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BREAKING NEWS: Iran Pastor Facing Execution, Church Official

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 (9:23 am)

By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reportedly said the government needed to halt the growing movement of house churches across Iran.

TEHRAN, IRAN (Worthy News)– A well-known Iranian pastor faces execution after two judges agreed to make him "liable to capital punishment," as part of a crackdown on the growing Protestant church movement in the Islamic nation, Worthy News and its parner agency BosNewsLife learned Tuesday, July 13.

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was detained in June along with wife Fatemeh Pasandideh in the city of Rasht in northwestern Iran because of their Christian activities, Iranian Christians said.

A senior pastor of the Church of Iran movement, which includes house churches across the country, told Worthy News that judges had "already signed" an Islamic order that would potentially allow a death sentence for Nadarkhani, pending further investigations. The pastor usually speaks on condition of anonymity to BosNewsLife amid security concerns.

News of the execution overshadowed joy over the release of two Church of Iran Christians, a man and a woman, and the expected release this week on bail of two other members, who the movement only identified as "brothers Mehdi and Afshin."

MORE DETENTIONS

They were part of a group of eight Church of Iran members detained June 18, the senior pastor said. One of them, a pastor's wife identified as Fatemeh Kojouri Tork, remained in Tehran's notorious Evin prison Tuesday, July 13, while her husband, Behrouz Sadegh Khanjani, was kept in isolation in a security prison in the southwestern city of Shiraz,  the Christian leader said.

"We still do not hear from Reverend Behrouz Khanjani…" Iranian Christians have also expressed concerns about reports of other detentions, including last month's capture of Pastor Behnam Irani in the city of Karaj, 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) west of Tehran.

Several believers have allegedly been mistreated. "We have learned that information that [security forces] have been using substances to extract confessions from Christians," the senior pastor said.

Iranian officials have not commented on the cases.

AUTHORITIES CONCERNED

Rights groups have linked the crackdown to concern among authorities about growing churches and the spread of Christianity among Muslims in the country.

Church sources say the number of Christians in Iran has grown from 500 known believers in 1979 to at least 100,000 today.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reportedly said the government needed to halt the growing movement of house churches across Iran.

Under Iran's strict interpretation of Islam, "apostasy" — or the formal renunciation of religion– is punishable by death.

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  2. BREAKING NEWS: Iran Crackdown On National Protestant Movement, Members Detained (Exclusive)
  3. Iran Closes Friday Church Services, Detains Pastor
  4. Iran Christian Women May Face Execution On Apostasy Charge
  5. BREAKING NEWS: Iran Releases American Reporter
  6. Iran Lawyer Requests Early Release Pastor Pourmand
  7. Iran Government Closes Evangelical Church; Nine Detained

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  • gfenton123

    Is it possible to write to these Iranians? Get an email? Far fetched

  • FresnoJoe

    Praying!

    "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
    For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
    And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
    For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
    All these are the beginning of sorrows." Matthew 24:4-8

    You Knew LORD, You Knew!

    "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
    And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
    And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
    And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matthew 24:9-12

    Bless Your Children My Lord And My God

    "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." John 14:18

    And Save The Lost And The Hopeless And The Unlovable

    "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." John 6:47

    Save Now LORD Jesus

    "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
    For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
    He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:16-18

    Save Now

    "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
    And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
    If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." John 8:34-36

    I Love You LORD

  • Tiffany M. Ramsey

    Dear Heavenly Father, I lift up this pastor, this child of yours, as well as others like him facing persecution, even unto death. I ask that you would send the Holy Spirit to comfort them, to administer true peace beyond understanding to their wounded bodies and souls. May the arrogance and violence of the oppressors of your children be subdued, and may they be witnessed to, in spite of Satan's best efforts. May mass souls be humbled and saved , and may you be glorified, Heavenly Father. You are Jehovah, the God that healeth thee. Thank you for healing many hearts. In Jesus' name-AMEN!

  • Tiffany M. Ramsey

    Heavenly father, I lift up this pastor to you and ask that you would strongly encourage him to not lose faith in you, in spite of anyone's best efforts to destroy him. I ask that you remind him of Job and how much you loved Job, yet allowed him to endure hardships. It wasn't because you were mad at Job, or because Job deserved the hardships. It was allowed to prove to Satan that Job was going to remain faithful to you no matter what. I ask for extra mercy and compassion for this hurting pastor and others like him. Lord, please help him to hold onto you, no matter what. May Satan be humbled, and may you be glorified, our loving Heavenly Father. In Jesus' name-AMEN!

  • Alexander Hannon

    JESUS IS LORD AND HIS WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, GLORY TO THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS JESUS CHRIST. ENDURE UNTILL THE END AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED, DON'T LOSE HEART BUT BE ENCOURAGED AS ITS ALL GLORY TO GOD. HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU. REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE A LIVING HOPE OF HEAVEN AMEN. JESUS IS WORKING SALVATION IN THE YOUTH OF THIS GENERATION MIGHTLY IN MY CHURCH: http://www.theglits.org.uk check out the website to see the Lord's works in out lives let this be an encouragement to what Jesus is doing around the world.

  • Lynda Lowery

    Praise Your mighty and holy name, dear heavenly Father, for Your purpose for this couple. It isn't Your will that any should perish, so I petition Your throne of Grace and mercy to intervene on their behalf, to not allow them to be butchered or humiliated by these captors who do not know who You are and what You can do. Just as You had the angels to open the prison doors for Paul and Silas, I pray that You consider doing the same for this pastor and his wife, as well as giving them the opportunity to witness to the jailers, to sing songs to You, to allow anyone listening to hear Your truth through them. Thank You for strengthening their mind, body and spirit to handle whatever the enemy does or tries to do to them and others.

    Ps. 23 says that "Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow us all the days of our life." If it be Your will, Lord, either give the Iranians a miracle to watch, learn from and to be part of, or totally deliver this pastor and wife out of the hands of their enemy.

    I pray that You would scramble the brains, thinking and sleep of their captors, so they will open the prison doors and release these innocent people who took a stand for You.

    This pastor and wife will be of no value or service to the lost or to You if they are dead or martyred. So Lord, in Your infinite wisdom, I stand in the gap on their behalf and pray
    You will intervene in their lives, place a hedge of protection around them, and station Your mighty and warring angels for all the enemy to see.

    I pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen and amen.

  • Mark in Idaho

    Lord, please make the capture and torture of these brothers of mine the capture and torture of me. I am part of the body of Christ, they are part of the body of Christ. When they are arrested, I am arrested. When they are jailed, I am jailed. When they are tortured, I am tortured. Lord, may it be unto me as it is to them, and unto them as it is to me.

    And I ask this in Jesus' Name.

  • esther

    Dear Lord, i thank you that you are God. Be glorified in all circumstances for we know that when we are weak, then we are strong becoz you are our strength.Unite our hearts to the fear of the Lord. I lift up our brothers and sisters facing this persecution knowing that its temperal. When they suffer, then we all suffer. Be glorified in this Oh God and i pray many more come to Jesus becoz of this.I pray for strength for those in prison, wisdom. Fill them with your spirit and power to even preach in prison as in the days of ur apostles. In everything i give you praise in Jesus name.

    • Josh

      Father, we pray for your mighty Hand of deliverance upon our Dear Brother.
      May You endew our Brother power & strength from above just like Daniel in the Lion's Den & the 3 Hebrew children in the furnace. In Jesus Name……To God be the Glory!

      God moves in a mysterious way
      his wonders to perform;
      He plants his footsteps in the sea,
      and rides upon the storm.

      Deep in unfathomable mines
      of never failing skill,
      He treasures up his bright designs
      and works his sovereign will.

      You fearful saints, fresh courage take;
      the clouds you so much dread
      Are big with mercy and shall break
      in blessings on your head.

      His purposes will ripen fast,
      unfolding every hour;
      The bud may have a bitter taste,
      but sweet will be the flower.

      Blind unbelief is sure to err
      and scan his work in vain:
      God is his own interpreter,
      and he will make it plain.

  • Alex

    We stand firmly with our brethren in Iran in prayers. As the disciples stood with Peter when he was arrested by King Herod after Herod arrested and killed the apostle James. God sent an angel and delivered Peter. God does all things according to His own councel and will. His will is perfect. As Paul said to live is Christ and to die is gain. A believer does not die, he sleeps..just a rest is the sweet presence of the Lord waiting for his resurrection..Not the same for the ungodly.
    Death has no power over a believer. Either way, our brethren are winners in Christ Jesus. Amen
    I CORINTHIANS 15:55~57
    55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
    56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
    57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
    132-4 SMYRNAEAN.CHURCH.AGE – CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.4
    "Be thou faithful unto death." He does not say be faithful until death, but unto death. You may have to seal your testimony with your blood. Thousands, yea millions, have died during all the ages. They died in the faith. Like Antipas, the faithful martyr, they held not their lives dear unto death. Often we think that it would be almost impossible to be a martyr. But dare to recall that the faith we daily use to triumph in Christ Jesus is the same faith that upholds the Polycarps and all martyrs. The supreme faith will give supreme grace for the supreme hour. Blessed be God forever!

  • Andrej
  • SERGE MEMBI

    lORD JESUS CHRIST HAVE MERCY TO MY BROTHER JOSEPH AND HIS FAMILY HIS CHURCH FATHER HELP MY BROTHER IN JESUS CHRIST NAME I PRAY AMEN

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