VOMRadio

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court of Finland found Päivi Räsänen guilty under a legal statute concerning "War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity." Räsänen has been a member of Finland's parliament since 1995 and is a former Minister of the Interior for the nation. Her "crime" was writing lessons for her church clearly communicating what the Bible says about human sexuality.
The criminal case against Räsänen—a medical doctor, wife and grandmother—began in 2019 when she posted a picture to social media showing her Bible open to Romans 1:24-27, with a caption asking why her church's leaders had signed on to co-sponsor a "Pride" event. A police investigation recommended no charges be brought; the prosecutor brought charges anyway and then appealed not one but two lower-court findings of innocence.
Listen as Räsänen shares her incredible story of Christian persecution in a Western democracy that claims to protect religious freedom and where a majority of the people identify as Christians. She will also share how God has encouraged her through the Scriptures and through fellowship with other members of the Body of Christ.
She'll give an update on her legal case, which she has now appealed to the European Court of Human Rights.
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.

War persists in Iran and Christian persecution is ramping up against believers who face interrogation, beatings and imprisonment.
Joe and Dawn, front-line workers in the Middle East, are helping deliver God's Word into the Islamic Republic of Iran. When one of their Iranian coworkers disappeared, they began to mobilize prayer from believers around the world. They were at a church when the brother called after 58 days with no contact. His first words were joyful: "I didn't deny Christ!" Barely recognizable after so much mistreatment, he found joy standing firm for Christ.
Joe and Dawn will share more stories of believers who have been persecuted in the midst of the Iran war, the state of Bible smuggling into Iran, and how they process putting others at risk to continue providing God's Word to Christians in Iran.
Yet the work continues, and Joe and Dawn will share what the Lord has been teaching them in this season. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Iran who are imprisoned and beaten for their faith, and for the encouragement of the church there in the middle of upheaval and great economic challenges.
Joe shared his testimony of coming to Christ in an American prison during his first visit with VOM Radio.
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.

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.

On September 11, 2012, Islamist fighters attacked a United States diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. Four Americans were killed in that attack. Just a few months later, Ronnie and Anita Smith, a young American couple, moved to Benghazi with their infant son. Their goal was to live out their faith in Christ and have opportunities to introduce Libyan people to Christ.
"We wanted to live our lives out in a place that didn't know Jesus," Anita Smith says.
Anita acknowledges that there was fear in moving to a dangerous place, especially soon after a deadly attack on Americans. But Anita says God gave both her and Ronnie peace about residing in Libya to further God's Kingdom. Days after Ronnie's death in December of 2013, Anita was on national TV in the United States (CNN and CBS This Morning) and on Arabic-language TV all over the Middle East, forgiving her husband's killers and expressing her love for the Libyan people.
Listen as Anita recalls the day she learned her husband had been martyred and how she received comfort from the Lord through her family, church, and Christian friends—the Body of Christ in action.
Ronnie Smith taught chemistry to high school students at the Benghazi International School and was admired for his knowledge and chemistry skill, but even more for his warm personality and love for his students. Anita shares how their Libyan neighbors looked out for them and welcomed them into their families, spending time together, drinking tea, and talking about life and faith. When she hears of Libyans who started following Christ after hearing the testimony of her and Ronnie, it's a powerful reminder of how Christ is using their sacrifice. Listen also as she shares how we can pray for the widows of persecuted Christian martyrs all over the world today.
Anita was one of the four amazing women who shared their stories of persecution and God's faithfulness during the Hearts of Fire Virtual Event.
You can sign up to receive prayer requests from persecuted Christians by email each week at www.iCommitToPray.com, including this request for Christians sentenced to prison in Libya.
The Hearts of Fire Virtual Event is also available in the free VOM App for your smartphone or tablet, which also helps you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, China, and Iran. The app also gives you 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.