Ethan Walker
The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is an international nonprofit organization that was founded in 1967 by Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Lutheran priest of Jewish descent. Wurmbrand spent 14 years imprisoned in a Communist Romanian labor camp for his faith before founding VOM. The organization's mission is to defend the human rights of persecuted Christians and provide spiritual and practical assistance to them. While VOM primarily serves persecuted Christians, there is evidence that they have supported and prayed for Catholics as well. For example, they have prayed for Catholic priests who have been persecuted and have supported organizations that bring Bibles to Catholics in the Middle East. Additionally, VOM is accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), and financial information about the organization is publicly available.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Nature of the Organization | The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is an international nonprofit organization serving persecuted Christians worldwide. |
| Religious Affiliation | VOM is an interdenominational organization founded by a Romanian Lutheran priest. |
| Catholic Involvement | VOM has been known to include Catholics in their prayer items and support Catholic organizations that promote the Bible. They have also prayed for the work of persecuted Catholic priests and supported Catholic efforts to bring Bibles to the Middle East. |
| Funding and Finances | VOM is funded through donations, with 95% of revenue derived from public support. In 2016, 81.8% of donated funds were used for ministry purposes, 12% for administration, and 6.2% for fundraising. |
| Leadership Salaries | VOM closely guards the salaries of its leaders. However, in 2013, the salary of its then-president James Dau was revealed to be $158,416, equivalent to $183,059 in 2021. |
| Leadership Structure | There is no central headquarters or main office for VOM as each organization is independent and self-supporting. Each country's mission has its own focus and management but cooperates through the International Christian Association (ICA). |
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What You'll Learn
- The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is an international nonprofit organisation
- VOM serves persecuted Christians in dangerous places worldwide
- VOM has supported prayer for the work of persecuted Catholic priests
- VOM has prayed for Catholics who smuggled Bibles into the Middle East
- VOM was founded by Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Lutheran priest
The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is an international nonprofit organisation
VOM's mission is to defend the human rights of persecuted Christians and provide practical and spiritual assistance to them. The organisation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in the US, and in 2016, it completed more than 1,500 ministry projects, providing help to over 5 million people. VOM has a network of over 30 offices worldwide that provide relief to families of imprisoned Christians in various nations. Each country's mission has its own focus and management but they also cooperate through the International Christian Association (ICA) by sharing information and jointly funding international projects.
VOM has been known to support the work of persecuted Catholic priests and has included Catholics in their prayer items. They have also actively supported any organisation that brings the Bible to people, including Catholics who have smuggled Bibles into the Middle East.
The salaries of VOM's leaders are closely guarded, but in 2013, it was revealed that then-president James Dau earned $158,416, equivalent to $183,059 in 2021. The current president and CEO, Cole Richards, received $211,363 in compensation, according to an audited financial statement published in 2023.
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VOM serves persecuted Christians in dangerous places worldwide
The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is an international nonprofit organisation founded in 1967 by Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Lutheran priest of Jewish descent. Wurmbrand spent 14 years imprisoned in a Romanian labour camp for his Christian faith under the country's policy of state atheism. Following his imprisonment, he and his wife, Sabina, established VOM to support persecuted Christians worldwide. Today, VOM operates as an interdenominational missionary organisation, providing practical and spiritual assistance to Christians in dangerous places where they are oppressed or face persecution for their faith.
VOM's mission is to defend the human rights of persecuted Christians and inspire believers to a deeper commitment to Christ. The organisation serves as a voice for those who are unable to practise their faith freely due to opposition, discrimination, or violence. VOM provides support and resources to help Christians in these challenging contexts, recognising the risks and sacrifices associated with following Christ in certain parts of the world.
VOM operates through various missions and offices around the globe, each with its own focus and management. These missions work autonomously but cooperate through the International Christian Association (ICA) by sharing information and jointly funding international projects. The organisation's structure is decentralised, with no central headquarters, as each VOM entity is independent and self-supporting, funded primarily through donations.
In 2016, VOM-USA, the US branch of the organisation, reported that 81.8% of donated funds were used for ministry purposes, including persecution response, distributing Bibles to captive nations, front-line ministry, and fellowship initiatives. VOM-USA has also been involved in projects such as providing relief to families of imprisoned Christians in Islamic and Communist nations. The financial transparency of VOM-USA is ensured through accreditation by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
VOM's work has included supporting Catholic Christians facing persecution. There have been mentions of VOM requesting prayers for Catholic priests facing harassment in the Middle East and for Catholics bringing Bibles into regions where they are not allowed. While some supporters of VOM have expressed concerns about its ecumenical nature and inclusion of Catholics in prayer items, the organisation's primary focus remains on supporting persecuted Christians from various denominations.
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VOM has supported prayer for the work of persecuted Catholic priests
The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1967 by Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Lutheran priest of Jewish descent. Wurmbrand spent 14 years imprisoned in a Communist Romanian labor camp for his Christian faith. Since its founding, VOM has been dedicated to serving persecuted Christians worldwide, providing practical and spiritual assistance to those in need. Each VOM mission is autonomous, with its own focus and management, but they all cooperate through the International Christian Association (ICA).
VOM's support for Catholic priests and organizations has been a point of contention for some. One person who cancelled their subscription to VOM expressed their concern that the organization is "too ecumenical" and that this compromises the Gospel. However, others appreciate VOM's ecumenical nature and the perspective it provides. VOM's focus is not narrow, and they provide informative coverage of global Christian persecution, helping believers in their comfortable cultures to keep things in perspective.
VOM's financial information is mostly guarded, but some details have been revealed over the years. In 2013, it was reported that then-president James Dau received a salary of $158,416, which would be equivalent to $183,059 in 2021. In 2023, an audited financial statement revealed that the current president and CEO, Cole Richards, received $211,363 in compensation. The US office of VOM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, and in 2016, 81.8% of donated funds were used for ministry purposes, with 12% spent on administration and 6.2% on fundraising.
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VOM has prayed for Catholics who smuggled Bibles into the Middle East
The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1967 by Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Lutheran priest of Jewish descent. Wurmbrand spent 14 years imprisoned in a Communist Romanian prison for his Christian faith. Since its founding, VOM has been dedicated to defending the human rights of persecuted Christians and inspiring all believers to a biblical faith.
VOM has supported the work of persecuted Catholic priests and has prayed for Catholics who smuggled Bibles into the Middle East. While VOM's focus is not narrow, it has been known to support any organization that unflinchingly brings the Bible to those who need it. This includes praying for Catholics who have smuggled Bibles into the Middle East and been caught and harassed by Muslim authorities.
One such Catholic effort that VOM has prayed for is that of Simco, a former Muslim who now operates a clandestine Bible printing press in the Middle East. Simco and his network mass-produce thousands of Bibles in different languages and then risk their lives to transport them across borders into the hands of persecuted believers. Simco's work is critical for God's kingdom, and VOM has prayed for his protection and the spread of God's Word across the Middle East.
Another example of Bible smuggling that VOM may have supported is that of Brother Andrew (Andrew van der Bijl), a Dutch Christian missionary who founded the organization Open Doors. Brother Andrew was known for smuggling Bibles and other Christian literature into Communist countries during the Cold War, including Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, East Germany, Bulgaria, and the Soviet Union. He even recruited other Christians to help him and they developed strategies to avoid the attention of border guards and secret police.
Through its prayers and support for Bible smugglers like Simco and Brother Andrew, VOM has played a crucial role in ensuring that God's Word reaches those who need it in some of the most dangerous places in the world.
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VOM was founded by Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Lutheran priest
The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is an international nonprofit organisation that aims to defend the human rights of Christians facing persecution. It was founded in 1967 by Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Lutheran priest of Jewish descent. Wurmbrand himself spent 14 years in a Communist labour camp in Romania due to his Christian faith, as the country had adopted state atheism and implemented anti-religious legislation.
Following his release, Wurmbrand and his wife, Sabina, travelled the world and established a network of over 30 offices that provide relief to families of imprisoned Christians in various nations, including Islamic and other Communist nations. The organisation has since expanded to include numerous missions worldwide, each with its own focus and management, but they all cooperate through the International Christian Association (ICA).
VOM is dedicated to providing practical and spiritual assistance to persecuted Christians, with a particular focus on inspiring believers to a deeper commitment to Christ and his Great Commission. They undertake projects of encouragement, helping believers rebuild their lives and Christian witness in countries where they have previously suffered oppression.
While VOM's primary focus is on supporting persecuted Christians, they have also been known to offer prayers and support for Catholic priests facing persecution. They have been described as ecumenical in nature, indicating a willingness to work with a range of Christian denominations. This has been a point of contention for some, who feel that VOM's inclusivity may compromise the gospel they aim to promote.
In terms of its structure, VOM does not have a central headquarters or main office. Each mission is autonomous and independently funded through donations. The US office, VOM-USA, operates as a nonprofit corporation, and its financial information is publicly available, showing that the majority of its revenue is derived from public support and is used for ministry purposes.
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Frequently asked questions
The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is an international nonprofit organisation that aims to defend the human rights of persecuted Christians. It was founded in 1967 by Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Lutheran priest who spent 14 years in a Communist prison for his faith.
The Voice of the Martyrs is an interdenominational organisation, meaning it serves Christians of all denominations, including Catholics. While there is no explicit mention of Catholics being employed by VOM, the organisation has supported the work of persecuted Catholic priests and has included Catholics in their prayer items.
The mission of The Voice of the Martyrs is to provide practical and spiritual assistance to persecuted Christians in dangerous and difficult places around the world. They also aim to inspire all believers to a deeper commitment to Christ and the fulfilment of his Great Commission.
The Voice of the Martyrs does not have a central headquarters or main office. Instead, it is composed of various independent, self-supporting missions in different countries, each with its own focus and management. These missions cooperate through the International Christian Association (ICA) by sharing information and jointly funding international projects.
