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2 Pastor Wurmbrand was imprisoned for 14 years in communist Romania in the 1940s to 1960s. He founded Voice of the Martyrs over 50 years ago to serve persecuted Christians. FROM OUR FOUNDER have tried to kill us. They can kill only bodies. We are not They bodies; we are spirits, and the spirit cannot be killed. To die for Christ, loving Christ, means to go to Glory, means to go to Christ. Quoted from his book, Tortured for Christ $8 Code: B217 TORTURED FOR CHRIST THE MOVIE Fourteen years in communist prison could not break his faith. A man really believes not what he recites in his creed, but only the things he is willing to die for. Richard Wurmbrand Voice of the Martyrs presents the inspiring new movie Tortured for Christ, a cinematic retelling of the testimony of VOM founder Pastor Richard Wurmbrand as written in his international bestselling book Tortured for Christ. This movie was produced to honour the 50th anniversary of the book s 1967 release. Filmed entirely in Romania, including in the very prison where Pastor Wurmbrand endured torture and solitary confinement, this powerful film uniquely presents the story with live action rather than interviews. The dialogue is presented in English, Romanian and Russian (with English subtitles) to hold to the authenticity of this true story. A look behind the scenes Richard Wurmbrand ( ) The following images are from the filming of the Tortured for Christ movie. EDITORIAL Tortured for Christ, the Movie Fellow believers, having read the book Tortured for Christ, I was intrigued to see if the new Tortured for Christ movie would do the story justice and depict the gravity of what Richard Wurmbrand experienced for his faith in prison. Every time I watch the trailer, I am struck by the compassion he had, to pray for his persecutors. This is also what we discover when visiting many countries where fellow Christians are persecuted for their faith. The purity of their faith is demonstrated in the faithful following of the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:44: But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. This attitude is at the very heart of the Voice of the Martyrs mission. As we travel to restricted countries, we are asked to pray for those persecuted and provide Bibles. Believers in countries where persecution is rife, are equipped through the teaching and literature that Voice of the Martyrs provides, to deal with persecution in a Biblical context. They understand that as a Christian, standing for one s faith means they are inviting persecution, as was the case with Richard Wurmbrand. Tortured for Christ has been an international best seller and has been translated into more than 68 languages. Apart from the Bible, it is the most requested book amongst new believers in restricted nations, as it helps give them the tools to deal with resistance to their faith. What the book also gives them is hope. Hope that through Christ they can understand why persecution happens and how to deal with it prayerfully. There is much anticipation surrounding this movie. Feedback from the USA where the movie has been screened has been encouraging. Hope everyone goes to see this! Powerful! Excited to see this amazing book come to life in this film. Help spread the word. Sam I urge you to see this life-changing movie and be encouraged as I was, by the amazing story of our founder Richard Wurmbrand. We are praying for an awakening of the church to the plight of our fellow believers who are persecuted for their faith in Christ. Blessings, Tony Benjamin CEO We went to see TFC last night and the movie was packed, which I was thrilled to see. The characters were portrayed so well. It was truly moving and strongly convicting concerning their love for Christ and their persecutors. It was hard to watch in many of the scenes, as it should be. The song In Christ Alone drew us all together. Jenny Request the Tortured for Christ movie for your church today! Contact our office today to organise a screening of Tortured for Christ the movie at your church. tfcmovie@vom.com.au Phone: View the trailer: vom.com.au/tfcmovie These scenes were filmed in Jilava prison (where Pastor Wurmbrand was held in solitary confinement for several years), in an abandoned psychiatric prison where many Christians died, in locations around Bucharest where the Wurmbrand s lived and ministered, and in a backlot re-creation of 1940s streets in Romania. 2 3

3 HE STOOD IN THE MIDST OF LIONS, BUT THEY COULD NOT DEVOUR HIM. Philadelphia Herald When Pastor Richard Wurmbrand spoke at Australian churches in 1969 he delivered a very challenging message about the persecution of Christians in Romania, his home country. Richard s feet had been beaten so severely during his imprisonment that he could not stand or wear shoes. Instead, he spoke to Australian Christians while resting his mangled feet on a pillow. The congregations sat in complete silence as the barefoot pastor shared his incredible testimony. Richard s face gleamed with joy as he shared of a faith that overcomes all obstacles and provided opportunities to learn about persecuted Christians and to pray for them and their persecutors. Having never heard a message like this before, many were affected by his words and attitude. Today, we see that same joy and strength in the faces of persecuted believers we meet on our travels around the world. The ministry of Voice of the Martyrs began with a dream and a prayer in a solitary cell in communist Romania. For three years, Richard Wurmbrand sat alone in a prison cell, over nine metres below the ground. Other than brief interactions with his guards, he saw and heard no one. As far as he knew, the outside world had ceased to exist. But in that dark, lonely, cold cell, he cried out to God and dreamed about starting a ministry that would serve Christians in communist countries. he once told a reporter. But he did not come to the West looking for approval and applause. He came looking for Christians who were willing to stand with their persecuted brothers and sisters and over time he found them. Richard published a newsletter every month, sharing story after story of courageous Christians who were beaten, imprisoned and killed because of their faith in Christ. Some refused to read the newsletter, saying it was too depressing or graphic. But Richard had a different perspective. What will you profit by reading this newsletter? he wrote. It will greatly enlarge your vision. You need to enlarge your horizons sharing the joys and sorrows of your fellow men. He knew the stories were needed to spur the church to a deeper commitment to Christ and His Great Commission. He was unashamed of that message. Richard s dream of helping persecuted Christians and sharing the Gospel with their persecutors lives on at Voice of the Martyrs. The ministry he founded continues to help families of martyrs, equip front-line workers, provide Bibles to Christians in restricted and hostile nations, and inspire the church worldwide with testimonies of our courageous persecuted family. Thank you for standing with our persecuted family. God heard his prayers. In the year 1948, on a Sunday while I went to church I was kidnapped by the Communists. I knew that even in the van of the secret police I am in the hands of the Almighty God, and this gave quiet to my heart. Richard Wurmbrand 4 Several years later, Richard and his family were ransomed out of their Romanian homeland for $10,000, far more than what was normally paid for political prisoners. Within days of being freed from a Romanian prison and arriving in the West, he wrote his bestselling book, Tortured for Christ. Soon thereafter, he founded a mission called Jesus to the Communist World, which later became Voice of the Martyrs. Richard s message was not always welcome. At a time when war protests and pro-communist rallies were occurring regularly around the United States, Richard boldly took the stage and spoke out against the crimes being committed by communist regimes. Although he was often booed and jeered, he remained undeterred. When asked about his qualifications to speak out in this way, he would strip to the waist to show his 18 torture scars and say, These marks are my credentials. Many Christians found his message hard to believe, and others didn t care. I have suffered more from the complacency of the West than from the Communists, 5

4 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER Sunday 4 November 2018 is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). Join thousands of other churches across Australia and the world in prayer for our persecuted brothers and sisters. This year, Voice of the Martyrs announces the release of the IDOP video Solitary Prayer, about VOM founder Richard Wurmbrand. This video features excerpts from the new Tortured for Christ movie, to be released in September Share this video with your church to help inspire every Christian to pray for our persecuted family members. Request this free DVD and IDOP Resource Kit to help your church pray for persecuted believers on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Preview the IDOP Video and Resources at Pastor Richard Wurmbrand spent 14 years in prison because of his outspoken Christian witness and faith in Christ. Three of those years were spent in solitary confinement. His wife, Sabina, was imprisoned for three years, including months in a labour camp on the Danube Canal. She was told that her husband had died in prison. Through it all, neither of them gave up hope or wavered in faith. Now, for the first time in a single book, you can read the inspiring story of their suffering, faith and service to followers of Christ including their founding of Voice of the Martyrs. Order your book today and consider additional copies for your pastor or other Christian friends. Code: B524 Price: $

5 PRISONER PRAYER BAND Wear VOM s new Prisoner Prayer Band as a constant reminder to pray for those that are in bonds. These eye-catching, reversible silicone wristbands serve not only as a reminder to pray but also as a conversation starter. The sand coloured side of the wristband features a textured image of barbed wire and the words IMPRISONED WITH THEM. All donations over $2 to Voice of the Martyrs Australia are tax deductible. Westpac: BSB: Account No: Let us be on the side of those who sit in jails and are sentenced to death for their faith. Let us pray for them and help them. Reaching Toward the Heights, Richard Wurmbrand Swift: WPACAU2S (for international transfers) Please include your name or supporter number in the description line. Voice of the Martyrs PO Box 250 Lawson NSW 2783 Australia phone fax info@vom.com.au Remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also. Hebrews 13:3 8 Published by and Voice of the Martyrs Ltd 2018 unless otherwise indicated. Names may have been changed to protect individuals' identities. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible. Copyright 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.