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Articles by Todd Nettleton
Trump saved one pastor from Xi. Now a dying man needs him to do it again
When President Donald Trump sat down face-to-face with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May, he proved that his personal intervention can yield real results for persecuted Christians. In that meeting, Trump called on the Chinese leader to release Pastor Ezra Jin, founder of Beijing’s Zion Church. Weeks later, over the Fourth of July, Jin was released from prison and allowed to return to his family on American soil — a victory for diplomacy and for human rights.
The Voice of the Martyrs
GLOBAL ACTION: Raising up Pastors to Shepherd their Flocks August 15, 2026 Rich Griffith, Chief Development Officer for Global Action, served as a pastor and played seven seasons in the NFL before the Lord led him to serve pastors and Christian leaders around the world, including many in restricted nations and hostile areas. Rich has had many exciting career highlights, but his favorite is watching these Christian leaders complete their training.
Don’t Just Get a Job. Build a Platform!
COMMENTARY Graduation speeches are pretty low-pressure speaking gigs. Not a single person is there to hear what the speaker has to say. They just want him or her to say it quickly! It’s low pressure for the speaker, yet commencement exercises offer an opportunity to challenge people at an inflection point in their lives. I was honored to speak earlier this month to graduates at Warner University.
Your 4-Year Degree is Actually a Visa for Mission
COMMENTARY To the Class of 2026, your degree is not just a tool for your personal success. It isn't a ladder for you to climb to reach your career goals. Rather, in the economy of God’s Kingdom, that degree is actually a mission visa. It is your legitimate entry into a mission field that doesn't want you there, and it’s your "cover story" for the work you’re actually called to do. We are living in an era where the Great Commission is often treated as a suggestion or a metaphor.
Miraculous Bible delivery in a communist country: How God used a police captain
By , Op-ed contributor Some years ago, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a Christian boarded a crowded bus. He carried a forbidden package: Bibles God called him to deliver into Vietnam’s remote interior, spiritual food for fellow believers who had little to no access to Scripture. He knew the risk if his secret was discovered. The box of Bibles could cost him his freedom. He could be tortured. But he also knew the unstoppable power of God’s Word to change lives. He knew he must answer God’s call.
Miraculous Bible delivery in a communist country: How God used a police captain - Crossmap News
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The Dangerous Joy of Christmas
Order Michael Finch’s new book, A Time to Stand: HERE. Prof. Jason Hill calls it “an aesthetic and political tour de force.” Christmas is a joyous season for Christians as we gather and celebrate the birth of our Savior, rejoicing in the hope that God Himself entered the world in the form of a human child. But for millions of our Christian brothers and sisters, these celebrations must occur behind closed doors, with whispered carols in the shadow of danger.
The Dangerous Joy of Christmas: Standing With Persecuted Christians This Season
Christmas is a joyous season for Christians as we gather and celebrate the birth of our Savior, rejoicing in the hope that God Himself entered the world in the form of a human child. But for millions of our Christian brothers and sisters, these celebrations must occur behind closed doors, with whispered carols in the shadow of danger. For them, Christmas is a season of heightened risk. History shows that Christmas Day is a favored target for those intent on harming Christians.
For millions, Christmas is the most dangerous time of the year
By , Op-ed contributor | Christmas is a joyous season for Christians as we gather and celebrate the birth of our Savior, rejoicing in the hope that God Himself entered the world in the form of a human child. But for millions of our Christian brothers and sisters, these celebrations must occur behind closed doors, with whispered carols in the shadow of danger. For them, Christmas is a season of heightened risk.
For millions, Christmas is the most dangerous time of the year - Crossmap News
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IDOP: 2 reasons why we must pray for persecuted Christians
By , Op-ed contributor Every year when the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP) approaches, I’m reminded that this isn’t just another date on the church calendar. It’s a chance to join hands and hearts with our Christian brothers and sisters who are suffering for their faith. Praying for them is not a symbolic gesture. It is a source of real strength.
IDOP: 2 reasons why we must pray for persecuted Christians - Crossmap News
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Persecuted Christians are starving for Bibles
By , Op-ed contributor What would you do if you had no access to Scripture? Most Americans have multiple Bibles at home, dozens of translations at our fingertips, and devotional apps on every device. Yet for believers living in hostile areas and restricted nations, a single torn page of the New Testament is a treasure worth suffering for. For many Christians around the world, owning a Bible is illegal. It can cost a believer their freedom or even their life.
Persecuted Christians are starving for Bibles - Crossmap News
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Christian persecution in 2024: 6 stories worth revisiting
By , Op-ed contributor In Tortured for Christ, The Voice of the Martyrs Founder Richard Wumbrand wrote, “A man really believes not what he recites in his creed, but only the things he is ready to die for." Around the world, Christians in the world’s most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ face the daily reality of persecution. Pastors are hunted and murdered. Churches are burned to the ground.
What the Bible Says (and Does Not Say) About Persecution
By Todd Nettleton In places like China, India, Nigeria, North Korea and many others around the globe, Christian persecution is on the rise. It comes in many forms, from arrests by police to oppression and shunning by community and family members. There are many examples of Christian persecution in Scripture and throughout history, from persecution of the first disciples to that of believers today in hostile areas and restricted nations.
What the Bible says (and does not say) about persecution
By , Op-ed contributor In places like China, India, Nigeria, North Korea and many others around the globe, Christian persecution is on the rise. It comes in many forms, from arrests by police to oppression and shunning by community and family members. There are many examples of Christian persecution in Scripture and throughout history, from persecution of the first disciples to that of believers today in hostile areas and restricted nations.
Christians face increasing persecution, limited options for fair trials in Eritrea
OPINION: Think back on your own life: Where were you 20 years ago today? Perhaps you were walking the aisle and starting life together with your spouse? Or maybe you were enlisting in the military — and today you’re debating retirement? Maybe you were welcoming a newborn who is now away in college. Your memories of that day may not be as distinct as those of two pastors in Africa.
Christians face increasing persecution, limited options for fair trials in Eritrea
OPINION: Think back on your own life: Where were you 20 years ago today? Perhaps you were walking the aisle and starting life together with your spouse? Or maybe you were enlisting in the military — and today you’re debating retirement? Maybe you were welcoming a newborn who is now away in college. Your memories of that day may not be as distinct as those of two pastors in Africa.
5 years ago John Chau became a Gospel hero
For those who believe the Bible is true, John Chau is a hero. John took Jesus seriously when He said, “Go into ALL THE WORLD and make disciples.” John also took Jesus seriously when He said, “whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Five years ago this week, 26-year-old John Chau went ashore on North Sentinel Island.
Two Eritrean Christians mark 7,000 days in prison
By Todd Nettleton, Voices Contributor | Tuesday, July 25, 2023 In 2004, I had the privilege of meeting persecuted Christians in Eritrea on behalf of The Voice of the Martyrs. In the few days I was there, I fell in love with the country — the cool evening air in Asmara, the beautiful Red Sea beaches in Massawa, and the warmhearted, welcoming people.
There’s Power in the One Who Hears: International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians
Pastor Aquil picked up the phone. It was a woman’s voice on the other end. She was a refugee from Syria, living in a camp where the pastor and members of his church visited weekly to deliver aid and represent Jesus. “I need you to write down the prayer you prayed for my son,” she requested. Months earlier, a donor had contacted Pastor Aquil (not his real name), offering to fund an outreach to Syrian refugees flooding into Jordan. Pastor Aquil politely declined. His schedule was full.
One Year after Withdrawal, Afghanistan Christians are in Hiding or on the Run
(Open Doors) — A year after the Taliban takeover, life in Afghanistan for Christians and other religious minorities is a hellscape. OPINION — On Aug. 30, 2021, the last U.S. military planes left Afghanistan, marking the end of a 20-year U.S. military presence in the country after the 9/11 attacks. The withdrawal fulfilled President Joe Biden’s promise to remove all American troops, but the resulting political vacuum enabled the Taliban to gain complete control of the region with breathtaking speed.
There are still Christians in Afghanistan Original
(VOICE OF THE MARTYRS) — There are still Christians in Afghanistan. Yes, the Taliban are in control of the country and have been for the past year. And yes, the Taliban’s version of radical Islam teaches that Muslims who leave that religion to follow another are apostates who should be executed if they refuse to return to Islam.
John Chau: A hero
By Todd Nettleton, Voices Contributor | Thursday, June 30, 2022 John Chau’s murder by tribesmen on North Sentinel Island in 2018 drew worldwide media attention, most of it critical if not downright mocking. The young Christian missionary was called a fool, a colonialist and an adventure bro. He was mocked in memes and ridiculed by comedians for cheap laughs. And the criticism didn’t come only from unbelievers.
Op-Ed: On This Day of the Christian Martyr, Let's Honor John Chau and Ask Ourselves Some Uncomfortable Questions
John Chau’s murder by tribesmen on North Sentinel Island in 2018 drew worldwide media attention, most of it critical if not downright mocking. The young Christian missionary was called a fool, a colonialist and an adventure bro. He was mocked in memes and ridiculed by comedians for cheap laughs. And the criticism didn’t come only from unbelievers. Christians piled on, too, passing on the memes and arguing that John’s approach to fulfilling the Great Commission was outmoded and wrong.
Living on Mission
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Todd Nettleton
Op-Ed: How Should Christians Prepare for Persecution? Chinese Believers Share These 3 Steps 'Part of getting ready is acknowledging that persecution may come, that I, myself, may have to pay a price for what I believe.'
Op-Ed: Olympic Motto, 'Together for a Shared Future,' Has a Chilling Meaning for Chinese Christians and Muslims
Op-Ed Op-Ed The Olympic rings are seen during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics on Monday in Beijing. (David Ramos / Getty Images) By Todd Nettleton February 8, 2022 at 4:59pm Pastor Wang Yi probably won’t watch any of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, as they’re unlikely to be shown in the Chinese prison where he’s serving a nine-year sentence. His “crime” was leading an unregistered church in China — giving his Christian faith higher priority than the edicts of the Chinese Communist Party.
Op-Ed: God Has Not Abandoned the Christians Who Remain in Afghanistan
Op-Ed Op-Ed In this photograph taken on Nov. 27, 2019, a Georgian soldier leaves a church after praying at the NATO military base Camp Marmal on the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. (Farshad Usyan - AFP / Getty Images) By Todd Nettleton October 11, 2021 at 10:36am My heart broke for Afghanistan as I watched video of young men clinging to a military transport plane, desperate to escape life under the black-turbaned visage of radical Islam.
Op-Ed: How Should Christians Prepare for Persecution? Chinese Believers Share These 3 Steps
Op-Ed Chinese Catholic worshipers hold candles as part of the holy fire at an Easter mass at a government-sanctioned Catholic church on April 3, 2021, in Beijing. (Kevin Frayer / Getty Images) Some years ago I met a pastor in China who’d been arrested on numerous occasions by communist authorities. Two things I will always remember about that pastor: his fearlessness and his packed bag. The bag was packed with a change of clothes and a blanket. It was packed for prison. He was ready to go.
Todd Nettleton: After a year of COVID uncertainty, here's certainty -- God's kingdom will advance
You’ve probably read articles with some variation of this headline in recent days: ONE YEAR since the world as we know it (depending on the author) "changed," or "shut down," or "ENDED." It does seem as if we managed to cram a decade’s worth of uncertainty into just the past 12 months. And uncertainty is the father of fear.
Life-Changing Lessons Learned from Persecuted Christians
Excerpted from ‘When Faith Is Forbidden’ (Moody) Excerpted From When Faith Is Forbidden By Todd Nettleton We’re leaving for the airport in 25 minutes. I hope you’re ready. I’m rushing around my house, trying to figure out how to get my suitcase closed and which things in it I won’t actually need on the trip. I check my phone again to see what the weather is predicted to be: the warm jacket takes up a lot of suitcase space. Will I need it? Will I need a nicer pair of shoes for church?
Todd Nettleton: Whoever Wins the Election, God’s Kingdom Will Advance
I am not sure who will win the upcoming election. Let me say that up front. I do not have any special knowledge or insight about what the results will be—or when they will be known. I do know that many people—many of my friends and neighbors—will be upset about the result. I know people on both sides who think a victory for the other side’s candidates will irreparably harm our nation and churches.
Ayatollah Khomeini: The greatest Christian missionary in the history of Iran
By Todd Nettleton, Voices Contributor | Thursday, January 02, 2020 Opponents of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hold a protest outside the Iranian embassy in west London, December 31, 2017. | Reuters/Eddie Keogh What if I told you that the greatest Christian missionary in the history of Iran was a devout Muslim? You’d think I was crazy, right? Or, at the very least, a liar.
10 persecution stories that gained global attention in the last 10 years
By Todd Nettleton, Voices Contributor | Saturday, December 28, 2019 A demonstrator holds pencils in tribute to the victims of a shooting by gunmen at the offices of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, during a demonstration organized by the NGO Rio de Paz (Rio of Peace) in Niteroi, near Rio de Janeiro, January 8, 2015.
Pray for persecuted Christians - It makes a difference
By Todd Nettleton, Voices Contributor | Sunday, November 10, 2019 Baraka Parish church at Hajj Yusuf, on the outskirts of Khartoum, Sudan, February 10, 2013. | (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah) Our persecuted brothers and sisters know they are being prayed for, and the knowledge that they are not forgotten, that they are a vital and honored part of the wider family of God, makes a difference.
It’s time for Malaysian government to explain pastor’s disappearance
By Todd Nettleton, Voices Contributor | Thursday, October 24, 2019 Malaysian flag | Unsplash/mkrj_ Susanna Koh sent her husband off to work on Feb. 13, 2017, just like any other day. She hasn’t seen him since. It’s time — actually way past time — for Malaysia’s government to explain what happened. Pastor Raymond Koh had been threatened before the day he was abducted. Several years ago, someone mailed him a box of bullets to let him know that his Christian ministry activities were being noticed.
3 reasons to rejoice at the release of Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi; 3 reasons to weep
By Todd Nettleton, Voices Contributor | Tuesday, February 05, 2019 Imprisoned Christian mother of of five, Asia Bibi, is facing the death penalty after being accused of blasphemy in 2009 by angry Muslim women, who were upset that she drank from the same drinking water as them.
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