VOMRadio

Brother Rachid is the host of an Arabic-language television program, answering on-air questions that Muslims have about faith and about Jesus Christ. The first day his program went on the air, Rachid was hoping 10 or 20 Muslims might call in with questions. They received 800 calls in the first half hour!

He knows first-hand the persecution that comes when a Muslim rejects Islam: Rachid's own family kicked him out when he became a Christian.

Listen as Rachid shares his story of coming to Christ, his family's rejection and what it meant for him to come into fellowship with other Arab Christians. He'll also help listeners understand some of the teachings of Islam that directly contradict the gospel message—and advise us on reaching out to Muslims we know.

You can watch a video about Brother Rachid's testimony here.

September marks the five-year anniversary of VOM Radio, and all month we've heard clips from powerful stories God has allowed VOM Radio to share over the past five years. This week: a clip from "Sister Amber," who was arrested in Tibet. You can hear her entire, powerful testimony here.

This week we'll meet the pastor of an unregistered church congregation in China. Because of the danger to him for sharing his story, we aren't sharing his name and you'll only hear the voice of his translator during the interview.

He's been detained by police more than 20 times, and he says of course there is fear when police raid his church or come to arrest him. But he's seen God work through him inside prison cells, including seeing fellow prisoners come to Christ for the first time, and says he's willing to go back to prison if his being there is part of God's purpose.

He'll give an update on the current wave of persecution in China, and talk about why the Communist Party leaders are so afraid of the growth of the church. Finally, the pastor will give specific ways to pray for the nation of China as a whole, and for the church there, including Christians currently in prison for their faith in Christ.

We'll also hear, as we continue to commemorate the five-year anniversary of VOM Radio, from a man detained inside North Korea—just one of many powerful stories God has allowed VOM Radio to share over the past five years. (You can hear his complete story here.)

Never miss a VOM Radio conversation: subscribe to the podcast.

Brother Semeone is a church leader from Ethiopia—a country with a long Christian history, but where persecution can come from different directions, often beginning with members of a new convert's own family.

Learn some of the history of the church in Ethiopia—including how persecution and hardship have helped the gospel spread. "Persecution," he says, "has its own way of purifying the church."

Semeone will also share how the church—within Ethiopia and around the world—steps in to help Ethiopian Christians in times of trouble, and what it means to him to be a part of the extended family of God.

We'll also continue our commemoration of the five-year anniversary of VOM Radio this month by looking back at another powerful moment from the past five years as "Dr. Andrew" shares about the terror he feels when police detain or interrogate him—and how he overcomes that fear by focusing on Who God is. You may want to go back and listen online to our full conversation with Dr. Andrew. Listen to Part 1 and Part 2.

Early in 2017, Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted off the streets of Malaysia—a military-style operation that took less than 40 seconds. He hasn't been seen or heard from since.

Since our first VOM Radio conversation with Raymond's wife, Susanna (listen here), the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia issued a formal report on Pastor Raymond's disappearance. Susanna will give us an update on what that report said.

Raymond and Susanna's daughter, Esther, will tell the story of the day she found out her dad had been taken, and what she misses most since his forced disappearance. She'll also talk about the amazing way God prepared and strengthened her mom to go through this season of suffering.

After you listen, sign the petition to join Christians around the world in demanding that Malaysia's government explain Pastor Raymond's disappearance.

Susanna shared what a blessing it was to receive encouraging cards and letters from Christians all over the world after her last visit with VOM Radio. You can mail your cards and letters to her at:

Susanna Koh

#107

Liew Sow Yoke

Lot LG109B, One Utama Shopping Center,

No. 1, Lebuh Bandar Utama,

47800 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor Darul Ehsan,

Malaysia

September marks the five-year anniversary of the launch of VOM Radio, and all this month we're sharing highlights of the amazing stories God has allowed VOM Radio to tell over the past five years. This week's clip features the story of an ISIS trainer who wanted to find a copy of the Bible. You can hear that entire episode, featuring a conversation with a gospel worker in the Middle East we called "Julian," by clicking here.

"Brother Enfu" is the pastor of an unregistered (illegal) church in China. Every time his church meets, members know police could raid the service and close down their meeting. Other churches in the area have already been closed. Church members have been told to stop attending services, or risk losing their jobs.

How do Christians deal with the constant, oppressive surveillance state that is modern-day China? "Everything is illegal in China," Enfu says. So how do Christians overcome fear to continue serving Christ in spite of the high cost they may be asked to pay?

Listen as Brother Enfu shares how persecution is becoming more intense in China, and how pastors and churches are responding—and the gospel continues to spread. Enfu also gives specific ways to pray for brothers and sisters in the Chinese church, and for him and other church leaders.

Brother Enfu has been on VOM Radio previously; you can hear that conversation here.

Never miss a VOM Radio conversation: subscribe to the podcast.

Pastor Pierre serves the Lord in Lebanon, including reaching out to refugees who have fled violence and war in Syria to find a safer place to live and raise their families.

Listen as Pierre shares how Muslims have become more open to the gospel in the midst of suffering, and how Christians have sacrificially helped meet needs and share Christ among refugees. He'll also talk about the persecution Christian converts face, sometimes even at the hands of their own families.

Pastor Pierre will also share the story of a man from Syria who came into genuine relationship with Christ after he lost everything in Syria—and even had his life threatened by terrorists. His family now joyfully shares that losing everything they owned on earth was worth it, because it brought them into joyful, eternal fellowship with Christ.

Pastor Pierre also equips us to pray for the church in Syria, Lebanon and throughout the Middle East.

Most Americans look at the world through a lens of right vs. wrong; a person is either guilty or innocent. But in the Muslim world, most people see the world in terms of honor and shame. Audrey Frank is the author of a new book, Covered Glory: The Face of Honor and Shame in the Muslim World (affiliate link), which explores honor/shame cultures and specific ways Christ speaks to people with that cultural worldview.

Listen to learn how the honor/shame worldview affects every decision many Muslims make, how men and women play different roles in upholding honor, and how the Scriptures were written from within an honor/shame culture. She'll also discuss how persecution of Christians often grows out of perceived shame.

Audrey will also remind us of God's loving heart to reach Muslims, and advise listeners on specific ways to reach out to Muslim friends and coworkers with the message of Jesus' love for them.

Connect with Audrey via her web site, www.AudreyFrank.com.

Notes: This interview was recorded at the Crescent Project national conference. The foreword to Audrey's new book was written by Nik and Ruth Ripken, who have been previous guests on VOM Radio.

"I really shouldn't be alive," says Brent Teague. He's one of a small number of Americans who have survived an Al Qaeda attack. While serving in Niger, he was shot multiple times and left for dead. But as he prepared to say goodbye to life on earth and enter heaven, Brent sensed God telling him that his earthly ministry wasn't finished yet.

Later, he discovered that God had worked a miracle—before he was even shot—that led police to find him before it was too late. Hear the incredible story of his rescue, and how God has used the story of the attack, and even the physical scars, to open doors for ministry for both Brent and his wife, Shelley.

Brent and Shelley will also share advice for creating opportunities to share the gospel with Muslims that you know, and talk about their ongoing work for the gospel in West Africa.

Dr. Mike Ansari leads Heart4Iran, working with different ministries to reach Muslims in Iran with the gospel message, and to strengthen Iranian believers to withstand persecution and continue boldly serving Christ.

Dr. Mike will tell us the story of an Iranian Christian woman currently in prison for distributing Bibles inside Iran—a project supported by VOM—and how she is responding to persecution with boldness and grace, even witnessing for Christ inside the prison.

You'll also learn how VOM partners with Christians from restricted nations to support and further their vision and ministry, and about the intense persecution Christians are facing right now inside Iran—where they are seen as one of the biggest threats to the Islamic Republic.

Merv Knight has served persecuted Christians for more than 50 years, including co-founding The Voice of the Martyrs Australia and serving for decades as a member of the board of directors for VOM-USA. He worked side-by-side with Pastor Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM's founders and former prisoners for Christ in Romania.

Recently Merv spoke to the staff at VOM headquarters on the occasion of his retirement from active service on the ministry's board. Listen as he shares insights about the Wurmbrand family, the early days of the ministry and some of the persecuted Christians who inspired Merv over his many years of serving through VOM.

He'll tell about:

• Hiding money on a Russian train so that it wouldn't be confiscated before it could be delivered to the families of Christian prisoners in Siberia.
• Meeting a pastor's daughter in the former Soviet Union, and blessing her with Christian literature.
• Meeting with Chinese house-church Christians, and seeing how careful they were to hide and protect the only Bible they had: small gospel tracts.

Finally, Merv will challenge each of us to be faithful in the things that God has called us to do to serve Him and build His Kingdom, wherever we are.