Closer to the Fire with Greg Musselman

Over the past decade, Christians in India have faced a disturbing rise in persecution. Throughout this time, churches were demolished, worship gatherings violently disrupted, crosses in graveyards vandalized, and Bibles confiscated and burned. Pastors have been falsely accused of forcing Hindus to convert to Christianity, resulting in the physical assaults and imprisonment of these Christian leade...

Islamic militants in the Democratic Republic of the Congo claim to have killed more than 80 Christians during several recent armed assaults in the northeastern region of the country. The deadliest incident is believed to have claimed the lives of an estimated 60 believers, whom the attackers referred to as "Christian combatants." The Islamic State Central Africa Province claims to have killed near...

Ranking second on the 2026 World Watch List, Somalia remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for followers of Jesus. Public Christian worship is forbidden; conversion from Islam is illegal; and the militant terrorist group, Al-Shabaab, continues its violent campaign to eliminate Christianity – openly executing anyone suspected of having faith in Jesus. In the midst of this intense...

The governor of Pakistan’s Punjab Province recently signed the "Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026" into effect, raising the minimum age for marriage to 18 and strengthening protections for vulnerable youth. It is hoped that this legislation will help prevent the kidnapping, forced conversion and marriage of Christian girls across the country. In this episode of Closer to the Fire, host Greg...

In a recent episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, we invited listeners and viewers to take a practical step toward “Actively Remembering the ‘Church Persecuted’” by signing a petition to the Russian Embassy. The petition called for the safe release of Ms. Park Tae-yeon, a 70-year-old South Korean missionary currently being held in a Russian detention centre. To view this episode, visit: https...

Abuses to Nigeria’s human rights charter for ‘freedom of religion or belief’ are still prevalent today. This is particularly alarming for Christians located in the country’s northern states and Middle Belt region who are at serious risk of threats, violent attacks, abductions, as well as assaults on their members of clergy and places of worship. Governance concerns at the state level, such as dela...

At VOMC, we are committed to remembering and serving the “church persecuted.” One of the key ways we live out this calling is by praying for and advocating on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Christ who are imprisoned because of their faith and ministry. In this episode of Closer to the Fire, host Greg Musselman highlights a meaningful opportunity for you to partner with us in this vital miss...

More than one hundred Christians were among groups of prisoners released from Eritrean detention centres in late 2025 and early 2026. Many of these believers had endured years of captivity in some of the country’s most notorious facilities – places long recognized for inhumane treatment and severely cramped living conditions. Notably, none of the recently released individuals had ever been formall...

Christians in Iran are facing escalating danger and uncertainty following recent Israeli-American military strikes that killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. While the current conflict has intensified instability, persecution against followers of Jesus in Iran is far from new. For the past 47 years – since the rise of the radical Islamic regime – Christians, especially those...

On July 9th, 2011, South Sudan officially became an independent nation, making it the world’s youngest country. The nation experienced two years of relative peace and growing prosperity before civil war erupted in 2013, triggering a massive humanitarian crisis. Today, 13 years later, South Sudan continues to struggle under the weight of ethnic tensions, political instability, unfulfilled promises,...

A deeply troubling trend is unfolding in the world’s most populous nation. Over the past decade, Christians in India – particularly in the northern regions – have faced a disturbing rise in persecution. Churches have been attacked, burned or forcibly closed. In addition, believers were beaten, pastors have encountered false accusations and subsequent arrests under the country’s anti-conversion law...

Ranking second on the 2026 World Watch List, Somalia remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for followers of Jesus. Public Christian worship is forbidden; conversion from Islam is illegal; and the militant terrorist group, Al-Shabaab, continues its violent campaign to eliminate Christianity – openly executing anyone suspected of having faith in Jesus. In the midst of this intense...

In the world’s most populous nation, a deeply troubling trend is unfolding. Over the past decade, Christians in India have faced a disturbing rise in persecution. Churches have been burned or forcibly closed down, pastors encountered false accusations and subsequent arrests due to the country’s anti-conversion laws, numerous Bibles were destroyed, and Christian girls were subjected to kidnapping a...

Concerns are growing over potential threats to religious freedom in Canada, including restrictions that could hinder the proclamation of the Gospel. One of the more recent issues relates to proposed amendments to Bill C-9, which is currently under review by members of the Canadian Parliament. The proposed bill seeks to amend the Canadian Criminal Code in areas relating to propaganda and hate speec...

The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been accused by several countries, including the United States, of providing training, financing and weapons – as well as safe havens – to several terrorist organizations. These militant groups include Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen. Additionally, Iran was listed as number nine on the 2024 World Watch List produced b...

There is plenty of evidence indicating that men and women suffer differently when they are persecuted for their faith in Jesus. In this episode of Closer to the Fire, podcast host Greg Musselman is joined by Emma, the director of an organization that is dedicated to addressing gender-specific religious freedom issues. (Due to the nature of her work, Emma’s last name is not publicly disclosed.) Dur...

A nationwide crackdown on urban house churches in China has drawn worldwide attention after nearly 30 members of the Zion Protestant Church were arrested in seven cities, including Beijing and Shanghai. In this episode of Closer to the Fire, host Greg Musselman is joined by Dr. Bob Fu, founder and president of ChinaAid, to unpack the reasons behind these recent arrests and why the international me...

In Pakistan, a distorted concept of “honour,” strict blasphemy laws and systemic injustice contribute to the ongoing persecution of Christians – especially young women. Each year, hundreds of female followers of Jesus face abduction, forced marriage, coerced conversion to Islam, and various forms of abuse. In her newly published book, Our Sisters, author Anna Townsend draws on extensive research a...

Violence against Christians in Nigeria has sparked sudden international attention and debate, with some referring to the ongoing crisis as genocide. In September, news commentator Bill Maher stated that “Islamists and Boko Haram [militants] were systematically killing Christians in Nigeria, attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country.” More recently, U.S. President Donald...

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine rages on, evangelical Christians are facing intensifying persecution. In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman is joined by Rev. Mykhailo Brytsyn, Director of the Religious Freedom Initiative for Mission Eurasia and pastor at Grace Church of Evangelical Christians. Rev. Brytsyn, who also serves as secretary of the International Council...

Ranked number one on Open Doors’ World Watch List, North Korea remains the most dangerous place in the world for followers of Jesus. Church life is virtually nonexistent, gathering for worship or prayer is impossible, and even secret expressions of faith carry grave risks. Christians live under constant surveillance from government spies, neighbours, teachers, and even family members. Being report...

Over the past decade, Christians in India have faced a disturbing rise in persecution. Throughout this time, churches were demolished, worship gatherings violently disrupted, crosses in graveyards vandalized, and Bibles confiscated and burned. Pastors have been falsely accused of forcing Hindus to convert to Christianity, resulting in the physical assaults and imprisonment of these Christian leade...

Christians in Somalia encounter life-threatening persecution not only from the militant Islamic group al-Shabab, but also from hostile members of their families and local communities. In particular, those who have left Islam to follow Jesus risk harassment, intimidation and even the threat of death. According to the World Watch List from Open Doors (an annual ranking of the top 50 countries where...

Following Ayatollah Khomeini’s Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran became the world's only country to be governed by an Islamic theocracy. Today, many of those living under the Islamic regime are filled with despair. Yet, their disillusionment has opened new doors for the Gospel, which is sweeping across the nation via satellite TV, the Internet, as well as a growing number of house church movements....

In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman reports on the escalating violence committed against Christians in the North Central Nigerian state of Benue. In June, militant Fulani herdsmen launched a brutal attack on the Christian community of Yelwata, killing an estimated 200 villagers – many of them internally displaced people who had fled previous violence. The attacke...