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Steve and Debbie Wolcott have served for decades as missionaries in Africa, seeking to share the gospel and strengthen the church in Congo, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and other nations.

The Wolcotts are back this week to finish our conversation about sharing the gospel even when it's risky. They've gone to dangerous places to serve the church; listen as they explain how they think about risk-taking and the values that guide their decisions—decisions that have affected not only Steve and Debbie but their children as well.

Perhaps you or people you know are sensing God's call to serve Him in missions. Steve and Debbie, as experienced missionaries, are uniquely qualified to advise and encourage on that journey. They'll talk about discerning and answering that call, as well as their own journey of saying yes to God's call—separately and together—to serve Him and His church in Africa.

They will also equip listeners to pray for missionaries, and for the church in some of the African nations where they work—and where Christians are persecuted for the name of Christ.

You can hear Part 1 of our conversation with the Wolcotts here. Steve and Debbie are a part of Africa Inland Mission. Learn more about their ministry here.

Steve and Debbie Wolcott have served for decades as missionaries in Africa, seeking to share the gospel and strengthen the church in Congo, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and other nations.

The Wolcotts will share how God called them to global mission work. Debbie will talk about her specific ministry helping victims recover from the wounds of trauma using Godly, Biblical principles—and training the church in 22 different languages to spread the healing power of Christ.

Steve will share how God allowed him to illustrate the message of salvation in such a way that, 22 years later, one of the men in the audience was able to recall how Steve's message led him to commit his life to Christ.

We'll explain Christian persecution in Central African Republic—including what motivates attacks and how Christians are responding. Steve will also give context to the spread of Islam on the African continent—and explain how Islam is not just a set of religious teachings, but an entire way of life and framework for all of society.

Steve and Debbie will also share the biggest challenges of their work—which will help you pray not only for the Wolcotts but for other missionaries you know and support.

Steve and Debbie are a part of Africa Inland Mission. Learn more about their ministry here.

Burkina Faso is not a country we’ve previously discussed on VOM Radio. But in the past 18 months the country has seen repeated jihadi attacks on churches, pastors and other Christian targets.

Sean Paton, VOM’s Africa regional director, explains the increase of persecution in Burkina Faso, including government changes and the rise of groups linked with Al Qaeda, ISIS and other Islamist factions. He’ll describe how VOM monitors persecution and makes the decision to ramp up our work in a particular country to equip and encourage Christians undergoing persecution—some for the first time. He’ll also share about other African countries where persecution is increasing.

Sean will tell some of the stories of courageous believers in Burkina Faso, including one pastor who, along with his son and nephews, was abducted and then executed after they refused to renounce their faith in Christ.

Finally, Sean will equip listeners to pray for the church in Burkina Faso, as well as VOM’s international ministry workers who travel to meet with and serve persecuted Christians.

Sean has previously shared on VOM Radio about VOM’s ministry in Nigeria and about the overthrow of the Islamist government in Sudan.

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VOM's President, Cole Richards, joins us to talk about communism and how this old philosophy is motivating new persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters. Why is communism so directly opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ? We'll look specifically at China and steps President Xi Jinping and his government are taking to bring every aspect of Christian worship and practice under Communist Party control.

Richards will also share how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting VOM's work, and how Christians can respond in the midst of an international health crisis.

We'll look at what China's Christians face right now, through the experiences of Early Rain Covenant Church, which is the focus of the feature story in the March edition of VOM's free magazine. Their pastor has been sentenced to nine years in prison, and yet this church continues serving and evangelizing—church leaders even train members to see police interrogations as opportunities to witness for Christ!

You can download the Special Report about communism from VOM that is discussed in this episode. Also, learn more about the church in China in previous VOM Radio conversations with Bob Fu, leader of China Aid Association, and with "Brother Enfu," pastor of an unregistered church congregation in China.

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Cole Richards is the President of The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM). In addition to leading VOM's service to persecuted Christians abroad, Cole serves as Publisher and Executive Producer of VOM's publishing and media initiatives. Cole joined VOM in 2006 after living and ministering in a restricted nation, one of the least-reached in the Middle East, where he, his wife and their children reached out to Muslims and supported persecuted Christians.

Cole holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering as well as two master's degrees: one in missiology, with a focus on evangelism in the Muslim world, and one in business administration (MBA) in the context of organizational leadership. Before entering full-time ministry, Cole served as a USAF officer, focusing on the rise of Islamic terrorist groups in the Middle East.

What does the recent peace deal between the US government and the Taliban mean for persecuted Christians in Afghanistan? Author John Weaver—who lived many years inside Afghanistan—helps answer that question and helps us pray for Afghanistan and our spiritual family there.

How is the church growing? How are Muslims—even Taliban members—hearing the gospel? What do "church" meetings look like, and how much access do Afghans have to Bibles?

Weaver will introduce Mary, an Afghan gospel worker using the oppressive burqa to cover her evangelism that is reaching Afghan women for Christ.

Weaver will talk about the growth of the church in Afghanistan in recent years, the result of seeds planted over many decades by missionaries and other gospel workers and the prayers of millions of Christians around the world, especially after 9-11. He'll also share the difference it makes when Afghans hear the gospel from a fellow Afghan instead of a foreigner.

Finally, he'll equip every listener to pray, then lead in a special prayer for Afghanistan.

John Weaver previously shared on VOM Radio about how he and his bride used their wedding ceremony to demonstrate Jesus' love inside Afghanistan. Javed and Lowen talked about reaching Afghanistan through media ministry, and Hannelie Groenewald shared the story of the day when her husband, Werner, and their two teen-aged children were martyred in Kabul.

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"Brother Bayram" is back to finish the conversation we began last week. He came to the United States to further his education and start a business. One day a Christian woman gave Bayram a New Testament. He began to read it, the beginning of a path that would lead him to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Son of God.

Listen to the stories of people in Turkey Bayram has seen leave Islam behind and embrace Jesus Christ, the Son of God—and the persecution they've endured for making that decision. What are the truths that draw them? What are the misunderstandings of the gospel Christians can address with Muslims? How do new Christians in Turkey think about telling family members that they are following Christ?

Finally, Bayram will equip us to pray for Turkey, and for our Christian brothers and sisters there.

You can connect online with Brother Bayram and his ministry at www.albtci.org.

You can hear David Byle tell his story of persecution in Turkey here. You may also be interested in hearing American Pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife, Norine, tell their story of imprisonment and persecution in Turkey.

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"Brother Bayram" came to the United States to further his education. He started a business, and one day a Christian woman gave Bayram a New Testament. He began to read it, the beginning of a path that would lead him to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Son of God.

It was a costly decision: his devout Muslim wife divorced him and won't allow him to see their daughter. His brother had Bayram committed to a mental hospital—viewing anyone who would leave Islam as mentally unstable.

It has been a difficult road, but Bayram's faith has only grown stronger as he has seen God work in his life and in his country. Listen as he shares the story of his journey to faith, and how his family pressured him to return to Islam and persecuted him for his Christian faith, and stories of those still meeting Jesus Christ in Turkey.

Bayram will encourage and instruct listeners about how we—like the woman who gave him a New Testament—might help lead Muslims here in the US toward Jesus Christ.

You can connect online with Brother Bayram and his ministry at www.albtci.org.

We'll finish this conversation with Bayram next week on VOM Radio. Between now and then, you can hear David Byle tell his story of persecution in Turkey here: Part 1 and Part 2. You may also be interested in hearing American Pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife, Norine, tell their story of imprisonment and persecution in Turkey.

In India, resistance to the gospel and to Christian missionary activity is very organized. Hindu nationalists all over India are watching for evangelism—and they are ready to persecute Christians.

Aaron Miller oversees VOM's work in South Asia. He's just met with church leaders from all over India, evaluating the current state of Christian persecution there. He brings us a timely report as President Donald Trump just visited India, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi—whose background is in the Hindu-nationalist RSS movement that is one of the main persecutors of Christians and other religious minorities in India.

Several Indian states have passed anti-conversion laws, but church leaders say the laws aren't stopping people from coming to faith in Christ In fact, in every state where an anti-conversion law has passed, the church is still growing.

Aaron will share some specifics of how persecution in India is happening right now, both through physical violence and through more subtle means, like government restrictions and financial controls. But more importantly, Aaron tells stories of Hindus who have found freedom and peace in Jesus Christ and equips us to pray for our brothers and sisters in India right now.

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Aaron Miller leads VOM's international work in Latin America, and he just returned from visiting Christians living and ministering in the "red zones" of Colombia—places where paramilitary groups and Marxist guerillas battle for control and brutally persecute Christians.

One of those Aaron met with was Alex, the subject of a VOM video for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Alex was pulled off a bus by FARC guerillas and almost killed. Yet he has forgiven the attackers—and even helped disciple the imprisoned FARC commander who led the bus attack.

Hear why gospel workers in Colombia would rather not be called pastor, even if they function in that role in their community. Hear the story of a man whom God called to full-time ministry while he was being held captive for doing ministry work. And hear the story of how an Action Bible inspired a young woman to resist the call to take up arms.

Miller has previously been a guest on VOM Radio, when he told his own story of encountering persecution in India.

This week marked the three-year anniversary of the disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh in Malaysia, a military-style operation that took less than 40 seconds and was captured on a nearby security camera.

Three years later, there is still no word on what happened to Pastor Raymond; his car has never been found. The kidnapping wasn't his first taste of persecution; Pastor Raymond had been mailed a box of bullets as a warning to stop his ministry.

VOM launched an international petition drive calling Malaysia's government to account for this crime. Add your signature online at www.ReleaseRaymond.com.

This week we will hear again from Raymond's wife, Susanna, about how Pastor Raymond continued ministry in spite of threats and danger. She'll describe the spiritual deepening she saw in her husband in the months before his abduction, and how she knows God was preparing him for the challenging time to come.

Susanna says God has carried her and her family since Raymond's forced disappearance. He's even enabled them to forgive those who took her husband away. She'll share specific scriptural promises and Christian songs that have helped her through dark hours of grief and anxiety.

Susanna and her family have been greatly encouraged by notes, cards and letters from members of their spiritual family around the world. You can join in encouraging her by sending a card or a note of encouragement to:

• Susanna Koh
• #107
• Liew Sow Yoke
• Lot LG109B, One Utama Shopping Center,
• No. 1, Lebuh Bandar Utama,
• 47800 Petaling Jaya,
• Selangor Darul Ehsan,
• Malaysia

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