Issue #0

The Richard Wurmbrand Story

Plot

"It’s a dangerous time to be a Christian in World War II Romania. The Russian Communists are in power, and like the Nazis before them, they are persecuting Christians. Pastor Richard Wurmbrand’s church continues meeting secretly, as Richard ministers to his congregation and works to spread the Gospel whenever possible.

But the Communist authorities are scheming. They call a public meeting of the church leaders, offering “protection” to those who will voice support for the government. If they can get the leaders to profess allegiance, they know the rest of the people will be much more manageable. One after another Christian leaders take the stage and give speeches to show their support for the Communists — in return they will enjoy relative safety. When Pastor Wurmbrand is called to the podium, he must decide what to do. With his wife’s urging, Richard throws down the gauntlet. He makes a public declaration of his faith and refuses to support the Communists, thereby placing his entire family in danger.

As events unfold, Richard is soon kidnapped by the secret police. Over the next 8 years, they try to break him with every technique in the book, but he will not bend. Not only does Richard hold steadfast to the faith, he serves as a pastor to others in prison. Meanwhile, his family also suffers, but walks on in faith.

After Richard is finally released, he is overjoyed to discover the underground church still gathering for worship and encouraging one another. Richard went on to use his experience to help people around the world understand how Christians and others were being treated behind the iron curtain. His work continues today through the organization he founded, The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM).”

“The Torchlighters is an ongoing series of animated programs with strong values and educational content for youth ages 8-12. Each Torchlighters episode presents the story of a true-life hero from Christian history. Kids will see what God can do through a "Torchlighter" and will be challenged to carry their own torch while learning about the history of our faith."