Closer to the Fire with Greg Musselman
The “Closer to the Fire” podcast addresses the persecution of Christians in various restricted nations around the world. By presenting informative interviews with Christian leaders on the front lines, this regular podcast serves to raise awareness, support and prayer on behalf of those who are suffering for their faith in Jesus. “Closer to the Fire” is produced by The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, a non-profit organization that has served persecuted Christians for more than 50 years. To learn more about the ministry of VOM Canada, go to www.vomcanada.com Hosted by longtime television broadcaster Greg Musselman, who also represents VOM Canada as the organization’s Minister-at-Large, this podcast will keep you up to date on the latest global situations involving today’s persecuted church. Greg joined VOM Canada in 2003 and, over the years, he has interviewed hundreds of persecuted Christians during his extensive international travels.
Episodes
July 11, 2025 • 38 mins
In this episode of the Closer to the Fire podcast, host Greg Musselman reports on the escalating violence committed against Christians in the North Central Nigerian state of Benue. In June, militant Fulani herdsmen launched a brutal attack on the Christian community of Yelwata, killing an estimated 200 villagers – many of them internally displaced people who had fled previous violence. The attackers used fuel to set the villagers’ ...
Mark as Played
June 20, 2025 • 56 mins
Why Are Men and Women Persecuted Differently for Their Faith in Jesus?
There is plenty of evidence indicating that men and women suffer differently when they are persecuted for their faith in Jesus. In this episode of Closer to the Fire, podcast host Greg Musselman is joined by Emma, the director of an organization that is dedicated to addressing gender-specific religious freedom issues. (Due to the nature of her work, Emma’s last...
Mark as Played
June 6, 2025 • 37 mins
China: The Communist Party's Relentless Persecution of Christians
In China, where Communist authorities remain determined to suppress the rapid growth of Christianity, church leaders in that nation are arrested and imprisoned for their ministry activities. One pastoral couple, Yang Rongli and her husband Wang Xiaoguang, have endured years of persecution for continuing to shepherd thousands of believers despite government oppositio...
Mark as Played
May 23, 2025 • 52 mins
According to recently published reports, anti-conversion laws may soon be enacted in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan. Members of the state legislature are presently considering a newly proposed law that would make so-called “forced conversions” illegal and require anyone who seeks to convert to Christianity – or any other religion outside of Hinduism – to notify officials at least 60 days in advance.
In this episode ...
Mark as Played
May 9, 2025 • 43 mins
Christians in Somalia encounter life-threatening persecution not only from the militant Islamic group al-Shabab, but also from hostile members of their families and local communities. In particular, those who have left Islam to follow Jesus risk harassment, intimidation and even the threat of death. According to the World Watch List from Open Doors (an annual ranking of the top 50 countries where Christians encounter the most extre...
Mark as Played
April 25, 2025 • 37 mins
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, w...
Mark as Played
April 11, 2025 • 34 mins
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 ...
Mark as Played
March 28, 2025 • 16 mins
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 20...
Mark as Played
March 20, 2025 • 45 mins
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...
Mark as Played
March 17, 2025 • 32 mins
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...
Mark as Played
February 28, 2025 • 39 mins
Nearly all Christians in northeastern Nigeria have lost family members due to the violence perpetrated by terrorist groups. Entire congregations have been displaced, and many pastors have been forced to leave the region. In the midst of the volatile situation, it takes great courage and faith to openly worship and serve Christ in this West African nation, where more followers of Jesus are killed each year for their faith than all t...
Mark as Played
January 24, 2025 • 52 mins
According to recently published reports, anti-conversion laws may soon be enacted in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan. Members of the state legislature are presently considering a newly proposed law that would make so-called “forced conversions” illegal and require anyone who seeks to convert to Christianity – or any other religion outside of Hinduism – to notify officials at least 60 days in advance.
In this episode ...
Mark as Played
January 3, 2025 • 45 mins
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 ...
Mark as Played
December 20, 2024 • 50 mins
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 ...
Mark as Played
December 10, 2024 • 37 mins
The church in Pakistan faces opposition and persecution in numerous ways. Not only are the country’s notorious blasphemy laws being used to target the Christian minority, each year thereare hundreds of cases in which individual Christian girls have been abducted, abused, forcefully married, and/or converted to Islam against their wills. Additionally, churches that engage in outreach activities are prone to opposition.
In Novembe...
Mark as Played
November 14, 2024 • 39 mins
While the Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to one of Africa's largest Christian-majority populations, militant Muslim groups severely persecute believers along the nation's eastern border with Uganda. When rebels capture groups of people, they often release the Muslims while killing any Christians who refuse to convert to the Islamic faith. Amid the ongoing violence, the church in this war-torn country is under immense pres...
Mark as Played
October 31, 2024 • 27 mins
On February 13th, 2017, a Malaysian pastor named Raymond Koh was kidnapped in broad daylight by a group of men in the greater Kaula Lumpur area while on his way to a friend's house. The incident was captured on CCTV cameras, providing evidence that least 15 men in three black SUVs were part of the abduction. More than seven years later, his wife Susanna continues to search tirelessly for answers regarding her husband's disappearanc...
Mark as Played
October 22, 2024 • 51 mins
In 2022, Christian activities across Russia – including gathering for worship, distributing Bibles and Christian literature, as well as personal evangelism – were investigated by Russian police and punished as crimes by Russian courts of law. Believers were forced to pay fines and, in most cases, those who challenged the court’s decisions lost their appeals. This trend of mounting opposition against the country’s Christian populati...
Mark as Played
October 4, 2024 • 43 mins
The latest crackdown against followers of Jesus in the East African nation of Eritrea has led to the arrest of more than 200 Christians – including children – within a span of 12 months. According to Dr. Berhane Asmelash, who serves as the Director of Release Eritrea (a ministry based in the United Kingdom), most of the recently arrested believers were taken from their homes without any warning, and some were even apprehended durin...
Mark as Played
September 20, 2024 • 37 mins
Christians in India are finding themselves increasingly under the threat of violent persecution. The growing hostility is often driven by an ongoing belief among Hindu extremists that all Indians ought to be Hindu – and that the practise of any faith outside of Hinduism is not welcome in India. This mindset has led to numerous violent attacks across the country; crimes perpetrators of the violence are permitted to continue with imp...
Mark as Played
Popular Podcasts
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.