Closer to the Fire with Greg Musselman – Details, episodes & analysis

For over 50 years, the Voice of the Martyrs Canada has been serving the persecuted church worldwide. In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman is joined by Floyd Brobbel, the Chief Executive Officer for VOM Canada. We invite you to tune in as they look back at what the ministry has accomplished throughout 2024, and then look ahead to some of the opportunities that will be available in 2025 to encourage and embolden Christ's followers in the world’s hostile and restricted countries. Floyd will also talk about the motivation for writing his most recently published book, United in Prayer. Length 46:00 Episode Notes To watch the interview with Floyd Brobbel https://vomcanada.com/fromvomc/video/vomc-2025-01-02.htm For more information on Floyd’s books: United In Prayer: store.vomcanada.org/category/new/united-in-prayer Trouble on the Way store.vomcanada.org/category/all/books/trouble-on-the-way Trouble on the Way Study Guide: store.vomcanada.org/category/all/books/trouble-on-the-way-study-guide

During recent years, the international community has witnessed the scope of the Taliban’s brutal rule in Afghanistan since the militant group regained power over the nation in August 2021. Amid the Taliban’s draconian restrictions on the rights of women and girls – together with the use of arbitrary arrest and detention, plus enforced disappearance and torture – the militants insist that there are now no Christians residing in the country. Most house churches that existed before the Taliban’s takeover have since been closed, forcing many believers to either flee the country or go even further underground. In this edition of Closer to the Fire, host Greg Musselman is joined by Brother Adib, an Afghan Christian leader who currently resides in Canada. Adib shares how he came into a relationship with Jesus in 2006, the opposition he faced for his decision to leave Islam, and how he escaped Afghanistan with his family. Adib also explains why he is so passionate about reaching Afghans with the Gospel message here in Canada – as well as in Afghanistan and other nations around the world – through his ministry work with the Jesus Network and Afghan Church of Toronto. Length: 50 minutes To view the interview with Adib Maxwell https://vomcanada.com/af-videos/video/af-opportunities-gospel.htm Episode Notes Jesus Network: www.jesusnetwork.ca Afghan Church of Toronto: www.afghanchurch.ca 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 nation of India is struggling under the weight of a pandemic that has sick people being turned away from hospitals that have run out of beds and oxygen as the numbers of new cases rise to record levels each day and the death toll mounts. The situation in the world’s second most populous nation is heart breaking. Greg Musselman talked with The Voice of the Martyrs Canada partner Ramchand Saranu of Youth With A Mission India about the crisis in his nation, which has claimed the lives of dozens of pastors and the ongoing persecution of Christians.

Length 7:30

To find out more about Youth With A Mission India and how they are helping click www.ywamindia.org

email ywamin@gmail.com

Since the early days of the church, Christians have recognized three distinct modes of martyrdom, each designated by a colour. However, few followers of Jesus today have even heard about this Biblically rooted tradition. Dr. Eric Foley, CEO for The Voice of the Martyrs Korea, joins Greg Musselman to examine the significance behind the red, green and white colours of martyrdom. Dr. Foley also provides an update on how Christians are fairing in North Korea during the global pandemic.

 

To view this interview with Dr. Eric Foley www.vomcanada.com/north-korea-videos/video/kp-foley-colours1.html

The Voice of the Martyrs Korea web site  www.vomkorea.com

The Voice of the Martyrs Canada web site  www.vomcanada.com

To learn more about the persecution of Christians in North Korea, go to www.vomcanada.com/northkorea.htm

 

April 30, 2021 48 minutes

A mother of seven children in eastern Uganda has suffered serious wounds and, consequently, was forced to flee after her husband and other Muslim relatives attacked her on Easter Sunday for converting to Christianity., 37 year old Salimati Naibira, 37, had recently placed her faith in Christ after being miraculously healed.

Story from Persecution and Prayer Alert https://www.vomcanada.com/ug-2021-04-22.htm

Uganda Country Profile https://www.vomcanada.com/uganda.htm

To view Uganda Prayer Alert vomcanada.com/pnp-videos/video/pnp-ug-salimati.html

 

April 28, 2021

5 minutes

 

Trouble on the Way: Persecution in the Christian Life – Part Two

Floyd Brobbel, CEO for The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, continues his discussion with Greg Musselman about his new book, Trouble on the Way, in which he looks at the various stages of persecution. In the previous episode, Floyd examined ridicule, harassment, discrimination and defamation, stages that are commonly encountered by our persecuted brothers and sisters as a result of following Jesus. In part two of the interview conversation, Floyd discusses other potential levels of persecution: attack, detainment, torture and martyrdom. You may be surprised to learn what it means to be a martyr for Christ. Get ready to be both challenged and inspired.

To view the interivew https://vomcanada.com/from-vomc/video/ca-floyd2.html

To get a copy of Trouble on the Way www.vomcanada.com/trouble

 

 

 

To see the report to the story about Maryam and Navish https://www.vomcanada.com/pk-2021-04-15.htm

Pakistan country profile https://www.vomcanada.com/pakistan.htm

To view the Pakistan Prayer Alert video https://vimeo.com/539735734

The Voice of the Martyrs Canada web site www.vomcanada.com

Trouble on the Way: Persecution in the Christian Life

While most Christians living in the West have heard about fellow believers around the world suffering for their faith in Jesus, the plight of the persecuted church can often be far removed from one’s daily life. Floyd Brobbel, CEO for The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, joins Greg Musselman to talk about his new book, Trouble on the Way, in which he examines the various stages of persecution – information based on his decades of experience serving persecuted believers near and far. Floyd also shares his personal journey as the leader of a ministry he wanted little association with during his formative childhood years.

To order Trouble on the Way by Floyd Brobbel go to http://www.vomcanada.com/trouble

To view this podcast go to https://www.vomcanada.com/from-vomc/video/floyd1.html

For more on The Voice of the Martyrs go to http://www.vomcanada.com

 

 

 

 

Another 35 Christians have been arrested in Eritrea for conducting prayer meetings. The latest arrests dash any hopes of a change of heart towards the followers of Jesus in the East African nation, where many have been imprisoned for their faith since Eritrea closed most churches in 2002.

Story from Persecution and Prayer Alert https://www.vomcanada.com/er-2021-04-08.htm

Eritrea country profile https://www.vomcanada.com/eritrea.htm

Release Internation web site www.releaseinternational.org