One of the great blessings of traveling for VOM is meeting bold and on-fire believers serving Jesus in hostile and restricted nations. That great blessing comes with a heavy burden, though. Especially when those believers--people we know and love, people with whom our staff have shared fellowship--come under severe persecution
Gilbert Hovsepian's father, Pastor Haik Hovsepian, was a church leader in Iran with an outreach to Muslims and a voice that wouldn't be silenced. He was threatened many times. Then he disappeared. For 12 days Gilbert and his family searched and worried. Gilbert says those 12 days were the hardest of his life. Then Haik's body was found, stabbed repeatedly.
In spite of Boko Haram attacks, Christian brothers and sisters in Northern Nigeria continue to serve Jesus. This week Ray and Denise Thorne share how God brought them together in ministry--through disappointment and heartbreak--to serve Him and to serve persecuted believers.
Not many Americans have been attacked by Al Qaeda terrorists and lived to share the story. Brent Teague was shot twice and left for dead, but God wasn't finished with Brent or with his ministry in West Africa. In fact, God had already performed a miracle to provide for Brent's rescue...before he'd even been shot!
As a young boy, "Brother Benny" looked on as his pastor father was beaten by radical Hindus in India. Seeing the high price his parents paid for serving Christ, the last thing Benny ever wanted to be was a Christian worker. But God had plans for Benny's life and called him to full-time ministry.
Martin and Gracia Burnham were serving as missionaries in the Philippines when they went away for a few days together to celebrate their anniversary. Those few days turned into a year in the jungle when they were kidnapped by radical Muslim terrorists.
Tom Doyle, author of a new book about Christians facing persecution in the Middle East, tells us that, in spite of the advance of Islamic State, God is changing the hearts of people in the region as Christians continue to boldly share the gospel message in spite of the risks and violence
Tom Doyle, author of the books Killing Christians and Dreams and Visions, shares more this week about the true nature of Islam and how the God of the Bible is reaching and rescuing Muslims in the Middle East.
House church leaders in China teach new believers that to be a faithful follower of Christ, one must be willing to suffer for his faith. Bob Fu led a double life in China, making his living as a teacher in a Communist Party school then working after school to lead people to Christ and build up China's house churches. It wasn't long before his own willingness to suffer was tested. Today, after fleeing to the West, Dr. Fu is one of the foremost voices for China's persecuted church.
Tori Rasmussen is a missionary to Tanzania, focusing on spreading God's Word into African villages and equipping and training national Christians to become missionaries themselves.
Aaron Miller, Vice President of International Ministry at The Voice of the Martyrs, looks back to recount changes and transitions he saw during 2025 in places like Syria, Turkmenistan, Tanzania, and Saudi Arabia. He also shares stories of sitting down with fellow believers in hostile areas and restricted nations and how VOM's work expanded in countries such as Benin, Indonesia, Morocco, and western Nepal. "In times of transition," Aaron says, "our staff sees opportunities." VOM's field staff is excited by the chance to reach new places, which allows them to learn the needs of our persecuted brothers and sisters, pray for them specifically and find the best ways VOM can serve.
Last week, we began a look back on some of the most moving moments on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2025. This week, we continue to remember:
- Brother Nathan, gospel worker with YWAM in the Middle East
- Miguel Angel Angeles, Executive Director of Bethel Radio & TV in Peru
- Michael & Mona, Christian leaders from Egypt working across North Africa
- Brother Kevin serves as a gospel worker and church planter in Asia
- Hana Menghisteab, the daughter of imprisoned Eritrean pastor, Dr. Tecleab Menghisteab, who has been in prison for over twenty years.
- Dr. Yousaf Sadiq grew up in Pakistan and is now a professor at Wheaton College and co-leader of the Lausanne Persecuted Church Initiative.
- Brother Samuel grew up Muslim and now faces persecution in Malaysia for his faith in Christ.
- Susanna Koh, Pastor Raymond Koh's wife, continues to go to court for his release
- Sister Neda, serves persecuted Christians in Iran through Iran Alive Ministries
We thank the Lord for allowing VOM Radio to encourage and challenge listeners all over the world this year. Thank you for listening and praying for our persecuted family in restricted nations and hostile areas around the world during 2025!
We'd love to hear from you! Let us know what conversation in 2025 most inspired your faith or equipped you to pray. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs.
Join us in 2026 for another year of testimonies about what God is doing in and through our persecuted brothers and sisters and hear how you can pray specifically for them throughout the year!
This week, we begin looking back on some of the most moving moments shared on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2025:
- Hope & Nagy, gospel workers to Libya and the Middle East
- Jerry Mattix, long-time aid ministry worker and pastor in Türkiye
- Nathan & Kari, gospel workers in South Asia with the International Mission Board (IMB)
- John Samara, Founder and Executive Director of Ananias House
- Eric Mock, the Senior Vice President of the Slavic Gospel Association
- Dr. Michael Reeves, President of Union School of Theology in the United Kingdom
- Ty Scott, VOM's Regional Leader for East and Southern Africa
- John Weaver, long-time gospel worker in Afghanistan
- Abraham & Sara serve refugees at a church in a Middle Eastern country
We thank the Lord for allowing VOM Radio to encourage and challenge listeners all over the world this year. Thank you for faithfully listening and praying for our persecuted family in restricted nations and hostile areas around the world!
We'd love to hear from you! Let us know what conversation in 2025 most inspired your faith or equipped you to pray. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs.
This week, Marcus Fernandez, VOM's Regional Leader for Central Asia, joins VOM Radio for the first time. He'll share about the fast-growing church in Iran, the North Caucasus—an area never before discussed on VOM Radio—and how persecution is escalating in Pakistan. Listen as Todd Nettleton interviews Marcus on this episode of VOM Radio.
In Part 2 of our interview with Pastor Hassan Abduraheem Taour, he shares how his heart remained upbeat, even as the judge pronounced him guilty and sentenced him to 12 years in prison. He'll talk about how reading the Bible is different inside prison than when you're free. Hassan says he experienced persecution as a blessing from God—a blessing that brought him tears of joy. "It is really a privilege to be persecuted," he says.
