Last week Brian and Louise Hogan, trainers to church planters and former missionaries to Mongolia, shared about their efforts to plant a church in Mongolia—and the high cost they paid for serving there when their infant son died. This week, listen as they unwrap some of the principles they learned in that process, lessons they are now teaching to pastors and church leaders around the world, including hostile areas and restricted nations where VOM works.

Brian, the author of There’s a Sheep in My Bathtub and An A-Z of Near-Death Adventures, says that many in Western churches want to “buy a box” and follow a checklist for church planting, skipping the difficult process of seeking the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance. He challenges church planters to empty themselves of their own culture and learn the people and culture of where they are church planting, while always keeping in step with the New Testament.

“If we don’t see it in the New Testament,” Brian says, “then we’re not going to institute it on the nations.”

Brian and Louise also share how generous and missions-minded the church in Mongolia is. They ask, “What can we do to obey Jesus?”

As Brian & Louise train Mongolian missionaries to go out to the nations, these radical church planters know that the core of missions is the church. They are not willing that anyone should be unreached. A nation that once sent out violent conquerors is now sending missionaries committed to conquering hearts with the Prince of Peace.

Please pray for Mongolian Christians, and for church planters throughout the world as they work and sacrifice to bring every tribe, tongue, and nation into fellowship with Christ.

Listen also for a special testimony from a former prisoner for Christ in Uzbekistan, Dmitry “David” Shestakov. Hear the difference it made when Christians around the world wrote letters to him in prison, then go and write letters to Christians in prison right now at PrisonerAlert.com. You can also hear Shestakov share his story in this episode of VOM Radio.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as providing free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Brian and Louise Hogan, missionaries and church planters in Mongolia, responded to God’s call with obedience. They arrived in the city of Erdenet in the early 1990s; there were no churches in the city. After the conversion of 14 teenage girls, they witnessed the birth and growth of a church community.

However, as Scripture reminds us, forward motion in God’s kingdom often awakens spiritual resistance. As Brian noted, "Throughout history, whenever the Kingdom has advanced, someone has had to pay a terrible price."

For the Hogans, that terrible price was the sudden death of their newborn son, who passed away on Christmas Eve due to sudden infant death syndrome.

In the depths of grief and isolation, Brian and Louise felt God's closeness. They were aware that Christians around the world were praying for them. Louise found strength through a question inspired by Elisabeth Elliot: “Was I called? Was I chosen? And did I obey?”

She says it should not matter what God does with our obedience; we are simply called to obey.

Despite their loss, the Hogans chose to remain in Mongolia, grieving alongside their Mongolian Christian family. Their suffering became a powerful testimony of hope and resurrection in a culture unfamiliar with such concepts. In their loss, they were able to share unshakable Christian hope: “We are going to see our son again.”

Brian is the author of There’s a Sheep in my Bathtub and An A to Z of Near-Death Adventures.

Listen also as VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton shares information about how you can send VOM Action Packs to persecuted Christians around the world.

Mona and Michael are zealous disciples dedicated to sharing their faith and helping those in need, particularly within their community in Egypt. Mona grew up in a Christian family and found comfort in her faith after a difficult childhood marked by her mother's death. Michael, on the other hand, discovered his faith in Jesus later in life. Together, they felt called to ministry and have committed their lives to sharing the hope and love that can only be found in Jesus.

Listen as they talk about Christian persecution faced by believers in Egypt, including discrimination in employment and education. These hardships have led church members to rely on one another. As Mona says, "The church becomes our family. We need each other."

Muslims who choose to follow Jesus often face severe persecution from family and community, and at times from the government. They may also face severe pressure from a Muslim spouse.

Mona reminds us, though, that Muslims around them are not their enemies. They know that the real enemy is the devil and emphasize that we are called to love others in the same way Christ loved us.

Michael and Mona actively support refugees from war-torn countries, including Sudan, providing food and resources regardless of religious background. These acts of care and service often open doors for conversations about faith.

Please pray for followers of Jesus in Egypt to remain strong and to be equipped to help those in need.

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as give free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.