A university student needed a copy of the Bible for class to research the biblical narrative of Jesus’s birth. His father-in-law reached out to front-line workers for a copy of a Farsi Bible for his son-in-law, who was scared to seek the Bible for himself.
Read MoreNaske placed her trust in Christ after hearing a Christian friend’s testimony of faith. She then began reading the Bible, praying and fasting with her friend for Naske’s family to find Christ. She also received a VOM-sponsored Action Pack Kit, which included Bibles, food and a Christmas card with blessings from a Kurdish church.
Read MoreNine believers who have spent nearly three years in prison have been released while their sentences are under review. The believers were arrested in Jan. and Feb. 2019 and later sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for “acting against national security.”
Read MoreA Christian worker in Iran has distributed Bibles and Christian literature at the stables where his daughter takes horse-riding lessons. Though he questioned leaving the materials in a dirty stable, he felt led to evangelize there as he reflected on Christ’s birth in a manger in a stable. Recently, the worker discovered an Afghan refugee, Abid, reading one of the Bibles left by the worker.
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“I was really thirsty for God, hungry for God, to find who He is,” Pastor Amir Bazmjou says. “That’s why I became very fanatic Muslim.” Amir was born into a Shia Muslim family in Iran, and he grew into a very devout Muslim seeking to earn Allah’s favor. When Shia Islam couldn’t answer the desires of his heart for a relationship with Allah, he became Sufi, a form of Islamic mysticism. Then someone gave him a Bible. In spite of a lifetime of conditioning not to believe the Bible, Amir began to read. When Amir asked Jesus—if He was real—to change Amir’s heart, God answered that prayer. Listen to hear Amir’s inspiring testimony, and pray for persecuted Christians in Iran. Amir’s wife, Rashin Soodmand, is the daughter of Iranian martyr Pastor Hossein Soodmand. Listen to her story. Connect with Amir, Rashin and Torch Ministries at their web site. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.
Read MoreIranian Christians have a unique opportunity to advance the gospel amid increasing challenges due to Iran’s struggling economy. Rapid inflation, high unemployment and the impact of the pandemic have created severe economic woes for many inside Iran.
Read MoreIran’s house church network faces challenges as a result of the country’s struggling economy. With limited access to food and fuel and a job shortage, believers face increasing difficulty in opening their homes to share the gospel with friends and family or disciple new believers.
Read MoreRashin Soodmand was 13 years old when Iran’s government executed her father, Pastor Hossein Soodmand, and buried him in an unmarked grave in a part of the cemetery reserved for “the cursed.” But killing this faithful pastor didn’t erase his legacy or stop the growth of the church in Iran. Her father wasn’t the only martyr of the persecuted Iranian church that Rashin knew well. In this second part of our conversation, Rashin shares things she remembers about other martyrs she knew personally: Haik Hovsepian, who preached at her father’s funeral; Mehdi Dibaj, who encouraged her to attend Bible school; and Pastor Mohammad “Ravanbakhsh” Yusefi. To learn more about the current ministry activities of Rashin and her husband, Amir, visit the Torch Ministries web site. If you missed the first part of this conversation, listen here. Next month Christians around the world will join in prayer for persecuted Christians on the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Download your free IDOP resources now. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.
Read MoreRashin Soodmand was 13 years old when her father, Pastor Hossein Soodmand, was executed in Iran for the crime of apostasy. Rashin remembers that day as a strange mix of sadness and joy as she, her family and members of their church dealt with the loss of Pastor Soodmand while at the same time celebrating his life and the fact that he had stood boldly in the face of Christian persecution and threats. Rashin will tell how church leaders encouraged Pastor Hossein to leave Iran and go somewhere safer. He refused; he knew that for him to flee would discourage the hearts of his congregation. She’ll describe the man she knew—a man who genuinely loved people, both Christians and Muslims—and tell of the last time she saw her dad. To learn more about the current ministry activities of Rashin and her husband, Amir, visit the Torch Ministries web site. Next month Christians around the world will join in prayer for persecuted Christians on the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Download your free IDOP resources now. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.
Read MoreNastaran is a mother of two who regularly receives a Christian magazine that contains stories from VOM’s Courageous series. Recently, her brother-in-law visited her home with his family, and her son read the story of Patrick to her nephew while excitedly showing him the magazine.
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