Volume 6 Issue 52

Message for Reflection – Sis. Angelica

Your sons and your daughters will prophesy

When the Gift School for Activating Prophecy started in Chennai in 2013 September, many could not understand the need of it. But after attending it, the participants'  lives changed. They could change  their lives,  sinful ways, living  situations and  oppositions surrounding them with the power of their tongue. The impossibles became possible! The prophetic group in the nation has increased to such an extent that they have started influencing the Governments, decisions of the court and Assemblies. There are groups established in various parts of the nation who read newspapers everyday, take particular incidents, prophesy over them and change the situation upside down. In the Old Testament kings understood the need of it. 

"Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, ...... who were to prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals...... The sons of Asaph were under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied at the order of the king". 1 Ch 25:1

"Prophesied at the order of the king".

In the new Testament, Acts 2:17,18 says

"It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy."

When the Spirit is poured out, the first thing that happens is "prophesying", not speaking in tongues, healing etc.  Sons, daughters, servants, handmaidens, everyone will prophesy. 

In our prayers, if there is no time allotted for prophesying, prayer is incomplete. When we come together, we should prophesy over the nation, the Church, our town, village, workplace etc.

Prophesy over 

  1. The dry situations of your life, even dry bones; they will come to life. (Ezk 37:10)
  2. The mountains, hills, valleys, watercourses and wastelands (Eze 36:4) 
  3. Your village (Mic 5:2), cities, deserts, gardens, cultivation, pastures  etc (Is 35:1,2, 36: 34-36, )

Let us prophesy over our Nation India!

Oh India! Let your people flourish and  prosper!

Let there be peace in your borders!

May the LORD bless you and guard you.  Num 6:24-26

May the LORD’s face enlighten you and bestow favor on you.

May the LORD turn to face you, lavishing peace on you!

Let your cultivable lands, natural resources, human resources,  be explored and utilized for the welfare of the nation.

Let the disparity between the rich and the  poor, the  discrimination's in you on the basis of caste, creed, colour, language etc disappear! "

There is power in our tongue. When the children of God, use their authority and  make a proclamation, it comes to be!

Warfare prayer of the soldiers of the Army of Jesus to bind and destroy the works of the devil

Let us bind and destroy the works of the devil in the name of Jesus Christ who has conquered sin, satan, curse and death on the cross

Pro  18:12  The spirit which makes one the heart of a man  haughty

Upcoming BFF Programmes

Chennai : 25th December – 30th December, 2018 Language (Tamil)

Venue : 236, J. NAGAR, 1st CROSS STREET, PANAYUR,   ECR, CHENNAI - 600119. Bro. Pratheep -  9840958632

Gujarat : 26th December – 31st December, 2018 Language (Hindi)

Jharkhand : 26th December – 1st January, 2018 Language (Hindi)

Be Formed and Form (BFF)

Be Formed and Form is a 5 day short term course. This training is a challenge to the present Church. Because our Lord Jesus Christ (Head of the Church) wants the Church to be transformed according to Ephe 5:26,27. To make her holy, (cleansing her by the washing with water through the word), and to present her himself as a radiant Church. Today the Church is ignorant about the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. By this BFF training , the Church awakes and arises to shine in the world.

The educated as well as the uneducated can apply . Send your Resume, Recent Passport size Photograph (3 Copies), ID Proof and reference letters to

Email ID : heavenlyhostofjesus@gmail.com

Ph : 044-65453245, 9952040052

Please pray, attend and send participants for this course.

Please confirm your registration as early as possible.It's a unique Christ designed course, transforms souls, delivers people from bondage, enlightens people on true knowledge of Christ and the word of God, Anointing of the Holy Spirit is abundant all through the programme.

Come and be blessed and bless others.

Testimony from BFF- Tamil Nadu Coordinator – Sol. Pradeep

  • NEW BFF CENTER in TN - The flow of students from Vellore has strengthened the area & by God’s Grace a new BFF centre in Tamil Nadu is branched out in Vellore from 16th Dec 2018.
  • Doors Opened in Pondy - A Single follow-up with Prayer opened many doors in Pondy. By pure Grace of God – Deliverance, Worship, Prophecy, Troop & PST coordination are enabled from Pondy. God gave a burden to the territory to bring many from that area for the Lord. So far, 9 students for this area.
  • Doors Opened in Udumalapet & Srivilliputtur - A Single follow-up with Prayer opened many doors in Udumalapet(Missionary) & Sriviliputtur by pure Grace of God. So far, Udumalpet – 13 & Srivillipatur – 7
  • God’s Anointing -  In one of the batch God specifically touched 5 pastors & they accepted TC and wanted to take it all the pastors & believers rather than non-believers. God spoke during the anointing session to take a picture of it as the Believers are anointing the pastors.

BFF @ Chellanam, Kerala

BFF @ Vellore, Tamil Nadu

 

PST (Peniel Skill Training)

(From left to right : An antique finish bowl & Tie and dye)

The PST Training program started on 11th December and went on up to 16th December. The training was conducted in two batches. The first for soldiers from Tamilnadu and the second for soldiers from rest of India. The second batch saw participants come Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand, Mumabi, Aurangabad, Allahabad, Goa and Assam. and   Bro. Paul Dass, founder PeopleKraft, provided the training. During the training, Sr. Angelica laid out how the current PST training is part of AOJ’s continuing mission to equip believer with skills necessary to support both their ministry as well as alleviate poverty from the nation.  Bro. Paul Dass has been in the service of equipping Christians and others the last 36 years.

The sessions were a combination of theory and practice. Bro. Paul introduced the activities of his organization and his personal calling to train, equip the people. He demonstrated tie and dye, paper bowls with antique finish, coasters, paper bags, t-shirt designs, paper pens, pressed flower greeting cards. Bro. Dass also shared how to develop a business mindset and use appropriate resources to make the best of both human and natural resources available at a location. He highlighted the importance of using the workplace as a site for sharing the gospel. He encouraged the participants by saying that there were no mistake in experimenting with their new skills. At the end of the training, every participant expressed interest in one item or the other. The training concluded with a planning session to chart out the future course of the participants in the production and marketing of the products. The PST team whole heartedly thanks Dr. Benedict and other friends and family and support staff of Dr. Charles Elderly Community, Sr. Leema Rose, Sr. Roger, Sr. Angelica, Sr. Anitha,  Bro. Paul (ECC), Bro. Viay (NWC) for their support in making the program a grand success. Special note of thanks to Bro. Moses, Bro. Joshua and Sis. Sheeba for initiating the dialog about this program and Bro. Dass who was at home in helping students with their doubts and never restraining himself from sharing valuable tips along with colourful anecdotes from his long journey.

KHRDC – Jesus at workplace

A Section 25 (Not for Profit) company which focuses on Training and Skill Development in all the States of India.

Jesus at workplace

Acts as a link between the employer (Company) and the employee. We provide training and equip for workplace evangelism. We raise reliable, sincere and trustworthy people in the workplace like Joseph and Daniel who put God first in everything they do. We provide temporary or permanent jobs.

Interested people can register with us by sending your resume and contact details to me.

Mail ID : paulvasanthan.gc@gmail.com

Contact No: 8124677493

2018 Gift School Testimonies and Report

Jeremiah School of Prophecy

The Jeremiah School of Prophecy saw the contribution of two sets of teams one by Bro. Shakespeare, Bro. Ishan, Sis. Adlin, Sis Padmini for the period Jan – Jun 2018 and followed by Sis. Adlin, Sis. Sujatha, Sis. Kalaiselvi, Bro. Arshanth Vasanth for the period Jul – Dec 2018. During this period Jan – Dec 2018 level 1 training was conducted in 12 places. And one level 2 training was conducted between May 5th and 6th 2018. The year also saw 7 prophecy training class for kids conducted in Chennai .

Here are a few select testimonies from the children about the prophecy training:

Testimony from Kids

  • A 7th standard girl got a vision on the second coming of Jesus. She saw a vision of colonies of angels praising and worshipping God, all dressed in white. She saw hell and people burning in fire. People like actresses etc.
  • A girl prophesized for another girl about the financial problems the family was facing and how Jesus was going to change the situation.
  • A girl prophesized for another girl how her mother was partial towards her younger daughter and used to procrastinate her. God assured that He loved her so much.
  • A young boy prophesized about the spiritual warfare God was doing for his family and protecting them.

Forgiveness and Reconciliation Program

Testimonies from FRP Program

  1. One boy who attended had headache and stomach pain and unable to attend school for few days. He was healed during prayer.
  2. Pastor’s Son cheated by someone was planning him to teach him a lesson. After attending FRP he was touched and forgave the person.
  3. Singh is a driver and was an alcoholic. When he attended FRP, The Lord set him free from Alcohol. His Wife testified that he has not touched alcohol since then.
  4. Singh’s mother was demon possessed. During prayer, She was set free.

Bethseda School of Healing

For the Year 2018, The Bethesda school of Healing  was headed by Sol. Albert & Team. The Chennai wing was headed by Sol. Anitha & team from Jan 2018 to June 2018 (Chennai) and July 2018 to Dec 2018 by Sol. Sujatha and team.

The team members for Jan to June 2018: Sol. Anitha Thangaraj. Sol. Sujatha, Sol. Samson Paul, Sol. Deepthi. The Team members for July to Dec 2018: Sol.Sujatha, Sol.Samson Paul, Sol.Roopa, Sol.Kauvery were the team members belonging to each team.  16 schools were conducted and around 186 students attended the school. Among these 14 were new believers.

The year saw God leading the healing team to work among families, children, the sick, in the de-addiction centre and among HIV patients. The following are a few testimonies from the National level:

  • I'm Robin, I am an RC believer. My father used to drink and torture my mother. I requested to pray for my father during the troop church. I felt the presence of God and now am so happy. Troop Churches are the best one and I will never again go to those building churches.
  • Glory be to Jesus! My name is Helila, the two day programme was wonderful and I got a clear idea about the difference between body, soul and spirit. Inner healing, Renewal of mind and How to overcome the Generational Curses are the classes that touched me the most. When we went to the hospital, I met a mother named Prakasi .
  • whose left hand and leg was paralyzed. I commanded in Jesus name and there was improvement in hand but not much in her leg. While praying I had a vision of her husband worshipping idols. Later when I contacted her, she was discharged from the hospital. I asked her to confess her sins and worship only Jesus.
  • I’m Geetha, I came to attend the Healing gift school despite of my back pain from which I suffered for almost ten days. On the first day, I came with a pillow to keep it as a support. Glory to God, he healed me when Bro. Albert prayed for me. From then I had no back pain. During the hospital visit, I met a patient called Grace who was suffering from fever. I prayed and commanded in Jesus name and she got relieved.

Troop Church in Train – New Troop Church was started in Train while PST students going back.

 

Troop Church @ UP, Allahabad

Gift School, School of Hospitality @ UP ,Vasai

 

National Worship Centre

Father’s House,

Brotherhood Missions,

4/364 E, Anna Salai 1st Cross Street,

ECR, Palavakkam, Chennai 600041.

Tamil Nadu, India.

National Worship Centre is a centre where the Lord of hosts, the Lord God Almighty is worshipped in His majesty all the 24 hours. Per day 12 worship teams come to worship from different parts of the Nation. One slot consists of 2 hours. The opening of NWC also turns to be the trumpet sign to start the fatal war against satan to this Nation for Christ! Do you want to join this praising Army?

Book your slots

Tel : 7708505152

Email ID: worshipcentreindia@gmail.com

Praise God for the successful completion of  19670 slots in National Worship Centre with a Non Stop Worship (24/7)

Prophecy NEWS Update

Chrislam Invades Christmas - Mixing Muslim & Christian Stories Of Jesus Birth

The mantra that "we all worship the same god" has been taken a step further by First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple by hosting a new play called "Christmas Mubarak," mixing Christian and Muslim stories of Jesus' birth.

Rather than Jesus being born as the incarnate Son of God, the baby actually speaks and announces he's a prophet. Similarly, Joseph is not depicted as Mary's fiance, but rather as a cousin and the play describes prophecies about Jesus' return, though Muslims do not believe, as Christians do, that Jesus was crucified, died and rose from the dead.

Though the play's directors say "Christmas Mubarak" is "a wonderful way for both Muslim and Christian to refresh their understanding of the story," this is nothing short of blasphemy. It perverts the story of Jesus' birth; it doesn't refresh it. No prophet could save people from their sins. Only the incarnate Son of God could do that. That any Christian church would participate in this play is disgraceful.

However this is not the first time a church has embraced what is often referred to as "Chrislam", the term used to suggest that Christianity and Islam share similar beliefs and as such are compatible. Those Christian churches that have so blurred the differences and distinctions between Christianity and Islam are on the rise and the next generation of youth seems to be ready to endorse such beliefs despite Christianity and Islam being diametrically opposed on the most important of issues - the identity of Jesus Christ. 

True Christianity declares Jesus to be God incarnate. For Christians, the deity of Christ is a non-negotiable, for without His deity, Jesus death on the cross would not have been sufficient to be the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the entire world (1 John 2:2).

Islam adamantly rejects the deity of Christ. The Quran declares the idea that Jesus is God to be blasphemy (5:17). Belief in the deity of Christ is considered shirk (filth) to Muslims. Further, Islam denies the death of Christ on the cross (4:157-158).  The most crucial doctrine of the Christian faith is rejected in Islam. As a result, the two religions are absolutely not compatible, making Chrislam a concept both Christians and Muslims should reject.

Several years ago during the same Christmas season this deceptive belief raised it's ugly head when Wheaton College professor Larycia Hawkins became the center of controversy by announcing that she would be wearing a hijab during Advent to show religious solidarity with Muslims. She further stated, "I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book," Hawkins wrote. "And as Pope Francis stated last week, we worship the same God."

However, Hawkins is hardly the first Christian leader to endorse Chrislam-type tendencies or to offer mixed messages: We increasingly hear and read that Christianity and Islam "share" Jesus, that he belongs to both religions. This shift of thinking reflects the growing influence of Islam in our culture and even in the church. The latest mantra is that we are all "people of the book".

Islam regards itself, not as a subsequent faith to Judaism and Christianity, but as the primordial religion, the faith from which Judaism and Christianity are subsequent developments. In the Qur'an we read that Abraham was not a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a monotheist, a Muslim (Âl 'Imran 3:66). So it is Muslims, and not Christians or Jews, who are the true representatives of the faith of Abraham to the world today. (Al-Baqarah 2:135)

Such distorted thinking has been communicated by a number of Christian leaders over the years: While housing the offices for "Christians and Muslims for Peace", Robert Schuller, former pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, began the movement toward softening the well-known words of Jesus in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Schuller told an Imam of the Muslim American Society that "if he came back in 100 years and found his descendants Muslims, it wouldn't bother him...." Rev. Ann Holmes Redding, an Episcopal priest for over twenty years, dons her white collar of Episcopal priesthood on Sunday mornings, then ties on her black headscarf to pray with her Muslim group on Fridays, saying, "I am both Muslim and Christian". She sees compatibility in Islam and Christianity at the most basic level and has endorsed the Muslim teaching that all true Christians will accept Islam.

Some Christians and Jews are faithful and believe truly. (Âl 'Imran 3:113,114) Any such true believers will submit to Allah by accepting Muhammad as the prophet of Islam, i.e. they will become Muslims. (Âl 'Imran 3:198) Brian McLaren, founding pastor of non-denominational Cedar Ridge Community Church in Baltimore, Washington, and a leading voice in the emergent church movement encouraged his congregation and other Christians through his blog to participate with Muslims in a Ramadan fast, which celebrates the month the Qur'an was supposedly sent down. 

Another leader in the Emerging Church movement, Dr. Tony Campolo, says he is not convinced that Jesus lives only in Christians, reasoning that an Islamic brother who has fed the hungry and clothed the naked clearly has a personal relationship with Christ, only he doesn't know it. A few years ago, Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston joined with Christian communities in Atlanta, Seattle, and Detroit to create a series of sermons designed to promote an ecumenical reconciliation between Christianity and Islam. Sunday School lessons on the same theme would center on the inspired teachings of the Prophet Mohammad, and Qur'ans and Bibles would be placed side by side in the church pews. Ironically, a side by side comparison of the Bible and the Qur'an would show two faiths that are the exact opposite. 

The Jesus of the Gospels is the basis upon which Christianity developed. By Islamizing Him, and making of Him a Muslim prophet Who preached the Qur'an, Islam destroys Christianity and takes over all its history. It does the same to Judaism.

Many Muslims like to point out that they do believe Jesus is coming back.  However they don't often detail what he will do when he comes back according to their beliefs...In the end times as described by Muhammad, Isa becomes a warrior who will return with his sword and lance. He will destroy the Christian religion and make Islam the only religion in all the world. Finally at the last judgment he will condemn Christians for believing in the crucifixion and the incarnation.

This final act of the Muslim Isa reflects Islam's apologetic strategy in relation to Christianity, which is to deny the Yeshua of history, so that nothing remains but Islam. Rather than trying to pretend we believe the same things and create a system of belief that both fundamental Islam and Biblical Christianity reject, a frank and honest discussion about our differences would seem to make much more sense. 

Part of the problem with our culture is that we use similar terminology but mean different things by those same words.  Until we examine what is actually meant by what we say, confusion will abound. This confusion is best summed up by Malik Gillani, the founder of the Christmas Mubarak play who in response to such criticism says, "I believe in the miraculous birth of Christ. We Muslims believe Jesus ascended to God; but that he was not crucified. But what is wrong with us not thinking he died for our sins?". 

Christian News

For Survivor of Attack on Christians in Nigeria, a Lonely Christmas

Nearly three months after Muslim Fulani herdsmen in north-central Nigeria shot and killed his wife and four children, Samuel Wah will spend Christmas in his hospital bed, a bullet still lodged in his back.

Since the Oct. 3 attack on Ariri village, 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Miango in Plateau state, that killed 19 Christians, the 45-year-old member of St. Williams Catholic Church has remained in the hospital with the bullet lodged near his spinal cord. Doctors at Enos Hospital in Miango are not equipped to remove it safely, and Wah lacks the resources to transfer to another hospital for the advanced surgery, he said.

Wah was ill with fever the day of the attack, and he and his family had gone to bed when they were awoken at 11 p.m. by the sounds of stones hitting their roof, then sporadic gunshots, he told Morning Star News from his hospital bed.

“I forced myself to stand up while my wife was saying the gunmen are Fulani herdsmen,” he said. “I moved to the door of my living room and then opened it, only to find a Fulani man standing and aiming the gun towards where I was standing. He shot me.”

As he went down, Wah said, he heard the shooter call another armed Fulani over.

“They were speaking Fulfulde, and since I understand the language, I overheard what they were saying to each other,” he told Morning Star News. “After shooting me, the Fulani man then shot my wife and children. All of them were killed. They must have thought that I was dead too, and so moved out of my house.”

His wife, Laraba Samuel, was 39; his daughter, Reizeh, was 13; his son, Wah, was 10; his daughter, Jummai, was 7; and his son, Wei, was 5.

The herdsmen also attacked the house of 95-year-old Ahmadu Angah, 95, killing him and wounding his wife, Mary Ahmadu, 70, said Angah’s son, Joseph Ahmadu. Four of Angah’s grandchildren were also shot and killed: Bulus Danladi, 8; Gado Danladi, 7; Lami Monday, 5; and John Kurah, 7.

Joseph Ahmadu, a 42-year-old elder at the congregation of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Ariri village, told Morning Star News that 19 Christians were killed in the village that night and three others wounded.

He said Samuel Wah’s brother, 60-year-old Monday Wah, was also shot and killed alongside his wife, Abigail Monday Wah, 40, and four children in their home: Alaska Monday Wah, 8; Talatu Monday Wah, 6; Peter Monday Wah, 4; and Ezekiel Monday Wah, 2.

The Muslim Fulani herdsmen also killed another relative, Mali Wah, 40, and his wife, Jummai Mali Wah, 30, in the house, Ahmadu said.

His grandmother, Asabe Ahmadu, 80, escaped unhurt, but her daughter, Azumi Oscar, 30, was shot and wounded. She also is receiving treatment at Enos Hospital, he said.

Ahmadu told Morning Star News that this was the third attack by Fulani herdsmen on them this year, following assaults in June and July. Slain in the June attack was Adamu Tureh, 80, a member of St. Williams Catholic Church in Ariri. In the July assault, Danladi Musa, 45, was wounded from gunshot in the eye, and Maiangwa Tshohu, 70, was shot and killed, Ahmadu said. Tshohu also was a member of the Catholic church in Ariri.

Ahmadu expressed sadness that in spite of the attacks, the Nigerian government has shown no inclination to protect them from herdsmen terrorism.

“Ariri has been deserted by the few who have survived,” he said. “Many of our people have been forced to flee the village, and those of us remaining are finding it difficult to protect ourselves. I plead that the government protect us. I also want to appeal to the Fulani herdsmen to please end their unnecessary attacks on us, as we have done them no wrong.

“We pray our Lord Jesus Christ forgive our attackers and give them repentant hearts."

Christians make up 51.3 percent of Nigeria’s population, while Muslims living primarily in the north and middle belt account for 45 percent.

Nigeria ranked 14th on Open Doors’ 2018 World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution.

Spike in Arrests of Christians in Iran Especially Severe this Christmas Season, Sources Say

Arrests of Christians in Iran usually spike as Christmas approaches, but this year has been especially severe, sources said.
 More than 150 Christians have been detained across the officially Shia Muslim country in the last month, and arrests are expected to continue.

“The current situation has been described by some as unprecedented,” Miles Windsor, advocacy and development manager at Middle East Concern (MEC), told Morning Star News. “There are a huge number of arrests and detentions.”

An uptick in arrests is expected around Christmas, Windsor said, when many Iranians are attracted to Christianity and the government seeks to deter interest through intimidation.

“Recently it seems there is definitely a coordinated and determined campaign to decimate the Christian community and to spread fear and intimidation,” Windsor said.

This year has been especially severe, however, according to MEC. Some analysts speculate that security branches, fearful of funding cuts, are trying to show their effectiveness and justify payments from the government by showing how many Christians they can arrest.

Among them, Amir Taleipour, 39, and his wife Mahnaz Harati, 36, were arrested in front of their 7-year-old daughter by intelligence agents who raided their home in Mashhad, northeast Iran on Dec. 6. The couple has not been allowed to communicate with family members or access legal assistance since then, according to MEC.

Family members are caring for their daughter while the couple is in detention, according to MEC.

Iran’s constitution makes Shia Islam the official religion but recognizes Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity as official religious minorities. It states that all laws and regulations must be based on “Islamic criteria” and official interpretation of sharia (Islamic law).

The penal code specifies the death sentence for “proselytizing” and attempts by non-Muslims to convert Muslims, as well as for moharebeh (“enmity against God”) and sabb al-nabi (“insulting the prophet [Muhammad]”), according to the U.S. State Department’s latest International Religious Freedom Report (2017).

Sisters Beaten 

On Dec. 2 two sisters from Ahvaz, in the southwest part of the country, were arrested and assaulted in detention, according to MEC.

Shima Zanganeh, 27, and Shokoofeh Zanganeh, 30, were arrested, along with Farzad Behzadi, 30, and Abdollah Yousefi, 34, who are not related to the sisters. Thirteen plain-clothes revolutionary guards raided each of their homes, confiscated their books, phones and computers, according to MEC, and took the four Christians into custody for interrogation.

Security personnel beat the sisters during interrogation at security offices in Ahvaz. Prison authorities called to report the beatings to the family, and the sisters confirmed the physical assault in a phone call, according to Mohabat news.

“The sisters were beaten badly in their interrogation,” Windsor said. “Eventually they were able to make a short phone call home to let family know where they were taken.”

The sisters were transferred to Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz on Dec. 12, and a judge has set a high bail of about US$44,000 for each.

Each day that their family tried to pay the bail, court officials would tell them that the judge was not in, according to Mohabat News.

“There are suspicions the Iranian authorities are delaying their release to give time for the marks of their beating on the two sisters to heal before they are released conditionally,” Mohabat reported.

The whereabouts of Behzadi and Yousefi are unknown.

Interrogations are usually used to gather information on the arrestees’ networks and particularly to target leaders, Windsor said.

100 Christians Arrested 

At the end of November, about 100 Christians were arrested near Tehran.  

Authorities arrested Jamshid Derakhshan, 64, along with at least 70 other Christians near Karaj in Hashgterd, which is near Tehran, on Nov. 30. Derakhshan was on his way to a house-church ceremony, according to Mohabat News, but never returned, and his family’s attempts at finding out his whereabouts were unfruitful.

Two weeks later, Derakhshan was able to make a phone call and told his family he would soon be released on bail, Mohabat reported.

Derakhshan converted to Christianity 30 years ago and had already been expelled from his workplace at a government organization due to his faith, according to Mohabat, which added that his family is worried about his health as he suffers from a stomach illness.

In connection with the 70 arrests at the end of November, 30 other Christians were arrested around the same time in Damavand and other parts of Tehran Province.

Arrests are continuing, Windsor said, which increases fear and limits the flow of information.

“I don’t think much is known internally at the moment,” Windsor said. “There’s not a free flow of information.”

While it is legal to practice Christianity in Iran, Christian converts from Islam and those who share their faith are prosecuted by the government.

After interrogation, arrestees are usually charged without basis of espionage and undermining national security, Windsor said, followed by unjust convictions and heavy sentences of up to 10 or 15 years in prison.

“There is no doubt that it’s the Christian faith of these individuals that is the reason behind their arrests and detentions,” he said.

Christianity is growing in Iran, despite the ongoing crackdown. As many as 800,000 Iranians are worshipping Christ within Iran’s borders, according to Open Doors, and other organizations believe the figure could be as high as 1 million in the country of 80.3 million.

Aside from shedding light on what is happening to Christian converts in Iran among the international community, many are praying, Windsor said.

“There are a great many who are going to be praying into this situation at the moment and praying that the Christian community will be able to stand strong,” he said, “and that God would be comforting those who are suffering in detention and healing those who have had physical or emotional trauma at the hands of the Iranian authorities, and praying that this would relent and that Christians would be able to worship freely in Iran.”

The U.S. State Department this month again designated Iran as a Country of Particular Concern for severe religious freedom violations. In Christian support organization Open Doors’ list of countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Iran had a score of 85 out of 100 in the 2018 World Watch List, leaving it ranked 10th out of 50. 

Posted in Volume 6 Issue 52.