, community, and/or the government coming against the church and against new followers of Jesus. Emphasizing that God is the one who changes hearts and minds, Brian shares how, when we read the New Testament, we see that God is sovereign even over the persecution He allows His children to endure.

"[Christian persecution] causes believers to grow in their faith." Brian says, "I think it's a real witness that this faith is so much bigger than what is happening to me in this world."

OM's mission is to grow the church and mobilize followers of Christ to go and make disciples, teaching them to obey everything the Lord has commanded. Brian will share specific stories of how Christians in Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka are being mobilized to spread the gospel where they are and take Jesus into new communities where there aren't any churches.

One story you will hear is that of a young girl, only 6 or 7 years old, who so passionately shared Jesus with her classmates that her teacher said, "Why don't you share this message with the entire school?" You'll also hear about a witch doctor who saw his son healed after praying for healing in the name of Christ.

Discover how you can get involved in missions—whatever stage of life you're in—and what Brian considers the most vital qualities for those who desire to serve and reach out among unreached people groups or in foreign nations. Pray for persecuted Christians in South Asia to run the race with boldness and increased fervor for the Lord.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like India, China and Iran throughout the year, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

In India, carrying a Bible to a meeting—or even offering a Hindu tea and cookies—could be construed as illegally "enticing" that Hindu to change his or her religion. Under anti-conversion laws currently enacted by 12 of India's states, such "enticement" can result in a long prison sentence. And once charges are filed against a pastor or other Christian, there is no presumption of innocence; it is up to the accused to prove their innocence.

Sister "Joti," a human rights lawyer in India, has worked on numerous religious freedom cases. She will tell listeners about 80 pastors currently in prison, accused of "forcible conversion."

Listen as Joti shares how the courts have tried to navigate the seeming opposites of a constitutional promise of the freedom to practice and propagate one's religion and state laws that require a person to notify the government, in advance, of their conversion. She'll also tell how she and her coworkers are advising pastors and churches to document interactions with Hindus and even record their sermons in order to create an evidence trail against possible future legal challenges.

Joti knows her work could put her in danger, yet boldly continues in what God has called her to do. "The work impacts real lives and real people," she says. "I am here to serve, for as long as I can."

Pray for Christians in India to be bold in showing love to their neighbors, and for lawyers like Joti on the frontlines serving persecuted Christians in the court.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

On November 5th, a judge in Malaysia will deliver a verdict in the case of Susanna Koh vs. the Malaysian government and members of the police believed to be involved in the abduction of her husband, Pastor Raymond Koh. Raymond disappeared off the streets of Malaysia in 2017; he hasn't been seen or heard from since, and his car has never been found. Susanna and her children shared their story at The Voice of the Martyrs' National Conference in September. They are asking Christians around the world to pray ahead of this important court verdict.

Susanna shared how she sees, in hindsight, that God was preparing Raymond ahead of his abduction. He was memorizing large sections of Scripture, taking long prayer walks, and even driving around Malaysia to pray for God's Spirit to move in different areas.

After he was abducted, Susanna went to the police station to file a missing person's report. Instead of asking questions designed to locate Pastor Raymond, police interrogated Susanna. They demanded information about her husband's ministry activities and accused him of evangelizing ethnic Malay people.

In the days since the abduction, God has used Christian music, prayer, and Scripture to encourage her, even though there were times she was angry with the police who repeatedly interrogated her. One day, she was convicted of her anger and unforgiveness towards the police; she repented for her sin. Susanna will share how the Lord led her to go the extra mile to demonstrate forgiveness for her husband's persecutors.

Susanna and her family filed a civil case against the Malaysian government and the police in 2020. Listen as she shares how she sought the Lord ahead of filing the case and how the Lord confirmed her decision to move forward.

Not knowing what happened to Pastor Raymond has been hard for Susanna and her family, freezing their grief. "The unknown is a struggle," Susanna said, "but we will go into the court with an attitude of victory, because Jesus has already won through His blood on the cross." She also takes joy in knowing that Raymond's story of faithfulness has gone around the world and encouraged many Christians.

You'll also hear from Raymond and Susanna's children, Esther, Jonathan, and Elizabeth, as they share their struggles and share memories of their father.

You can watch a special video podcast of this interview at www.vom.org/koh. Pray for the verdict coming up on November 5th. Pray for the judge. Pray that there will be justice and the truth will be revealed.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

"I just want the Bible. How much does it cost?"

First, the young Druze woman tried to access and read her own religion's holy book. But she wasn't allowed to read it. Then she tried to find a Quran. Finally, she came to a church and asked to purchase a Bible, worried she wouldn't have enough money to pay for it. The pastor told her that God's Word is priceless, but that he would give it to her without cost. Shocked, she took the Bible and began to read, eventually giving her life to Jesus.

Brother Michael, a gospel worker in the Middle East, will share more of this young woman's powerful story and the Christian persecution she faced from her family while standing firm in Christ. In spite of persecution, even locked in a room, she continued to share the gospel.

Learn what it's like to live as a Christian in the Middle East, and what believers face after leaving Muslim or Druze backgrounds to follow Christ. As believers engage in conversations with family and friends, they carefully plant spiritual seeds while testing their listeners' hearts to see if they are ready to go deeper.

Brother Michael also shares how he trains and leads discipleship through Discovery Bible Study groups, which are multiplying as new believers share their personal testimonies with family and friends. One group started with nine believers, but today has multiplied into more than twenty groups with 150 believers!

Hear how you can pray specifically for Brother Michael and our persecuted Christian family in the Middle East.

The International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP) is next Sunday! The Voice of the Martyrs offers resources to help you and your church pray for persecuted Christians on November 2–and throughout the year. Be sure to watch the new short film telling the story of ongoing Christian persecution in Democratic Republic of Congo—and how God is bringing healing to Christians who've suffered attacks and trauma. Access all the IDOP resources here.

Churches in Algeria have been closed by the government. Pastors have been threatened. But ministry continues. Pastor Abraham and Sara are back on VOM Radio this week to continue our conversation about God's work in the Middle East and North Africa—and the Christian persecution that Christ's followers face.

Listen for the story of one pastor who has repeatedly changed his phone number because of constant threats. Yet he remains in his country and continues to share the gospel with Muslims.

They will also offer an update on the situation for Christians in Syria as we near the one-year anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime.

Abraham and Sara will also share how Christians fleeing violence and danger in the region are going as missionaries to their new homelands—sometimes reaching their countrymen even in far-off lands!

You'll be equipped to pray for Christians in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Algeria and other nations as you listen this week.

The International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP) is only weeks away. The Voice of the Martyrs offers resources to help you and your church pray for persecuted Christians on November 2–and throughout the year. Be sure to watch the new short film telling the story of ongoing Christian persecution in Democratic Republic of Congo—and how God is bringing healing to Christians who've suffered attacks and trauma. Access all the IDOP resources here.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and their countries amidst war and upheaval in the Middle East. Pastor Abraham and Sara are living as representatives of God's love to displaced people in the Middle East. The ministry can be messy and difficult, yet they persist in demonstrating love in practical ways. And they are seeing great fruit for their ministry.

Abraham and Sara will share how one woman—the widow of an imam—had heard all kinds of negative things about Christians. But when she came to the church, she found something very different: people who loved her and helped her. Listen to hear the story of how God answered the woman's prayer within 24 hours, and how a dream led her to commit her life to Jesus.

Leaving Islam behind to follow Jesus comes with a cost, though. Abraham and Sara will also share what Christian persecution looks like in the region, including pressure from families or tribes as well as Islamists or government authorities.

"We are planting seeds," Sara says, "we are the tools for His Kingdom."

Pray for Abraham & Sara's ministry as they serve lost and forgotten people in the Middle East and seek to reveal Christ's love for them.

The International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP) is only a few weeks away. The Voice of the Martyrs offers resources to help you and your church pray for persecuted Christians on November 2—and throughout the year. Be sure to watch the new short film telling the story of ongoing persecution in Democratic Republic of Congo—and how God is bringing healing to Christians who've suffered attacks and trauma. Access all the IDOP resources here.

In Malaysia, every citizen carries an ID card that includes religion; every person is classified as either "Muslim" or "Non-Muslim." The Malaysian constitution promises religious freedom and the right to choose one's religion. So what happens if a citizen changes their faith?

"Brother Samuel" will answer that question this week on VOM Radio. Born into a Muslim family, he came to know that Jesus was the Son of God, then chose to leave Islam behind to follow Christ. At first, he kept his newfound faith quiet, knowing that being publicly identified as a follower of Jesus could bring all kinds of trouble.

But as he grew in faith, he felt convicted about his silence. Jesus had died for him. How could he be unwilling even to acknowledge Christ?

Learning of his conversion, Samuel's family encouraged him to dive more deeply into Islamic training and activities. Wanting to honor his father and his family, Samuel agreed to attend Islamic classes. But instead of bringing him back to Mohammed, the training forced him to become more rooted in Biblical truth and more capable at explaining and defending Christian doctrines.

In 2018, Samuel began the process of applying for a new national ID card, changing his religion from "Muslim" to "non-Muslim." Seven years later, his court case is still dragging on.

While the most famous case of Christian persecution in Malaysia is the abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh, Samuel says there are hundreds of Christians right now in the same situation he's in: trying to get the government to issue them new ID cards that accurately reflect their faith. Please pray this week for Samuel and for other Christians in Malaysia.

Next month is the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP). The Voice of the Martyrs has resources to help you and your church pray for persecuted Christians on November 2 and throughout the year, including a new film telling the story of ongoing persecution in Democratic Republic of Congo. Access all VOM's IDOP resources here.

After dozens of churches and Christians' homes in Jaranwala, Pakistan, were attacked, looted and burned by a mob, Christians gathered in and around the ruins of their former church buildings to sing and worship the Lord. The words they sang were directly from Scripture: Psalms of lament; reminders that even in times of suffering we can come to the Lord and trust in His sovereignty.

Dr. Yousaf Sadiq, professor at Wheaton College and co-leader of the Lausanne Persecuted Church Initiative, is back on VOM Radio, sharing the story of the Punjabi Psalter: what it is and how it has impacted the church in Pakistan and parts of India for generations.

"I want the world to know this fascinating story and what it means for the church in Pakistan." Yousaf says, "It's such a precious heritage."

Dr. Yousaf will also share about his work to support and include the ministry of persecuted Christians into the work of the Lausanne Movement.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.