The Front Line Report

Omid Sabouki serves as the President and CEO of Jubal Band Ministries, helping reach Iranian Muslims with the message that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He loves us.

Omid will tell us this week about the persecution of Christians by Iran’s government, including arrest, imprisonment and even assault at the hands of interrogators. He’ll talk about the importance of getting more Bibles to the church in Iran — a challenge VOM is helping to meet through various Bible delivery methods. He’ll explain how he and other Christian leaders are training church leaders, both inside and outside Iran, to serve the rapidly-growing number of Iranian Christians.

Omid will share the pain he feels when one of his workers inside Iran is arrested, and how he prepares workers to face persecution without losing their zeal for Christ — including sharing stories from VOM about persecuted Christians in other nations, like North Korea.

Finally, Brother Omid will equip listeners to pray for Iran and the ongoing Gospel work inside the Islamic Republic.

Brother Omid shared his testimony of coming to Christ, including a dream, a taxi driver and a Bible, in the first part of our conversation.

Omid Sabouki grew up in a Muslim household in Iran. Today he is a follower of Christ and helping reach more Iranian Muslims with the message that Jesus is the Son of God and that He loves us.

Listen to Omid’s story of finding Jesus, including a dream during which a man in white told Omid, “Stay on my way.” The next morning, the driver of his taxi gave Omid a package. Inside the package was a complete Bible. That Bible led Omid and his wife to faith in Christ — a decision that would cost him his relationship with his family.

Listen to Omid’s story of finding Christ, then finding a spiritual family through a home church. Soon after, persecution forced Omid to leave Iran after the government closed his business and froze his bank accounts. But Omid says, “God had a plan for me.”

Listen to Omid’s story of coming to faith and how God sustained him through persecution and trials. And hear how his ministry into Iran continues to lead others to Christ — including placing Bibles into letter boxes all across Iran.

Omid serves as the President and CEO of Jubal Band Ministries.

Andrew Scott, President and CEO of Operation Mobilization – USA, and the author of a book, SCATTER: Go Therefore and Take Your Job with You, talks about missions right now including the effects of COVID-19 on international Gospel workers. He says every follower of Christ is called to be part of spreading Jesus’ glory around the world.

Andrew will talk about how world missions is changing — including more missionaries raised up and sent out from developing world nations. He will also share how OM is collaborating with other mission organisations — including Voice of the Martyrs — to complete the task of preaching Christ to every tribe, tongue and nation.

Finally, he will share thoughts for those thinking about what role they might play in overseas Gospel work, and coach every listener in how to pray for mission workers and the advance of Christ’s Kingdom around the world.

Aaron Miller leads VOM’s work in South and Central Asia, including India, where five Christians have been killed in the past two months.

Listen as he shares how coronavirus is affecting VOM’s work, including stories of blessings that have grown out of the COVID-19 pandemic. One pastor said his interrogation was postponed because authorities in his area are focused on the virus, not on the church.

Aaron brings unique expertise on persecution in India. Listen to the stories of some of the recent martyrs, including a teenager who stepped up when his pastor could no longer shepherd the flock in his village—and paid with his life. You’ll also hear how a husband, knowing persecution was coming, prepared his wife to stand strong in her faith even if she became a widow.

How does VOM respond when a Christian is killed in India or other nations? How are help and encouragement delivered to family members left behind? How can we pray for Christians in South and Central Asia?

“Brother Joel” continues the conversation we left off last week about God’s work in China, work which continues in spite of an ongoing wave of Christian persecution and the coronavirus pandemic. Brother Joel helps VOM distribute Bibles in every part of China. He’ll give us an update on current challenges for Bible efforts in China—including Chinese Christians currently in prison simply for providing people—including children—access to God’s Word.

Joel will tell us how new laws in China affected foreign Christian workers, including thousands who found their visas cancelled and were forced to leave China, sometimes almost immediately. He’ll also talk about a current project to complete a new translation of the Bible into Chinese—a translation more favourable to Communist Party and socialist principles.

Yet in spite of persecution, the virus and the other challenges facing China’s church, Joel says Chinese Christians are encouraged and excited about what God is doing in their nation. He will equip listeners to pray with current, specific needs of the church in China.

In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, the government’s focus on persecuting Christians and closing churches hasn’t faded. In fact, there’s been an increase in persecution in recent months as Chinese Communist Party leaders continue their efforts to control the hearts and minds of the people.

Churches have been closed. Pastors have been arrested. But Chinese Christians are responding with boldness, finding new ways to spread the gospel even amidst pandemic and persecution.

“Brother Joel” helps VOM distribute Bibles in every part of China, and this week he’ll share what’s happening with the church in China. How is coronavirus affecting the church? Why does the Communist Party fear Christians so much? What does persecution in China look like right now?

There are currently 600 persecuted Christians imprisoned in the African nation of Eritrea. Some of them have been in prison more than 15 years!

Dr. Berhane knows what it is like inside Eritrean prisons. He spent 11 months in prison for his faith in Christ. But, even in prison, he saw God’s hand at work and found opportunities to witness to others—including prisoners about to be executed. Imagine the feeling as prison guards would read the names of prisoners scheduled for execution that day, each prisoner wondering if this were the day their name would be on that terrible list.

Yet in the midst of suffering and executions, Dr. Berhane says he experienced an inner peace through the presence of Jesus Christ. “Whenever I read the Scripture,” he says, “it’s full of persecution.” Listen as he explains how there is more freedom for Christians to worship inside Eritrean prisons than for Christians outside of prison.

Today, Dr. Berhane is a voice for persecuted Christians in Eritrea through Release Eritrea, a UK-based charity. Be inspired as he shares his own story and equips every listener to pray for Christians in Eritrea, including those 600 currently in prison.

You can write letters on behalf Christians in prison in Eritrea through PrisonerAlert.com.

Ed Cannon is the President and CEO of FEBC. For 75 years, FEBC has been using radio to communicate the gospel to the least-reached people on earth. Their radio signals—and internet connections, smartphone apps and social media feeds—reach people speaking 129 languages in 50 countries. Included in those countries are hostile and restricted nations where Christians are persecuted for their faith in Christ.

Ed has travelled the world to meet and support the broadcasters—including a 10-hour stay in jail when police discovered him carrying Christian materials for distribution in a hostile nation. Listen as Ed talks about the workers who lead FEBC’s in-country work, and how their commitment to Christ and to sharing the gospel inspires Ed’s own walk with Christ.

Listen as Ed shares how FEBC signals and content are reaching minority language groups, including a Khmu language broadcast sponsored in part by VOM.

When Petr Jasek spent 445 days in prison in Sudan, Omar al-Bashir was the dictatorial leader of the country. Since Petr’s release, Bashir’s government has been overthrown and Bashir locked inside one of the same prisons where Petr had been held.

But are things really different for Christians in Sudan? Petr will answer that question as he returns to finish the conversation we began last week about his arrest and imprisonment in Sudan.

In prison, Petr felt the Lord’s presence very near as he spent hours every day reading the Bible and praying. What has he done to maintain that same closeness as he returned to his normal, busy life?

The story of Petr’s imprisonment—and the ministry God allowed him inside—is told in a brand new book, Imprisoned with ISIS: Faith in the Face of Evil. Order your copy at vom.com.au/shop

In 2015, Petr Jasek traveled to Khartoum, Sudan, to meet with pastors and other Christians to evaluate how The Voice of the Martyrs—a ministry Petr has served with since 2002—could help and encourage persecuted Sudanese believers.

Petr was arrested at the airport on his way out of the country, charged with espionage and other crimes and sentenced to life in prison before the Czech government negotiated his release.

The story of Petr’s imprisonment—and the ministry God allowed him inside—is told in a brand new book, Imprisoned with ISIS: Faith in the Face of Evil. Order your copy at vom.com.au/shop

Listen as Petr shares his story and updates listeners on his current ministry around the world.