Iran 30 Discover, Pray, Transform

Christian couple arrested in Isphahan, Rev Issavi still in prison

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:59:38 +0000

On February 28^th fifteen uniformed police and five others in plain clothes were sent to the home of Christian married couple Hamid Shafiee and Reyhaneh Aghajary. According to the FCNN news agency, when they arrived only Reyhaneh was at home. The officials swarmed in, hand cuffed her, and then searched the house, confiscating books, computers, and personal belongings. When Hamid arrived an hour later, he too was handcuffed. It is alleged that when Reyhaneh resisted being taken away pepper spay was used.

The next day the family of the couple contacted the information centre for the judiciary. They were told the authorities were preparing files for the Revolutionary Court. The place of their imprisonment was not disclosed.

Hamid and Reyhaneh have been Christians for many years and have faithfully lived according to the traditional teaching of the historic church of Jesus Christ, as taught by the apostles, the church fathers, and all mainline denominations, including the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches, and the Protestants. This includes the Christian’s duty to share their faith in Jesus Christ with their neighbours. There is little doubt that this is exactly what these two faithful Christians were doing.

Their arrest in Isphahan follows that of Rev. Issavi, the Presbyterian priest from Kermanshah, when he was visiting an old friend in the city.

Pray for

Hamid and Reyhaneh – peace in prison; immediate release; families;
Revd. Issavi – peace in prison, immediate release, wife and family
The prosecuting officials – to have a conscience sensitive to the Holy Spirit

Newspapers closed, journalists imprisoned: feels like a mop up operation

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:58:44 +0000

Ever since President Khatami eased up media restrictions in 1997, the press has been a flashpoint between Reformers and Conservatives. Back in 1999 when the closure of the paper ‘Salam’ brought thousands of students onto the streets, it was even a battlefield. Ten years later, with eight papers being closed down since the disputed presidential election, and over sixty journalists in jail, more closures feel like a mop up operation. Last week it was the turn of the country’s most prominent Reformist newspaper, Etemaad which had a circulation of 100,000, along with two weekly magazines, Iran Dokht and Sina, the former edited by Hussein Karroubi, the son in law to the reformist presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi. There were no demonstrations. Students stayed in their classes. Similar to what has happened to Christians, some journalists spent a challenging time in prison and were then released on bail after the courts had secured a massive payment. Such intimidation usually encourages them to keep a low profile. This is what happened to five men arrested in the aftermath of the election and released this week. The bail for one of them was $800,000. According to one media watch-dog, only China now locks up more journalists than Iran. Perhaps Tehran is now looking to Beijing as a model to follow. For lovers of freedom of expression and religion this does not auger well. But Christians should also remember where the largest church on the planet is: China.

Pray for

All journalists suffering unfairly, to have an experience of God
Consciences of officials to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit
Christians to keep on sharing, whatever the external situation, remembering the Gospel is the ‘power of God’.

Tourists, let’s give them something

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:57:50 +0000

Keen evangelists know a bus/rail station or airport is a good place to work, for this is where people arrive from ‘closed’ countries and can be given a New Testament and some Christian literature. Though Iranians face fairly severe visa requirements, they still travel – a lot. Thirty nine international airlines operate out of Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport to Europe, South America, and Asia. Some of the countries Iranians are flying to, like the Gulf States or China, are as closed as Iran. But others, like India or Holland, are completely open. There is nothing to stop churches meeting Iranians off a flight with a welcome to their country, and the present of a New Testament in Persian. Some Iranians travel by bus to neighbouring countries – Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan. These countries need more sensitivity, but wise Christians can still be creative when those weary travellers get off their dusty bus.

Pray for

Churches near airports to be active in evangelizing Iranian visitors
Wisdom for Christians who can meet bus passengers
Supply of New Testaments

Inflation and petrol sanctions, time to talk prices again

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:57:11 +0000

This week parliament passed the President’s budget which included cutting the state’s generous subsidies for food and energy, subsidies that have long kept the price of a litre of petrol at ten cents for limited amounts. This budget is trying to balance the books, but commentators are saying it could send Iran’s inflation rate up to 30%. This will hurt all wage earners, especially those who work for the massive state sector, because their salaries cannot keep up with inflation. Add to this the shortage of gasoline due to the Iran’s lack of refineries and the US’s keenness to put sanctions on imported petrol, and there could be very steep rises at the pumps. During the 1980’s when Iran experienced galloping inflation everyone talked prices, especially food. It looks as if it will be time to talk prices again, as expensive petrol impacts the whole retail trade. .Christians too will be hit by this inflation and will need to be ready to sacrifice more to get around.

Pray for

Wisdom for officials responsible for Iran’s finances
Safety nets for the vulnerable
Christians to look to God to supply their needs, whatever the price of petrol.

Dark magic, so more exorcists please

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:46:15 +0000

Ouija boards, calling on the spirits, putting curses on necklaces, fortune telling – there is plenty of ‘jadugari’ (dark magic) going on in Iran among ordinary people. And as is true the world over there’s a heavy price to pay for dancing with the demons. Recently Elam’s ‘Healing For The Broken Hearted’ testimony based TV programme featured a lady whose talking with evil spirits led her to be possessed. Her resident demon refused to let her have any friendly relationships with anyone else – especially her husband. Life was miserable. This family was contacted by Christians and on coming to church they made a commitment. The wise pastor realised the lady needed deliverance and sent her away to experienced exorcists who prayed and fasted. She was wonderfully freed. After this programme was broadcast the telephone counsellor received many calls and emails from others afflicted by evil spirits. In one instance a team were able to visit, and pray for the victim – and again, in the all powerful name of Jesus Christ, demonic chains were cut.

Pray for

More exorcists to be raised up
Those oppressed to find Christians who can help
More TV programmes that deal with people’s pain

Cancer rate due to triple: Christians need to talk eternal life

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:44:50 +0000

According to the Health Minister, Marziyeh Vahid-Dastjerdi, the number of people being diagnosed with cancer is set to triple over the next ten years. She mainly puts the expected increase down to people’s diet and lack of physical exercise. Given the impressive expansion of the nation’s health care in recent years cancer patients can expect reasonable treatment. There is a network of clinics across the country, and some Iranians are at the forefront of international research.

There are many testimonies in Iran where the family of the ill call on Christians to come and pray. So when cancer strikes a family, Christians need wisdom. As death looms on the horizon, people need to hear about eternal life in Jesus Christ. Certainly there should be prayer for healing, but Christians should also make sure that the patients are ready for eternity.

Pray for

All health professionals dealing with cancer
Christians to know when to pray for healing
Christians to learn how to prepare people for death

Arrest of grey haired Rev Issavi – intimidation, or paranoia?

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:43:43 +0000

According to the FCNN website security agents arrested Rev Wilson Issavi while he was visiting old friends in a suburb of Isfahan on February 2^nd. Neither friends nor family know his present whereabouts. Rev. Issavi is the long term serving pastor of the Assyrian Evangelical Church (a member of the Presbyterian denomination) in Kermanshahr, a city in the mid west of the country. He is responsible for an ageing church building in need of repair. Since the first election of President Ahmadinejad there has been a policy of intimidation towards Protestant Christians, whereby activists are arrested, and usually released, as a warning. It might be that Rev Issavi’s arrest is the latest in this pattern. However given that Rev. Issavi is an Assyrian Christian from an ancient community (i.e. not an apostate) and has served his church with impeccable respect for all the laws of the Islamic Republic there is another possibility. Perhaps paranoia has crept into the minds of some security officials, for the idea that this grey haired, unassuming pastor is a threat to Iran’s international security verges on the absurd. Whether intimidation or absurd paranoia, the harsh reality is that this faithful priest is now locked up in Iran’s opaque prison system and deserves both passionate intercession and courageous representation from the international church for his freedom –and all others whose religious liberty is threatened.

Pray for

Immediate release of Rev. Issavi
Comfort for his friends and family
Christian politicians to raise issue of religious freedom with Iran

The importance of being, the Persian Gulf

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:42:52 +0000

The name of that stretch of shallow water separating the south of Iran from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states has always been the Persian Gulf. This is not surprising since Iran has usually been the dominant regional power and indeed Bahrain and those Gulf states used to be a part of the Persian Empire. However in modern times some have started to use another name, anathema to all Iranians and friends of Iran – the Arabian Gulf. The dispute has rumbled on, but now Tehran has decided enough is enough and has announced draconian measures to protect the correct title: any airline using the unrepeatable name will not be allowed to use Iranian airspace. Whether this will work out in practice is another matter, but a point has been rather forcefully made.

This raising of the stakes shows how the present government are determined to show they can be trusted to protect nationalistic sentiment. All Iranian Christians believe the name must be Persian Gulf and so this form of nationalism presents them with no dilemma. It is when you have to prove you are a patriot by subscribing to a particular religion the real problems begin.

Pray for

Politicians to handle nationalistic sentiment with integrity
Good relations between Iran and her Arab neighbours
Christians to be respected as faithful citizens

That nuclear question, goes down well at home.

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:34:38 +0000

At home most Iranians support the nuclear programme and their right to defend themselves. This explains why President Ahmadinejad proudly announced during the 31^st anniversary celebrations that Iran can now enrich uranium to 20%, and is going to mass produce ‘drone’ planes. This went down well among the thousands of supporters who massed in Tehran’s Azadi Square for the celebrations, many of them bussed in for free. So intense was the security that the President’s opponents had little chance to make their mark on the day. And even if they had been given a platform, they would never have denounced the government’s nuclear achievements – that would be far too unpatriotic. Abroad of course these announcements have caused a new round of condemnation and threats of sanctions from everyone – apart from China and Saudi Arabia. China wants more diplomacy; Saudi Arabia ominously talks of more immediate action. Sanctions or worse would only strengthen Tehran’s narrative of a secular world out to belittle a great Islamic nation; it is very unlikely they would stop the uranium enrichment programme. However they would notch up the divide even more between Iran and the West, which would spell danger of anyone suspected of not being totally loyal to the country. That could include Christians, who belong to the Iranian and the worldwide church. There is much to pray for.

Pray for

Iran’s leaders responsible for the defence of their country
Wisdom for all diplomats engaged in discussing the nuclear issue
Protection for believers who want to be loyal Iranians and loyal Christians

Walkabout, pioneering for new churches

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:33:44 +0000

Even as the intimidation of the house churches continue, so does growth. It is the fruit of prayer. Before planting a new fellowship, believers will often travel quite long distances, just to ‘prayer walk’ a city. They seek for supernatural guidance to be led to the right people. It is true that some new churches have come into being through the impact of satellite TV reaching villages and small towns who have not heard the Gospel in the last thirty years; but some too are reached by this ‘prayer walking’ which then results in a small group coming into being and this grows into a church. Both men and women are engaged in this. And it is hard work. There is the long bus journey, then the walking round the town praying in the heat of the day, and back to the bus and the journey home. In the world’s eyes a complete waste of time: in God’s eyes a beautiful sacrifice which He honours.

Pray for

Supernatural wisdom for prayer walkers
Provision and energy as they travel and intercede
The fruits of their prayers to be well cared for