The Overcomers: Iran

Behnam Irani, an imprisoned 41-year-old pastor from Iran, is unwell with an intestinal disorder and a serious foot injury. There are more than four years left in his sentence. For the details, watch this short video clip.


Consider sharing this video clip with your church or with friends and family, urging them to remember Behnam in prayer. You can watch other videos like this one at www.persecution.tv.

27 believers remain detained in Iran

Believers study God’s Word in apartments.

There are calls for both praise and petition in Iran as some formerly imprisoned believers have been released while others remain jailed for their faith, reports Middle East Concern.

Davoud Alijani was arrested in Ahvaz last December and was released on March 8. Sharifeh Dookh, Masoud Golrooyan and Nima Shokouhi arrested in Shiraz last February were released after 36 days in custody. And Giti Hakimpour, a 78-year old detained for three days in February, received all the property back that was confiscated when she was arrested including her passport, pension book, computer, mobile phone and Bibles and other religious materials.

However, at least 27 believers remain detained across Iran because of their Christian faith. Following a series of raids in February and early March, five believers remain detained in Shiraz, three in Kermanshah and at least seven in Isfahan. Among those detained for more than one year are Youcef Nadarkhani, Noorallah Qabitizade and Farshid Fathi.

Several believers who have been released on bail await court hearings. Alireza Akhavan, a Christian who was released on bail in 2010 but was convicted in November 2011 of "actions against national security," was re-arrested on March 14 while attempting to flee from Iran.

Please pray for believers in Iran!

• Please pray that each of those detained or facing court hearings will know the presence and peace of Jesus. 
• Please pray that believers across Iran will know the Lord's wisdom and protection while meeting together, and so will be enabled to live without fear.

To learn more about Iran's persecuted Church, go to the Iran Country Report. You can encourage imprisoned believers in Iran by writing them letters of encouragement. Compile a letter online at www.PrisonerAlert.com or download our letter writing guide.

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani turns 35 in prison

Please keep Pastor Youcef in your prayers.

Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian pastor imprisoned for his faith in Jesus Christ, turned 35 yesterday, April 11, reports Present Truth Ministries.

Youcef was arrested in October 2009 after he protested a government policy that required children, including his eight- and nine-year-old sons, to study the Qur’an in school. Youcef told school officials that the Iranian constitution allows for freedom of religious practice.

As a result of his protest, secret police called him before a political tribunal and arrested him for protesting. The charges were later amended to apostasy and evangelism of Muslims. Youcef was tried on September 21–22, 2010 by the 1st Court of the Revolutionary Tribunal and sentenced to death on November 13 for apostasy.

The pastor is imprisoned in Lakan prison, where authorities have used various methods, including medication, to convert him back to Islam.

An Iranian envoy has since denied an execution order was issued for Pastor Youcef, but revealed a list of charges that allegedly make him guilty of "offending Islam."

The envoy said Youcef was inviting juveniles into his home, without their parent's permission, to preach Christianity. He also claimed Youcef converted his basement into a church without the government's permission. He also said that in preaching Christianity, Youcef was offending Islam, a serious charge that shows the true reason why his case is so concerning to the government.

Please remember Pastor Youcef by praying for him and writing him an encouraging letter.

Please pray that:

• God will provide for Pastor Youcef’s every physical, spiritual, and emotional need while in prison.
• God will enfold Youcef’s family with His love and care.
• God will work in the hearts and lives of Iranian authorities involved in Youcef’s case.
• Youcef will be released, in God’s good timing.

Please send your letters to:
          Youcef Nadarkhani
          Lakan Prison
          Rasht
          ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

Please note: When writing a letter, never mention the name of the source of your information or the name of any organization such as Voice of the Martyrs. Also, please do not state anything negative about their government. For more information on letter writing, click here. To create a letter using phrases in Youcef’s own language, please visit www.PrisonerAlert.com.

Imprisoned Iranian pastor suffering ill health

Pray for Pastor Behnam’s healing!

Behnam Irani, an imprisoned 41-year-old pastor from Iran, is unwell with an intestinal disorder and a serious foot injury, reports our sister mission in the United States. There are more than four years left in his sentence.

The husband and father of two was convicted of crimes against national security in January 2011 and was sentenced to one year in prison. After voluntarily surrendering to authorities last spring, he learned that he would be forced to serve five years in connection with a previous conviction.

Behnam's family is very concerned over reports of his ill health as his brother died from intestinal cancer.

For the first few months of his sentence, Behnam was held in solitary confinement in a very small cell, and although he was moved to another cell with other prisoners, the room was so cramped that prisoners were not even able to lie down and had to sit all day and night in the stifling cell.

The pastor is now in a normal cell, but authorities have asked for him to be beaten regularly. His hair has turned white, and there are fears he could lose the use of his foot due to a severe foot injury.

Please remember Behnam Irani!

Pray:

• Please pray that the Divine Healer will restore Behnam to full health. 
• Please pray that he will have the opportunity to share the lifesaving gospel message with his fellow prisoners. 
• Pray that his family will be given peace and strength during his incarceration.

Write:
Let Behnam know that you are praying for him and his family. To compose a letter in his own language, visit PrisonerAlert.com. For our complete letter writing guide and prisoners’ list, click here.

Please note: When writing a letter, never mention the name of the source of your information or the name of any organization such as Voice of the Martyrs or Prisoner Alert. It is not dangerous for a prisoner to receive letters from individuals, but if an organization is mentioned they may be accused of links with “foreign organizations” and receive harsher sentences. Also, please do not state anything negative about their government.

Send your letters to:

Behnam Irani
Ghezel Hesar Prison
Karaj, Albourz State
IRAN

Join us in Calgary this April!

Please join us this spring for our annual prayer conference and for the launch of Thirteen Three, our new youth and young adult ministry!

Scheduled speakers at both conferences include Gilbert and Joseph Hovsepian, Iranian brothers whose father, Haik, was martyred in 1994. A husband and wife originally from Iran (names withheld for security reasons) are also planning to share about the sufferings they have faced and how the Lord has been faithful in all things.

The prayer conference will provide the opportunity to hear updates about how VOM is serving our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world and how you can join us in remembering those in bonds. There will also be the opportunity to enjoy Iranian style worship and watch a new music video from Hovsepian Ministries.

If you bring a friend to the Saturday conference, both you and your friend will receive a free copy of Iran: Desperate for God. 

Event details are as follows:

Thirteen Three Launch
Friday, April 13, 2012
7:15 - 10 p.m.

Standing in the Fire Prayer Conference
Saturday, April 14, 2012
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Please note: Lunch will be available for $10.00, with proceeds supporting VOM projects in Iran. Should you have any dietary restrictions, please bring your own lunch.

Centre Street Church, West Campus
4120 Centre Street N
Calgary, AB  T2E 2Y7

The conferences are free and open to all. Kindly RSVP with your name, the number attending, and the conference you will be attending by calling 1-888-298-6423 or emailing rsvp@vomcanada.org.

We hope to see you there!

In mailboxes this week!

Look for the April issue of The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter in your mailbox this week!

• “Persecution: What would you do?” Many have wondered, If persecution came to Canada, what would I do? Ultimately, we wonder, Would my faith be strong enough to endure it? This article looks at recent situations Christians faced in Indonesia, Algeria and Vietnam, as well as one that happened almost 20 years ago in Iran. Each testimony reflects a question, asking what we would do if faced with persecution. Some of their responses may surprise you.
• From the CEO: On occasion, VOM receives letters and phone calls criticizing the “ugly” nature of the photos we print in our monthly newsletter. Such photos make us uncomfortable when confronted with the ugly truth of Christian persecution. But CEO Corey Odden shares how in reality, such photos teach us beautiful, eternal truths. 

• Christian Martyrs: The year was A.D. 304, and it was a dangerous time for Christians in the Roman Empire. Read how six of the eight men made a strong statement to show their readiness to die for Christ. 

• Iran Special Report: Reports of Christians being arrested in Iran have been numerous since the first of the year. This article will update you on the current situation and how VOM is getting the gospel and encouragement into the hostile nation of Iran.

• William Booth DVD: When William Booth and his followers set out to preach Christ in London’s East End, they meet a band of thugs armed with clubs and rocks who are determined to keep them out. But William and his “Salvation Army” are not dissuaded. Inspire your children to boldly evangelize with this new edition to the Torchlighters DVD series.

The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter is the flagship publication of The Voice of the Martyrs in Canada. Published monthly, it is available free of charge to anyone in Canada who requests it.

You can subscribe online here.

Elderly Christian woman arrested in Iran

Giti was arrested and held for three days without reason.
Photo: Mohabat News

A 78-year-old member of the Church of Saint Luke in Esfahan, Iran, was recently arrested by police and held for three days, reports the Farsi Christian News Network.

Giti Hakimpour was seized from her home in the early hours of February 22. After persistent inquiries and repeated visits by church leaders, Giti was eventually allowed home on February 25.

No reason has yet been given for her arrest, nor is it at all clear what, if any, charges are to be brought against her. Since she was born in a Christian family, the possibility of an apostasy charge seems to be remote. It now appears that established and traditional churches across the city, not just house churches, have become targets of the authorities.

The tightening of Iran's oppressive grip against the Christian community in Esfahan has reached new levels since the official media reported the discovery of a truckload of Bibles on its way to the city.

Please pray!

• Pray that no charges will be brought against Giti. 
• Ask the Lord to help her to overcome this ordeal. 
• Pray that God will continue to work in Iran by growing His kingdom and preparing the hearts and minds of believers to stand firm at all times. 
• Pray that the Lord will provide Bibles for those seeking to read His Word in Iran.

To learn more about the trials Christians face in Iran, go to the Iran Country Report.

Iranian court bars Christian convert from university for one year

Women pictured inside the Evin Prison
Photo: Mohabat NEWS

A Christian convert was recently sentenced to one year of deprivation of education by a court in Tehran, Iran, reports Mohabat News.

Fatemeh Nouri, an art student in one of the universities in Tehran, was arrested in September 2011 at her home and was then transferred to Evin prison. Fatemeh was convicted of attending a house church, insulting sacred figures, and activities against national security.

She was released on November 30, 2011, after spending almost three months in prison. However, she is not allowed to receive an education for the duration of her one-year deprivation sentence.

The Iranian constitution allows religious freedom for followers of non-Islamic faiths. The sentencing violates the country's own laws, as well as the universal declaration of human rights, which considers education a right for all regardless of race, colour, belief, religion and gender.

While the Islamic Republic has in the past made Christian students attend Islamic courses in an effort to convert them, it now seems that the deprivation of education or expulsion from universities may be the new method for opposing the spread of Christianity.

You can help by praying!

• Please pray that this sentence will be recognized as unlawful and will be overturned. 
• Pray that Fatemeh will not become discouraged, but that she will find new strength in Christ. 
• Please pray for Fatemeh's future as well as for the futures of all young Iranian Christians seeking to further their education and bring glory to God with their gifts.

To learn more about persecution in Iran, go to the Iran Country Report.

Execution orders may have been issued for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani
Photo: Present Truth Ministries

According to contacts in Iran, the execution orders for Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani may have been issued, reports the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

Pastor Youcef’s situation – an innocent man convicted and sentenced to death for becoming a Christian – has not been this dire since ACLJ first reported his story last year.

It is unclear whether Pastor Youcef would have a right of appeal from the execution order. We know that the head of Iran’s Judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, must approve publicly held executions, but only a small percentage of executions are held public — most executions in Iran are conducted in secret.

There has also been a disturbing increase in the number of executions conducted by the Iranian regime in the last month.

Iran is actively violating its human rights obligations by sentencing and detaining Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. ACLJ is calling on the Iranian government to release Pastor Youcef immediately.

Please pray, share Youcef’s story with others, and raise a voice on his behalf.

• Contact Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird. Send him an email today at john.baird@parl.gc.ca. You can also mail him postage-free at:

           The Honourable John Baird
           House of Commons
           Ottawa, ON
           K1A 0A6

• Be sure to copy your local MP on the letter to Mr. Baird. You can locate your MP’s contact information here.

• Contact the Iranian embassy in Canada:

          Mr. Kambiz Sheikh Hassani
          Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
          245 Metcalfe Street
          Ottawa, ON K2P 2K2

          Fax: (613) 232-5712
          Telephone: (613) 235-4726
          Email: executive@iranembassy.ca

Use the sample letter below to guide you as you write. For further guidelines on how to write government officials, click here.

* * *

[Date]

[Government official’s address]

Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. [MP’s surname] OR His Excellency Kambiz Sheikh Hassani,

I am writing today to express my concern for Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. Nadarkhani, a 34-year-old pastor from Rasht, Iran, was arrested in October 2009 after he protested a government policy that required children, including his eight- and nine-year-old sons, to study the Qur’an in school. Nadarkhani told school officials that the Iranian constitution allows for freedom of religious practice.

As a result of his protest, secret police called him before a political tribunal and arrested him for protesting. The charges were later amended to apostasy and evangelism of Muslims. Nadarkhani was tried on September 21 and 22, 2010, and sentenced to death for apostasy on November 13.

In July 2011, the Supreme Court instructed the Revolutionary Tribunal of Gilan Province to review his case to verify whether he was previously a practicing Muslim. During hearings on September 25-28, the court in Rasht ruled that Pastor Nadarkhani was not a practicing Muslim before becoming a Christian but that he remains guilty of apostasy because of his Muslim ancestry.

There are reports that execution orders for Pastor Nadarkhani may have been issued.

Pastor Nadarkhani faces the death penalty solely on the basis of his adopting Christianity. As such, the Islamic Republic of Iran is violating its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article 18 includes a provision for the right to “have or to adopt” a religion, which has been interpreted authoritatively by the UN Human Rights Committee as including the right to change one’s religion.

Further, Iran’s constitution sanctions Christianity as a legitimate minority faith and asserts that Christians are allowed to freely carry out their religious rites. Article 23 asserts that no one may be “reprimanded simply because of having a certain belief.”

I am very concerned about Pastor Nadarkhani’s welfare and I respectfully request that you give your attention to this urgent matter. Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name and address]

Pastor Youcef reportedly in imminent danger

Please pray for Pastor Youcef!
Photo: Present Truth Ministries

There has been an extremely dangerous turn of events for an Iranian pastor, Youcef Nadarkhani, leading to an increased likelihood that the regime will execute him for his faith, reports the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

Pastor Youcef’s case had been stalled due to increased international pressure and the Iranian court’s request that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, decide Pastor Youcef’s fate (for more information, click here). Now, because Pastor Youcef has continually refused to give into the regime’s demands that he renounce his Christian faith, the likelihood that the Iranian regime will execute him increases by the day.

ACLJ notes the situation has not been this dire since Pastor Youcef’s story was first reported.

Please pray for Pastor Youcef, and please share this latest update with your friends, family members, and churches.

To find out how you can raise a voice for Pastor Youcef, click here.

Update on Christians arrested in church raid in Ahvaz, Iran

In January we requested prayer following a raid on an officially recognized church in Ahvaz, Iran.

Middle East Concern reports that three Christians detained during the raid remain imprisoned: the church's pastor, Farhad, and two other church members, Davoud and Naser. Farhad's wife, Shahnaz, was detained but released on January 1.

There is mounting concern for Farhad's health. He had been receiving medical treatment shortly before being detained. In jail, he has been denied access to a doctor and has been unable to continue his medication.

Shahnaz was released when a property title deed was deposited as bail. However, there are no known charges against her, nor against Farhad, Davoud and Naser.

Iranian Christians request our prayers that:

• Farhad, Davoud and Naser will know the presence, peace and healing of Jesus, and that they will be acquitted and released soon.
• Shahnaz and other family members of detainees will know the Father's strength.
• All church members will know the Spirit's wisdom and guidance, especially concerning meeting together for worship.
• All officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus, and choose to follow Him.

For more information on the persecuted Church in Iran, click here.

Christian convert sentenced to two years in prison in Iran

Women pictured inside the Evin Prison
Photo: Mohabat NEWS

Leila Mohammadi, a Christian convert from Islam, has been sentenced to two years' imprisonment after enduring five months of uncertainty in Iran's notorious Evin prison, reports Mohabat News.

Leila’s trial was held on January 18, where she was charged with "collaboration with foreign-dependent groups, broad anti-Islamic propaganda, deceiving citizens by formation of what is called a house church, insulting sacred figures and action against national security." She was acquitted only of collaboration with foreign-dependent groups because the judge believed she had done that unintentionally.

Leila was arrested after a number of security agents raided her home on July 30, 2011, in Kianshahr town, east of Tehran. The agents thoroughly searched her house and also confiscated some of her belongings.

Another Christian, Parviz G, was freed after spending three days in the Evin custody centre. Apparently his arrest was related to the Christian activities of his wife, who was linked to the case of Leila.

Please pray!

• Please pray Leila will be released from prison.
• Ask the Lord to strengthen, protect and sustain her and all those in Iranian prisons for their faith in Christ.
• Pray that God will provide opportunities in prison for Leila to clearly share the gospel for which she suffers (Colossians 4:2-3).

To learn more about persecution in Iran, go to the Iran Country Report. To post a prayer of solidarity with Leila, please visit our Persecuted Church Prayer Wall.

Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani refuses to compromise faith for release

Pastor Youcef remains imprisoned after refusing to
state that Muhammad was a messenger sent by God.
Photo: Present Truth Ministries

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani recently refused to state that the Muslim prophet Muhammad was a messenger sent by God despite the fact that it would have secured his release, reports Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

On December 30, 2011, local authorities said they would release the pastor if he agreed to make the statement, but the pastor rejected the offer and remains in prison awaiting a final decision on his case. The request violates article 23 of the Iranian Constitution, which states that no one should be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.

The pastor at the Church of Iran was arrested in Rasht in 2009, and in September 2010, he was tried and found guilty of apostasy and sentenced to death (for more, click here). He was made three similar offers in 2011 where recanting his faith would have saved his life, but he refused each time.

His case was eventually referred to Iran's Supreme Leader. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the case may have been passed on to the head of the Iranian judiciary, delaying execution for up to a year to allow time to convince the pastor to renounce his faith.

Please keep Pastor Youcef in prayer. 

• Please pray that Pastor Youcef's courage and faith will continue to be an example to the world that the Lord is more valuable than any earthly reward. 
• Please pray that his steadfast resolve to protect the integrity of the gospel message will lead others to salvation. 
• Please pray for his release.

Encourage Pastor Youcef with a letter! 
Let Pastor Youcef know that he is not forgotten and that Christians around the world are praying for him.

  Youcef Nadarkhani
  Lakan Prison
  Rasht
  ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

Please note: When writing a letter, never mention the name of the source of your information or the name of any organization such as Voice of the Martyrs or Prisoner Alert. Also, please do not state anything negative about their government. For more information on letter writing, click here. To create a letter using phrases in Youcef’s own language, please visit www.PrisonerAlert.com.

Dancing before the Lord in Iran

“Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.” – 2 Samuel 6: 14-15

Our sister mission in the United States recently posted a video of Iranian Christians dancing together while chanting the many names of God.

The faces of these brothers and sisters are pixelated to conceal their identities, as Christians in Iran are continually at risk of facing persecution from government authorities (for more information, click here).



For other videos like this one, check out VOM-USA’s YouTube channel or visit our multimedia site.

Three Iranian pastors report to prison

Pray that these pastors will be returned to their families soon.
Photo: Assist News Service

Three pastors, who are also husbands and fathers of young children, have been ordered to report to prison in Shiraz, Iran, reports VOM-USA.

Pastor Parviz Khalaj, a husband and father to a 10-year-old son, was convicted of committing crimes against the order and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Pastor William Belyad who was convicted of the same crime, was sentenced to five years in prison and will be taken away from his wife and one-month-old son. William's wife, Nazly, was arrested with him but has not been called to serve a sentence yet.

Pastor Behrouz Sadegh Khandjani, a husband and father to a seven-year-old daughter, was sentenced to one year in prison for the same conviction.

Another pastor, Mehdi Foroutan, was arrested at the same time and has already reported to prison (for more, click here).

Please pray!

• Please pray that these brothers will remain faithful and will be soon returned to their families. 
• Please pray for strength and peace for their wives and children. 
• Praise God that William's wife, Nazly, has not been called to prison. 
• Ask God to be near to those suffering in prison for His name's sake.

To receive prayer updates, consider signing up for our weekly emailed prayer digest, The Persecution & Prayer Alert. Use the prayer alert in your small group, as a family, or share the stories with your congregation. Sign up today!

Church raided in Ahvaz, Iran

Please pray for imprisoned Christians in Iran. 

Iranian Christians have requested our prayers following a raid on an officially recognized church in Ahvaz during a service on December 23, reports Middle East Concern.

All mobile phones were confiscated, as was the church's audio-visual equipment and Christian literature.
All attendees, including children, were reportedly detained. Most were released within a few hours. However, the church's pastor (Farhad), his wife (Shahnaz) and two other church members (David and Naser) remain detained. Their whereabouts are unknown.

We are pleased to report that another Iranian Christian, Shahla Rahmati, was released on December 20 having been cleared of all charges against her. She had been detained since March 9.

Iranian Christians request our prayers that:

• Farhad, Shahnaz, David and Naser will know the presence and peace of Jesus, and be released soon. 
• All church members will know the Spirit's wisdom and guidance, especially concerning meeting together for worship.
• All confiscated property would be returned.
• Shahla would know the Father's love and healing as she adjusts to normal life.
• All officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus and choose to follow Him. 

To learn more about persecution in Iran, visit our Iran Country Report.

Iranian officials hopeful Christians will forget about Pastor Nadarkhani

Please remember Pastor Youcef in your prayers.
Photo: Present Truth Ministries   

Iranian Christians thank us for our continued prayer for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, whose death sentence for apostasy (i.e. leaving Islam) was upheld in provincial court hearings in late September 2011, reports Middle East Concern. No written verdict has yet been delivered following those hearings.

It has recently been reported that the Head of the Judiciary had ordered the presiding judge at the provincial court to continue delaying the issuing of the written verdict. Pastor Youcef is to remain detained, and pressure to recant his faith in Jesus is to continue. Recanting his faith would lead to his immediate release.

Youcef is a pastor within the Full Gospel Church of Iran denomination in the northern city of Rasht. He has been detained in prison since October 2009. In September 2010 the Revolutionary Tribunal of Gilan Province found him guilty of apostasy and sentenced him to death - a verdict upheld by the Supreme Court in July 2011.

The Supreme Court also ordered the original tribunal to clarify whether or not Youcef was ever a practicing Muslim as an adult, and to give him further opportunity to recant his faith in Jesus. He refused to do so during the September 2011 hearings. The judge's verbal ruling acknowledged that Youcef had not been a practicing Muslim as an adult but upheld the death sentence because he was from Muslim ancestry and therefore guilty of apostasy (for more on Pastor Youcef, click here).

According to Present Truth Ministries, the order was designed to cause the international community, specifically Christians, to forget about Youcef’s case.

"Once we forget about him, then they are free to execute him," a spokesperson from Present Truth Ministries told Mission Network News.

Please don’t forget Pastor Youcef! 

• Pray that Youcef's death sentence will be revoked and his conviction overturned.
• Please pray that Youcef, his wife, Fatemeh, and their two sons will know the comfort, presence and hope of Jesus, and that the family will be reunited soon. 
• Pray that Christians throughout Iran will not be intimidated but will know the Lord's enabling and guidance. 
• Pray that all officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus and choose to follow Him.

Watching, praying for the persecuted at Christmas

By Carl Moeller, Open Doors USA. Article posted at Christianity.com.

As much of the world becomes more dangerous for Christians each day, many in the persecuted church defy the threat of terrorist violence and arrest by religion police simply by worshipping as a community of believers.

Last year violence marked Christmas celebrations in Egypt for the second consecutive year. Just days before Coptic Christians celebrated Christmas (Jan. 7 on the Julian calendar Coptic Christians use), as midnight Mass adjourned at a church in Alexandria, Egypt, a suicide bomber killed 24 Christians. Approximately 100 were injured in the New Year’s Day massacre. Militant Islamists also murdered six Christians and wounded nine others as they left Christmas Eve services at St. John’s Church in Nag Hammadi, Egypt.

In Jos, Nigeria, last Christmas Eve the al Qaeda-affiliated Boko Haram terrorist group killed at least 86 Christians with bombs and attacks that primarily targeted worship services. The victims included church choir members hacked to death with knives. On Christmas Day last year in the Philippines' Sulu province, Islamists detonated a bomb inside a chapel, injuring a priest, a 9-year-old girl and nine others.

Christmas is a favorite time for Iran's religion police to harass Christians. Two years ago Iran's mutaween, or religion police, carried out a wave of arrests of Christians, jailing dozens in a sweep of house churches in the days surrounding the holiday. On Dec. 23, 2009, in Mosul, Iraq, a bomb exploded near a church, killing two people; in Mosul on Christmas Eve, Islamists shot a Christian to death at his home.

In a season that for Christians represents great joy and peace, prevailing tension and strife may squelch the celebration. Christmas, like Easter, represents a window for abuse of Christians by persecutors. Believers in Iraq told me that in recent years even hanging traditional decorations in their homes has proven increasingly risky because it draws up reservoirs of hatred toward the church. That's why some Christians in Iraq and elsewhere have curtailed visible observation of Christmas such as lights, decorated trees and Nativity scenes.

This year Christians in the Middle East will mark Christmas for the first time since Arab Spring uprisings toppled entrenched dictators Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Moammar Gadhafi of Libya. As popular revolts geared up last year over Christmas we saw no decrease in violence against Christians. Indeed, attacks on Egypt's Coptic Christian minority have soared, even perpetrated by that nation's military.

Unrest continues in much of the region. Violence targeting believers is ongoing in far-flung places around the globe such as Iraq, India, Nigeria, Sudan and Indonesia. Christians are experiencing persecution in Vietnam, Burma and China. In mid-December North Korea threatened to bomb Christmas trees that South Korean Christians had erected at the nations' volatile border. Turkish authorities have uncovered a sweeping al Qaeda plot to bomb all churches in Turkey's capital, in addition to the Turkish Parliament and U.S. Embassy.

We are never privy to what lies around the bend, but we can pray to the Lord who is. As we hear the Christmas songs of joy and peace, we must remember the persecuted and support them through concerted prayer. Pray that new governments replacing toppled dictators in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia will give Christian minorities a proper and protected place in society. Pray that the hope that led to the Arab Spring uprisings will produce real fruit in the form of true freedom of worship. Should violence erupt, may Christians be protected.

Though the signs for Christians in places hostile to the gospel are not encouraging, the Holy Spirit can redeem any situation for God's glory. May the redemptive power of the baby Jesus born in Bethlehem transform these fears into a season of great hope and true peace.

Padina’s story

Watch the amazing story of Padina (not her real name) and her seriously ill mother. Both of these Iranian women were ready to commit suicide, but instead came to faith in Jesus Christ after a Christian television program and a miracle changed everything! See how these ladies went from despair to a life filled with hope and are now risking their safety to tell others about Jesus. (Length: 7:20)


For other videos like this, visit our multimedia site.

Iran threatens churches as support increases for imprisoned pastor

Pastor Youcef and his family
Photo: Present Truth Ministries

The situation of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani – who remains on death row in Iran for his faith – is gaining increased international attention, reports The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

The Mexican Senate is the latest international body to take a stand for Pastor Youcef, stating that it “condemns the death sentence handed down to Yousef Nadarkhani for religious reasons” (for more on Pastor Youcef, click here).

Canada has also made statements calling for Pastor Youcef’s release. In addition, the Foreign Affairs Council and the Council for the European Union have released statements condemning Pastor Youcef’s conviction and execution sentence. The European Parliament also passed a resolution calling for Pastor Youcef’s release.

ACLJ appreciates the willingness of the international community, including the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran, to bring attention to Pastor Youcef’s plight, and urges international Muslim leaders (none of whom have spoken out) to call for Pastor Youcef’s unconditional release.

Yet, as these and other nations and international organizations increase the pressure on Iran to release Pastor Youcef, Iran is renewing its efforts to persecute Christians.

The Minster of Intelligence of Iran recently called house churches a threat to youth in Iran and stated the regime was preparing to crack down on these churches. A similar crackdown occurred right around Christmas last year, and it appears that Iran is preparing more raids again this year (for more on last year’s crack down, click here).

This news is not only disturbing for Pastor Youcef, the pastor of a Christian house church who awaits final determination on his fate by Iran’s Supreme Leader, but for hundreds of other Christian converts in Iran.

Please continue to pray for Pastor Youcef. Pray for continued international attention. Ask the Lord to bless, encourage, and strengthen Christians throughout Iran.