The Persian Room encompasses all of modern-day Iran and spills into neighboring Iraq, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Its nearly 100 million inhabitants speak variations of the ancient Persian language. Unlike the Sunni Muslim majorities elsewhere in the House of Islam, most Muslims in Iran are Shi’ites.
When the Ayatollah Khomeini established an Islamic Republic in Iran in 1979, most viewed it as a horrible blow to Christianity. But since then, millions of Iranians have rejected the Islamic theocracy, and hundreds of thousands have turned to Jesus Christ.
While thousands of Christian converts have been arrested, others have been forced out of the country. Still more live secretly inside Iran, worshiping in underground house churches or in the privacy of their own homes through the guidance of satellite-television broadcasts.
This growing fellowship of believers has come at a cost to those who have long been witnesses to Christ, such as Iranian-Armenian Christian, Haik Hovsepian.
In 1980 Haik became first national bishop of the Assemblies of God churches. While the government allowed ethnic Christians, such as the Armenian Haik, to practice their faith, they did not allow them to share their faith with Muslims. Haik refused to yield to these government pressures, saying, “If we go to jail or die for our faith, we will not yield.”
One Muslim convert was the Reverend Mehdi Dibaj. In 1983, Dibaj was arrested without trial and pressurized to recant his faith. Dibaj endured with the confession, “I am not only satisfied to be in prison for the honor of His Holy Name, but am ready to give my life for the sake of Jesus my Lord.” In 1993, in a secret tribunal, Dibaj was sentenced to death for the crime of converting from Islam.
When Bishop Haik learned about the sentence given to Dibaj, he was faced with a choice. As an Armenian, Haik could remain silent and avoid persecution, or he could speak out. He refused to turn his back on his Muslim-background brother and went public with efforts to save Dibaj.
These proved effective and in response to international outcry, Dibaj was released on 16 January 1994.
Three days later, Bishop Haik was abducted from the streets of Tehran. His tortured body was found in an unmarked grave. At Haik’s funeral, Dibaj spoke through his tears, “When Jesus died on the cross, only Barabbas knew that Jesus had died for him. When Bishop Haik died, I know that he died for me.”
LET’S PRAY
- Pray for tolerance and patience on the part of Turks who are offering refuge and hospitality to Syrian refugees.
- Pray for peace in Turkey, and for the Church in Turkey to lead by example in unity and love.
- Pray for the refugees in Turkey who have been there for many years, longing for home.
- Though it may seem impossible, pray for peace in Syria. According to Psalm 46:9, “He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.”
Post credited to the editors at Worldchristian: visit http://www. worldchristianconcern.org/donate to support mission efforts to reach the unreached for Christ.
