In 2019, I was blessed to have the opportunity to participate in a mission trip to Athens Greece with the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for the purpose of ministering to middle eastern refugees living there.
During our trip, the Lord moved mightily and we were able to witness to many. Although we enjoyed powerful experiences during our trip such as visiting Mars Hill and seeing new converts baptized in the sea at Cenchrea, the thing I have found myself sharing most often since then is the vibrant and life-consuming faith of the Iranian Christian translators who assisted us while we were there. Many times over the years I have described them as believers who if given the choice on a particular day to either eat or share the gospel would choose the latter.
Subscribe to The Alabama Baptist today!
SIGN UP for our weekly Highlights emails.
One translator I became especially fond of was named Saeed which means “happy” in Arabic. Saeed explained to me that for many years he had not lived up to his name as he had struggled with major depression. He had been so distraught living under the tyrannical regime of his home country that he traveled over rugged mountains and through the wilderness in order to escape. This story was difficult to believe as the young man standing before me virtually radiated joy and positivity. Saeed shared that since finding Jesus, people he knew from before could hardly believe he was the same person.
Since that trip I have developed a keen interest in the underground church in Iran and have learned that in recent years it has been growing quickly and thriving despite heavy persecution from the Shiite-led regime. Some estimates place the number of Christians in Iran at over a million.
‘Let us do good to all people’
Growing up in the U.S. during the 70’s and 80’s it is impossible to erase from my memory the daily water-torture coverage of the Iran hostage crisis or the ensuing decades-long “Death to America” policy of Iran’s leaders. Considering this history, it is not hard to understand why many Americans might think that obliterating this perpetually threatening country would be a good thing, but as Christians we don’t have the luxury of thinking in such simplistic terms.
Galatians 6:10 reads “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” As Christians, we should feel a special bond with anyone who follows Jesus. The Church in Iran are not only our brothers and sisters in Christ but serve him with an inspiring level of courage that few American believers are ever called upon to live out. While most of us in America have been blessed with material comforts and religious freedom, our spiritual family in Iran have been faithfully shining the light of the gospel into one of the darkest places on earth.
So, as pundits yell and bombs fall, I would implore everyone reading this to pray that our leaders turn to God for wisdom during this time and that our Christian brothers and sisters in Iran would be protected, encouraged, and comforted in coming days.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Eddie Vines, former Jefferson County Judge. Vines currently serves as president of Faith Fortress Ministries.
Share with others: