“A lot of the time it’s in the rural areas where there are beatings, and there are burning down churches, pastors arrested, sexual assaults, things like that, against the Christians,” says Musselman. “Say ‘that’s not the government doing that,’ but it’s fueling this animosity against Christians.”

Supporters of the anti-conversion laws claim they protection religious freedom by preventing conversion through deceit or coercion. However, in practice, they have been used to unjustly arrest religious leaders and have fueled persecution against Christ.

Twelve of India’s 28 states, most recently Rajasthan, currently enforce anti-conversion laws. After Rajasthan’s legislation was introduced, the state saw a spike in persecution.

“Much of that persecution are these people that have come from these tribal or, the government would say, Hindu religions, and they converted to become followers of Christ—and then there’s that pressure from their families and then also from the community,” says Musselman.

When rural pastors were asked how the anti-conversion laws are affecting them, Musselman says they responded, “We know it’s out there, and there are some aspects of it that are affecting us, but it’s mainly the community and family members that are upset they left Hinduism to embrace Christ.”

He notes that Muslims also face challenges under the anti-conversion laws, “but it’s primarily the Christians because of Jesus’ command to go to all the nations and bring people to Christ, and so that puts Christians at odds with the Hindu culture.”

In spite of all this, Musselman says he continues to see God at work in India and many coming to know Jesus, especially in the rural areas.

Learn more about what’s happening in India and the work Voice of the Martyrs, Canada is doing at vomcanada.com/india.htm.

Header photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs, Canada.

The Rajasthan law was passed in September 2025. It prescribes hefty jail time and fines for converting someone by fraud. But the definition of fraud or force is dangerously open to abuse. Greg Musselman with Voice of the Martyrs Canada explains, “Talking about heaven, ‘That’s an allurement away from Hinduism into Christianity.’ Or talking about hell, ‘Oh, you’re scaring people.’” 

Musselman says when persecution comes, Christians have three biblical options: flight, fortitude, or fight.

(Photo courtesy of Parij Borgohain/Pixabay)

“[Fight is] not in the physical way, but through the courts. And we have that opportunity in countries like India.”

Twelve Indian states have anti-conversion laws in place, which lead to accusations against Christians, Muslims, and other minorities. Even a charity founded by Mother Teresa has received pushback in recent years. 

“They are really supposedly to protect all religions. But that’s just not the way it has happened,” says Musselman. “They’re being used against the Christians to try to stop the spread of Christianity.” 

Voice of the Martyrs Canada partners with Christian lawyers to provide legal aid for believers in India. Connect with them to learn how to pray specifically for real-life situations. 

“Prayer is the most important thing. We have a resource called the Persecution and Prayer Alert, which is available on the Voice of the Martyrs website, vomcanada.com,” says Musselman. “There [are] other organizations within the VOM family, Open Doors, other ministries.”

Header photo: A church in Hyderabad, India. (Photo courtesy of Paul Silvan via Unsplash)

In today’s Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church speaks with a powerful voice — one that has grown quieter for the Gospel, yet louder in the realm of politics.

Rev. Mykhailo Brytsyn, Director of the Religious Freedom Initiative for Mission, a Voice of the Martyrs Canada partner, says, “We really have big concern about situation in Russia, because during last couple years, persecution of believers there arise, like in times.”

Many churches have been closed or confiscated. Some of the pastors are arrested for refusing to register their churches, which would give the government full control over what’s preached and believed.

Representative photo of Russian Baptist church, Vsevolozhsk (courtesy of Steven Pavlor via Wikimedia Commons)

“[Russian government] wants to use religion as their leverage for their political system. The regime needs to control everything. The dictatorship rises, controlling every part of life, every part of society. They already use the Russian Orthodox Church just as their tool,” Brytsyn adds.

The Russian Orthodox Church amplifies the state’s voice, using Scripture to justify war and persecution. Those who disagree are shunned.

“Not all Orthodox priests in [the] Russian Orthodox Church are happy about this war, so they say some antiwar statements, and they are expelled from [the] Russian Orthodox Church,” Brytsyn adds, noting that this includes prominent, well-known priests.

Now, unregistered Baptist congregations are becoming targets. Brytsyn explains that unlike registered churches, these independent fellowships fall outside state oversight — something the authorities increasingly view as a problem, especially when absolute loyalty to the war is demanded.

“They’d like to put all churches — Protestant churches and Catholic churches — in the same sphere of their interests. And as far as registered churches are easier to control, they put their attention just on non-registered movements.”

This raises a deeper question: what is Christ’s Church called to be? A community rooted in Scripture, unafraid to call war what it is and peace what it is — faithful to truth and to the Lord, even when that faithfulness brings cost.

Human rights organizations have identified hundreds of prisoners in Russian custody imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief — and their number is growing.

Pray that truth prevails in Russia over the fog of disinformation. Pray also for the integrity of church leaders not to compromise their faith under the State’s control. Pray for Russian Christians to remain faithful to Jesus.

Visit Voice of the Martyrs Canada to learn more. And if you’d like to hear the full conversation with Pastor Brytsyn about the current state of the Russian church, you can listen at this link.

Header photo: Priest in Russia (photo courtesy of Alexey Wineman via Pexels).

Currently, about a dozen of India’s 28 states have anti-conversion laws, according to Greg Musselman of Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. Most of these laws have been implemented after Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took up power within the Indian government. 

“It is definitely intensifying,” says Musselman. “People are coming to the Lord, and then that can, you know, put these evangelists and pastors and those that have converted into great danger. But there’s also the daily aspect, the psyche within the Christians to keep their faith very quiet and silent. And that was not the case, you know, 10, 20 years ago, when you could be a Christian, you could meet openly, no problem.”

In the northern state of Uttarakhand, an amendment to the existing anti-conversion legislation was passed into law this past summer, introducing more stringent penalties along with a ban on digital propaganda

“Uttarakhand is the first state to include digital media, and this of course now is a major concern, because social media is used for evangelization. You know, Christians there want to share their faith.” 

In the state of Chhattisgarh’s capital, Raipur, more than 200 house churches were notified that worship gatherings within private homes are no longer permitted, restricting worship to officially registered buildings. 

“They allege these illegal conversions are taking place in these house churches, and the reality is that people are converting and coming to Jesus,” says Musselman. “One pastor was detained for violating that order, and then a legal petition objecting to the police directive has now been filed. There’s court hearings going on, and so it is putting pressure on the church.”

Anti-conversion laws can also make it illegal to use anything that could be considered allurement to convert others to Christianity. This can include preaching about heaven or hell—even caring for the poor and those who are dying would be considered “bribing people, because you’re showing compassion and kindness,” says Musselman. 

The impact, he says, is that “many Christians are being arrested. Leaders are being pressured. They’re stopping these house church meetings.”

“But the positive side is that the gospel is going forward. In spite of all these restrictions, these anti-conversion laws, the pressure and everything that’s happening, the gospel is still going forward. And, you know, our Indian brothers and sisters are aware that this is a spiritual battle and that they need to be praying. They need to be asking the Lord for wisdom.”

Spreading awareness is important, although Musselman acknowledges the voices of advocates are often drowned out by politics. Overall, he emphasizes the importance of prayer. 

“In terms of where we go now, is prayer. We need to be praying for our brothers and sisters, and then through that, really praying that God will give wisdom to our brothers and sisters in India.”

Header photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada

The report was released by The Anambra-based International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), led by Christian criminologist Emeka Umeagbalasi. It also estimated “no fewer than 7,800 others were violently seized and abducted for being Christians.”

(Photo courtesy Voice of the Martyrs USA)

Christian Faith Ministries serves in Benue, a state in North Central Nigeria. In early July, four of their members were tragically killed in an attack.

Ruth Hodge, who co-founded Christian Faith Ministries with her husband Kent, discussed the persecution facing Nigerian believers in a podcast interview with The Voice of the Martyrs Canada’s Greg Musselman.

Ruth explains that many Christian villagers in Northern Nigeria have fled their homes and sought refuge in an old IDP (internally displaced people) camp. “That camp is occupied…but there’s no aid going there. Mostly, the men are staying in the villages to protect them, to try to drive out the Fulani when they attack, and to try to continue farming.”

Benue State is known as the food basket of Nigeria. “It’s the most fertile state of the whole nation,” says Ruth. “A lot of food is produced in Benue every year.”

However, violence and instability have devastated food production. “At the moment, nothing is coming out of Benue State. Very little food is coming out. The roads aren’t safe. People are being kidnapped on the roads. Trucks — if they’re going out with the produce — they’re looted, they’re stolen. The Fulani are well armed, full of ammunition, and the military is doing very little.”

(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs USA)

Even in the face of persecution, Nigerian Christians long for their attackers to hear the Gospel — that even those who kill them might find salvation in Jesus Christ.

The provost of Christian Faith Ministries’ Bible school is ethnically Fulani, and Ruth notes, “We have about 50 Fulani students in our Bible school — that’s the ones I can think of immediately.”

These Fulani believers are reaching their own people with the Good News of Jesus.

Please pray with them for Fulani Muslims to turn from violence to the forgiveness and joy of Christ. Ask God to give persecuted believers in Northern Nigeria wisdom and protection as they care for their villages and families. Pray for the Church to be a bold witness of faith in the fire.

Header photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs Canada.

Less than three weeks after over 200 Christians were massacred in Yelwata village, Benue State, four more were killed in the same area. In nearby Plateau State, six Christians were slain last week in Riyom County — part of 64 killings in recent weeks. Beyond the physical destruction, vast hectares of farmland have been lost and many homes burned.

Greg Musselman from Voice of the Martyrs Canada says, “The sad part about this is that the security forces don’t seem to have either the will, the manpower, the know-how — whatever it is — to be able to stop these attacks.”

People praying in Nigerian church (representative photo courtesy of David Iloba via Pexels)

More than six extremist ideology groups, despite their differences, are joining forces and recruiting more fighters. Among them are Boko Haram, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), the broader Islamic State network, the Taliban, Fulani herdsmen, and Lacurawa.

“These Islamic groups seem to feel that they can just attack the Christians and not much is going to happen to them,” says Musselman.

The geography of violence is also shifting — spreading from northern to southern Nigeria. Many Christians flee their homes, but some are still pursued, as seen in recent attacks in Benue and Plateau states.

Musselman explains: “You’ve got families already grieving. They’ve lost their loved ones, and now they know there’s really no safe place to go — and these militias are determined to rid these areas of Christians.” Their goal is to spread fear, demoralize the church and many Christians, and force them to flee.

Some believers accept the risk of martyrdom and remain in their homes.

Musselman adds, “And they’re saying, ‘Well, you know, if we die, we die…’ And others, they’re overwhelmed by the fact that they could be killed.”

The despair is real, but so is the response. The Church, both locally and globally, is rising to pray and act. Voice of the Martyrs Canada is helping raise awareness and provide support for Nigerian Christians.

Pray that Nigerian Christians will have the freedom to believe in Christ in their own homeland!

Header photo: Nigerian church (courtesy of Tosin Superson via Pexels).

Greg Musselman with The Voice of the Martyrs Canada explains, “The Houthis and al-Shabaab are now sharing weaponry; they’re becoming more aligned, in a sense.”

As described here, the Houthis are giving al-Shabaab access to more advanced weaponry systems. In return, al-Shabaab shares its coastal intelligence network and years of expertise in piracy.

A calligraphic logo used by Ansar Allah, a Shia movement in Yemen commonly called the Houthis, with Arabic text: “Oh ye who believe, be supporters of God” (Quran 61:14)
(Wikimedia Commons)

“These groups have these weapons, they share intelligence, and that makes it very scary for persecuted Christians in those nations as these radicalized groups take more and more control of their countries,” Musselman says.

As radical control grows in Yemen and Somalia, believers continue to quietly share the hope of Christ. “In Somalia, they have one of the fastest-growing Churches in the world,” Musselman says.

“Instability causes people a lot of fear, but also opens them up to the Gospel.”

Yemen and Somalia are some of the world’s most dangerous places to follow Christ. For example, Yemeni citizens are not allowed to convert to Christianity. More about that here.

Similarly, believers in Somalia keep their faith a closely-held secret, as al-Shabaab demands the death of Christians if discovered. More about that here.

“Often, we can’t talk about stories [like these] because of the security issues. We don’t want to put anybody else in any further danger. But we can be encouraged that God is working amid all the challenges these believers are facing,” Musselman says.

“Because of the fear, the unhappiness with [the] regimes leading these countries, they (people) just see no hope. And that’s when many of them are turning to the Lord.”

Pray that the Gospel will penetrate the hearts of many hopeless people.

“Let’s pray for God’s work to continue in Somalia and Yemen. Yeah, they have heavy Muslim populations, but there is an emerging Church,” Musselman says.

“Believers are willing to risk their lives to bring the Gospel to some of the world’s most dangerous places.”

Header image depicts al-Shabaab insurgents during an attack on Somali National Army positions in 2023. (Wikimedia Commons)

“You see children, you see mothers, you see fathers just killed. They were either burned to death, they were shot to death. And it was absolutely gruesome…”

This attack reflects a growing pattern of violent assaults on Christians across Nigeria. Greg Musselman of Voice of the Martyrs Canada shares the chilling account of the most recent massacre. On the night of June 13 to 14, Fulani gunmen stormed the Yelwata Catholic mission in Benue State, where many internally displaced people had sought refuge.

Nigeria Benue State map (picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Shouting “Allahu Akbar,” the attackers burned buildings and slaughtered people with guns and machetes. At least 218 were killed, and more than 6,000 were displaced.

This particular assault stood out from the days of earlier violence. Musselman explains, “What makes this one just a little bit different is the number of people that were killed and the fact that the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is saying, ‘Come on, something needs to be done. This is a country that is out of control!’”

The Fulani herdsmen’s motives include seizing land and enforcing their version of Islam on the populations they target. But another major reason for the violence is the growing Christian presence in northern Nigeria. “I have met so many former Muslims that are now Christians, and they’re just loving the Lord, wanting to do God’s mission,” says Musselman.

When it comes to violence, the Fulani militants have surpassed even Boko Haram. “In many of the places where we work through Voice of the Martyrs in Nigeria, it is, once again, the Fulani militants — radical Muslims — who are causing all this destruction,” he adds. Many Christians feel abandoned by their government and are fleeing with little hope of return.

As the Gospel spreads in the northern Nigeria and persecution intensifies, it resembles a war on earth. Musselman described it this way: “Can you see this battle between God’s kingdom and the kingdom of darkness? But the Gospel is going forward, and people are coming to know Him.”

How can you help?

First, “We must remember that they are individual people,” reminds Musselman — not just numbers in a statistic, but human beings with potential, gifts, and skills whose lives were tragically cut short, or are currently in danger. Second, pray and support frontline ministries like Voice of the Martyrs Canada and others serving in similar contexts.

Header image courtesy of Bruchin Noeka via Pexels.

“The thing about India is that in the constitution, you do have freedom of religion: to share your faith, live your faith, and even have people join your faith,” says Greg Musselman with Voice of the Martyrs, Canada.

But in many regions, that freedom is subject to anti-conversion laws that often open the door for mob rule.

(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada)

“It’s like they said, ‘You know, we’ve had enough of this, and it’s time to stand up together, and it’s time to band together,’” Musselman says of the Christians protesting today. Other minorities and organizations also feel the brunt of these laws and support the call for true religious freedom in India.

A report states that after the protests, a memorandum will be sent to India’s president to emphasize the issue further. 

“As the violence has increased against our brothers and sisters and minority communities, they said, ‘We want to draw attention to it and to put pressure on the BJP,’ which is a radical Hindu government that states that if you are Indian, you are Hindu,” Musselman says.

“That’s going to bring a profile, and it’s going to put pressure, we pray, on the Indian government, that they will start to do more to protect their citizens.”

If you want to find out how to help, start with prayer!

“Let’s pray that the church in India would be unified,” Musselman says, “that the persecution, the opposition that they’re facing would actually —and it does in many cases — [bring] the believers of all different denominations and styles of worship together.”

Pray for respect and peace in the protests, that onlookers will recognize the difference Jesus makes. 

“Ultimately, that is what we want to see happen, is that the gospel of Jesus Christ will go forward in India, even through something like a protest saying that ‘we have the right to be able to share the message,'” Musselman says.

Header image is a representative stock photo of a church in Hyderabad, India. (Photo courtesy of Paul Silvan via Unsplash)

It has been two years since the Jaranwala attacks on Christians in Pakistan. An angry mob, incited by an unverified accusation that two believers had desecrated the Qur’an, unleashed a wave of destruction. Twenty-six churches and dozens of Christian homes were burned. As many as 6,000 attackers divided the lives of local Christians into two parts: before — filled with dreams and hope, and after — defined by trauma, loss, and shattered plans.

Greg Musselman from The Voice of the Martyrs Canada explains:

“There are still deep-seated tensions in this community, and the Christian community has been traumatized.”

Photo courtesy of Gül Işık via Pexels

Javid and Samina, who was pregnant at the time, managed to escape. Their daughters fled barefoot and without head coverings, rescued by a rickshaw driver who risked everything to help them escape the violent mob.

Forty-year-old Sobia still struggles to speak about those events that left her, her husband, and their two children homeless. Less than a year later, her husband tragically passed away. Another story, Rizwan, his wife and five children, saw their home reduced to ashes.

Shafiq and his family, who had tried to calm the situation, now live in a half-burned house. Musselman says: “He has forgiven those who caused the Christian community so much pain, but admits it hasn’t been easy. He says the Bible teaches that it is God who judges and not humans.”

Some believers remain homeless. Others live in homes that are only partially rebuilt, or they mourn the loss of everything — even their pets. The falsely accused brothers and their father remain in hiding. For many believers, forgiveness and the rebuilding of hope are ongoing struggles. Pastors are encouraging them with stories from the Bible, like Daniel in the lions’ den and other examples of faith under persecution.

“The mob destroyed many Christian homes, but not their relationship with Jesus!” says Musselman.

The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, along with local partners in Pakistan, including Trust Pakistan, is helping Christian families rebuild their homes and lives.

Please pray for the healing of the Jaranwala believers, and for a new chapter to begin in their community.

Header photo courtesy of Anees Ur Rehman via Unsplash.