A letter from Sadegh Sepehri in Germany
May 27, 2012, Pentecost
Joyful news from the Iranian Evangelical Church in Berlin
Jesus told them: I tell you there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent (Luke 15:7).
This year the day of Pentecost was a very meaningful and blessed day for us. Five young people, one lady and four men, who were attending to our special baptism course were baptized. Before baptism they gave their testimony about why they become Christians.
The lady, Mrs. Mahrokh Merpoor, is originally from Kurdistan. With much crying she explained that she had no peace and never was happy. She was always was feeling that a very big and heavy burden was on her shoulders. "I was feeling that I had lost something and could not find it," she said. Then she finally left her husband and children and fled to Germany.
Sadegh with five newly baptized christians.
Before leaving Iran she imagined some wrong things and dream about being a refugee. So she became more depressed. She was in a refugee camp until somebody suggested to her that she go to the Iranian church, where they would help her. "This was a great step in my life," she said, "because there was the place where I could find what I had lost." Regularly and with great interest she attended my Bible study classes for about six months. During this time she came to know Jesus and realize that only Jesus could save her and take the heavy burden from her shoulders. "Now I have given my whole life and soul and body to Almighty Savior and find peace in my heart. Now I want to thank the Iranian Church and those who are serving people with social problems as well as with spiritually matters, like me." This testimony really touched the hearts of those who heard her.
Another one baptized was Mr. Syavash Khanmohammadi, who is 25 years old. He said, "I cannot speak well, but I have prepared my testimony in poem and I am going to sing and play it with my guitar." It was excellent. He told how he was living in sin and sin disturbed his life. He was always looking for a way that could help him to find peace and happiness. He said: "As Jesus said in Matthew 7:7, 'Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, and knock and the door will be opened to you,' I did so, and finally found the way. Jesus said: I am the way and no one comes to father except by me."
"For 11 years I have been out of my country. I visited different groups, churches and parties," said Mr. Mohammad Mahdiyani, a 43-year-old man. "I was like a child who has lost his parents. Always I was losing my way and couldn’t find it. I did not even know what I was looking for, but inside I was not in peace and nothing could make me happy. Finally here in Berlin I heard there is a group of people called the Iranian Church. They try to help people spiritually and socially. Let me go and try it, I said to myself. I found this place and attended the worship services and Bible study classes. Here was the right place that I should have found earlier. Here I realized what I had lost, and that because of sin my relation with God was broken and my heart was empty. Jesus washed my sin by his blood and through Him I reconciled with my Heavenly Father. Now my heart isn’t empty but full of my Father's love. Praise the Lord, and thanks a lot, Iranian Evangelical Church in Berlin."
Mr. Amir Elm Zade testified: "At first I came to church, not for Christianity but because I had heard that those who are converting from Islam to Christianity have a better chance that their asylum request would be accepted. But after some time, when I heard the Word of God and become familiar with Christianity, I realized that releasing my spirit from Satan was much more important. So I decided to come regularly and for Christianity, not for a refugee problem. Now I am happy that I have become a free man."
The last one, Mr. Hassan Hosseinpoor, also mentioned that he had had a very dirty life, which had taken away all kinds of happiness. "Never was I happy and nothing could make me glad. But, praise the Lord, after I found the Iranian Church in Berlin and attended the Bible study classes and heard the Word of God my life has been changed. Now I know what is a real life and being happy—that is LIVING WITH GOD."
Beginning May 29 a new course of Bible study especially for new people will start and so far we have about 10 people who have registered.
Please pray for these new people that God may touch their hearts and give them new and fruitful lives. Also pray for us, that the Holy Spirit will guide and help us to be able to open the Word for them.
We are praying that we can find budget for a weekend conference for about 60 new believers.
We are also especially praying for churches and Christians in Iran who are suffering harassment and persecution, which day by day gets much worse. Recently Persian-speaking churches have been forbidden to use the Persian language.
With all good wishes and God's Blessing,
Sadegh Sepehri
The 2012 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 275
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