The Front Line Report

Across the Middle East, Muslims have questions about their faith. But Islamic teaching doesn’t encourage or allow such questions. As a young man in Morocco, Brother Rachid had questions also; he found answers through a Christian radio broadcast and chose to follow Christ. Today he hosts an Arabic-language TV program airing all over the Middle East. On the first broadcast, he asked Muslims to call...

Among tribal groups in East Asia, new believers in Christ can be forcibly removed from their homes and villages. Animistic tribesmen desire to please and appease the spirits they worship; those who come to faith in Jesus are seen as angering the spirits. However, those who follow Jesus are part of a new community as brothers and sisters come alongside to encourage one another amidst persecution. M...

Ten or 20 years ago, persecution of Christians in China varied greatly across China’s 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions. Bob Fu—a former teacher at the Communist Party School in Beijing and prisoner for Christ in China—says things are much different today. Chinese Christian persecution is driven by the national government in Beijing; every province is expected to control religio...

As a young adult, John sensed the call to surrender his life to bring glory to God and reach Tibetan Buddhists in the Himalayan region for Christ. Listen as John shares how he started in full-time ministry among Tibetan people, their culture, and encouraging stories of persecuted Christians in the region. Tibetan Buddhists’ beliefs often mix traditional Buddhism with existing shamanistic beliefs o...

Across Africa, the church is undergoing attacks on its members and their meeting places. Yet despite the destruction, our Christian brothers and sisters exhibit an overwhelming joy in Christ. Sean Paton and Jeremy Malkin continue the conversation from last week on VOM’s efforts to help our persecuted brothers in Burkina Faso, Benin, Sudan, and Mozambique. Listen as Jeremy and Sean share how Christ...

Across Africa, instability and the growing influence of radical Islamist ideology mean more persecution for our Christian brothers and sisters. Sean Paton and Jeremy Malkin oversee VOM’s efforts to serve persecuted Christians across Africa. Listen as they share updates on how Christians are responding—especially in the Central African Republic and Ethiopia. Thousands of Christians have been displa...

Jonathan Ekman leads The Voice of the Martyrs’ international work, overseeing a team serving persecuted Christians in more than 70 nations around the world. As we look back on VOM’s international efforts in 2021, listen to hear how God used Covid-19 to facilitate delivery of 50,000 Bibles into an extremely closed nation, how persecution has increased in Africa and how God may use the Taliban to fu...

Brother ‘Joshua’ is a church leader in Cuba. He says for Christians on the island, persecution is expected. Police regularly call Joshua in for interrogation; every time they call, he feels intimidation and fear about what might happen. However, as the questioning begins, he says he can feel God’s presence and God’s provision of an answer for each question. As he senses God’s power taking over, he...

As a college student in San Francisco, Brother Kevin explored many avenues of spirituality, including pursuing Zen Buddhism and Transcendental Meditation. But an experience of darkness caused him to call out for Jesus, and Christ revealed himself to Kevin as both real and powerful. Since that day, Kevin has wanted to tell people about Jesus, including Muslims, Hindus and people of other faiths. To...

Cheng Jie, whose English name is “Esther,” was the wife of a pastor in China. She and her husband had discussed the idea that he could be arrested and go to prison for his Christian work. They hadn’t believed that she would be targeted by the communist government. But in 2014 she was called to the police station for a “meeting” about the school Esther was running. The meeting with police turned in...

“Pastor Chitria” has been arrested multiple times for his ministry work in Nepal. He says such treatment is an honor and a privilege! Pastor Chitria talks about preparing believers to stand strong in the face of Christian persecution. He says new Christians preparing for baptism must answer seven questions, including whether they are willing to lose their family, friends and even their freedom to...

On December 5, 2013, Ronnie Smith was shot and killed in the Libyan city of Benghazi. In this second half of our interview with Anita Smith, Ronnie’s widow, she talks about the legacy her husband left and the faith she continues to exercise in raising their son without his earthly father around. Shortly after Ronnie’s death, Anita spoke in media interviews about her love for the Libyan people and...

On December 5, 2013, Ronnie Smith was shot and killed in the Libyan city of Benghazi. Within days, Ronnie’s wife, Anita, spoke on national TV in the US about her love for the Libyan people and about forgiving her husband’s murderers. She also did interviews—in Arabic—that were broadcast all over the Middle East. Listen to Anita Smith share the story—the story of her grief, but also the story of ho...

Aaron Miller leads VOM’s work in the Middle East. Recently he spoke in a college chapel, including telling the story of an experience of persecution he endured in India. Aaron says even though the Bible promises Christians will face persecution, in that moment of suffering as he was punched and kicked he was surprised. But something else happened as well: he experienced God’s presence and grace in...

Join us this week for a podcast concert of prayer on behalf of persecuted Christians around the world in commemoration of the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP). Leaders from among VOM’s international ministry regions will talk about specific prayer needs in their region of the world, then lead in prayer for persecuted brothers and sisters in those regions. Author John We...

John Grooters is the director of a new movie portraying the marriage, choice to become Christians and early persecution of VOM's founders, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand—told through the eyes of Sabina. SABINA: Tortured For Christ, The Nazi Years will screen in more than 800 theaters in the US for three days only – November 8, 9 and 10. Buy tickets here. Grooters also directed Tortured For Christ –...

Jonathan Ekman and Matthew Hanson recently visited persecuted Christians in Central Asia—Christians caught between a growing wave of radical Islam and governments with a communist-style distrust of all religion. Matthew and Jonathan will share stories from believers they met. They’ll also share the story of a woman who faced intense persecution from her own family yet has seen God take her sufferi...

How long was it from the time you heard Jesus died, until you knew that He rose again? What did you feel in that interim? Grief? Loss? Defeat? And what did it mean when you knew that He did rise again? “Brother Stephen” has worked with Operation Mobilization for many years sharing the gospel among Muslims, including nomadic peoples in the Middle East. He has told the story of Jesus to people who h...

Rashin Soodmand was 13 years old when Iran’s government executed her father, Pastor Hossein Soodmand, and buried him in an unmarked grave in a part of the cemetery reserved for “the cursed.” But killing this faithful pastor didn’t erase his legacy or stop the growth of the church in Iran. Her father wasn’t the only martyr of the persecuted Iranian church that Rashin knew well. In this second part...

Rashin Soodmand was 13 years old when her father, Pastor Hossein Soodmand, was executed in Iran for the crime of apostasy. Rashin remembers that day as a strange mix of sadness and joy as she, her family and members of their church dealt with the loss of Pastor Soodmand while at the same time celebrating his life and the fact that he had stood boldly in the face of Christian persecution and threat...

Joe Handley leads Asian Access, a ministry to train and equip church leaders—including many working in countries where Christians face persecution for their faith. Listen as Joe shares the story of an imprisoned Christian in Myanmar who found a way to be a blessing, even from inside prison. Joe will also talk about training up leaders in hostile and restricted nations—and especially helping them l...

Semse Aydin and her husband, Necati, were expecting a baby. Necati had been arrested for gospel work in Turkey, and now the couple had a decision to make. Would they continue advancing the gospel among their countrymen, in spite of the risk of more persecution? Or would they choose a safer path for their now-growing family? Together, Necati and Semse made the decision: they would continue boldly i...

Gracia Burnham was serving as a missionary in the Philippines with her husband, Martin, when they were taken hostage by a radical Islamist group. Martin was killed in a rescue attempt, leaving Gracia to raise their three children alone. But she was not alone; God has been with her. “I’ve seen God be faithful…He takes special care of the widows,” Gracia says. Semse Aydin also experienced the loss o...

Tom and JoAnn Doyle are back to finish our conversation about how Jesus is reaching women across the Middle East—including amazing stories of God’s work in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria and other nations. Tom and JoAnn say these Christian women are committed to following Christ no matter what persecution they face, even the risk of their lives. They are also bold witnesses for Christ; often the gre...

Author John Weaver lived in Afghanistan, speaks the language and is in daily contact with people still in the country. He’ll give listeners an update on how the Taliban’s takeover is affecting our Christian brothers and sisters and share specific requests to help us pray for our Afghan family members. John will also tell us how God is working through current events and even among members of the Ta...