Largest Persian Speaking Church in Tehran Closed

Largest Persian Speaking Church in Tehran Closed

By Jeremy Reynalds
Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service
TEHRAN, IRAN (ANS) -- The Central Assemblies of God church in Tehran was closed on Thursday due to pressure from Iranian security authorities.

The Central Assemblies of God church in Tehran.

According to a story by Mohabat Iranian Christian News Agency, a well placed source said that a sign is posted on the main entrance of the church saying that the church is temporarily closed. Mohabat News said the source also said that the church staff have not gone to work for two days.
The source also told Mohabat News, "The Islamic regime's intelligence forces have been pressuring the church to close down since six months ago. The authorities also announced two days ago that anyone who tries to enter the church will be arrested."
Mohabat News reported that its source believes the main reason for closure of the church is that the Iranian security authorities wanted to limit the church service to just the Armenian language, and prevent any Farsi services.
In another incident on May 21, security authorities arrested Pastor Robert Asseriyan in the middle of a church service and transferred him to an unknown location.
Asseriyan is one of the leaders of the Assemblies church in Tehran.
Dr. George O. W ood, the General Superintendent of the General Council of the Assemblies of God in the U.S., released a statement after the pastor's arrest.
Mohabat News said he expressed concern over the pressure on Persian-speaking churches in Iran, and appealed that the persecution and pressure exerted by the Iranian authorities on the country's Christians be lifted.
Elsewhere in Wood's statement, Mohabat News reported he said that closure of the Central Assemblies of God church in Tehran is a beginning of the end for all other Farsi speaking churches across Iran.
Mohabat News reported Wood commented, "Such a move would essentially remove all open witness of the gospel of Christ in the country."
Mohabat News said Central's congregation was told to attend this Sunday's service to hear the final decision of the church council regarding the situation. It is unclear at this point whether or not that service will be held.
Mohabat News said for some time the Central Assembly of God and other churches affiliated with it, have been under pressure to cancel their Farsi language services. For their church services to continue, they were told that all services be held in Armenian.
Mohabat News said Iran's Islamic regime has had anti-Christian plans for a long time.
They include pressuring pastors and church leaders to prevent Farsi speakers from entering their churches, arresting members of the congregation and pastors and closing churches.
Mohabat News said house churches have also been raided, and new Christian converts have been arrested and terrorized.
There's a reason for this, Mohabat News said.
The news service commented, "The Iranian regime has done all (this) ... to stop the growth of Christianity in Iran, and put more pressure on Iranian Christians and (new) Christian converts."

Praying with your heart

Praying With Your Heart
Located in northeast Iraq, somewhat removed from the mainstreams of war, the mountains of Kurdistan are used by many as places of refuge. 

Makruhi, a Christian teacher and servant of the Lord, knows the roads through the mountain passes well. But this year an early storm has made the trek more difficult. As her humble vehicle traverses the muddy ruts, she works hard to arrive on time.

High in a mountain village, 30 women are assembled, waiting for Makruhi to arrive. Some are ethnic Kurdish; others refugees, displaced from various cities in Iraq. All have suffered the ravages of war. Some are widowed, having lost not only their husbands, but also the provision they provided. Some have lost children. War is no discerner of persons. All suffer.

Arriving late, Makruhi quickly begins the Bible lesson with prayer. The women join in by repeating a rote prayer. Unaware they can talk to God directly from their hearts, Makruhi realizes what she needs to teach first.

“At home, some women kiss their Bible and put it near their pillow, but they don’t read it” Makruhi says. Demonstrating how to learn God’s Word, Makruhi picks up her Bible, and together they read several verses. Realizing the value of scripture, many women said that they wanted to pass on Bible stories to their children. Makruhi happily adds, “After several lessons some are now bringing their Bible to class.”

As Makruhi prepared to end the session, a woman approached showing her hand; on it was a small ring. “I rescheduled my engagement party so I could be here to learn from you today.” Another stood up saying, “I was going through depression, but I was encouraged to read the Bible. I will go back to my church and teach the children.” One student quietly added, “Please end our time with prayer. We love it when you do that!” Makruhi was delighted to show them how to pray… with their heart!

One With Them
Become One With Them by praying for these beautiful servants of God, in Iraq, to be enriched and enlightened deeply by God’s Word and His Spirit; that they may continue to carry it forth with boldness.

5/1/2013

This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life.
(Psalms 119:50)

 

God Pursues His Children – Part 2

God Pursues His Children – Part 2 Yesterday we heard Tursun’s story. Although he has not yet accepted Jesus, God is not letting go. Today, Jun, an Open Doors contact in China, tells us about former Muslim converts. “There was one lady who could have stayed in the relative safety of a big city, but God called her back to her village. The police immediately went after her. Fortunately, she had not taken Christian materials with her and had cleaned her computer of any ‘suspicious files’. The police told her they would be watching her. Open Doors helped her start a business, giving her a reason to stay in the village and to travel and meet other believers. By engaging in business activities, she was able to operate more freely.” Jun continues, “One Christian woman was held at the police station for an entire night. The atmosphere was initially hostile, but she eventually won the trust of the police officials and ended up giving marriage counsel to them. Another woman I know is afraid to tell anyone about her faith in Jesus, especially her father. He will definitely beat her and she will quite possibly be disowned. Because people gossip; the family cannot take the risk that anyone may learn of an apostate family member.” “Some say that converts should boldly declare their new status in Christ, and face the consequences of persecution, potential bodily harm, even jail,” Jun continues. “Others claim the best approach is to remain quiet, carefully sharing with those who show a hunger for more.” In both approaches the questions remains for converts, “Is persecution the price we need to pay for revival? Will my family ostracize me? Will I spend the next 5 years in a jail? How can I demonstrate Kingdom lifestyle without jeopardizing the other believers I meet with? Am I denying my Lord if I don’t boldly declare Him?” “It doesn’t matter if we are in a village, a city or a prison cell,” Jun adds, “We need to realize who we are in Christ, and be His light wherever we are.” One With Them Be One With Muslim Background Believers today by using your freedom to boldly proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ to those around you, and pray that God would give divine wisdom to our brothers and sisters as they seek to shine the light of Christ in the face of persecution. 4/30/2013

"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd." (John 10:16)

“I Begged Them to Leave My Girls”

“I Begged Them to Leave My Girls”

Deborah’s life will never be the same, following the traumatic events of 2012. Within a few months time, Boko Haram, an Islamic extremist group, killed her husband and son, and kidnapped her two daughters.

The horrific evening began like any other, Deborah’s two young girls raced up the path to greet her as she returned from a long day at work. Inside their home, her husband, Shettima, was preparing a children’s Bible study for the evening prayers at church. Setting down her belongings, she took a bucket to draw water from the village well for the evening meal.

While she was gone, armed young men arrived at the entrance to the compound and waited for her to return. “They followed me inside the compound. I tried to alert my husband, but they overpowered me and forced me to lie on the floor. I heard my husband who was watching through the window praying, ‘Father, today I will come to you, please receive my spirit.’” The attackers fired four shots, killing Shettima.

Deborah, convinced that her last moments on earth had also come, asked the Lord to receive her spirit. As she prayed, her daughters, who had been hiding, came running towards her. Deborah was helpless to stop the men as they grabbed the girls, aged 7 and 9, and dragged them from the compound. “Looking up to the heavens, I cried for help at the top of my voice, but did not get a reply.”

Three months later, the nightmare took another horrific turn as extremists forced their way into Deborah’s home and murdered her son, her last remaining child.

One With Them
It was one year ago, on April 25, when Deborah’s life was turned upside down. Still struggling with the trauma, devastation and grief, she longs to know if her daughters are still alive, and holds onto hope that she will see them again. Be One With Deborah as you pray this prayer:

Father, we know that You are the God of all Comfort. Please wrap Your arms of comfort and peace around our sister, Deborah, especially today as she relives the terror, grief and devastation that began one year ago, today. Bind up her broken heart and bring her the joy of Your presence in the midst of her pain. Nothing else can bring comfort; she needs to experience Your presence today. Please protect and rescue her little girls from the extremists who took them. Nothing is impossible for You, so we ask that the Boko Haram rebels would release them today. Restore this remaining part of Deborah’s family to each other, we pray! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

One With Them CHALLENGE
Please write a message to Deborah today. Assure her that you are praying for her and that she is deeply loved.  

 

4/28/2013

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
(Psalms 147:3)

 

Arabs Find Christ Through Books

Arabs Find Christ Through Books Throughout the Arabian Peninsula, sharing the gospel comes with extreme difficulties. Importing or printing non-Islamic religious literature is almost universally restricted or forbidden. Still, God opens doors. Somehow, Christian books find their way to the Peninsula. A bookseller shares how these books have changed lives: One day, Adeeb, an active member of the mosque, entered the bookshop and discovered books with crosses; “I have been looking for these,” he explained to the bookseller, “tell me about the person this book is about.” After their conversation, Adeeb’s curiosity grew stronger. One night, while playing the radio, he stumbled upon a station that was broadcasting Bible readings. Though he did not fully understand what he heard, he still gave his heart to the Lord. Returning to the bookshop, the bookseller then began to teach Adeeb about Jesus. Adeeb’s brother-in-law began to suspect that he had converted. Adeeb brought him to the bookshop, and asked the bookseller to talk to him. Presenting him a book, the bookseller said, “It’s about Gods love.” The brother-in-law angrily shouted, “It’s a dirty book, why do you give this to me?” The bookseller then carefully began to explain the gospel to him. The message was so beautiful, that the brother-in-law’s heart was changed immediately and he accepted Jesus. Embracing Adeeb he cried, “I didn’t know, I didn’t know,” with tear-filled eyes, he added, “Forgive me, my brother!” Another time, the bookseller remembered a boy who visited the bookshop with his mother. As the boy lingered near the books with crosses, she informed him, “These books have nothing to do with our beliefs!” The young boy seemed oblivious and began to leaf through them. When he asked her to purchase one, she grabbed him and dragged him out of the shop. To the bookseller’s surprise, within minutes he was back; somehow he had broken free. Alone with the bookseller, away from the ears of his mother, he quietly asked to know about Jesus. One With Them Stand One With Christian booksellers in the Arabian Peninsula. Our brother has requested our prayers saying; “We earnestly need you to pray for each and every visitor; that they would have the chance to read the scriptures and know the Lord.” One With Them CHALLENGEConsider becoming a World Bible Sponsor. For just $5.00 a month you can send a Bible to a believer…opening many doors for people to read His Word. 4/25/2012

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

Set Free!

Set Free! Three believers, Peter, Paul and John, were finally reunited in prison after being arrested for their Christian activity. They endured backbreaking work in prison – farming, mining, and working on government building projects – in blistering temperatures, with no shade or rest from the intense sun. “The prisons are very dirty,” reported the men. “There is no washing, no cleaning. And the food is very little—just bread many times, sometimes even no food. This makes many prisoners sick. They did not allow us to see a doctor. Many people died. It is very sad. Also, they beat us very much, for no reason. Some had broken hands, legs, even chest bones and most of the time no doctor to attend to our injuries. Some died from their injuries. We think some also died because they lost hope. Their hearts just gave up! We saw some die like this.” While in prison the three men faced repeated demands to sign an official document recanting their faith. “The police threatened to arrest our family members if we refused to recant and sign the document. But we refused because we do not want to leave Jesus.” Finally, one evening they hatched a daring plan. The men broke out of the line and jumped over the fence surrounding the prison. One said, “The fence was made up of plants with big thorns. We jumped over them and ran. When the prison guards started shooting, we went in different directions. We heard bullets flying over our heads, but none hit us.” The Lord protected each of them that day. Not knowing the fate of one another, their joy overflowed when they were miraculously reunited at a refugee camp in a bordering country. Informed that they could still be arrested and repatriated, they moved on to a safer place through the help of Christian brothers, whom God provided at just the right time. There they are waiting on God to open doors, in order to be resettled in a more secure place. One With Them Even in prison, Peter, Paul and John lived in the freedom of Christ. Join us in standing One With Them, in freedom and in prayer, as they find ways to build new lives in another country. One With Them CHALLENGE Over 125 Christians have been arrested in Eritrea just this year. Click here to receive weekly prayer updates on current news reports.   4/7/2013

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

NOT AGAIN

NOT AGAIN

Pada waktu kamu dicobai Ia akan memberikan jalan keluar, sehingga kamu dapat menanggungnya. (1 Kor 10:13)

Saat itu kami berada di ruang pemeriksaan dokter, ada benjolan di punggung istriku. Pada mulanya kami berpikir itu benjolan biasa saja yang akan segera hilang. Namun setelah beberapa bulan berlalu benjolan itu tidak hilang juga. Hingga akhirnya kami memutuskan untuk memeriksakannya pada seorang dokter. Dokter mendiagnosa bahwa itu bisa saja tumor dan sebaiknya diangkat melalui operasi. Kata pertama yang keluar dalam hatiku adalah,”Not again.” Mengapa hal ini harus aku lalui lagi? Berjuta pertanyaan segera memenuhi benakku seketika itu juga. Keraguan akan kebaikan Tuhan mulai menggerogoti imanku. Sampai di satu titik, dimana aku mengusir keraguan itu, mencoba untuk tenang dan mulai mengingat kebaikan Tuhan atas hidup kami. Bagaimana Tuhan mempertemukan kami. Bagaimana Ia mencukupi semua kebutuhan pernikahan kami sendiri tanpa bantuan orangtua. Ia telah mengaruniakan seorang putra bagi kami. Aku pun bersyukur atas istriku yang selalu mendukungku dalam suka maupun duka. Saat itu aku menyadari betapa banyaknya kebaikan Tuhan atas hidupku. Apapun ujian itu, Tuhan pasti akan memberi jalan keluar bagi kami. Dalam kehidupan kita ada masa dimana kita mengalami dukacita namun ada pula masa dimana kita mengalami sukacita. Pilihan ada di dalam tangan kita untuk hidup mengasihani diri sendiri dan tertekan atau memilih untuk mengingat kebaikan Tuhan atas hidup ini. Ketika kami mulai mengingat kebaikan Tuhan, semangat dan optimisme muncul kembali. Kami tatap masa depan kami dengan iman percaya pada Tuhan Yesus. Pencobaan yang kami alami merupakan suatu batu loncatan untuk kemajuan rohani kami di dalam Dia. Bagaimana kami dapat menyaksikan kebaikanNya bila kami sendiri belum pernah mengalami Kristus dalam hidup ini. Kami percaya Tuhan akan menolong kami melalui badai cobaan ini, sebab Ia adalah Tuhan yang setia dan tidak pernah meninggalkan kita.

Doa: Ajar kami Tuhan untuk percaya bahwa Engkau akan menolong pergumulan kami.

Ayat FT: Matius 11:28-30

SAAT IMAN DIUJI

SAAT IMAN DIUJI

Tetapi seandainya tidak….kami tidak akan memuja dewa tuanku (Daniel 3:18)

Saat saya pulang ke rumah setelah pelayanan di luar kota, papa datang menghampiri dengan wajah sendu. Ia mengajak saya duduk di ruang tamu dan dengan terbata-bata menceritakan bahwa mama didiagnosa menderita kanker payudara stadium akhir. Dokter mengatakan bahwa waktunya sudah tidak lama lagi. Pagi itu rasanya bumi bergoncang. Kami sekeluarga lahir baru dan melayani Tuhan. Mengapa hal ini bisa terjadi? Pertanyaan itu memenuhi benak, saya melangkah memasuki kamar tidur dimana, mama terbaring. Wajahnya tersenyum, ia memeluk, mencium dan menanyakan keberadaan saya. Wajahnya memancarkan semangat dan sukacita. Tidak ada ketakutan di wajahnya meski didiagnosa kanker stadium akhir. Setiap orang yang datang menjenguk, ia sapa dan senyumannya senantiasa menghiasi wajah. Mama selalu menerangkan bahwa baik hidup atau mati, tidak masalah baginya. Sebab hidupnya adalah milik Tuhan Yesus, dan kebahagiaan dapat bersama Kristus dimanapun Ia berada. Saat mengetahui kondisi mama, segera saya berdoa puasa dan beriman bahwa Tuhan akan menyembuhkannya. Sehari kemudian, saat berdoa, saya merasa Tuhan berbicara,” Bila Aku memanggil pulang Mama-mu, apakah kau akan tetap mengasihi dan melayaniKU?” Saya tidak bisa menjawab pertanyaan itu. Tetesan air mata membasahi wajah, berat rasanya bila harus kehilangan mama. Namun bila ini memang sudah waktunya untuk kembali ke pelukan BAPA, saya harus rela.Dua hari kemudian, kami membawa mama ke rumah sakit karena kondisinya kritis. Mama meninggal dalam pelukan saya dengan tenang dan wajah tersenyum. Ia sudah tidak ada namun berada di tempat yang terbaik. Saya tidak tahu apa yang saat ini menjadi masalah anda saat ini. Mungkin anda juga bertanya-tanya mengapa hal ini menimpaku. Segala sesuatu yang terjadi ada tujuannya. Kita mungkin saat ini tidak mengerti, tapi pada saatNya pengertian itu akan datang. Tetaplah teguh dalam Tuhan sebab Dia itu setia dan baik dalam segala keadaan.

Doa: Tuhan tolong kuatkan kami yang tengah dalam goncangan yang hebat. Amien

Ayat Firman Tuhan : Daniel 3:1-30