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IRANIAN HOUSE CHURCH PASTOR FLEES COUNTRY TO US, NOW PLANTS CHURCHES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Alabama Baptist
Released March 7 2014
February 27, 2014
For four years between 2005 and 2009, Iranian house church pastor Ara
Torosian faced sporadic yet consistent physical and emotional abuse
at the hands of his government. Caught trying to smuggle Bibles into
the country, Torosian was constantly being pressured to reveal the
identities of other Christian leaders.
"They tried to kill my spirit," said Torosian, now a North American
Mission Board (NAMB) church planter in Southern California. "And they
are good at it. We decided to leave Iran because of family security
and freedom."
But it was during those four years of house arrest and constant
surveillance in Iran that Southern Baptists were getting to know
Torosian, and he did not even know it. The International Mission Board
had sent out prayer requests for Torosian during those four years, and
Los Angeles pastor Robby Pitt was one of those praying for Torosian.
Pitt shared that with Torosian when they met in Southern California
in 2009.
"I realized then that Southern Baptists knew me even before I arrived
here," said Torosian, whose American mentor in Iran had been Southern
Baptist. "That makes me feel so strong. I found out that Southern
Baptists are a big family that cares for each other. It's been a real
blessing. I realized I'm not alone."
Torosian is one of six missionaries featured by NAMB as part of its
2014 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO) promotion. Los Angeles,
where Torosian serves, is one of 32 Send North America cities NAMB
is bringing special emphasis and resources to in its effort to help
Southern Baptists start 15,000 new churches in 10 years. Half of
NAMB's financial support comes from the AAEO.
Four years after arriving in Southern California, Torosian's Southern
Baptist family has been a key partner in multiple church planting
and ministry efforts. In 2010, Torosian started what may be the first
Armenian-language Southern Baptist church in the United States.
The growing congregation draws Armenian speakers from a variety of
countries and backgrounds -- including Armenia, Iran and Russia. Most
Armenians consider themselves Armenian Orthodox Christians.
Historically Armenia was the first government in the world to make
Christianity its official religion.
But the official language of the Orthodox Church is ancient and nearly
obsolete, Torosian said. Most Armenians know little about the gospel,
he noted.
"They talked in a language I didn't understand," said Masis, Torosian's
brother-in-law, who came to faith in Christ through the ministry of
Armenian Fellowship Church of Burbank. "I didn't know anything about
Jesus or His story."
Masis and his wife both gave their lives to Christ in the last several
years after Torosian had been sharing the gospel with them for more
than 15 years. The couple finally made a decision for Christ after
Torosian challenged them to pray for their long-standing desire
for children. When God answered that prayer, they started attending
Armenian Fellowship, heard the gospel and responded affirmatively
to it.
Torosian himself understands the challenge of coming to faith in
Christ from an Armenian background. After a high-school injury put a
promising soccer career on hold, the teenager began to soul-search
-- looking at a variety of religious traditions, including Islam,
Hinduism and finally biblical Christianity. After committing his life
to Christ, he got involved in the growing house church movement in
Iran, eventually starting his own house church.
On the way back to Iran from Turkey in 2005, Torosian and some friends
were caught trying to smuggle Farsi Bibles into Iran. After three days
of extreme physical and emotional cruelty, the government released
him but he spent the next two years under house arrest and another two
years under constant surveillance. During those four years, he said,
every conversation was carefully monitored -- making witnessing and
fellowship with others in the house church movement nearly impossible.
"I told my wife, 'This isn't what God called us to do,'" Torosian
said. "I'm making a lot of money. I'm giving to the church. But I
can't attend church and I can't get involved in ministry. We can't
do anything here." So in 2009, Torosian gave up a profitable job in
Iran to be a refugee in the United States.
Not long after Torosian arrived in the United States he started
Armenian Fellowship with the help of Southern Baptists. But his
ministry doesn't stop with the church he started. Torosian feels
particularly called to reach out to Muslims, which has led to a second
Farsi-language church plant in Southern California.
"I know that there are freedoms here -- freedom to talk, freedom of
religion," Torosian said. "I want to take this opportunity -- each
sacred moment -- to preach the gospel."
Torosian believes he is able to do much of what he does only because
of the support of Southern Baptists.
"In my experience from Iran, I know being alone can kill your spirit,"
Torosian said. "I know how loneliness can make life very hard. Now in
this situation that we have in the U.S., the Annie Armstrong Easter
Offering and prayers make me so strong. Anytime I wake up and I
start to work, or preach or share the good news, I say to myself,
'Now lots of people, they are behind me, praying for me, praying
for the ministry, giving generously to missionaries through Annie
Armstrong and other ministries around the world.'"
Though Torosian understands first hand the lives of persecuted
Christians globally, he believes living as a Christian in the
United States may be even more difficult. Unlike places where legal
persecution exists like Iran, the U.S. culture today includes pervasive
attacks on Christian morality and other forms of persecution.
"Don't feel sorry for me," Torosian said. "Don't say 'poor Ara.' You
are paying a price for Christ, to go to church every week, to go to
your cell groups. Your life is a big witness, how you survive in this
world. So keep trusting Him. I'm not the hero. You are the hero."
For more information about Torosian and his ministry in Southern
California, visit www.anniearmstrong.com.
(NAMB)
-
http://www.thealabamabaptist.org/print-edition-article-detail.php?id_art=30919&pricat_art=1
Alabama Baptist
Released March 7 2014
February 27, 2014
For four years between 2005 and 2009, Iranian house church pastor Ara
Torosian faced sporadic yet consistent physical and emotional abuse
at the hands of his government. Caught trying to smuggle Bibles into
the country, Torosian was constantly being pressured to reveal the
identities of other Christian leaders.
"They tried to kill my spirit," said Torosian, now a North American
Mission Board (NAMB) church planter in Southern California. "And they
are good at it. We decided to leave Iran because of family security
and freedom."
But it was during those four years of house arrest and constant
surveillance in Iran that Southern Baptists were getting to know
Torosian, and he did not even know it. The International Mission Board
had sent out prayer requests for Torosian during those four years, and
Los Angeles pastor Robby Pitt was one of those praying for Torosian.
Pitt shared that with Torosian when they met in Southern California
in 2009.
"I realized then that Southern Baptists knew me even before I arrived
here," said Torosian, whose American mentor in Iran had been Southern
Baptist. "That makes me feel so strong. I found out that Southern
Baptists are a big family that cares for each other. It's been a real
blessing. I realized I'm not alone."
Torosian is one of six missionaries featured by NAMB as part of its
2014 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO) promotion. Los Angeles,
where Torosian serves, is one of 32 Send North America cities NAMB
is bringing special emphasis and resources to in its effort to help
Southern Baptists start 15,000 new churches in 10 years. Half of
NAMB's financial support comes from the AAEO.
Four years after arriving in Southern California, Torosian's Southern
Baptist family has been a key partner in multiple church planting
and ministry efforts. In 2010, Torosian started what may be the first
Armenian-language Southern Baptist church in the United States.
The growing congregation draws Armenian speakers from a variety of
countries and backgrounds -- including Armenia, Iran and Russia. Most
Armenians consider themselves Armenian Orthodox Christians.
Historically Armenia was the first government in the world to make
Christianity its official religion.
But the official language of the Orthodox Church is ancient and nearly
obsolete, Torosian said. Most Armenians know little about the gospel,
he noted.
"They talked in a language I didn't understand," said Masis, Torosian's
brother-in-law, who came to faith in Christ through the ministry of
Armenian Fellowship Church of Burbank. "I didn't know anything about
Jesus or His story."
Masis and his wife both gave their lives to Christ in the last several
years after Torosian had been sharing the gospel with them for more
than 15 years. The couple finally made a decision for Christ after
Torosian challenged them to pray for their long-standing desire
for children. When God answered that prayer, they started attending
Armenian Fellowship, heard the gospel and responded affirmatively
to it.
Torosian himself understands the challenge of coming to faith in
Christ from an Armenian background. After a high-school injury put a
promising soccer career on hold, the teenager began to soul-search
-- looking at a variety of religious traditions, including Islam,
Hinduism and finally biblical Christianity. After committing his life
to Christ, he got involved in the growing house church movement in
Iran, eventually starting his own house church.
On the way back to Iran from Turkey in 2005, Torosian and some friends
were caught trying to smuggle Farsi Bibles into Iran. After three days
of extreme physical and emotional cruelty, the government released
him but he spent the next two years under house arrest and another two
years under constant surveillance. During those four years, he said,
every conversation was carefully monitored -- making witnessing and
fellowship with others in the house church movement nearly impossible.
"I told my wife, 'This isn't what God called us to do,'" Torosian
said. "I'm making a lot of money. I'm giving to the church. But I
can't attend church and I can't get involved in ministry. We can't
do anything here." So in 2009, Torosian gave up a profitable job in
Iran to be a refugee in the United States.
Not long after Torosian arrived in the United States he started
Armenian Fellowship with the help of Southern Baptists. But his
ministry doesn't stop with the church he started. Torosian feels
particularly called to reach out to Muslims, which has led to a second
Farsi-language church plant in Southern California.
"I know that there are freedoms here -- freedom to talk, freedom of
religion," Torosian said. "I want to take this opportunity -- each
sacred moment -- to preach the gospel."
Torosian believes he is able to do much of what he does only because
of the support of Southern Baptists.
"In my experience from Iran, I know being alone can kill your spirit,"
Torosian said. "I know how loneliness can make life very hard. Now in
this situation that we have in the U.S., the Annie Armstrong Easter
Offering and prayers make me so strong. Anytime I wake up and I
start to work, or preach or share the good news, I say to myself,
'Now lots of people, they are behind me, praying for me, praying
for the ministry, giving generously to missionaries through Annie
Armstrong and other ministries around the world.'"
Though Torosian understands first hand the lives of persecuted
Christians globally, he believes living as a Christian in the
United States may be even more difficult. Unlike places where legal
persecution exists like Iran, the U.S. culture today includes pervasive
attacks on Christian morality and other forms of persecution.
"Don't feel sorry for me," Torosian said. "Don't say 'poor Ara.' You
are paying a price for Christ, to go to church every week, to go to
your cell groups. Your life is a big witness, how you survive in this
world. So keep trusting Him. I'm not the hero. You are the hero."
For more information about Torosian and his ministry in Southern
California, visit www.anniearmstrong.com.
(NAMB)
-
http://www.thealabamabaptist.org/print-edition-article-detail.php?id_art=30919&pricat_art=1