Episodes

Pastor Saeed Pakniat grew up in a religious Muslim home in Iran. As a young man, he started to question some of the customs and beliefs of his religion. This gradually led him to explore the life and teachings of Jesus. After receiving Christ as his Saviour, Pastor Saeed was tortured and eventually forced to flee with his family to Turkey and, later, to Canada. In addition to leading three Iranian churches in the cities of Toronto and Montreal, he also produces an online ministry that’s reaching...

Note: For security reasons, the identities of this episode’s podcast guests, and their present residing country, cannot be disclosed. For two years, “Pastor Amir” was brutally tortured while imprisoned in the Middle East. According to his daughter “Sarah,” the former Muslim was arrested for his Christian activities (including distributions of food and Bibles, as well as sharing the Gospel message. He was falsely accused of spying for a neighbouring country. Following his release, “Pastor Amir” a...

Note: For security reasons, the identities of this episode’s podcast guests, and their present residing country, cannot be disclosed. For two years, “Pastor Amir” was brutally tortured while imprisoned in the Middle East. According to his daughter “Sarah,” the former Muslim was arrested for his Christian activities (including distributions of food and Bibles, as well as sharing the Gospel message. He was falsely accused of spying for a neighbouring country. Following his release, “Pastor Amir” a...

Note: For security reasons, the identities of this episode’s podcast guests, and their present residing country, cannot be disclosed. For two years, “Pastor Amir” was brutally tortured while imprisoned in the Middle East. According to his daughter “Sarah,” the former Muslim was arrested for his Christian activities (including distributions of food and Bibles, as well as sharing the Gospel message. He was falsely accused of spying for a neighbouring country. Following his release, “Pastor Amir” a...

A judge at the Rawalpindi District Court in Pakistan has changed Pastor Zafar Bhatti’s sentence of life imprisonment to the death penalty. Pastor Zafar has been imprisoned on charges of blasphemy since July 2012, even though he strongly denies these charges. Greg Musselman, Minister-at-Large for The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, provides more details on this latest setback in Pastor Zafar’s case. Length: 3:00 To learn more about the ordeal facing this Pakistani pastor, go to: https://www.vomcanad...

A judge at the Rawalpindi District Court in Pakistan has changed Pastor Zafar Bhatti’s sentence of life imprisonment to the death penalty. Pastor Zafar has been imprisoned on charges of blasphemy since July 2012, even though he strongly denies these charges. Greg Musselman, Minister-at-Large for The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, provides more details on this latest setback in Pastor Zafar’s case. Length: 3:00 To learn more about the ordeal facing this Pakistani pastor, go to: https://www.vomcanad...

A judge at the Rawalpindi District Court in Pakistan has changed Pastor Zafar Bhatti’s sentence of life imprisonment to the death penalty. Pastor Zafar has been imprisoned on charges of blasphemy since July 2012, even though he strongly denies these charges. Greg Musselman, Minister-at-Large for The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, provides more details on this latest setback in Pastor Zafar’s case. Length: 3:00 To learn more about the ordeal facing this Pakistani pastor, go to: https://www.vomcanad...

According to Release International, a fellow VOM organization that also supports persecuted Christians around the world, trends indicate that Nigeria and the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa are expected to become hot spots for violence against followers of Jesus this year. Other countries of growing concern include Afghanistan, India and North Korea. Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman speaks with Release International spokesman Andrew Boyd about the ministry’s recently published Persecuti...

According to Release International, a fellow VOM organization that also supports persecuted Christians around the world, trends indicate that Nigeria and the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa are expected to become hot spots for violence against followers of Jesus this year. Other countries of growing concern include Afghanistan, India and North Korea. Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman speaks with Release International spokesman Andrew Boyd about the ministry’s recently published Persecuti...

According to Release International, a fellow VOM organization that also supports persecuted Christians around the world, trends indicate that Nigeria and the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa are expected to become hot spots for violence against followers of Jesus this year. Other countries of growing concern include Afghanistan, India and North Korea. Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman speaks with Release International spokesman Andrew Boyd about the ministry’s recently published Persecuti...

For Afghan followers of Jesus, persecution was a reality even before the Taliban returned to power. Radical Islam and violent political activity make the nation a dangerous place for Christians to live. To convert from Islam to Christianity can result in harsh consequences, even martyrdom, and yet thousands have decided to follow Christ. In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman and the CEO of The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, Floyd Brobbel, are joined by John Weaver,...

For Afghan followers of Jesus, persecution was a reality even before the Taliban returned to power. Radical Islam and violent political activity make the nation a dangerous place for Christians to live. To convert from Islam to Christianity can result in harsh consequences, even martyrdom, and yet thousands have decided to follow Christ. In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman and the CEO of The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, Floyd Brobbel, are joined by John Weaver,...

For Afghan followers of Jesus, persecution was a reality even before the Taliban returned to power. Radical Islam and violent political activity make the nation a dangerous place for Christians to live. To convert from Islam to Christianity can result in harsh consequences, even martyrdom, and yet thousands have decided to follow Christ. In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman and the CEO of The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, Floyd Brobbel, are joined by John Weaver,...

According to Open Doors, Christians in Bangladesh face the greatest pressure within their general communities and private lives. Although Bangladeshi society has traditionally been open to Christianity, the nation is growing increasingly Islamic, with the government doing more to appease concerns from Muslim extremists. Islamic militants in the country pressure all groups of Christians. However, evangelical churches that work among the Muslim majority endure the most persecution. Closer to the F...

According to Open Doors, Christians in Bangladesh face the greatest pressure within their general communities and private lives. Although Bangladeshi society has traditionally been open to Christianity, the nation is growing increasingly Islamic, with the government doing more to appease concerns from Muslim extremists. Islamic militants in the country pressure all groups of Christians. However, evangelical churches that work among the Muslim majority endure the most persecution. Closer to the F...

According to Open Doors, Christians in Bangladesh face the greatest pressure within their general communities and private lives. Although Bangladeshi society has traditionally been open to Christianity, the nation is growing increasingly Islamic, with the government doing more to appease concerns from Muslim extremists. Islamic militants in the country pressure all groups of Christians. However, evangelical churches that work among the Muslim majority endure the most persecution. Closer to the F...

Over the past several years, the Chinese Communist Party has increased its repressive crackdown on the Chinese church. From destructive church raids to the imprisonment of pastors, there are almost daily reports of police action against believers in China. Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman is joined by Dr. Bob Fu, the founder and president of ChinaAid – an international Christian human rights organization that’s committed to promoting religious freedom in China. ChinaAid also financially su...

Over the past several years, the Chinese Communist Party has increased its repressive crackdown on the Chinese church. From destructive church raids to the imprisonment of pastors, there are almost daily reports of police action against believers in China. Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman is joined by Dr. Bob Fu, the founder and president of ChinaAid – an international Christian human rights organization that’s committed to promoting religious freedom in China. ChinaAid also financially su...

Over the past several years, the Chinese Communist Party has increased its repressive crackdown on the Chinese church. From destructive church raids to the imprisonment of pastors, there are almost daily reports of police action against believers in China. Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman is joined by Dr. Bob Fu, the founder and president of ChinaAid – an international Christian human rights organization that’s committed to promoting religious freedom in China. ChinaAid also financially su...

As there are no church buildings in this Muslim-majority nation where it's extremely dangerous to be a Christian, the total number of secret believers remains unknown. Because Islam is a critical part of Somalia’s national identity, Christian converts are likely to be harassed, intimidated, injured, or possibly even killed, by militant members of their family or community. If discovered, followers of Jesus are also at risk of attack by those in allegiance to the al-Shabab terrorist group. Yet, i...

As there are no church buildings in this Muslim-majority nation where it's extremely dangerous to be a Christian, the total number of secret believers remains unknown. Because Islam is a critical part of Somalia’s national identity, Christian converts are likely to be harassed, intimidated, injured, or possibly even killed, by militant members of their family or community. If discovered, followers of Jesus are also at risk of attack by those in allegiance to the al-Shabab terrorist group. Yet, i...

As there are no church buildings in this Muslim-majority nation where it's extremely dangerous to be a Christian, the total number of secret believers remains unknown. Because Islam is a critical part of Somalia’s national identity, Christian converts are likely to be harassed, intimidated, injured, or possibly even killed, by militant members of their family or community. If discovered, followers of Jesus are also at risk of attack by those in allegiance to the al-Shabab terrorist group. Yet, i...

Following a recent military coup in Sudan, international human rights organizations are warning of a new threat to the religious freedom of Christians in this northeast African nation. Under the previous military government, it not only became illegal to convert to Christianity, but some churches were forcibly closed, demolished and even burned down. Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman speaks with Petr Jasek, the Global Ambassador for The Voice of the Martyrs international, about the current ...

Following a recent military coup in Sudan, international human rights organizations are warning of a new threat to the religious freedom of Christians in this northeast African nation. Under the previous military government, it not only became illegal to convert to Christianity, but some churches were forcibly closed, demolished and even burned down. Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman speaks with Petr Jasek, the Global Ambassador for The Voice of the Martyrs international, about the current ...