The Voice of the Martyrs was founded in the United States in 1967 by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, who was imprisoned and tortured by Communist authorities in his native Romania for 14 years.
While in prison, Pastor Wurmbrand envisioned a ministry that would focus on the plight of the persecuted Church, raise a voice on its behalf and provide encouragement and assistance to suffering believers.
His 1967 book, Tortured for Christ, provided a firsthand account of the brutality he and other Christians suffered at the hands of Communist oppressors, and it opened the eyes and hearts of Christians in the West who had never before heard of the atrocities happening to believers living in Communist nations.
Find out what VOM has been doing since its inception by expanding and collapsing the boxes below.
VOMC Through the Decades
1909
Richard Wurmbrand is born March 24, in Bucharest, Romania, the youngest of four boys in a Jewish family.
1937 and following
In a village in Romania, a godly carpenter named Christian Wölfkes prays for years to win a Jew for Christ. A young Jewish man and his wife arrive in his village. In 1938, the carpenter leads the Jewish strangers, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, to Jesus Christ. Soon after Sabina's conversion, she began leading others to Christ. These new believers also shared the Gospel and a church was born.
1941
Romania supports Germany in the war against the USSR and is host to German forces. Richard Wurmbrand, now a pastor, engages in evangelistic activities with the occupying soldiers. During the Nazi terror, Richard and Sabina are repeatedly beaten and arrested. Sabina's family perishes in the mass extermination of Jews in concentration camps.
1944
Communists seize power in Romania and Russian troops pour into the country. Pastor Wurmbrand ministers to his oppressed fellow countrymen and to the Russian soldiers, printing one million Russian Gospels of John.
1945
Richard and Sabina attend the "Congress of Cults." As many religious leaders come forward to swear loyalty to the new Communist regime, Sabina tells her husband to "wipe the shame from the face of Jesus." Richard, knowing the cost, steps forward and tells 4,000 delegates that their duty as Christians is to glorify God and Christ alone.
1948
On Sunday morning, February 29, Pastor Wurmbrand leaves for church. Secret police kidnap Richard and place him in a solitary cell, designating him "Prisoner Number One."
1950
The Communists arrest Sabina and assign her to forced labor on the Danube Canal. The Wurmbrands' 8-year-old son, Mihai, is left alone. Sabina is released in 1953 and continues to work with the underground Church. She is told her husband died in prison.
1956
Richard is released after serving eight-and-a-half years in prison. He endured horrific tortures and was warned never to preach again, but he resumes the ministry.
1959
Richard is turned in to the authorities by one of his own associates in the underground Church. He is arrested again and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
1960-63
Communism tightly grasps the East. Communist officials have little tolerance for those like Pastor Wurmbrand who refuse to deny Christ and worship the government. Many are imprisoned and tortured for years.
1964
Pastor Wurmbrand is released from prison and resumes his work. Two Westerners cautiously make their way to the attic home of the Wurmbrands to see if the stories of Christians being imprisoned under communism are true. This is the first contact the Wurmbrands have with outside missionaries since their arrests.
1965
Norwegian officials ransom the Wurmbrand family out of Romania for $10,000 USD. Though Romanian officials warn Pastor Wurmbrand never to speak of his prison experiences, he and Sabina embark on an international speaking tour.
1966
In May, Pastor Wurmbrand testifies in Washington, D.C., before the Senate's Internal Security Subcommittee. His story spreads rapidly across the U.S. and the world.
1967
Pastor Wurmbrand begins Jesus to the Communist World Inc. (JTTCW), later named The Voice of the Martyrs, in the United States and publishes his book Tortured for Christ. After reading the book, many Christians leave secular careers to serve the persecuted Church. Offices open around the world. A Dutch copy of Tortured for Christ reaches Klaas and Nellie Brobbel in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.
1969-70
Nellie hears Pastor Wurmbrand speak in Hamilton, Ontario. She begins raising awareness of the persecuted Church by organizing rummage sales, mailing proceeds to the Wurmbrands’ office in California. She arranges a speaking engagement for Pastor Wurmbrand in London, Ontario. Nellie applies for the position of secretary in Canada.
1971-74
On May 6, 1971, the Canadian mission of JTTCW officially becomes a non-profit organization. Working out of a storefront, Nellie and the family babysitter process donations and receipts, while maintaining a mailing list and correspondence. The Voice of the Martyrs newsletters are mailed to Canadian subscribers. Klaas becomes the mission’s full-time director.
Late 1970s
JTTCW missions worldwide smuggle Bibles and literature into countries and establish secret printing presses in at least six nations, as well as gospel broadcasts into several closed countries. Workers reach out to families of martyrs. The Wurmbrand missions adopt five main purposes, variations of which are still in place today.
Early 1980s
The Canadian mission moves to a new location in Mississauga, Ontario. The fellowship of Wurmbrand missions worldwide officially becomes the International Christian Association (ICA) and continues collaborating on projects.
Mid to late 1980s
The Canadian mission finances literature translation for pastors and their churches throughout Latin America, and provides resources for the daily needs of persecuted believers. Civil unrest leads to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The Ceausescu’s oppressive regime in Romania ends, bringing peace. The ministry now freely transports aid and Christian material to Romania without threat of imprisonment. Bibles, Christian literature and newsletters reach millions and appear in at least 20 languages.
1991
The Soviet Union dissolves. JTTCW increases aid to Eastern European countries. The mission shifts its emphasis to other areas, such as Laos, areas in the Middle East, Cuba, Tibet and Vietnam. Resources flow into Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea. JTTCW is renamed The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM).
1992-93
Tens of thousands of printed materials enter restricted nations. Used Bibles and books are sent to northern Nigeria, where radical Muslims destroy hundreds of churches. Eighty thousand balloons filled with Scriptures are floated across the North Korean border. Bible distribution into China increases as officials crack down on unregistered house churches. Families victimized by a guerrilla movement in Peru also receive assistance.
1994-98
For the first time, some tribal villagers in Vietnam receive Bibles in their own language, and VOM workers broadcast gospel programs into the Middle East. The Mission Sudan project provides Bibles and daily necessities for displaced Sudanese Christians. The mission’s weekly email service, The Persecution and Prayer Alert, begins and www.vomcanada.com launches.
2000
Work expands into Egypt and Colombia, and pastoral training courses are held in Colombia and Sudan. VOM helps widows, orphans and remote-area pastors in Nigeria, while work continues in Pakistan, North Korea, China, Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea. Sabina Wurmbrand passes away on August 11.
2001
The mission sends a short-term work team to Romania and launches a microloan program in Ethiopia for young people who were driven from their homes and into poverty because of their faith in Christ. The Canadian mission moves to its current location in Mississauga. Pastor Richard Wurmbrand passes away on February 17.
2003-04
Weekly radio programs directed to northern Africa, Saudi Arabia and Eritrea launch. VOM continues to help Christians who suffered for their faith in former Communist nations. Former CEO Rev. Glenn Penner writes In the Shadow of the Cross, a theological study of persecution in the Bible that is translated into 13 languages. Persecution.tv, VOM's multimedia website, launches.
2007
Rev. Glenn Penner is named CEO. A Volunteer Ministries program begins.
After an ongoing battle with cancer, Glenn steps aside as CEO. Corey Odden becomes the CEO on January 4, 2010. Glenn passes away on January 26, 2010.
On November 19, 2012, Doug McKenzie becomes the CEO. He became CEO Emeritus on July 1, 2019 and Floyd Brobbel stepped into the role of CEO. Doug fully retires on June 30, 2021.
The "Tortured for Christ" feature film produced by VOM USA is presented to Canadian audiences.
In 2021, VOM Canada founders and ministry team praise God for 50 years of ministry to persecuted believers in more than 65 nations globally, remaining committed to the call until the Lord's imminent return.
Sixteen VOM offices are serving the persecuted Church worldwide. VOM continues in Pastor Wurmbrand’s vision of serving persecuted Christians worldwide.
About Our Founders
Christian Wölfkes prayed for years to win a Jew for Christ. One day in 1937, a young Jewish man and his wife arrived in his village in Romania. Wölfkes shared Jesus with Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, leading them to Christ. Their conversion to Christianity came at a time of increasing unrest in the world, and soon they faced the choice of standing firm for Christ or compromising on their beliefs.
In 1945, approximately 4,000 religious leaders in Romania gathered to swear loyalty to the new Communist regime. Richard, urged on by Sabina, stepped forward and boldly stated that the duty of a Christian is to glorify God alone. Three years later, he paid the price for this decision when he was arrested by secret police and placed in a solitary cell. Sabina was arrested two years later, leaving their eight-year-old son, Mihai, alone.
In total, Richard spent 14 years in prison. While imprisoned, he envisioned a ministry that would focus on the plight of the persecuted Church, raise a voice on its behalf and provide encouragement and assistance to those suffering for their faith. In the mid-1960s, his dream became reality when The Voice of the Martyrs was founded in the United States.
While Sabina and Richard passed on to glory in 2000 and 2001, respectively, their faithful example of dedicated service to Christ—regardless of the cost—inspired thousands worldwide. Today, the Wurmbrands’ legacy lives on as VOM offices around the world continue their work in remembering and serving the persecuted Church.
When Nellie Brobbel, a young mother of three, read VOM founder Richard Wurmbrand’s book Tortured for Christ, she was deeply moved by his accounts of steadfast faith amid suffering. Two years later, in 1969, she attended a rally for the persecuted Church where Richard spoke.
There, Richard noted how wonderful it would be if someone in Canada began working with the mission. Nellie wholeheartedly agreed—surely there was someone in attendance who could take on this important work. Then she immediately heard God’s voice: “Why not you?”
Nellie faithfully answered the Lord’s prompting. She started small—organizing rummage sales and speaking events for Richard—and before long her efforts proved fruitful. A VOM office in Canada officially opened in May 1971.
During the mission’s early years, Nellie’s husband, Klaas, looked after the mission’s bookkeeping alongside his regular job. Recognizing the need for a full-time director, he advised the board to seek a suitable person. The board, hoping Klaas would assume the role, urged him to pray and seek guidance from God.
Klaas received his answer at a New Year’s Eve service. While the pastor preached on the feeding of the 5,000, Klaas realized that Jesus was asking only for his one small talent. It was Christ alone who would multiply his efforts. The very next day, Klaas accepted the position as director of VOM Canada and served in this role until 2007.
The Lord has indeed been faithful in multiplying the efforts of VOM Canada’s early years. Klaas and Nellie's faithfulness has established a legacy of serving the persecuted Church and thousands more across Canada have joined them in remembering those in bonds, as bound with them (Hebrews 13:3).
