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The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been accused by several countries, including the United States, of providing training, financing and weapons – as well as safe havens – to several terrorist organizations. These militant groups include Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen. Additionally, Iran was listed as number nine on the 2024 World Watch List produced by Open Doors, making it one of the most dangerous countries in the world to follow Jesus.
To discuss recent reports about this Middle Eastern nation, Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman is joined by Dr. Hormoz Shariat, the founder and president of Iran Alive. This Texas-based ministry is working to transform Iran into a Christian nation through satellite television, discipleship programs, Bible distribution projects, and so much more. Dr. Shariat, who comes from a Muslim background, speaks with Greg about why the Iranian government is seeking to destroy Israel and eradicate Christianity.
Length: 36 minutes
Episode Notes
To view the interview with Hormoz https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-ir-govt-terrorism-persecution.htm
Iran Alive: www.iranalive.org
To purchase a copy of Dr. Shariat’s book, Iran’s Great Awakening: How God is Using a Muslim Convert to Spark Revival, go to: store.vomcanada.org/purchase/irans-great-awakening (in Canada) or https://iranalive.org/irans-great-awakening/ (in the US and other countries)
Saeed Pakniat’s testimony: https://www.vomcanada.com/video/ir-forced-flee.htm
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
April 14th, 2024, marks the passing of ten years since the militant Islamic group, Boko Haram, kidnapped 276 mostly Christian girls from a secondary school in the Nigerian town of Chibok, Borno State. According to a recently published BBC report, 91 of the abducted students remain missing today.
During the past two years, 20 of the kidnapped victims were rescued from Boko Haram hideouts in the Sambisa forest, which is located in northeastern Borno State. However, recent reports indicate that some of the rescued women have decided to stay married to their captors. The state government’s response to this situation has sparked outrage among the parents – including Yama Bullum, who was heartbroken to discover that his daughter, Jinkai, remains married to the militant who once held her captive.
In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman is joined by Rev. Margaret Adina. This Christian leader serves as the Director of Mara’s House, a trauma centre for women and girls near Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. Rev. Adina discusses why some of these recently freed young women, who were teenagers when they were abducted ten years ago, are choosing to stay with their kidnappers. During her conversation with Greg, she also explains how traumatized Nigerian women and girls are receiving greatly needed healing and hope at Mara’s House.
Length: 40 minutes
Episode Notes
To Watch the Interview with Margaret Adinga https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-ng-chibok-parents.htm
Learn more about Mara’s House: https://www.vomcanada.com/ng-videos/video/ng-maras-house2.htm
Christian Faith Ministries: https://cfaithministries.org/
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
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A religious freedom advocate recently warned that a proposed Canadian law could imperil citizens’ freedom of speech and religious liberty, raising concerns for Christians across Canada.
Jeff King, who serves as the president of International Christian Concern (a religious watchdog group based in the U.S.), says the proposed law, Bill C-367, would amend the Criminal Code by removing religious exemptions from Canada’s hate speech laws. If enacted, he warns that the new measures could impact public expressions of Biblical truth.
In this episode of Closer to the Fire, host Greg Musselman is joined by VOMC’s CEO, Floyd Brobbel, to talk about what it could mean for Canadian Christians if the bill or one like it is passed into law. Floyd also discusses the various degrees of persecution, and where the church in Canada is currently positioned on the persecution scale.
Length: 46 minutes
Episode Notes
To watch the interview with Floyd Brobbel
https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-vomc-bible-prison.htm
To purchase a copy of Trouble on the Way by Floyd Brobbel, go to: https://store.vomcanada.org/purchase/trouble-on-the-way
View Jeff King’s interview with CBN News: https://www2.cbn.com/news/us/persecution-watchdogs-warning-canadian-bill-could-send-christians-jail-quoting-bible
Sign up to receive VOMC’s Persecution & Prayer Alert emails and free monthly magazine: https://store.vomcanada.org/subscribe
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
One young man who knows firsthand the brutality against followers of Jesus in Nigeria is Nankpak Kumzwam. In 2002, the then eight-year-old lost his father, mother, brother and sister when militant Muslims attacked his village. Nankpak, who was injured during the attack, was taken to a Christian orphanage where he received an education, as well as a place to live and heal from the trauma he experienced after losing four of his family members.
Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman first met Nankpak during 2007 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to hear his tragic story. In this episode, Nankpak speaks with Greg about how he remained strong in his faith in Jesus after going through such a horrific event. During their conversation, Nankpak also shares about his ministry today to persecuted Christians in Nigeria and the many challenges currently facing believers in this West African nation.
Length: 53 minutes
Episode Notes
To watch the interview with Nankpak https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-ng-tragedy-triumph.htm
Stefanos Foundation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Stefanosfoundation
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com a: Overcoming Tragedy and Trauma
One young man who knows firsthand the brutality against followers of Jesus in Nigeria is Nankpak Kumzwam. In 2002, the then eight-year-old lost his father, mother, brother and sister when militant Muslims attacked his village. Nankpak, who was injured during the attack, was taken to a Christian orphanage where he received an education, as well as a place to live and heal from the trauma he experienced after losing four of his family members.
Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman first met Nankpak during 2007 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to hear his tragic story. In this episode, Nankpak speaks with Greg about how he remained strong in his faith in Jesus after going through such a horrific event. During their conversation, Nankpak also shares about his ministry today to persecuted Christians in Nigeria and the many challenges currently facing believers in this West African nation.
Length: 53 minutes
Episode Notes
To watch the interview with Nankpak https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-ng-tragedy-triumph.htm
Stefanos Foundation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Stefanosfoundation
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
“Adam” (not his real name) grew up in a Muslim home in the North African country of Mauritania, where over 99 percent of the population is considered to be Muslim, and it’s illegal to leave Islam. Even though it was dangerous even to consider another religion Adam was disillusioned with the god of Islam, so he wanted to know more about Christianity. However, the churches he went to refused to let him in because he was a Muslim. That didn’t deter Adam’s desire to know more about Jesus. After a decade of searching, he met a missionary who led him to Christ. After becoming a close friend to another missionary named Chris Leggett, Adam’s faith blossomed. In 2009, tragedy rocked Adam’s world when Leggett, a married father of four, was murdered by militant Islamists for his ministry among Muslims in Mauritania. Adam became even more focused on building God’s Kingdom in the North African nation, but it came at a huge cost.
Length 6:30
Episode notes
To watch the video of Adam’s story https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-mr-adam.htm
To learn more about The Voice of the Martyrs Canada Equipping the Saints fund https://store.vomcanada.org/category/donations/equipping-the-saints-fund -
Anees Khan grew up in a Christian home in Pakistan, where he and his family faced extreme persecution because of their faith in Jesus. When Anees was kidnapped by a group of militant Muslims, his father – who served as a local pastor – received a phone call from the captors demanding that he convert to Islam, or they would kill his son. After the pastor refused to renounce his Christian faith, the attackers threw 13-year-old Anees off a cliff. However, the faithful follower of Jesus miraculously survived the ordeal without injury.
The family eventually escaped Pakistan by going to Sri Lanka, and then later settling in Canada. During this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, Anees joins host Greg Musselman to talk about his powerful testimony of survival, the many challenges facing Christians today in Pakistan, and how he is now helping followers of Jesus in his homeland.
Length: 50 minutes
Episode Notes
To watch the entire interview with Anees Khan https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-pk-anees-khan.htm
To subscribe to the Closer to the Fire podcast, go to: https://blubrry.com/cttf/
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
“The persecution of God’s people has entered into the worst time we’ve seen in 40 years.” These are the words of Dr. Bob Fu, who serves as the founder and president of ChinaAid. Dr. Fu, a longtime ministry partner of The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, joins Closer to the Fire podcast host Greg Musselman to discuss why such intense opposition against Christians is taking place in China.
During their conversation, Dr. Fu provides insight into the methods being used by the Chinese Communist Party to oppress and harass the country’s Christians – including forcing children to renounce their faith in Jesus, installing facial recognition cameras in churches (and arresting pastors who refuse them), as well as rewriting and distorting the Bible. In addition, Dr. Fu addresses why the church continues to grow despite the many challenges facing followers of Jesus in this Communist nation.
Length: 52 minutes
Program Notes
To watch the interview with Dr. Bob Fu, visit: www.vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-cn-40-years.htm
ChinaAid: www.chinaaid.org
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been accused by several countries, including the United States, of providing training, financing and weapons – as well as safe havens – to several terrorist organizations. These militant groups include Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen. Additionally, Iran was listed as number nine on the 2024 World Watch List produced by Open Doors, making it one of the most dangerous countries in the world to follow Jesus.
To discuss recent reports about this Middle Eastern nation, Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman is joined by Dr. Hormoz Shariat, the founder and president of Iran Alive. This Texas-based ministry is working to transform Iran into a Christian nation through satellite television, discipleship programs, Bible distribution projects, and so much more. Dr. Shariat, who comes from a Muslim background, speaks with Greg about why the Iranian government is seeking to destroy Israel and eradicate Christianity.
Length: 36 minutes
Episode Notes
To view the interview with Hormoz https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-ir-govt-terrorism-persecution.htm
Iran Alive: www.iranalive.org
To purchase a copy of Dr. Shariat’s book, Iran’s Great Awakening: How God is Using a Muslim Convert to Spark Revival, go to: store.vomcanada.org/purchase/irans-great-awakening (in Canada) or https://iranalive.org/irans-great-awakening/ (in the US and other countries)
Saeed Pakniat’s testimony: https://www.vomcanada.com/video/ir-forced-flee.htm
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
During the week of Christmas, more than 240 Christians were murdered in Nigeria’s Plateau State. The recent December 2023 massacre, referred to as “Black Christmas,” is only the latest in a series of attacks against innocent followers of Jesus. According to the Intersociety for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, an organization based in the southeastern Nigerian city of Onitsha, more than 52,000 Christians have been murdered in Nigeria since 2009. Yet, despite the staggering levels of violence, much of the world appears to be unresponsive to the plight of believers in Africa’s most populous nation.
In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman speaks with Mark Lipdo, the Founder and Program Coordinator for Stefanos Foundation. Based in Jos, Plateau State, this Christian organization is dedicated to helping believers in Nigeria who are being persecuted for their faith. During his conversation with Greg, Mark reports on the recent attacks that took place in Plateau State and discusses the reasons behind the recurring brutality.
Length: 46 minutes
Episode Notes
To watch the interview with Mark Lipdo:
www.vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-ng-black-christmas.htm
Stefanos Foundation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Stefanosfoundation
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com
Release International: www.releaseinternational.org -
During this first episode of 2024, the Closer to the Fire podcast highlights four countries of growing concern where the persecution of Christians is expected to rise this year. These countries are Nigeria, India, Pakistan and China. Host Greg Musselman speaks with Andrew Boyd of Release International, a UK-based mission which recently published its annual Persecution Trends Report. Greg and Andrew discuss the concerning trends described in the report, which are based on findings from international ministry partners serving in the world’s most dangerous persecution hot spots.
Length: 56 minutes
Episode Notes
To watch the interview with Andrew Boyd
www.vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-persecution-trends-2024.htm
Persecution Trends Report for 2024: www.releaseinternational.org/persecution-trends-report-2024/
Release International: www.releaseinternational.org
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
In many countries around the world where governing leaders claim to guarantee freedom of religion, Christians continue to be persecuted, harassed and arrested for their faith. Such is the case in Sri Lanka, where Jerome Fernando, a well-known pastor in the Western Province, was recently arrested for comparing Christianity to other religions. Although the constitution of this island nation provides all citizens freedom of thought, conscience and religion, Pastor Jerome’s arrest is just one example of the many religious freedom violations being committed against followers of Christ in this Buddhist-majority country.
In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman discusses Pastor Jerome’s case with Roshini Wickremesinhe, who serves as the Executive Director of the Religious Liberty Partnership in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Roshini, who also happens to be a lawyer, explains why this incident is so troubling in a country where Christians are commonly persecuted. During their conversation, Roshini also addresses the situation facing believers in India and describes how the country’s oppressive anti-conversion laws have led to the arrests of hundreds of believers.
Length 30 minutes
Episode Notes
To view the interview with Roshini Wickremesinhe: https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-lk-really-freedom.htm
Religious Liberty Partnership: www.rlpartnership.org
For additional reports about Sri Lanka from The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, go to: www.vomcanada.com/srilanka.htm
The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka: www.nceasl.org -
Almost 90 percent of all the reported kidnappings of Christians worldwide take place in Nigeria. According to credible news sources, approximately 5,200 followers of Christ have been kidnapped in the African nation between January 2021 and June 2022. So far this year, as of mid-November, recent reports indicate that 23 ministerial clergy/church workers were abducted, and several other believers have been murdered.
In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman speaks with Rev. John Joseph Hayab to learn more about the kidnapping crisis in Nigeria and why Christians are being targeted. Rev. Hayab presently serves as the Kaduna State Chairman for the Christian Association of Nigeria, as well as the Country Director of Global Peace Foundation Nigeria.
During the interview, Rev. Hayab also discusses the miraculous escape of 14-year-old Treasure Ayuba, a student who had been held captive by Islamic militants for two years following his abduction from a denominationally operated school in Kaduna State.
Length: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Episode Notes
To watch the interview with Rev. Hayab www.vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-ng-kidnapping-crisis.htm
Global Peace Foundation: https://globalpeace.org/
Christian Association of Nigeria: https://canng.org/
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: https://www.vomcanada.com/ -
“The persecution of God’s people has entered into the worst time we’ve seen in 40 years.” These are the words of Dr. Bob Fu, who serves as the founder and president of ChinaAid. Dr. Fu, a longtime ministry partner of The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, joins Closer to the Fire podcast host Greg Musselman to discuss why such intense opposition against Christians is taking place in China.
During their conversation, Dr. Fu provides insight into the methods being used by the Chinese Communist Party to oppress and harass the country’s Christians – including forcing children to renounce their faith in Jesus, installing facial recognition cameras in churches (and arresting pastors who refuse them), as well as rewriting and distorting the Bible. In addition, Dr. Fu addresses why the church continues to grow despite the many challenges facing followers of Jesus in this Communist nation.
Length: 52 minutes
Program Notes
To watch the interview with Dr. Bob Fu, visit: www.vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-cn-40-years.htm
ChinaAid: www.chinaaid.org
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
A sessions court in Islamabad has handed down a 25-year prison sentence to a Muslim man for murdering a Christian woman three years ago after she turned down his marriage proposal. Judge Azam Khan of the Islamabad Sessions Court convicted Muhammad Shahzad (also known as Shani) for the murder of 24-year-old Sonia Allah Rakha while acquitting three other suspects who had been involved in the case.
Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman discusses this landmark verdict with Asher John of Kross Konnection, a digital media platform that advocates for human rights on behalf of vulnerable minorities living in this Muslim-majority nation. During their conversation, Asher also provides an update on a recent incident in which a pastor in Jaranwala faked his assassination, and describes the current situation for followers of Jesus in an area where thousands of militant Muslims burned churches and Christian homes this past August.
In addition, Asher and Greg preview a documentary focussing on the plight of Pakistan’s Christian women and girls, who are being kidnapped, forcibly converted to Islam, and then married against their wills – incidents that have been taking place with alarming frequency throughout the country.
Length: 37:30
Episode Notes
To watch the interview with Asher John
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada - Closer to the Fire (vomcanada.com)
View the Stolen Lives documentary: www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=YQXm_5Lo0Ig
Kross Konnection: www.krosskonnection.pk
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
Since China’s persecution of Christians has led to increased church growth, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is now targeting truths in the Bible through a ten-year project to change the Scriptures. With as many as 130 million Christians in the country, there are more followers of Jesus than members of the CCP. As a result, the government is pushing their socialist values by distorting Biblical passages to reflect Communist ideologies. This is yet another attempt by China’s authorities to bring both official and unapproved churches under total control of the government.
In this episode of Closer to the Fire, host Greg Musselman is joined by Dr. Eric Foley of The Voice of the Martyrs Korea to discuss the CCP’s latest plans to promote its political ideologies, and how these methods of persecution are affecting Christians throughout the country. During the interview, they also address recently published reports in which some organizations have indicated that China’s Christian population is now in decline.
In addition to providing an update on the situation in China, Dr. Foley shares about the enduring faith of believers in North Korea and the fact that, despite extreme opposition, the underground church continues to grow in this “Hermit Kingdom.”
Length: 51 minutes
Episode Notes
To watch the interview with Dr. Eric Foley https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-communists-rewrite-bible.htm
The Voice of the Martyrs Korea: www.vomkorea.com
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
The Christian faith has a long history in North Africa. In fact, the early church father, Augustine of Hippo, was from this region of the world. However, after invasions by Arab Muslims, much of North Africa’s public Christian worship and witness disappeared during the seventh century AD.
Today, many North Africans are rediscovering their Christian heritage. As a result, the church is expanding rapidly, but so is persecution against followers of Jesus. VOMC’s Minister-at-Large, Greg Musselman, recently travelled to an undisclosed country to hear firsthand about the situation facing our North African family in Christ. During this time, Greg met with Christian leaders from Algeria and Libya to discuss the growing challenges being encountered by believers in these Muslim-majority nations.
Length: 30 minutes
Episode Notes
To view the full video report on Algeria, go to: https://www.vomcanada.com/dz-videos/video/dz-growing-persecuted.htm
To view the full video report on Libya, visit: https://vomcanada.com/ly-videos/video/ly-dangers-following-1.htm
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
The Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, recently described the war in Syria as a humanitarian nightmare for the long-suffering Syrian people and urgently called for a solution to the conflict. While the true number of lives lost may never be known, hundreds of thousands of Syrians have died since 2011.
The UN estimates that over six million surviving Syrians have fled to neighbouring countries and overseas nations, including Canada, and that more than seven million refugees are internally displaced. Christians remaining in this war-torn country are vulnerable to attacks from militant Islamic groups like ISIS and must also face the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the war and sanctions.
Fayez Youssef, who serves as a pastor and evangelist in the Middle East/North African region, is working to bring practical help and encouragement into Syria. In this latest episode of Closer to the Fire, podcast host Greg Musselman interviews Pastor Fayez of Cairo, Egypt, about the challenges facing followers of Jesus in Syria and other countries of the Middle East.
Length: 35 minutes
First aired February, 2023
Episode Notes
To view the interview with Fayez Youssef https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-sy-uncertain-future.html
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
A mob violently attacked churches in Pakistan on August 16th and set fire to the homes of several believers following allegations of blasphemy against Christian residents. Thousands of militant Muslim men armed with sticks attacked townships in Jaranwala, Punjab, after two local Christians were accused of desecrating the Quran. Podcast host Greg Musselman, Minister-at-Large for The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, provides more details on the violent rampage.
Length: 4:30
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com
For more information about the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, go to: https://www.vomcanada.com/pakistan.htm -
There are times when it is appropriate for the followers of Jesus to fight for one’s legal rights. The Apostle Paul did so on several occasions, and it could be argued that he defended his legal rights to further the Kingdom of God. Even Jesus defended Himself at one point during His trial – not to protest His suffering, but as a testimony of His innocence.
In this episode of Closer to the Fire, host Greg Musselman is joined by Mervyn Thomas, the founder and president of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). Mervyn discusses the importance of advocating for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as defending the freedom of religion for people of all faiths. He also describes the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian and addresses the challenges he encounters in his work at CSW.
Length 42:30
To view the interview https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-mervyn-thomas-csw.html
Christian Solidarity Worldwide: www.csw.org.uk
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com -
Pakistan's notorious blasphemy laws place Christians at constant risk of being falsely accused of speaking against Islam, the Quran or Mohammed – resulting in harsh punishments when accused believers are convicted and death threats if they aren’t. A quarter of all blasphemy accusations in Pakistan target Christians, who make up only 1.8 percent of the population. The number of blasphemy cases is increasing, as is the number of Christian girls being abducted, abused and forcibly converted to Islam.
Asher John is a human rights journalist based in Pakistan who serves as the founder of the digital media platform, Kross Konnection. For this podcast, he joins Greg Musselman to discuss how the country’s blasphemy laws are being used against vulnerable minorities, including followers of Jesus. Asher also addresses the ongoing persecution of Christian women and girls in Pakistan, emphasizing the vital work of advocates who are trying to bring these vulnerable victims of kidnapping safely home to their families.
Episode Notes
To watch the interview with Asher John
CTTF – https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-pk-constant-risk.html
Kross Konnection: www.krosskonnection.pk
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com
Sign up to receive VOMC’s Persecution & Prayer Alert reports and monthly magazine: VOMCanada.com/engage.htm#subscribe - Visa fler
