Listen to Closer to the Fire with Greg Musselman

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is a nation grappling with significant turmoil and humanitarian crises. The devastating earthquake that took place in March of this year claimed thousands of lives and caused widespread damage across the country. Additionally, the ongoing military coup is now in its fifth year, and solutions are nowhere in sight. The political conflict is having a devastating impact on the nation’s Christians, who have frequently been the targets of violent military strikes. In addition to disproportionately attacking Christian villages and destroying church buildings, the opposing military forces have also killed innocent Christian aid workers and pastors. In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman is joined by “Joshua,” a Christian leader in Myanmar whose real name has been withheld for security purposes. Despite the dire situation facing the country’s believers, “Joshua” reports that God is working powerfully amidst the country’s numerous challenges and hardships. Length: 36 minutes   Episode Notes Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com [http://www.vomcanada.com/]

The Iranian government is among the most oppressive regimes in the world. It is illegal to leave Islam, and Christians face the constant threat of imprisonment on false charges of "acting against national security.” Recently, three Christian converts, including a woman who is pregnant with her first child, received lengthy prison sentences on charges relating to their religious beliefs and worship meetings. Greg Musselman, host of the Closer to the Fire podcast, is joined by Joseph Hovsepian to address the harsh verdicts against these detained believers. Joseph is the founder of Hovsepian Ministries, an organization dedicated to supporting persecuted Christians in Iran. He knows firsthand about the extreme persecution encountered by followers of Jesus in this Middle Eastern country. Joseph’s father, an Iranian pastor named Haik, was tragically martyred for his faith in 1994. During this podcast interview, Greg also discusses with Joseph how Christians in Western countries can help their persecuted Iranian family in Christ. Length 35 Minutes Episode Notes Watch the interview with Joseph Hovsepian www.vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-ir-2025-04-09.htm [http://www.vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-ir-2025-04-09.htm] Hovsepian Ministries: http://www.hovsepian.com [http://www.hovsepian.com/] Watch the award-winning documentary, A Cry from Iran: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLeKQz4tuDo [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLeKQz4tuDo] Read VOMC’s Persecution & Prayer Alert report for more information about these three imprisoned believers: www.vomcanada.com/ir-2025-03-13.htm [http://www.vomcanada.com/ir-2025-03-13.htm] Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com [http://www.vomcanada.com/]

Pakistan's blasphemy laws have placed Christians at constant risk of being falsely accused of blaspheming Islam, the Quran or the Islamic prophet Muhammad – often leading to mob riots and harsh punishments when convicted. Despite the large number of blasphemy cases in Pakistan, most of the accusations were proven to be false. This was the case for two Christian brothers from Jaranwala, a city in the province of Punjab. In August 2023, these young men were accused of desecrating the Quran. As a result of the allegations, churches and Christian homes were targeted by an out-of-control mob. VOMC’s Minister-at-Large, Greg Musselman, recently travelled to the Christian community that was devastated by the mob attack. During his visit, he saw firsthand how the incident has impacted local followers of Jesus, and how these resilient believers are working to rebuild their houses, churches and lives in the aftermath of the violence.     Length: 10:20 minutes   Episode Notes To view the report from Jaranwala https://www.vomcanada.com/pk-videos/video/pk-2025-03-21.htm [https://www.vomcanada.com/pk-videos/video/pk-2025-03-21.htm]   The Voice of the Martyrs Canada www.vomcanada.com [http://www.vomcanada.com/]

In many nations, Christian women face extreme persecution, and often their situations are too shameful to publicly acknowledge. The social stigma attached to these acts of violence frequently becomes a barrier when attempting to effectively prosecute the perpetrators of such attacks. Beyond the broader gender-based persecution affecting marginalized communities, Christian women and girls endure targeted sexual violence, trafficking, and even threats against their lives, as forms of punishment for their faith. Despite these attempts to silence Christian voices through terror, there is hope for our persecuted sisters in Christ. Greg Musselman, host of the Closer to the Fire podcast, speaks with “Kate” (whose real name is being withheld for security reasons) about why believers in the West have a critical role in addressing the suffering of our Christian sisters, and what we can do to help bring them hope and healing. Kate is a trusted ministry partner of VOMC who serves as an advisor for Gender and Religious Freedom, a global ministry network that facilitates training, advocacy and research on gender-specific persecution. During the interview, Greg and Kate will also explore what the Bible says about the mistreatment of women, as well as the ways in which God’s Word affirms their inherent value and dignity.   Length: 46 minutes   Episode Notes Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com [http://www.vomcanada.com/] Gender and Religious Freedom: www.genderandreligiousfreedom.org [http://www.genderandreligiousfreedom.org/]

Several followers of Jesus have recently experienced situations of severe persecution in the Southeast Asian country of Vietnam. In one recent case, a house church leader identified as Brother Ting was tragically killed after he refused to stop holding worship meetings. A week after Brother Ting was murdered, his wife Mar was found dead in her home, leaving the couple’s children orphaned. Brother Paul , who serves as the Project Partner Manager for Voice of the Martyrs Australia, joins Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman to discuss why Christians are encountering escalating opposition in many rural communities throughout this Communist nation. During their conversation, Paul explains how the global body of Christ is coming alongside persecuted Vietnamese believers to provide greatly needed support, relief and encouragement. He also describes the specific ways in which VOM Australia is supplying financial and emotional support to the traumatized children of Brother Ting and Mar. Length: 32 minutes To Watch the interview with Paul Paduhilao https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-vn-2025-02-06.htm [https://vomcanada.com/cttf-videos/video/cttf-vn-2025-02-06.htm] Episode Notes Voice of the Martyrs Australia: www.vom.com.au [http://www.vom.com.au/] Voice of the Martyrs Canada: www.vomcanada.com [http://www.vomcanada.com/]