VOMC's Vision Explained
"One church, united in suffering;
one voice, strengthened in fellowship;
one hope, rooted in Christ."
~ The Vision Statement of VOMC
What does it mean to remember those who suffer for Christ as though their chains were our own?1VOMC’s new Vision Statement, announced in last month's blog and shared above, is designed to answer that question. However, this vision, grounded in faith and directed towards the future, recognizes a calling far greater than any one organization can fulfill alone. Our role as a mission, therefore, is to steward every tool and resource entrusted to us for the benefit of the body of Christ, both in Canada and around the world.
Our vision echoes the legacy of VOM’s international founders, Rev. Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand. Through Tortured for Christ, they awakened Western Christians to the reality of the persecuted church and called them to a practical, faithful response.2 Rev. Wurmbrand’s first appeal remains a foundational principle of our ministry: believers in free nations must learn from those in chains by living consistent, sacrificial lives of Christian witness.
VOMC’s new Vision Statement contains three enduring Biblical truths for practical engagement:
1. “One church, united in suffering” unifies and defines us.
“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one
member is honoured, all rejoice together.”
~ 1 Corinthians 12:26 ESV
As technology advances, information about the suffering of Christians around the world is more accessible than ever before. Reports of religious liberty violations, such as wrongful imprisonment, displacement and attacks on believers, are widely shared through many reputable sources, leaving Christians in Canada with both greater awareness and greater responsibility.
These accounts are not merely headlines or statistics; they are the real-life stories of our brothers and sisters in Christ. As we respond with prayerful attention, the Holy Spirit cultivates compassion that moves us to bear one another’s burdens with love, courage and trust in God’s redemptive purposes, even when doing so may involve suffering ourselves. In this way, the church is seen as a worldwide community that deeply honours and cares for one another, sharing both the victories and struggles of daily life.
2. “One voice, strengthened in fellowship” equips and matures us.
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him
who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and
held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part
is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
~ Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV
VOMC exists to strengthen fellowship and discipleship among believers in Canada and around the world. Biblically, there is no such thing as a non-persecuted believer. As followers of Christ, we are called to mature in the rich soil of opposition and suffering.
Globally, VOMC equips members of the persecuted church with vital resources, enabling them to remain steadfast in their faith and continue sharing the Gospel despite opposition. In Canada, we encourage believers to grow in Christlikeness by responding to challenges with prayer, humility, courage and love.
As we learn from the example of persecuted Christians and faithfully use our gifts for God’s glory, the body of Christ is strengthened. Through this shared journey, the Lord deepens our unity, love and hope, even in the midst of hardship.
3. “One hope, rooted in Christ” comforts and encourages us.
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our
forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become
a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
~ Hebrews 6:19-20 NIVUK
While Christians may differ on secondary theological matters, we find common ground through our shared Living Hope, Jesus Christ. This hope is anchored in the finished work of the crucified and Risen Lord, who intercedes for His people. Because Christ has conquered sin and death, believers throughout the ages have been sustained by His grace to endure suffering rather than deny Him.
Suffering in union with Jesus is never meaningless. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, believers are comforted, strengthened and drawn into deeper fellowship with Christ and one another. As we face the trials of discipleship, we do so with confidence in His nearness, learning to count it all joy and declaring, even through tears, “It is well with my soul.”
A Vision Anchored in Christ
To conclude, VOMC’s vision points us not towards a gloomy life defined by persecution, but towards the future glory secured for us in Christ. Many believers, myself included, have often viewed persecution through a lens that produces more fear than hope. Yet when Jesus prepared His disciples for the trials they would face, He did not leave them troubled or afraid. Instead, He lifted their eyes beyond suffering and anchored their hearts in the Father’s house, His promised return, and the joy of being with Him forever.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.
In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you
that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
~ John 14:1-3 ESV
The body of Christ must hold fast and joyfully proclaim this Good News: greater things are yet to come. Our faith is not grounded on wishful thinking but rests securely on the unfailing promises of our Lord Jesus. Therefore, we remember persecuted believers, stand with them, and bear witness together – not as people overcome by fear, but as one church united in suffering, strengthened in fellowship, and sustained by the sure hope of Christ’s coming Kingdom.
Floyd A. Brobbel
Chief Executive Officer
Voice of the Martyrs Canada Inc.
Endnotes: 1 Hebrews 13:3 NKJV 2 You can purchase Rev. Wurmbrand’s autobiography, Tortured for Christ, at VOMC’s online store: store.vomcanada.org/purchase/tortured-for-christ.
