Do you believe the Lord brought them to us so they can hear the gospel?”

The question was asked by a pastor in Aleppo, the war-torn city in Syria. Members of the Islamist group that would soon control the country were standing in front of his home, machine guns in hand.

“That’s a Kingdom-minded church!” says John Samara, a Christian from Syria and the founder and leader of Ananias House, a ministry reaching people with the love of Christ in Syria, the Middle East and North Africa.

Samara has seen God answer prayers for revival during the last 12 years of civil war in Syria. Yet he also sees more Christian persecution coming as more Muslims come to know Jesus—and as the new regime in Syria tightens it’s control over the country.

While the new government—which overthrew the longstanding Assad regime late last year—publicly says they want more religious freedom and will make a place for religious minority groups, what’s happening on the ground isn’t matching their lofty words.

“We’re looking at potential genocide against Christians in Syria,” says John. The new government grew out of a group that formerly claimed allegiance to Al Qaeda and ISIS.

John will also discuss his new book, The Victor’s Crown of Glory, living as a persecuted Christian in the Middle East, and seeing his father deal courageously with constant interrogation and interference from the secret police. Order a copy of John's book today to read amazing stories of God at work and learn how the Spirit of God speaks through us, even in times of great fear!

John spoke during The Voice of the Martyrs’ I AM N Virtual Event. You can still access this powerful event online to hear stories of faith and courage in the shadow of radical Islam. Pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in Syria to stand firm in their faith amidst rising Christian persecution.

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