The following reflection is written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the power of the gospel to forgive even our worst enemies.

Beware of the prevalent “take-it-or- leave-it” mentality. While skepticism may seem understandable among members of our individualistic culture, we must never put ourselves in a place of criticism or judgment toward any of our Lord’s commands. As I minister to persecuted Christians in restricted nations, I am struck by their willingness to suffer in order to obey Christ’s commands — immediately and without qualification. Their example leads me to ask: Have I unwittingly fallen into a trap of obeying only those commands that I understand and with which I agree?

In the face of violent attacks by Islamic extremists, our persecuted Christian family members are showing us how to follow Christ. Our Lord has said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44–45). Since loving our enemies is such a clear command — one that Jesus identifies as a distinctive trait of God’s children — we must not allow ourselves to avoid it. From VOM’s founding fifty-six years ago until today, reaching persecutors for Christ has been one of the organization’s foundational purposes. We “equip persecuted Christians to love and win to Christ those who are opposed to the gospel” (vom.org/about).

Since loving our enemies, even our persecutors, is one of the five purposes of the organization where I have served for nearly seventeen years and that I have led for five, I talk about this scriptural principle more frequently than most Christian leaders. I suppose the feedback I receive has even made me a sort of thermometer that measures people’s attitudes toward this command of Christ. I am sorry to report that our collective temperature runs low and is trending lower, as far too many avoid the topic altogether. People sense that if they engage with Christ’s words, their overarching attitudes and behaviors toward the lost will be forced to change. And they are right.

Since loving our enemies is such a clear command — one that Jesus identifies as a distinctive trait of God’s children — we must not allow ourselves to avoid it.

Cole richards, vom president

I trust that you are among those who seek to obey Christ on this point. We love him, so we obey his commands. As we move forward in obedience, the fog begins to clear and we can see how to love our enemies. Since they are lost and face eternal separation from their creator, the most loving act possible is to reach them with the gospel, the truth of Christ that the Holy Spirit can use to lead them to repentance and eternal life.

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Some have rejected Christ’s command to love our enemies because they have misinterpreted it to mean that we must “be nice” to people who intend to harm us. But being kind to lost people in any way that leaves them lost is the opposite of loving them. We ultimately obey Christ’s command to pray for those who persecute us by praying for their salvation, and then we ultimately obey his command to love our enemies by bringing them the only truth that can set them free. Our persecuted Christian family members are showing us the way. May we be encouraged to follow in their footsteps.

The following reflection is written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the hope the power of the Gospel offers for the nation of Bangladesh.

Most people have at least some degree of national pride, but it seems less common in Bangladesh, which is considered one of the world’s most corrupt and dysfunctional nations. During one of my visits, a Muslim man went out of his way to tell me that he did not understand why any foreigner would visit his country. “What are you doing here?” he asked with a look of incredulity. “My country is corrupt, crowded, desperately poor and full of violent extremists!”

The fact that a nation can be characterized by both desperate circumstances and historic revival should be instructive for us. God’s eternal purposes will not be thwarted by the flaws or failings of any nation’s government or economy.

Cole Richards, President of VOM

While the population of Bangladesh is roughly half that of the U.S., this huge populace is crowded into a frequently flooded river delta that is less than 2% of the geographical size of the U.S. The nation is officially Muslim, and those who leave Islam to follow Christ pay a tremendous price. Converts are commonly persecuted by both their families and communities, and Christian leaders also experience persecution from government officials. Still, at least half a million Bangladeshi Muslims have come to faith in Christ in the past 50 years, as this deeply troubled nation has experienced one of the greatest revivals in history.

The fact that a nation can be characterized by both desperate circumstances and historic revival should be instructive for us. God’s eternal purposes will not be thwarted by the flaws or failings of any nation’s government or economy.

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Like our brother Omar, we are meant to follow God undeterred. Omar was rejected by his family and community, yet he continued to share the gospel. Confronted by Islamists, he continued to share the gospel. Falsely accused, arrested, beaten, tortured and imprisoned, he continued sharing the gospel. And he did all of this in a nation with severe and ungovernable problems. Omar had every excuse not to share the gospel, but he continued in obedience to Christ.

I am inspired and challenged by the determination of Omar and other Christian leaders in Bangladesh. I can call them to mind when my nation’s economic outlook tempts me to become distracted from sharing the gospel and making disciples. I can remember them when I am tempted to become so involved in working to improve my community or nation that I fail to proclaim the gospel message. The example of faithful believers in Bangladesh helps me avoid being a watcher instead of a worker. I need to ensure that I am not watching the weather instead of planting seeds; otherwise, I will not receive a harvest (Ecclesiastes 11:4). Our Christian brothers and sisters a world away, living in desperate circumstances, are showing us the way.

The following reflection is written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the rise of Muslim extremism and how we are called to share the gospel with even the most violent extremists.

Coverage of the violent spread of Islam has varied widely in the news media, leading some to believe it has subsided. It has not. Constant, comprehensive reporting kept the rise and decline of the self-proclaimed “Islamic State” in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) at the forefront of international news in the years following the 2014 fall of Mosul in northern Iraq. But in sharp contrast, the violent spread of Islam across much of the African continent in the last five years — and continuing today — has received little attention.

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As Christians, we cannot count on the news media or other secular sources to inform us in ways that help us love and serve our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters. As fellow members of the body of Christ, we must share their stories and carry their message ourselves! Let us resolve to be the voice of our suffering Christian family members in Africa. May they never bear the full weight of their suffering alone.

Islamists in Africa today are simply continuing the story of Islam’s expansion through violent conquest that began with Muhammad 1,400 years ago. Nearly all of today’s Muslim-majority nations in North Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Southeast Asia became so not through the changing of hearts and minds but through conquest at the point of the sword. Today, people pursuing Islam’s historical agenda of establishing a global caliphate (Islamic theocracy) are using the same barbaric methods used by their founder and early leaders. They have made significant advancements in much of the African continent in recent years, displacing hundreds of thousands of Christian families while the rest of the world barely takes notice.

We must wholeheartedly and unreservedly love Muslims, and that is why we must tell them the truth. The core teachings of Islam — not just the parts that precipitate violence — are false. Islam’s founding prophet, Muhammad, and its primary sacred text, the Quran, are wrong about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is not merely a prophet. He is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). He is Immanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). We must cry out to Muslims, including those who persecute us, “Come, taste and see that the Lord is good! Come and drink of the Living Water. He is the way, the truth and the life; no one may come to the Father except through him.” The contrast is clear: Muslim extremists in Africa are willing to kill Christians to advance their ideology, while our African Christian brothers and sisters are willing to die to bring them the love and truth of Christ. We must stand with them now, in their time of great need.

The following reflection is written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the profound power of the gospel to reach even the most violent persecutors.

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about [Saul], how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.” 

Acts 9:13–14

The only significant difference between Saul’s violent campaign against Christians in Acts 8 and that of radical Muslims today is their method of execution: Saul’s band killed by stoning, while radical Muslims publicly behead their captives. Both are examples of religious zealots pursuing and killing Christians to eliminate what they view as blasphemy and heresy (John 16:2). And like Ananias in Acts 9:13, we see the attacks against our brothers and sisters in Christ and cry out to the Lord, Look how much evil they have done to your saints! 

The violence of Acts 8 continues today, but I am pleased to tell you that the miracle of Acts 9, Saul’s conversion and transformation into the Apostle Paul, also continues. It is our joy to share testimonies from among the many persecutors coming to faith in Christ. Each testimony is a display of God’s glory, and together, their stories serve as a witness of the gospel’s truth and power. 

The story of every persecutor who comes to Christ includes a believer who, like Sheikh, had the courage and compassion to share their faith and commit to disciple someone others feared. Their examples of bold obedience provide inspiration to help us become biblical disciples. If we love Christ, we will obey His commandment to proclaim His truth to all people — including those who violently oppose us (see John 14:15, 21 and Mark 16:15). 

Paul writes that we are meant to be “controlled” (constrained, compelled) by Christ’s love (2 Corinthians 5:14). His love gives us the courage to move forward in obedience, and that love is deepened through understanding that fosters compassion. While we do not excuse the persecutors’ sin, we are compassionate toward their lostness. 

What would it be like to be lost? Think of a Burmese boy growing up deceived by the falsehoods of Buddhism and entirely without access to the truth that will set him free. Do I have compassion for him? It is an important question for those of us who have lived our entire lives with access to or even full knowledge of the gospel message. 

“It is not enough for us to understand that persecutors are living without truth. We must realize they are living without the truth that our Lord commanded us to take to them.”

COLE RICHARDS – VOM PRESIDENT

It is not enough for us to understand that persecutors are living without truth. We must realize they are living without the truth that our Lord commanded us to take to them. 

As we prayerfully seek to obey Christ in this regard, it is important to remember that even the worst persecutors are reachable. Fierce devotees of ideologies that underlie the world’s worst persecution are coming to Christ. I have been blessed by meeting and getting to know many who had once committed violent acts against Christians in the name of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Communism; once our enemies, they are now our brothers and sisters in Christ for eternity.

In Christ,

Cole Richards
President of The Voice of the Martyrs

Concluding Insights from Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs, On Persecutors Coming to Faith

In conclusion, Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs, draws attention to the Great Commission and the power of the gospel to reach even the most violent persecutors. Powerful testimonies of transformation, like Saul’s conversion into the Apostle Paul, continue and are showcased in our free magazine. Cole Richards calls for a commitment to staying true to Christ’s teachings and standing boldly alongside persecuted Christian family members.

We are blessed to live in circumstances in which we are protected in many ways against those who might harm us. We have access to security measures, which include police forces at various levels of government, security guards, protective fences, secure doors and locks, and even the availability of weapons for personal defense. In order to fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters in northern Nigeria, however, we must understand that they live under constant threat of abduction and murder at the hands of Islamist militants and enjoy none of the security measures we often take for granted.

Our Christian family members in northern Nigeria are completely outnumbered and outgunned. Their government lacks both the power and the will to defend them. If this were not the case, a discussion about their courage would include their fight to defend their homes, families, and churches. But what does courage look like when there is no means of defending family and property?

“Because of their special courage and inexplicable (supernatural) victory over fear, they are a powerful example of faith for us.”

COLE RICHARDS – VOM PRESIDENT

Living in an extremely dangerous and violent environment — utterly defenseless in this world — has freed our Christian brothers and sisters to focus on the singular pursuit of eternal objectives. Because of their special courage and inexplicable (and therefore truly supernatural) victory over fear, they are a powerful example of faith for us. They have gained this freedom by dying to the desires of this world. They are, as the Apostle Paul describes himself, crucified to the world (Galatians 6:14). This phrase follows Paul’s explanation in Chapter 5 that “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (v. 24).

When we are tempted to cling too tightly to comfort, safety, and security in this fallen world, we should remember that we can be truly free only when our desires are anchored in eternity. Otherwise, we are subject to intimidation and fear, which leads to the opposite of courage — cowardice. The enemy desires to incite and use cowardice to silence our faithful witness for Christ.

I pray that the Holy Spirit will use the stories in our magazine to defeat any stronghold of fear in your life. We can be like Emmanuel, who responded to a radical leader’s threats by saying, “I have given myself over to God, and I am ready to die.” When the battles of this world are unwinnable, we can joyfully pay any price to fight the eternal battle. Like our brother Elijah, we can say, “We have made up our minds that it is better to die in battle for God than to die as a coward.

Like the Old Testament prophet Elijah, today’s persecuted Christians often face powerful persecutors alone. Elijah denounced Israel’s wicked King Ahab, after the king and his wife, Jezebel, led the Israelites to worship the false god Baal. In a dramatic confrontation on Mount Carmel, Elijah stood alone against hundreds of Baal’s prophets. “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord,” Elijah pronounced, “but Baal’s prophets are 450 men” (1 Kings 18:22).

Not one Israelite came to Elijah’s aid. Persecution is and always has been a regular occurrence for many in the body of Christ. But if it is normal in church history, why is responding to persecution exceptional? The issue is not whether faithful witnesses for Christ in places like Burkina Faso will face severe opposition but whether they will become discouraged by having to do so alone.

Christians living in the world’s most difficult and dangerous places for our faith are, with us, members of one body — the body of our Lord. The suffering of any member of Christ’s body must always be our concern. Leaving them without help discourages them and dishonors Christ. Scripture teaches that there should be “no division in the body” because its members care for one another: “If one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Corinthians 12:25–26).

“The correct response when a family member is being attacked is to do everything we can for them without hesitation.”

Cole Richards – VOM President

We must be resolved to rush to their aid. The correct response when a family member is being attacked is to do everything we can for them without hesitation. We immediately pray, go and help in whatever way possible. Persecuted Christians like Jamila, a Christian convert from Islam trapped in an abusive marriage, are not a statistic to discuss, a theoretical problem to solve, or a cause to be championed. Jamila is our precious sister for eternity. If we understand what God intends for the members of His family, we will hear the cry of persecuted Christians: “How long must we stand and suffer alone?” And our immediate response will be, “Not long! We are on our way.”

I have found that many sincere Christians in our nation have no knowledge of the
persecuted members of our eternal family. And among those who know about the persecuted, most are unaware of the powerful ways we can support and encourage them. Our prayers matter: Persecuted Christians are greatly encouraged by knowing that we understand their plight and lift them up in prayer. Our gifts matter: They provide food, clothing, shelter, and Bibles to our Christian family members in their time of greatest need. And our voices matter: Please consider the name of this magazine a task that you can take upon yourself. Will you be the voice of the martyrs?

The histories of the Near East and Middle East are replete with violence and instability. A dark heart of vengeance is at the root of these problems. 

At the local and personal levels, we see this clearly in the tribal blood feuds of the Old Testament era and in the so-called honor killings within Muslim families today. At the regional and geopolitical levels, we see it in the 1,400-year history of violence within the Muslims’ Sunni-Shiite conflict and in today’s state-sponsored Islamist terrorism against Jews and Christians. Blinded by ideologies that feature a fallen definition of honor, the people of these regions have long valued revenge, considering it essential to their dignity. 

Countering this flawed understanding, the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:19 provides instruction on trusting God’s righteous judgment: “Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.” He then supports this statement by referencing Deuteronomy 32:35, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” As Americans, we may read this as a powerful indictment against the values of non-Christian Middle Eastern ideologies — and rightly so. But we must also be careful to examine ourselves according to God’s Word. Middle Eastern cultures are not alone in holding vengeance in high esteem. 

“Forgiveness and love for those who have harmed us goes against everything within our fallen human nature, our cultural norms, and even sometimes a proper sense of justice.”

COLE RICHARDS – VOM PRESIDENT

Revenge stories, which portray violent avengers as heroes, are commonplace in the West. Consider Hollywood movies: A person taking matters into his or her own hands to repay an enemy with violence is among the most common character archetypes in nearly every genre. This is why the VOM film Sabina: Tortured for Christ, the Nazi Years is so powerful. Sabina Wurmbrand’s decision to forgive and win to Christ one of the Nazi soldiers who murdered her family shows how antithetical Christian values and behavior are to the actions of supposed “heroes” in most Hollywood films. 

Deciding not to avenge ourselves, even going so far as to relinquish our rights for the sake of our witness for Christ, is unthinkably difficult. Forgiveness and love for those who have harmed us goes against everything within our fallen human nature, our cultural norms, and even sometimes a proper sense of justice. But God is greatly glorified when we break the cycle of violence in his name. Ultimately, those who have harmed us and reject Christ will receive God’s judgment. Justice will be done! But in the meantime, we are required to tell them about God’s grace, working to see the stain of their sins cleansed — just as ours were — through repentance and faith in Christ. 

“Christ commands us to do what would be impossible without him.”

COLE RICHARDS – VOM PRESIDENT

I pray that you will be challenged and encouraged by the examples of our persecuted Christian family members in our magazine and on VOM Radio. As you read and listen to these true testimonies, I am sure that, like me, you will struggle to apply these principles to situations in your life. Christ commands us to do what would be impossible without him. Our extension of love and forgiveness toward our enemies is possible only because, as believers in Christ, we are indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit. God is greater than the wrongs committed against us. We glorify him greatly by demonstrating this truth to a fallen world.

Beware of the prevalent “take-it-or-leave-it” mentality. While skepticism may seem understandable among members of our individualistic culture, we must never put ourselves in a place of criticism or judgment toward any of our Lord’s commands. As I minister to persecuted Christians in restricted nations, I am struck by their willingness to suffer in order to obey Christ’s commands — immediately and without qualification. Their example leads me to ask: Have I unwittingly fallen into a trap of obeying only those commands that I understand and with which I agree?

In the face of violent attacks by Islamic extremists, our persecuted Christian family members are showing us how to follow Christ. Our Lord has said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44–45). Since loving our enemies is such a clear command — one that Jesus identifies as a distinctive trait of God’s children — we must not allow ourselves to avoid it. From VOM’s founding fifty-six years ago until today, reaching persecutors for Christ has been one of the organization’s foundational purposes. We “equip persecuted Christians to love and win to Christ those who are opposed to the gospel.”

Since loving our enemies, even our persecutors, is one of the five purposes
of the organization where I have served for nearly seventeen years and that I have led for five, I talk about this scriptural principle more frequently than most Christian leaders. I suppose the feedback I receive has even made me a sort of thermometer that measures people’s attitudes toward this command of Christ. I am sorry to report that our collective temperature runs low and is trending lower, as far too many avoid the topic altogether. People sense that if they engage with Christ’s words, their overarching attitudes and behaviors toward the lost will be forced to change. And they are right.

“People sense that if they engage with Christ’s words, their attitudes and behaviors toward the lost will be forced to change.”

COLE RICHARDS – VOM PRESIDENT

I trust that you are among those who seek to obey Christ on this point. We love him, so we obey his commands. As we move forward in obedience, the fog begins to clear and we can see how to love our enemies. Since they are lost and face eternal separation from their creator, the most loving act possible is to reach them with the gospel, the truth of Christ that the Holy Spirit can use to lead them to repentance and eternal life.

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Some have rejected Christ’s command to love our enemies because they have misinterpreted it to mean that we must “be nice” to people who intend to harm us. But being kind to lost people in any way that leaves them lost is the opposite of loving them. We ultimately obey Christ’s command to pray for those who persecute us by praying for their salvation, and then we ultimately obey his command to love our enemies by bringing them the only truth that can set them free. Our persecuted Christian family members are showing us the way. May we be encouraged to follow in their footsteps.

PART 3: OUR HERITAGE

As we obediently follow Christ by sharing His love and truth with the lost, we will face opposition at every turn. Our enemy works tirelessly to steal, kill and destroy — all with the objective of silencing Christ’s witnesses. Christ’s faithful witnesses have always been and will continue to be suffering witnesses who must take up their crosses daily. We do not seek suffering, but we resolve to obey our Lord at any cost, understanding that those costs will surely come if we are faithful.

Once we understand the reality of opposition and, undeterred by the enemy, choose to pay the price of obedience, many questions arise about applying scriptural principles in difficult situations: I must love my enemies and win them for Christ, but how is that possible? How can I proclaim truth – in love – to people who seek to silence truth by identifying it as hate? I must obey God rather than men, but how and when should I defy authority?

Many people respond to opposition by seeking instruction in the particulars, as if a how-to guide or seminar might teach them how to overcome it. But Scripture does not provide this kind of instruction. Having worked with persecuted Christians around the world for more than 25 years, I can assure you that no training curriculum or checklist of supplies will prepare you for persecution the way they might prepare you for crises such as natural disasters. Persecuting groups and regimes often overwhelm Christians’ physical defenses and anything that can be stockpiled for a crisis can also be stolen by an enemy (Matthew 6:19). We are called to actively advance God’s eternal objectives rather than merely defend our possessions in this world.

“We are called to actively advance God’s eternal objectives rather than merely defend our possessions in this world.”

COLE RICHARDS – VOM PRESIDENT

We cannot possibly prepare for persecution in every particular way, so God has given us something much better than training seminars, instruction manuals, or checklists. In addition to Christ’s example, God has given us countless testimonies of our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. In Scripture, throughout church history and continuing today, their testimonies exemplify biblical discipleship in the face of any opposition. Their stories are our Christian heritage.

We must pass on this heritage to the young people in our lives. We sometimes err by overemphasizing the transfer of knowledge while underemphasizing the importance of exemplars — and of being one for them ourselves. Instead of just repeating discipleship principles, let us show them how to be disciples through our own victories and failures, as well as those of our Christian brothers and sisters around the world. The stories found in our magazine are a great start, and please do not miss the thoughts of VOM founder Richard Wurmbrand on the subject. What a great God we have! In Him, we have not only the love of a heavenly Father but also the encouragement and inspiration provided by His other children, our brothers and sisters, for eternity.

Read Prepared for Persecution Part 1 here.

The following reflection on discipleship and persecution is part of a three-part series written by Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs. In this insightful passage, he dives into the profound commitment required to love the Lord, emphasizing the inevitable opposition faced by those dedicated to proclaiming the gospel.

PART 2: THE ENEMY’S OBJECTIVE

To love our Lord is to count the cost of discipleship and consider Him entirely worthy of our faithful obedience, no matter the price and no matter the opposition. As we commit daily to being His witnesses to a lost world, proclaiming His love and truth, and raising up disciples from all nations, we must understand that we will be opposed. In fact, the more faithful we are, the more serious the opposition. It is critical that we remember this truth and know why it is true.

Think of the tremendous human and financial resources that are spent opposing Christ at all levels of the fallen world, from the halls of government to rural villages. As you read the testimonies of faithful believers in our free magazine, consider that their persecutors exert themselves and expend precious resources to pursue and punish them rather than merely shrugging their shoulders at the silly Christians and ignoring them. For example, when we read the story of Zamira and Atamurat, we should understand that it is expensive to arrest and imprison Christians. What do the persecutors hope to receive as a return on their investment?

“Among the many false conspiracy theories of our time, there is a true conspiracy that we must not overlook.”

COLE RICHARDS – VOM PRESIDENT

Modern Western culture has harmed us by obscuring the answer, making the tangible, material world so central to our thinking that we either rarely think of the spirit world or refuse to believe it even exists. God, who is spirit, created powerful spiritual beings and angels, and many of them are fallen. Their leader is devoted to our destruction, and though his power is nothing compared with God’s, he is active and has an ultimate objective. Among the many false conspiracy theories of our time, there is a true conspiracy that we must not overlook — the vast conspiracy of evil spiritual beings and their ultimate objective to silence a faithful witness for Christ.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). Note that in the original Greek, the complete phrase is “the evil one.” Christ taught us to pray in this way because we cannot be prepared for persecution unless we understand the enemy and his objective. Our battle is not against other people but rather the spiritual forces of evil that hold them captive (Ephesians 6:12). In obedience to Christ, let us resolve to pay the price to see the captives set free.

Our enemy wins if we misunderstand the battlefield by spending our resources on lesser objectives, fighting and clawing for the things of this world instead of working for the benefit of God’s eternal glory. Our enemy wins if we allow the message of Christ to be weakened or corrupted in order to make it more palatable to the whims of the fallen world. And our enemy wins easily if we are loud about other things but silent about the goodness and greatness of our Lord. Let us take our places alongside our persecuted Christian family members by being bold, faithful, and joyful witnesses for Christ — to our children, neighbors, and a lost world.

In Christ,

Cole Richards
President of The Voice of the Martyrs

Concluding Insights from Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs, on Discipleship and Persecution

In conclusion, Cole Richards, President of The Voice of the Martyrs, draws attention to the significant resources deployed against Christ’s followers, prompting reflection on the sacrifices made by believers like Zamira and Atamurat, showcased in our free magazine. Cole Richards calls for a commitment to understanding the enemy, staying true to Christ’s teachings, and standing boldly alongside persecuted Christian family members.

Discover our I-AM-N video curriculum, blending real footage from the persecuted church with insightful commentary and teachings by Cole Richards, President of Voice of the Martyrs.

Read Prepared for Persecution Part 1 and Part 3.