Christian Emergency Podcast

On October 7, 2023, the terrorist organization Hamas brazenly attacked Israel. The savagery and evil unleashed by the Islamic militants stunned not only Israelis but the entire world. The attacks came on a holiday. Civilians – including women, children and the elderly – were targeted, tortured and murdered. Many were dragged back into the Gaza Strip as hostages; their fates unknown. How are biblic...

When you think of Iran, what comes to mind? Troubling thoughts and fears? That would be understandable, given recent headlines from the Middle East. But there is an encouraging story that’s playing out in Iran. It’s about the miraculous growth of Christianity in a country where it has been suppressed and persecuted. Tat Stewart has a unique vantage point to share that story. Tat grew up in the lan...

Armenian Christians are no strangers to tragedy. In the early Twentieth Century, the Armenian Genocide claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Armenian Christians at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. Today, in September 2023, Armenian Christians are again being targeted and cleansed from their ancient homeland. Nagorno-Karabakh has been the home of Armenian Christians for over 1,700 years. But...

Indigenous Christians in Uzbekistan have a heart to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to other nations. Praise God! However, many are unable to support these missionary efforts themselves. Is it just because they are live in a less affluent region? Or is there something more at play? Local churches across the globe need to be self-propagating, self-governing and self-supporting. This last feature is...

Cultural Christianity has received a lot of negative press lately. Influential leaders have applauded its demise, insisting the collapse would be a net positive for the Church. But is this really the case? Jamie Bambrick, a Christian from Northern Ireland, joins the Christian Emergency Podcast to challenge the prevailing narrative. Jamie recently published a video in defense of cultural Christiani...

If Christians can stand in the Middle East . . . you can stand for Christ anywhere. That is the takeaway from this encore episode of the Christian Emergency Podcast. Listen in as Andy Chats with his friend "Mamduah," an Arab believer with decades of experience serving the Lord throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Mamduah shares of the dangers and triumphs experienced by new Chris...

Christians today are alarmed by the rising pressures around them. So much of the growing hostility seems alien, angry and novel. But the truth is, the Church has encountered pressures since it was born. None of this is new. To help us gain our bearings, Professor Louis Markos joins the Christian Emergency Podcast. Professor Markos teaches at the Texas Christian University and is the author of 25 b...

From 2016 to 2018, Andrew Brunson struggled inside Turkish prisons. For the previous 23 years, he and his wife had served as Christian missionaries to Turkey’s small Christian community. But when he was imprisoned on false charges – and then pondered the very real prospect that he would be separated from his family for the rest of his life – Andrew descended into spiritual crisis. In this encore e...

How can Christians live joyfully in a wild world? How can you make your home a safe harbor in disturbing times? Believers around the world might take a tip or two from Tom Bombadil, the enigmatic character of J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson may not have included Tom in his movies, but Tolkien believed he played an important role.  C.R. Wiley, pastor and author...

Christians in America—even fairly young Christians—can look back over their lives and recognize something has changed. They remember former days when the culture regarded Christians in a favorable light. You were in good standing if you were perceived as a Christian. But then there was a period when it wasn’t necessarily good to be a Christian, but it wasn’t a scarlet letter either. But today, Chr...

Biblical ministry in blue, liberal cities pose many challenges. Pastor Chase Davis is familiar with them, having helped plant a church in Boulder, Colorado. Creeping persecution and open hostility have marked his church’s recent experience. You may recognize the same cultural collapse advancing in your own backyard. If so, this episode of the Christian Emergency Podcast has much for you to learn f...

The wave of Christian persecution hitting Manipur, India is massive. Dozens of Christians murdered. Over 120 churches attacked, some burned to the ground. Entire villages cleanses and home torched. Over 60,000 Christians displaced. Yet most Christians around the world haven’t heard a whisper about this violence. For weeks, starting in early May 2023, Hindu mobs have been killing, burning and kidna...

Cross-cultural missions is an exciting calling. But Christians may be surprised to learn there are real problems in the missions community. The woke theology many believers have recently discovered in their midst is also being advanced overseas. These postmodern teachings arrived from our own shores through western missionaries. Biblical missionaries may find themselves shunned and shamed for hold...

How can you, your family, and your local church endure future persecution? By making an intentional decision today to live not by lies. Regardless of the country you live in, this episode will help you and your loved ones prepare to stand when pressures mount. In this encore episode, which originally aired November 1, 2011, Rod Dreher joined Andy to share insights from his recent book, “Live Not B...

Many Christians today fear their faith may one day cost them their job. They are not sure what to do.  Should they keep their faith secret? Simply go along to get along? What would it be like if they actually got fired for following Christ? Dr. Aaron Edwards knows a thing or two about getting fired for faithful stands. Believe it or not, he was recently fired as a Christian teacher from a Christia...

Francis Schaeffer was an influential Christian author, thought leader and pastor who died decades ago. The material he produced is still available both in written and video forms. Much of it rings prophetic as we remind ourselves that it was published before many of us were born. On this episode of the Christian Emergency Podcast, we examine one clip of Francis Schaeffer’s How Should We Then Live?...

[Encore episode from May 2022] Christians in much of the world today face pressures. Few, however, face anything as intense as those Christians who lived under the first few decades of authoritarian rule in either the Soviet Union or Communist China. At least not yet. While freedom and opportunity still remains, Christians today would be wise to consider the experiences of Christians under the Sov...

Some prominent leaders in the Church today regard themselves as elite Christians. They may not admit to that if asked, but a spirit of elitism is clearly at work. This is nothing new. The history of faith is filled with examples of leaders overly concerned about their influence and standing among other elites. But how does elite Christianity take root? How is it driving a wedge between Christians...

Are local churches unknowingly supporting spiritual compromise on the mission field? What would that look like? And how could you, your pastor or missions committee recognize if problems existed? James Cha, of the Crescent Project and I43 ministries, returns to the Christian Emergency Podcast to help answer these questions. Rooted in his experience as a missionary in Central Asia, James shares abo...

The history of Christianity in Korea is a dramatic account that is both beautiful and tragic. The experience of Korea’s early Christian converts offer many insights for believers today around the world. James Cha, of the Crescent Project and I43 ministries, joins Andy on this episode of the Christian Emergency Podcast. Listen in as he shares nearly forgotten tales of incredible faith and sacrifice...

In some countries today, little emphasis is placed on boys and young men. But as Christians, we recognize that godly men play important roles in the Church. Those boys and young men are tomorrow’s shepherds. And they will face spiritual wolves in their lives. In fact, most already do. How do we prepare them for those battles in cultures hostile to the Christian faith? Shay Robbins, a director at K...

If you are a Christian and do not know the name Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, it is high time you change that. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was a Russian Christian, author and survivor of the Soviet Union’s labor camps. He shocked the world through his writings, which exposed the horrors of the Communist camps. His works eviscerated lies and encouraged people to confront evil themselves. Solzhenitsyn’s voice...

In recent months, over 70 pregnancy resource centers have been firebombed. Federal and local law enforcement authorities did not prosecute the violent attackers. Militant Pro-Life groups like Jane’s Revenge were given a pass. No arrests were made. But the government did not just slow walk cases. They sided against the attackers’ victims. Politicians pledged to investigate the pregnancy resource ce...

Africa remains important for the Church. In the coming generations, the continent will be home for a huge swath of the world’s population. And while there are many challenges facing Africa, including poverty, militant Islam and instability – there are also many exciting things taking place. Karen Elliott of the Rafiki Foundation joins the Christian Emergency Podcast to share about some of those ex...

For years, the Perspectives Course has been a go-to training option for Christians eager to learn about cross-cultural missions. Thousands have been blessed by the insight delivered through the course and its training text, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. Pastors, missions committees, future missionaries and even regular Christians hoping to learn more about God’s heart for the peopl...