After 9-11, the few Americans living in Afghanistan were encouraged to leave the country, for their own safety. John Weaver stayed, feeling that the ministry God called him to there was not yet completed. Listen this week as John shares about his work in Afghanistan, and the challenge of sharing the gospel and discipling new believers in a country where there is no visible church presence, and where persecution often begins with a believer's own family members.
After living and working in Afghanistan for more than a decade, John Weaver is often asked, How many Christians are there in Afghanistan? The answer God has laid on John's heart is simple: there's not enough!
Martin and Gracia Burnham were serving as missionaries in the Philippines, where Martin was a pilot with New Tribes Mission. The couple went away for a few days together to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Those few days turned into more than a year in the jungle when they were kidnapped by radical Muslim terrorists.
Patrick Klein has carried Bibles into hostile and restricted nations all over the world. He's been warned many times to STOP. But he continues, answering the call of God and leading teams taking the Word of God into some of the world's hardest-to-reach places.
Growing up the home of missionary parents in Ecuador, Gene Jordan has always known the story of five men—Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian—who gave their lives in the jungle to reach an isolated Indian tribe. But for Gene, it wasn't a far-off story. The five martyrs and their surviving families were close friends of Gene's parents
The Bible distribution team in Pakistan was robbed at gunpoint. A team member was hit with a rifle butt. Their money was stolen, along with their phones and everything else of value. But later, the bandits were arrested and taken to court, facing years in prison.
YWAM Frontier Missions (www.YWAMFM.com) is sending gospel workers to unreached peoples around the world, including many nations where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Listen as leaders from YWAM discuss the places where they see God working mightily today, and describe how they train church planters to thrive in hostile regions.
Isaac Six has worked on the issue of religious freedom in Washington DC for years, and currently serves at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (www.uscirf.gov). At age 16 he got first-hand experience being detained in a restricted nation. "It's almost impossible not to be changed," he says, when a Christian encounters the incredible examples of our persecuted brothers and sisters who stand boldly for Christ in spite of persecution and suffering.
Our guest this week says there is a special spiritual window open right now in a place you might not expect: The Islamic Republic of Iran. "Ali" is a gospel worker in that country with amazing testimonies of how God is at work inside Iran right now, showing off His power and bringing Iranians into fellowship with Jesus.
North Korea is heavily featured in current news, especially as U.S. President Donald Trump visits Asia. This week on VOM Radio we'll look behind the headlines with Dr. Eric Foley, the President of VOM-Korea who oversees VOM work to encourage Christians inside North Korea and to reach North Koreans with the gospel message of Christ
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.
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.
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.
