Shows / Prisoners of Hope
Prisoners of Hope
Welcome to Prisoners of Hope, where we bring you powerful stories, urgent updates, and firsthand testimonies from persecuted Christians. Real faith. Real persecution...And a God who does the impossible every day. These voices from the frontlines of faith will revolutionize how you pray and show you what hope in Jesus really means.
Episodes
Prisoners of HopeA Field Minister's Calling to Protect Syrian Believers
When a believer in Syria is thrown out of their home for following Jesus, where do they go? For a growing number, the answer is a Help The Persecuted safe…
- Prisoners of Hope
Inside a Safe House: What Refuge Actually Looks Like
When a persecuted believer has to run, where do they go? For many, the answer is a Help The Persecuted safe house, one of 23 homes in secure locations across 9…
- Prisoners of Hope
Caught Between Two Armies: On the Ground in Sudan
While the world's attention has turned elsewhere, Sudan has become the fourth most dangerous country on earth to follow Jesus. A civil war now in its fourth…
- Prisoners of Hope
A Genocide Emergency, and the Church That Won't Stop
Sudan is home to the world's largest displaced population, and for Christians there, survival itself is no longer certain. In this episode, Josh sits down with…
- Prisoners of Hope
The Most Dangerous Place on Earth to Follow Jesus
Nigeria has become the deadliest country in the world to be a Christian. Last year, roughly 72% of all Christians killed for their faith globally were killed…
- Prisoners of Hope
Underground and Unbroken: The Iranian Church in a Year of War
Iran hasn't left the headlines in over a year, and the pressure on its church has only intensified. In this episode, Dr. Sasan Tavassoli and Help the…
- Prisoners of Hope
Ministry in Afghanistan Five Years After the Taliban Takeover
Almost five years after the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan remains one of the most dangerous places on Earth to follow Jesus. In this episode, Joshua Youssef…
- Prisoners of Hope
Steadfast In: Morocco
What does it cost to follow Jesus in a country where converts are turned away from churches and worship must be kept to a whisper? Joshua Youssef sits down…
- Prisoners of Hope
Steadfast In: Yemen
Yemen is the only country we serve where it is too dangerous to bring a believer who lives there onto the podcast, even with their voice disguised. This week…
- Prisoners of Hope
Steadfast In: Egypt
Egypt is home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, yet for those who follow Christ out of a Muslim background, that faith can cost them…
- Prisoners of Hope
Steadfast In: Iraq and Syria
What does it cost to follow Jesus in Iraq and Syria? This week, Joshua Youssef sits down with team leads Daniel and Nabeel, who share the testimonies that…
- Prisoners of Hope
Steadfast In: Libya
In Libya, converts face death if discovered. This week, Joshua Youssef sits down with Aseel, one of our Field Ministers in Libya, for a conversation about…
- Prisoners of Hope
Steadfast In: Pakistan
Christians in Pakistan live as a small minority in a country where a single blasphemy accusation can cost them a job, a community, or their lives. This week…
Prisoners of HopeSteadfast In: Lebanon
What does it look like to follow Christ where war has come to your doorstep and the harvest is right in front of you? In this week's episode, Joshua Youssef…
- Prisoners of Hope
Steadfast In: Iran and Türkiye
For Iranian women who follow Jesus, persecution comes from every direction—the state, the family, the community. In this episode of Prisoners of Hope, our CEO…
- Prisoners of Hope
Steadfast In: Uzbekistan and Tajikistan
In this week's episode, our CEO Joshua Youssef talks with our Field Minister Feruza, who serves in Uzbekistan and across Central Asia with her husband Jasur…
- Prisoners of Hope
Steadfast In: Afghanistan
In this podcast episode, our Field Minister Marjan shares how he came to faith, why he turned down an opportunity to flee to the United States, and what it's…
- Prisoners of Hope
Steadfast In: Nigeria
He went to comfort a grieving community and nearly didn't come back. In the second episode of our Steadfast series on the Prisoners of Hope podcast, Dr. Gideon…
- Prisoners of Hope
Steadfast in the Islamic World
He's lost count of how many converts call him "father." In this first episode of our Steadfast series on the Prisoners of Hope podcast, Salam, who serves in a…
- Prisoners of Hope
Voices from Inside Iran
Iranian Christians Fares, Mahdi, Qasem, and Laith share firsthand accounts of the Iranian government's deadly crackdown on protesters, the resilience of the…
- Prisoners of Hope
Emergency: War in Iran
Joshua Youssef, CEO of Help The Persecuted, sits down with Field Ministers from Lebanon, Jordan, and Iran to talk about the unfolding conflict in the Middle…
- Prisoners of Hope
What is Ramadan?
This week, Josh sits down with our Field Minister Salam to understand the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. This time of Islamic prayer and fasting can be…
- Prisoners of Hope
An Update on Iran
In this follow-up episode, we sit down with Dr. Sasan Tavassoli again who describes the developments from the past two weeks. He emphasizes the brutality of…
- Prisoners of Hope
What is Happening In Iran?
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Sasan Tavassoli—a former Shi'ite Muslim from Iran, ordained Presbyterian minister, and co-founder of Pars Theological…
- Prisoners of Hope
On the Ground in Lebanon: A Winter 2026 Update
As Syria's regime change continues to send waves of refugees into Lebanon, Field Ministers Pierre and Laila share stories from the frontlines of…
- Prisoners of Hope
Christmas in the Islamic World
In our final episode of 2025, Joshua Youssef interviews our Field Ministers across the Islamic World to hear how they celebrate Christmas and how our Winter…
- Prisoners of Hope
After Saturday, Sunday: Understanding Islam with Dr. Michael Youssef
In this personal episode of Prisoners of Hope, Joshua Youssef sits down with his father, Dr. Michael Youssef—Egyptian-born theologian, founder of global…
- Prisoners of Hope
In Lebanon with Pat Allerton
The Reverend Pat Allerton joined our team in Lebanon this summer to experience the work of our team firsthand. There, he visited safe houses, preached to…
- Prisoners of Hope
Let the Redeemed Tell Their Story
What does it look like when over 120 Muslim-background believers gather to celebrate Jesus—despite the threat of death? In this episode from the International…
- Prisoners of Hope
The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted
Leading up to the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted on November 2, Help the Persecuted CEO Joshua Youssef explores prayer's transformative power…
- Prisoners of Hope
The Widow's List
When a widow's husband is murdered for his faith, she's left with seven children and a death threat. When explosions strike near Yasmin's home and doctors say…
- Prisoners of Hope
Faith Growing in the Desert: Enduring Faith Conferences in Iraq
A former ISIS child fighter takes his first communion. A man whose father locked him in a burning shop for following Jesus says he "lost everything but gained…
- Prisoners of Hope
From Enemy to Brother: Jewish-Arab Reconciliation Through the Gospel
After losing his best friend to Hamas torture, Aaron Abramson—CEO of Jews for Jesus—found Christ in a Jerusalem church led by a converted Druze pastor…
- Prisoners of Hope
"We're in the Field of God": Prisoners of Hope In Morocco
In this week's Prisoners of Hope episode, Joshua Youssef interviews Bassem, who leads Help The Persecuted's work in Morocco, and two other persecuted…
- Prisoners of Hope
Surviving Christian Persecution in Libya: Field Minister Aseel
In this week’s Prisoners of Hope episode, host Joshua Youssef interviews Field Minister Aseel, who serves on the ground in Libya. She shares while militias…
- Prisoners of Hope
Escape from Iran: When Faith in Christ Means Losing Home
Joshua Youssef travels to a safe house in a closed country to interview Ibrahim, an Iranian believer who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his faith…
- Prisoners of Hope
Syria Update: Field Report from the Frontlines
In this compelling episode of Prisoners of Hope, I delve into the urgent situation in Syria following the recent regime change. Join me as I interview our…
- Prisoners of Hope
"I Said I'm a Christian": Two Iranian Field Ministers Share Their Stories
Joshua Youssef travels to a safe house in a closed country to meet with two of our on-the-ground Field Ministers in Iran, Mahdi and Farrah, who risk their…
- Prisoners of Hope
Women in the Islamic World: Persecution, Faith, and Hope with Leila from Lebanon
Joshua Youssef sits down with Leila from Help The Persecuted's Lebanon office to explore the unique challenges faced by Christian women in the Islamic world…
- Prisoners of Hope
Dignity and Independence for the Christian Convert
Join us on Prisoners of Hope as we explore the profound journey of Christian converts striving for dignity and independence. In this episode, Dignity and…
- Prisoners of Hope
Emergency Update: Damascus Church Bombing
Joshua Youssef and the Help The Persecuted team bring an urgent update on the devastating suicide bombing at a Damascus church that killed 23 Christians and…
- Prisoners of Hope
Emergency Update: Iranian Believers on War, Persecution, & Hope
Joshua Youssef sits down with Field Minister Qasem and fellow Iranian believers Babak and Elly, who offer an inside perspective on today's headlines about Iran…
- Prisoners of Hope
Breaking the Cycle: Economic Hope for Persecuted Converts
When Muslims convert to Christianity in Egypt, they face "civic death" - losing their jobs, families, and entire identity overnight. In this week's episode…
- Prisoners of Hope
Hope For Syrian Refugees: A Safe Haven
In this week's episode, Josh speaks with Aziz and Salma, directors of our Help The Persecuted Haven in Lebanon, about their urgent mission to shelter Syrian…
- Prisoners of Hope
Afghan Christians Facing Deportation: Latest Update
Joshua Youssef and Olivia Davis provide an update on Help The Persecuted's petition to halt deportations of Afghan Christians, which has reached nearly 3,000…
- Prisoners of Hope
"If I stay here…maybe they will kill me." | Yusuf's Story
"If I stay here…maybe they will kill me." These weren't empty words for Yusuf. He had already survived a Taliban attack on his secret Bible school, where…
- Prisoners of Hope
They Love Jesus...That's Their Crime | Shuja's Story
In this episode of Prisoners of Hope, we delve into the harrowing experiences of Afghan Christians facing severe persecution under the Taliban. Join us as we…
- Prisoners of Hope
Nash's Story: Escape from Afghanistan
In this gripping episode of Prisoners of Hope, we delve into Nash's harrowing journey from Afghanistan to the United States. After converting to Christianity…
- Prisoners of Hope
Afghan Christians Need Your Voice
In this episode of Prisoners of Hope, titled "Afghan Christians Need Your Voice," we delve into the urgent plight of Afghan Christians facing deportation from…
- Prisoners of Hope
Easter in the Islamic World
What is it like to celebrate Easter in the Islamic World—where faith in Jesus can be life-threatening? This week in the podcast, Josh Youssef talks about…
- Prisoners of Hope
Walid Refused to Leave Jesus...and Almost Died
A Pakistani Christian named Walid faced the ultimate test of faith when confronted with a horrifying choice at his workplace: convert to Islam or face deadly…
- Prisoners of Hope
Underground Ministry in Iran: Qasem's Story, Part 2
This week, our Prisoners of Hope podcast features part two of our interview with Pastor Qasem, who runs an online digital ministry for Iranian Christians. He…
- Prisoners of Hope
Underground Ministry in Iran: Qasem's Story, Part 1
In this episode of Prisoners of Hope, we invite you to join us for a powerful conversation with Qasem, the Help the Persecuted director in Turkey. Qasem shares…
- Prisoners of Hope
Following Christ in Libya
This week on the podcast, Josh has a conversation with our Field Minister Aseel, who serves the Lord in Libya. She talks about what it's like ministering to…
- Prisoners of Hope
Syria Crisis: Facts from the Ground
In this urgent update, Help The Persecuted CEO Joshua Youssef brings together voices from the heart of Syria's crisis to reveal the true stories of persecuted…
- Prisoners of Hope
A New Reality in Syria for Christians
In this episode of Prisoners of Hope, our CEO Joshua speaks with our Field Minister Daniel, who works in Syria, about the transition from Assad to the new…
- Prisoners of Hope
"Civic Death" and our Enduring Livelihood Ministry
This week on the podcast, the team sits down to talk about our Enduring Livelihood Ministry. Why is it so important? What is “civic death”? How does this…
- Prisoners of Hope
You can shoot me. I will be with Jesus: Timothy's Story
In this episode, Josh talks with Timothy, a persecuted Christian who gave up everything to follow Jesus in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. NOTE: This episode…
- Prisoners of Hope
Miraculous Rescue from the Taliban
In this gripping episode of Prisoners of Hope, titled "Miraculous Rescue from the Taliban," we delve into the incredible story of Andre Mann, a courageous…
- Prisoners of Hope
The Taliban and Persecuted Christians
In this episode, Josh and John discuss the complicated nature of ministering in the shadow of the Taliban, including a current situation where our team is…