The friends who received the message were impressed by the courage and calmness of the arrestee in this situation.
Armed special forces in plainclothes entered the Christians' homes by force while they slept. They verbally and physically abused them. They were handcuffed and sent for interrogation. Among those arrested were five married couples. One couple was separated from their two-year-old child. Another couple was forced to leave an infant that the mother was still breastfeeding. A number of single women were also taken.
In this operation, the aim was to arrest 16 more Christians, but they were not at home. Security forces broke into at least five such homes, searched them, took personal belongings, changed the locks and sealed the doors. Family members of these Christians were called by the authorities and threatened. They were told to tell the Christians to surrender.
Iranian Christians who have been arrested
Harsh persecution of evangelical Christians
This action is just one example of the persecution Iranian Evangelical Christians in Iran are currently experiencing. While Assyrian, Chaldean and Armenian Christian minorities in Iran enjoy some freedom on the condition that they do not share the Gospel with Iranians, evangelical Christian Iranians who choose to share their faith with others face severe persecution. Some pay with their lives. Furthermore, discrimination is widespread and evangelical Christians are forced to meet secretly in homes.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has made it his goal to stop house churches and has stated: "I want to stop Christianity in this country."
The frustration of many Iranians with the Islamic regime is regularly expressed in demonstrations. Many have a desire for reform and are open to the Gospel. (Photo: Hamed Sabar)
Many Iranians are coming to faith
At the same time, the number of evangelical Christians in Iran is growing almost explosively. In 1979, there were an estimated 500 Christians in Iran with a Muslim background. A conservative estimate is that today this number has grown to 200,000 people.
Evangelical Christians in Iran are very bold in their faith. When they meet secretly, they ask God to give them boldness to spread the Gospel. There is fertile ground for the Word of God in Iran, as many Iranians are tired of Islam, which is the religion that the clergy is trying to pressure the population to follow. Instead, many are open to the Christian faith. We can fulfill the Christians' desire for Bibles and Bible portions so that even more Iranians can have the chance to hear the message of salvation and new life through faith in Jesus Christ.
They need our help
Families find that they have to forgo income when a family member is imprisoned for their faith and cannot earn money. We, their Christian brothers and sisters in more free and prosperous countries, can reach out to them and provide families with financial support in this situation.
Iranian Christians who have been arrested
Furthermore, it can be difficult for Christians who have been in prison to find work again. We can stand with them and support them as they pay a high financial price for their faith in Jesus in Iran.
Christians who are arrested can experience hours of interrogation - often blindfolded - verbal abuse, beatings, sleep deprivation, threats of execution and denial of medical treatment. With your donation, you can ensure that Christians who have been through these persecutions can receive pastoral care and counseling so they can find comfort and move forward in life.
