VOMRadio

The gospel worker from China was stunned by how many biblical resources were available to Christians in America. He created a plan to scan one Bible commentary onto CDs that could be carried back into China and copied for underground Christians there. But he needed help. He reached out to find a more technically-capable person to help with the process—and an international ministry was birthed! Ken Bitgood was the young man recruited to help with that scanning project. Today he and Digital Bible Society are distributing Scripture resources in more than 4,500 languages! When Ken first became a follower of Jesus, he was encouraged to live in God's Word. He'll tell how he did that (with the help of a car stereo) and how it birthed in him a passion to see people of all nations, tribes, and tongues access the riches of the Bible and Christian resources to encourage and edify the Body of Christ around the world. In their 25th year of ministry, the Digital Bible Society is working alongside more than 400 organizations to distribute resources, free and free to copy, in over 6,000 languages. Ken will share a story of a man from Beijing he met at a conference, who pointed to the DBS resources and said, "This is what put me in jail!" You'll hear more of Ken's heart to see laborers in the harvest fields as he shares his belief that every language should have God's Word translated for them in his lifetime. Visit the Bible Access List to learn more about where there is a shortage of Bibles and places that are restricted from having God's Word. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, China, and Iran, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Rich Griffith, Chief Development Officer for Global Action, served as a pastor and played seven seasons in the NFL before the Lord led him to serve pastors and Christian leaders around the world, including many in restricted nations and hostile areas. Rich has had many exciting career highlights, but his favorite is watching these Christian leaders complete their training. "To me, the most incredible thing I've experienced is a graduation." Rich says, "The tears in their eyes… because they felt a calling of God." Rich shares his joy at being able to provide tools and knowledge to new pastors in places like India and Cuba and will share more about the curriculum and how the training is tailored to impact each individual culture. The church in these nations is growing, but there is a great need for more pastors to shepherd that growing flock. You'll also hear how Rich sensed God's call to work for Global Action and how the Lord challenged him on a trip to Cuba, where he saw how persecuted Christians trust the Lord despite their circumstances. One book that God used to challenge Rich was I Am N, a book about persecuted Christians facing Islamic extremists that was produced by The Voice of the Martyrs. Pray for the Lord to raise up more shepherds who will lead Christ's sheep, especially in restricted nations and hostile areas. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, China, and Iran, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Last October, Pastor Wang Lin, one of the leaders in Zion Church in China, was arrested and imprisoned under false charges of "fraud" and "illegal business practices." Sarah Su (Su Ziming in Chinese), wife of Pastor Wang, recounts the day her husband was arrested and the Christian persecution they faced even before he was imprisoned. Sarah will share about her husband's role in Zion Church's leadership and in training other leaders, how the church continues to reach many people despite persecution from the Chinese Communist Party, and recent updates about Pastor Wang's condition in prison. "The moment I married Wang Lin, I have decided to face all this together," Sarah says. "I knew that his mission was to train and disciple more Christians in China…I knew something like [this] would happen one day." You'll hear from Sarah how she continues to face this persecution with courage, faithfully enduring times of worry and loneliness. She will share how she and her husband both are committed to serve the Lord—no matter the cost. Zion Church made international headlines during President Trump's visit to Xi Jinping in Beijing in May and with the release of Zion senior pastor Ezra Jin from prison during America's July 4 celebrations. Sarah thanks God for Jin's release, and says the case against Zion Church continues, with eight church leaders remaining in prison. She asks that we pray for their release, the dismissal of charges, for their physical and spiritual health, and for her and her children, along with family members of the other persecuted Christians from Zion Church. Visit Prisoner Alert to write an encouraging letter to Pastor Wang Lin, and letters to other Christians imprisoned for their faith in Iran, Eritrea, and China.

How do you discern God's calling to be a missionary? John Easter, Executive Director of Assemblies of God World Missions (AGWM), says the first question might be: if God did call you to serve overseas, would you say yes? Before accepting his current role John and his wife served the church in Africa, providing theological training to pastors and leaders. In an effort to develop more leaders for the growing church, they oversaw 380+ schools with 25,000+ students. Serving on missions frontlines brought many challenges. They faced an abduction, medical issues, hijacking and other criminal activity while in Africa. Yet the Lord surrounded them with community and resources as they learned how to abide in Christ and rely on the Holy Spirit during every hardship. Today, John is focused on vision casting, fundraising and care for missionaries and missionary kids as they work to spread the gospel in unreached areas. You'll hear John share why the church in northern India is growing rapidly and what the Lord is instilling in His people in Nigeria—despite intense and violent Christian persecution in both nations. Even the reality of death is not enough for these followers of Christ to turn back, John says. Hear John suggest next steps for those the Lord may be calling to overseas missions, and ways you can pray specifically for AGWM and for missionaries sent out from your church. You're invited! Be a part of The Voice of the Martyrs' 2026 From the Field National Conference this September in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Gather with fellow believers and hear firsthand stories from persecuted Christians in restricted nations and hostile areas where VOM serves. Seating is limited, so register soon to join this inspiring event.

Davy Lloyd was only 23 years old but already had his eyes on eternity. When he and his wife, Natalie, would visit his parents' home at the mission compound where they all served in Haiti, Davy would often come through the door and say, "I can't wait to see Jesus!" Little did he know how soon his desire would be fulfilled. Davy and Natalie were killed, along with Haitian coworker Judes Montis, during a gang attack at the mission compound on May 24, 2024. David and Alicia Lloyd, Davy's parents and longtime missionaries to Haiti, join VOM Radio this week to tell the story of that difficult day—and share how God has sustained and comforted them in the two years since. They take comfort knowing Davy wanted to see Jesus more than anything else. The Lloyds will share the details of what happened during the attack—and how they learned of it from a distance during a trip to the US. They'll talk about serving in Haiti for 20 years, through ups and downs of stability and security in the country, including the day their young children were kidnapped. For Davy, Haiti was home. Creole was his first language, and he always wanted to be a missionary. Speaking in churches before their mission service, Davy would often say, "Natalie is going to Haiti as a missionary. I'm just going home!" Though only in their early 20s, both Davy and Natalie were willing to pay any price to serve Christ—even preaching the gospel to the gang members who would take their lives. You will hear David and Alicia share honestly about their grief and questions they've asked the Lord; they'll also tell how God comforted and renewed their faith as they walked forward in obedience, even in grief. David and Alicia have written a powerful book, which releases May 5: Strong to the End: The Simple Service and Sudden Sacrifice of the Martyrs in Haiti (affiliate link) tells the story of Davy and Natalie and their mission work in Haiti. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, China, Iran, and India, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

"What is key is that many of these pastors and leaders have understood the true gospel." Despite government threats of exile, prison, or death, Pastor Chico, a front-line worker in Nicaragua, says pastors are still preaching the truth of God's Word—no matter the cost. They know, as the Bible says, that "faith comes by hearing" (Rom. 10:17). The price of their preaching can be high. Listen as Chico shares about a pastor who lost his Nicaraguan citizenship when he left the country to attend a Christian conference, and pastors imprisoned without a trial or any legal process in which to defend themselves. "The main struggle…for people in churches in Nicaragua is that they are afraid to obey the Lord," Chico says. He encourages us that, as followers of Christ, each of us need to decide who is the Lord in our lives. Nicaragua's government is actively working to co-opt and control churches. Christians who won't cooperate are labeled "terrorists." Listen as Chico explains government efforts to influence and control churches, and why every believer in Nicaragua needs a Bible in their hands. Chico and other Nicaraguan Christians have been inspired by the story of Pastor Richard Wurmbrand and his wife, Sabina, the founders of The Voice of the Martyrs. At a meeting where the communist government of Romania was trying to influence church leaders in the 1940s, Sabina famously challenged Richard to speak out by saying, "I do not wish to have a coward for a husband." Chico says there are many pastors' wives in Nicaragua similarly encouraging their husbands to boldly proclaim the gospel despite the danger of Christian persecution. Chico says, "The best testimony we can have as Christians is: Am I really committed to following Jesus as my Lord and Savior?" Hear how you can pray for specific needs of persecuted Christians in the restricted nation of Nicaragua, and request your free copy of VOM's 2026 Global Prayer Guide to help you know how to pray throughout this year for Christians in India, Iran, Nigeria and many more hostile areas and restricted nations.

This week, Brother Matthew continues sharing stories of God's calling on his life to Afghanistan and how he came to know the beautiful, amazing people within that broken nation. As he saw God at work in Afghanistan, he says his faith and hope increased. Afghanistan is a nation where many Christians have laid down their lives. With his long experience there, Matthew met, worked with and learned from these martyrs. Listen as he shares memories of several heroes of the faith that he knew as friends and colleagues in the gospel effort. One of those Brother Matthew will tell of is Werner Groenewald, who was martyred along with his son and daughter in Afghanistan in 2014. Hannelie, Werner's widow, shared her story on VOM Radio; you can hear it at www.vomradio.net/hannelie. Matthew will also share how he met his wife and talk about raising children in Afghanistan. He says each time they left the country and came back, it was a sobering decision as they continued to trust God with their lives, and for the safety of their children. Matthew will also talk about the church in other Central Asian nations, including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Iran. Finally, he shares advice and encouragement for Christians who may feel a sense of calling to global missions. He also speaks to churches in free nations: "I don't think the church has a lack of calling. We have a lack of response. We have to respond!" Pray for the continued multiplication of the church and ask God for boldness for persecuted Christians in Central Asia—and Christians in your area. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, Iran, and India, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

"God, where are You working in aviation that I can participate?" Throughout his life, Steve Russell, CEO and President of Jungle Aviation and Relay Service (better known as JAARS) has asked the Lord what He had in store next. That pattern continued when he earned his pilot's license; he wondered how the Lord would use that new skill to open doors for Kingdom impact. Little did he know God would use it to move him toward leadership in a global missions effort! Long before Russell arrived at JAARS, God was giving him experiences to prepare him for this season of service. Steve will share how the Lord led him from ministry as a youth pastor to the military, including leading a U.S. Army unit involved in the capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Later, God moved him into government service, including in the State of Oklahoma and the U.S. House of Representatives. Now, at JAARS, he leads a worldwide mission working to facilitate delivery of God's Word into the hardest-to-reach places in the world. Steve will also explain JAARS' history and its historic connection to Wycliffe Bible Translators. Hear how you can pray for JAARS' pilots, mechanics, and technicians, and other aspects of the ministry of JAARS. Also check out their podcast, Uncharted. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, Iran, and Bangladesh, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.