Episodes

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 Konne...

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...

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, r...

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 refugee...

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 Ca...

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 Wor...

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 Isla...

Some of the worst acts of persecution committed against followers of Jesus are directed towards those who have converted from another religion. Nadalla Alrajo grew up in a strict Muslim home in Syria but, even as a child, he began to question his Islamic faith. Eventually, Nadalla made the choice to follow Christ – a decision that not only changed his life forever, but also put him at risk of extreme danger. Forced to flee for his safety, Nadalla left his home country of Syria for Lebanon. Howev...

As India’s Hindu population reaches nearly one billion, nationalism within the country is on the rise. Fundamentalist Hindus are calling for the nation to be purged of all non-Hindus, leaving Christians increasingly vulnerable to persecution. Since 2016, the cases of persecution have worsened yearly, and, in 2020, India ranked 10th on the list of countries where it is most dangerous to be a Christian. Another reason for the escalating number of attacks on Indian followers of Jesus is the growth ...

Eritrea is considered the North Korea of Africa because of its brutal treatment of evangelical Christians. For more than 20 years, the oppressive regime of this small East African nation has resulted in the imprisonment of numerous Christians, subjecting these faithful followers of Jesus to confinement under inhumane conditions and torture. In addition, many churches across the country have been forcibly closed. In this episode of Closer to the Fire, host Greg Musselman is joined by Dr. Berhane ...

Does advocacy make a difference when addressing the persecution of not only Christians but all religious minorities around the world? Roshini Wickremesinhe – who serves as the Executive Director of the Religious Liberty Partnership (RLP) – joins Greg Musselman to share about the important work of the RLP, a coalition dedicated to the international collaboration of Christian organizations that focus on religious liberty for all. Members of the RLP intentionally work together when addressing advoc...

Mara's House is a safe home in Nigeria that assists traumatized young women who are recovering from persecution, terrorism, kidnapping, sexual violence, child marriage and socio-economic deprivation. In addition to safe housing, Mara's House provides medical care, education, vocational training and pastoral care so Christian women can rebuild their lives and create opportunities for their future. In partnership with Crossroads Cares and The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, Christian Faith Ministries...

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 Isla...

An increasing number of states in India have implemented anti-conversion laws, supposedly in an effort to stop Hindus from being forcibly converted to other religions. In reality, however, these laws are often used as an excuse to harass, arrest, imprison, and intimidate Christians who distribute aid among their communities or hold private church meetings. Additionally, these laws do not seem to protect Christian converts from being coerced to return to Hinduism. Often, persecuted followers of J...

The military government in the African nation of Sudan is trying to eliminate all Christian villages, churches, hospitals and schools in an effort to Islamize the country. Although the constitution guarantees religious freedom, Islam remains the de facto state religion, and apostasy is punishable by death under the government's Shariah law. Persecution is especially harsh for followers of Jesus who have come from Muslim backgrounds. During this episode of Closer to the Fire, Dr. Yassir Eric – a ...

One of the relevant questions many Christians in Canada and other countries of the West ask is: “How can followers of Jesus cope with today’s eroding religious freedoms, and the world’s increased hostility to the Gospel, while serving as ‘salt’ and ‘light’?” Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman talks with author and speaker Paul Estabrooks about his latest book, LIVING LIKE A LAMB AMONG 21st-CENTURY WOLVES: Balancing Grace and Truth. During the interview, they discuss how Christians can engage...

In 2022, Christian activities across Russia – including gathering for worship, distributing Bibles and Christian literature, as well as personal evangelism – were investigated by Russian police and punished as crimes by Russian courts of law. Believers were forced to pay fines and, in most cases, those who challenged the court’s decisions lost their appeals. This trend of mounting opposition against the country’s Christian population is being closely monitored by The Voice of the Martyrs Korea. ...

The persecution of Christians is reportedly intensifying in the Southeast Asian nation of Laos. During this episode, Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman speaks with Patrick Klein of Vision Beyond Borders, a trusted ministry partner of VOM Canada. Patrick shares about his recent trip to the Communist country and addresses several cases of harassment and opposition against Laotian followers of Jesus – including one incident in which believers were driven from their village in the province of Lu...

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 refugee...

During this first episode of 2023, the Closer to the Fire podcast highlights three countries of growing concern where the persecution of Christians is expected to rise this year. These countries are Nigeria, India 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 minis...

There are over 6,000 people groups in today’s world that consist of a total population representing Christianity by less than two percent. When it comes to hearing the Gospel, approximately 60 percent of these groups is considered “unreached,” for the people live in countries where it’s extremely difficult for evangelical missionaries to enter. Followers of Jesus within these regions are often persecuted for their faith and, as a result, feel isolated from others in their communities. Thankfully...

Northern Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places on earth to be a follower of Jesus. According to Open Doors, more than 4,600 Nigerian Christians were killed for their faith in 2021, and those are only the cases that were reported. Militant Islamic groups are determined to eliminate Christianity from the country. These groups often target Christian women, using kidnapping, forced marriage and conversion to Islam as a means of demoralizing believers. In this edition of the Closer to the Fire ...

When Christians in Pakistan are falsely accused of speaking against Islam, Muhammad or the Quran, they risk being charged under the country’s infamous blasphemy laws, which carry harsh punishments – ranging from hefty fines to the death penalty. Even if not convicted, Christians accused of blasphemy remain vulnerable to mob violence. Other believers are tortured or killed for their faith in Christ – especially if they are involved in Christian activities or if they have left Islam to follow Jesu...

An Interview with Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand: The Founders of The Voice of the Martyrs (International)