In many places around the world, the most dangerous item to have is the Bible.
Owning, printing, importing or distributing the Word of God in hostile or restricted nations can result in being arrested or even killed. Governments and/or terrorist groups opposed to the Gospel impose harsh penalties and deadly punishment in attempts to stop evangelism and Bible distribution.
The Voice of the Martyrs recently compiled this short list to bring awareness to the challenges and great need for Bible distribution in the most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ.
The North Korean government is built on the cult of personality around the Kim family dynasty to the point that kindergarteners are taught to say, “Thank you, Father Kim Il Sung, for our food” before meals. This oppressive government goes to astonishing lengths to restrict access to outside information–especially the truth of God’s Word. The Bible is not only seen as the guide book for a “western” religion, but as treason and a direct threat to the regime.
Since the Taliban re-took control of Afghanistan, Bibles are even more dangerous to own for believers. Younger fighters in this “Taliban 2.0” are more tech savvy, and have demanded to search the phones of suspected Christians to see if they have a Bible app on their phone or a record of web traffic to Christian sites.
The jihadist members of Al Shabaab have systematically hunted for suspected Christians in Somalia. Visibly carrying a Bible would mean almost certain death in Somalia.
The Islamic government of Iran greatly restricts the freedom of its citizens, including stern laws against printing or importing Bibles in Farsi, the national language. Any Bibles must be printed in secret or smuggled in from outside of the country.
No Bibles are printed inside the country and importing Bibles is restricted. Bibles must be hand carried into the country, and those doing so know they risk prison or death if their secret deliveries are discovered.
For more than 50 years, The Voice of the Martyrs has been smuggling Bibles into countries that restrict access to God’s Word. VOM’s founders, Pastor Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, smuggled Bibles into communist controlled areas of eastern Europe, and trained members of their church’s youth group to do so as well.
The Voice of the Martyrs continues to distribute more than a million Bibles every year in restricted nations and hostile areas, serving believers in these nations willing to take any risk to have and share God’s Word. This list is merely five of more than 70 places where Bible ownership is restricted.
“Believers in restricted and hostile nations know that it is dangerous to have Bibles and to share them with others,” said VOM’s Todd Nettleton. “But their desire to have, study and share the Word of God is greater than their desire for safety or comfort. Christians in these difficult and dangerous places creatively share God’s Word despite the constant risk of arrest, imprisonment or even death. We can be inspired by their boldness and bravery in the face of persecution.”
“From the very first days of ministry, VOM has been committed to getting Bibles to persecuted Christians hungry for the hope and truth of God’s Word,” said Nettleton. “This month the ministry has extended a challenge of funding 300,000 copies of the Bible which they will smuggle into Iran.”
Learn more about VOM’s Iran Bible smuggling efforts at vom.org/BiblesforIran.