1 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:12,360 Good morning Church, I think sounds has a problem. 2 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,720 Good morning. Now is better. 3 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:21,160 Good. This is my honour and privilege 4 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:27,240 to be here. But before I say you stole talk 5 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:35,840 to you from us. So we are I'm so happy I'm here. 6 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,360 Thank you so much for doctor you for the kind introduction. 7 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:45,440 But the right introduction for Combis is who is nothing because 8 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:50,800 God is everything but I I pronounce my last name Sako E. 9 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,240 This is my last name. It's very difficult to pronounce 10 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,920 the care, but there is a reward if somebody can do that. 11 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,960 So my name is Come Bees. If you call to the bees to Come 12 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,600 Come Bees. This is the name of the father 13 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,800 of King Cyrus. He was Persian too, so I'm from 14 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,160 Iran. I'm here to share my testimony. 15 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,600 And here's a story in my life for his glory. 16 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:18,920 But before that, I want to say thank you. 17 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,000 Thank you church, because of the body of the Christ. 18 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,440 As a body of the Christ, you pray for the nations, you send 19 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,880 missionaries, you support missionaries, and you came. 20 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:35,280 Because of you I heard gospel and God saved me and my family 21 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:37,400 and through through us many others. 22 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:49,080 Thank you. So I I was born in Iran and 1st 23 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,240 I was introduced my family to you. 24 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:57,520 So this is picture of my family, my wife beautiful wife her name 25 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,880 is Sepeda. The meaning of Sepeda is sun 26 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:07,200 rising dawn and my son is 30 years old his name is Kiarash. 27 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:11,800 The meaning of Kiaraj is brave king and my daughter in the 28 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:17,680 right side is Tiam and the meaning of Tiam is my eyes and 29 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,400 my daughter-in-law is Krista. And I don't think you need any 30 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,760 definition for that. So I was born in Iran. 31 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:32,160 Anytime I say Iran in Americans mind the first picture come is 32 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,880 desert long white shirt and camel. 33 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,200 That is wrong. So I've brought some pictures 34 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,760 from my city. This is Tehran my city. 35 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,840 But this is the winter. You can see the how how many 36 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:50,520 trees there are in street. We have a 22 ski resort in my 37 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:55,160 city and you can see that all the mountains and 15,000,000 38 00:02:55,160 --> 00:03:00,160 population is it that city. I was born in Iran. 39 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:06,160 I was I I raised as a Muslim, I practice Islam and I was called 40 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:14,880 to praying man in 1997 for work I moved to Cyprus in city of 41 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:18,960 Limassol. In Cyprus I heard about the 42 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:25,200 church Iranian go and convert to Christianity but I was so angry. 43 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,800 This is some of the Islamic activities in the Shia Muslim. 44 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:34,760 So I was so angry I I couldn't believe how is possible Muslim 45 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:38,320 guy go back backwards to Christianity. 46 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:43,040 So I went to that church to stop them to bring them back to 47 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,600 Islam. After nine months of fighting, 48 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,800 arguing, asking questions against Christianity, God 49 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,920 touched my heart and God used two things to draw me to 50 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,640 himself. First, special love among church 51 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:02,600 members and second, they were able to answer our questions 52 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,280 from Bible. Brothers and sisters, when we 53 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:09,000 say we are follower of Jesus, when we say we are Christian, we 54 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,000 should know our Bible. We should know what we believe 55 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,040 and why we believe that things we believe. 56 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,320 So they were able to answer my questions from Bible. 57 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:22,680 Anytime I ask questions they open the Bible. 58 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:29,720 They said OK here read everything is a God's word in 59 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:34,240 the Bible is a God's word. Everything out of that is a word 60 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:42,200 of man when Tony Morita is that he was one of the professors in 61 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:47,080 the Southeastern says when you open the Bible, God's mouth is 62 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:52,040 opening and God speak. We should know our Bible. 63 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:58,640 So after nine months, I kept to the point I didn't know who am 64 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:00,240 I. But this is not easy. 65 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:04,560 You know, at the first week when I arrived there, they gave me a 66 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:08,200 Bible and I opened that randomly. 67 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:13,440 And Ezekiel was you know that I read that was a angels, they 68 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,760 have a four wings. It goes around and I said, oh, 69 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,440 he saw the helicopter and he thought was angels. 70 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,080 I closed that. I put the shelf. 71 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,720 I said this is crafted. It is changed because as a 72 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,880 Muslim believe Bible changed. And I said this is unclean. 73 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:35,600 I'm not going to touch it. But my wife said let's read and 74 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,040 find the errors and fight with them. 75 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:45,200 So we had a 2 conversation, one inside the home and one with 76 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,920 them. So with them we call them oh hey 77 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,160 we have a 20 questions and they came, they came every time. 78 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:56,360 Every single time we asked them they came with them love kindly 79 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:02,400 and they share gospel and they answer our questions from Bible. 80 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,560 But inside the home we had a different conversation around. 81 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:10,600 So my wife first day he said, do you know what is written here? 82 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:15,400 I said what he said the things we eat doesn't make us unclean. 83 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,480 That things comes out from our mouth that is make us unclean. 84 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:25,680 All day I was working, I was thinking about that every moment 85 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:30,680 because logically makes sense as a Muslim, we care about the OK, 86 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,320 this is halal, this is Haram, this is digest, this is the 87 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:36,560 unclean, this is clean. But you didn't care what you 88 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:42,440 say. Second thing, do you know what 89 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:46,160 is written here? And she was telling me. 90 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:49,280 But second thing, OK, so Peter, what did you read? 91 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,520 Share with me, but I didn't want to touch. 92 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,280 After nine months I came to the point I didn't know who am I, am 93 00:06:57,280 --> 00:07:01,760 I Muslim, am I Christian? I need that. 94 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:07,280 I say, God, 27 years I follow you. 95 00:07:07,280 --> 00:07:10,080 I worship you in that way you gave me. 96 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,160 And after 27 years you are telling me that was wrong. 97 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,000 I don't accept that. You should come down. 98 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,240 Show yourself to me. I want to see you like the 99 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:23,280 children, like the kids I didn't want even look at. 100 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,840 I say, hey, I want to see you. Don't forget. 101 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:33,160 Hey God, I want to see you. After a few weeks I was in the 102 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:38,760 church and worship leader even he didn't open his Bible, even 103 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:44,040 he didn't say exact words, but he said wind comes and you don't 104 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:47,760 know comes come from where it goes where but burning from the 105 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:54,160 Holy Spirit is like that John chapter 4 and I heard a clear 106 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:58,240 clear voice come bees you wanted to see me. 107 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:02,920 I came same as this wind and you don't know from where, but I'm 108 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,360 inside you. I stood up, I went to the 109 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,120 pastor. I said I don't know what you 110 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,720 say. I knew nine months I was 111 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,520 fighting and he explained everything, sin, salvation, 112 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,120 everything, sacrifice, everything. 113 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:18,560 But I said I don't know what you say. 114 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:23,320 I know one thing, God touched my heart and God is here. 115 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:28,320 I went to my wife, I said Sepide, I gave my heart to Lord 116 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:32,400 and Sepide said I'm so happy. Last week happened to me. 117 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,480 I was praying for you. She is scared to tell me. 118 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:44,200 So this is our baptism in Mediterranean Sea and you can 119 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,240 see that was a beautiful ceremony. 120 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:53,080 But when we when we became believer, our pastor said he's 121 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:58,960 not going to bother us anymore. But he was wrong because if 122 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:02,400 before just once a week I went to church and bothered him, 123 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:08,720 after that, every day I went to his home, knocked the door. 124 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,400 What is here? I wanted to know. 125 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:15,160 I was like a spange. I was empty. 126 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:18,520 I was reading Bible. I wanted to know what he says. 127 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:21,640 He was single. I did that. 128 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:23,280 Please don't do that with Pastor John. 129 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:32,760 In 1999 our pastor left and they ordained me as a new pastor in 130 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:37,000 Saint Church. In 2000 we moved to Turkey. 131 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,600 We forced to leave the country because of the visa issue. 132 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:45,320 We moved to Turkey, Istanbul and got connected us with IMB. 133 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:52,640 They said long time we are praying one Iranian pastor come 134 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:57,160 here and start Iranian for Iranian house church. 135 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:04,760 That was a time Doctor David Garrison wrote the multiply book 136 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:09,400 and that was a model of the multiplying churches in China 137 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:14,320 and IMB wanted to know if that model can work in Iran. 138 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:18,000 And I was the the first guy for example. 139 00:10:19,680 --> 00:10:24,800 So we start the church and sorry God start the church and God 140 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:29,560 used me. Psalm 127 if God doesn't build a 141 00:10:29,560 --> 00:10:31,080 house builder cannot do anything. 142 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,920 He is building, he is planting his church. 143 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,480 And this is our honour and privilege, God using us. 144 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:44,880 So our church grow and some of our believers they said OK, we 145 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:48,640 are not, we are not Muslim anymore, we are believer right 146 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:52,880 now we should not pass border illegally and we cannot stay 147 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,120 here illegally. We should go back to Iran. 148 00:10:55,960 --> 00:11:03,440 We pray for them, we send them back After a few months, he 149 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,640 called me one of them. He called me and he told me, 150 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:09,800 hey, I shared my faith and 15 people became believer. 151 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:13,960 What should I do? I feel Amen for God. 152 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,680 If you want to be for God, it's better than this. 153 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:23,120 But I feel I should go and share help their ministry. 154 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:27,960 But remember is a Islamic Republic of Iran. 155 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:35,520 We took few trips, I went any places. 156 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:39,680 I knew two people, believers, I brought them together. 157 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,000 And that experience God gave me as a house church in Turkey. 158 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:47,880 Many house churches started in southwest and northeast of Iran. 159 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:55,480 In last trip I feel God calling me to move back to Iran, leaving 160 00:11:55,480 --> 00:12:00,840 Iran as a church planter. But I scared to say to my wife 161 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,040 because my wife hated to go back to Iran. 162 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:06,320 She had a good reason. She said I want I don't want our 163 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:08,480 children grew up in the Islamic environment. 164 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:14,000 When I went back to home to Istanbul, my wife said how was 165 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,360 your feeling? I said, oh, I went this place 166 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:20,040 that place that was good. This place is started one church 167 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,080 that so no, no, no, how was your feeling. 168 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,880 I said everything was good. I was dismissed. 169 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:31,280 I scared to say, but she told me I was I had my devotion. 170 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:33,920 I came to the Philippians chapter 3, verse seven and eight 171 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,000 that this was benefit for me. I rejected to receive Jesus 172 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:39,520 Christ. I believe God calling us to go 173 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:41,280 back to Iran. God touch our heart. 174 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,400 In the same time our life became against suitcases. 175 00:12:44,560 --> 00:12:47,240 One month later we were moved back to Iran. 176 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,280 So we didn't go to to to those churches. 177 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:55,560 We started before because other pastor came we I gave him those 178 00:12:55,880 --> 00:13:00,240 churches in the South and NE, but we went to our hometown 179 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:05,640 Tehran. Kharaj is a suburb and we first 180 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:10,400 week we had a first church two members, my wife and I Oh no, 181 00:13:10,560 --> 00:13:15,760 Jesus was there too and God bless that church and became 182 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:23,520 three churches 70 believers. This is not alike here having 183 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:28,800 this many chair freely your worship that is a we couldn't 184 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,080 put the sign of the open door church. 185 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,400 If you have any question about the Christianity camp was many 186 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:39,080 brochures and many videos advertisement to bring people 187 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:42,960 from the out of the churches to come to here to know that no, 188 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:45,800 this is in Iran, It's the underground churches. 189 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:49,960 We went out did evangelism and we disciple them. 190 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,800 Then we could see their life changed. 191 00:13:53,040 --> 00:14:00,040 We could bring them to our home in the park, in the their 192 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:05,840 workplace. We go out and share gospel and 193 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:09,640 this is our responsibility. God command us. 194 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:21,440 Go and make disciple among all nations in Acts chapter one 195 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:27,120 verse 8 when Holy Spirit come give you power to be witness. 196 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,040 This is our responsibility to go out. 197 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:34,920 Brothers and sisters, this is all of us. 198 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:39,000 There is no too young or too old for sharing gospel. 199 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,960 All of us, we have a responsibility to share gospel 200 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:47,080 and God move nations in your neighborhood. 201 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:53,040 Please go share gospel, make disciple among all nations. 202 00:14:54,200 --> 00:15:02,840 This is our responsibility. So then in Iran, so I have some 203 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:07,640 pictures from the my our church. This is our home. 204 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:13,080 This is a Christmas party and this is the baptism in our 205 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:15,720 living room and baptism made in China. 206 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:24,360 But this is God who touching hearts from different ages, 207 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:31,080 different gender and God is good and God is working and God 208 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:35,120 doesn't need us. But this is the honor and 209 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:41,360 privilege, God using US. The only things God needs from 210 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:49,760 us is we say here I am use me save me and rest of that he will 211 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:53,880 do that. So this is this picture is the 212 00:15:54,800 --> 00:16:01,560 Christmas 2009 and if you see none of us, we don't have a 213 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:05,240 white long shirt. And also I promise you we didn't 214 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:15,600 park our camels outdoor and just I was speaking here 2020, 2009, 215 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:20,320 you know, after six years, the seventh years is going to start 216 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:25,520 is the Sabbath. We should have a rest, but God 217 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:29,480 forgot about that seven years finish and God said, OK, you 218 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,000 need rest. So I was speaking here and front 219 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:37,120 of the door open, one camera came in and more than 20 circuit 220 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:41,840 police came to our party. They arrested me. 221 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:47,640 They put me in our they took me our home and they searched 222 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,960 everywhere. They took anything as evidence 223 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:57,960 they needed and they put me in cell at the midnight in Rajaisha 224 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,320 prison. That was our hometown prison. 225 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:09,880 I'm human, I'm flesh and blood. I scared. 226 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:17,920 I start complaining, I start crying and praying. 227 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,359 God, why you let them bring me here? 228 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:24,599 God, I did this. I start making lists. 229 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:31,320 I did this, I did that. After, you know, 21 days, my 230 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:33,760 family didn't know what I am. Am I alive or not? 231 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:38,160 That was a hidden session. In prison was a prison. 232 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:42,080 In prison they could do anything they want every day. 233 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:44,320 Close my eyes, take me to Integration room. 234 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,520 Some days friendly. They wanted to pay me, they 235 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:53,640 wanted to buy me. We send you, we pay you work 236 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:55,920 with us. But other days, no. 237 00:17:56,800 --> 00:18:00,880 But every single time I was coming back, I was rejoicing 238 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:04,760 because I leave that verse. God says if they take you to the 239 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:08,720 prison, if they take you to the court, don't worry what you say, 240 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:14,760 Holy Spirit will speak. So when they put me in prison, I 241 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:16,840 start complaining, I start crying. 242 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:22,360 I don't know, 20 minutes, thirty minutes later, 15 minutes later, 243 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:26,520 while I was there, I don't know if you had this experience or 244 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:32,600 not, but all my life became like the movie front of my eye. 245 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:38,680 And the movie had a voice too. Campis, do you remember those 246 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,640 days you went to school, coming back, all the queues, all the 247 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,880 exams, all difficulties. Do you remember those days? 248 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:49,240 All of them, all difficulties. Pass the tone said. 249 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,240 Pass. Campis, do you remember those 250 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:56,320 days you were Navy, far from the home, in bad weather of the 251 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:59,240 South of Iran? And every four months just few 252 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,000 days you could come home. Do you remember those days? 253 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:07,040 All of them? Pass Campis, this will pass. 254 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:11,000 And God gave me a deep, deep, deep peace. 255 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:13,200 I could give that peace to others. 256 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,360 So I said every time they close my eyes and take me to 257 00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:21,800 integration room. But I was rejoicing and I was 258 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,120 coming back because God was with me. 259 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:30,320 So for not for seven weeks I was teaching through the book of 260 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:36,000 Acts before they arrest us. So God prepared us for the 261 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:37,880 persecution. I was teaching about the 262 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:41,760 persecution and every single week before, in that seven 263 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:46,440 weeks, I said to our church, while you are sitting on the 264 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,000 chair and put the foot on top of the other foot and say 265 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:54,200 Hallelujah is easy. But then they arrest you and 266 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:59,040 they take you to prison. And when you are there and you 267 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:03,880 continue to say Hallelujah, that time your faith is real. 268 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,760 This is a test in the persecution, in suffering, in 269 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:13,520 the difficulties when you cannot do anything, that time when you 270 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,640 trust God. That is the real faith. 271 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:20,240 But I didn't know what I'm talking about. 272 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:29,160 When I was in prison, I found out He keep our faith in 273 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,240 persecution too. He's doing everything. 274 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:39,800 After three months, I was able to put up bail and release to 275 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,960 return to the court and they charged me with two crimes 276 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:45,800 against the government, against Islam. 277 00:20:46,360 --> 00:20:49,000 And we handed two different court system in Iran. 278 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:52,560 One is the General Court and other one is a revolutionary 279 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:58,240 court. So revolutionary court 2 times 280 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:04,320 send my document back to prosecutor and said he didn't do 281 00:21:04,360 --> 00:21:07,840 anything against the government that thinks he did. 282 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:12,040 He was Muslim, he was called to prayer man and now he's 283 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,720 Christian. Change the charges to apostasy 284 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:22,600 and I hang him. Judge was against me and they 285 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,160 didn't change when they returned the document. 286 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:30,720 When he fell he looked at me eye to eye and he told me I will 287 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,920 find something against you to kill you for come back in two 288 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:39,920 weeks. 2 weeks later when I returned to the court I was 289 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:44,520 front of the number 2 of Revolutionary court and I found 290 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:51,920 out judge was out sick. All our members fasted and 291 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:56,600 prayed for him. This is our responsibility and 292 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:01,800 prosecutor also heard we are praying for him. 293 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:12,360 Actually my wife in court told her told him they scheduled me 294 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:15,360 for two months later. But after a few days I received 295 00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:17,560 a phone call. They told me you have been in 296 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:21,920 court 8:00 AM the next day I said you schedule me for two 297 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:23,640 months later. You said tomorrow 8:00 AM. 298 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:25,160 Did you understand? I said yes Sir. 299 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:30,320 So day after I went to the court, I was front of the number 300 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:34,440 2 of the revolutionary court with my lawyer and prosecutor 301 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,840 came and took me and my lawyer to the different court. 302 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:44,680 New judge my my my lawyer told me what's going on? 303 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:49,960 Say you are lawyer, you should explain to me asking me So 304 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,960 prosecutor who wrote against me asked new judge. 305 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,040 Judge sentenced him one year probation and closed the case 306 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:59,520 and let him go. My lawyer said did you pay 307 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:01,480 bribe? I said man, I didn't pay you 308 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:07,480 what I'm talking about. They sentenced me one year 309 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:10,920 probation when I want to come out from the door. 310 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:14,680 Prosecutors stopped me and told me hey don't appeal because I 311 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:16,960 had right to appeal in window of 20 days. 312 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,760 Hey, don't appeal. If you appeal, I will raise that 313 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:21,040 up. Don't come back here. 314 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,240 I don't want to see you. In my heart I said I don't want 315 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:28,120 to see you too. I went out. 316 00:23:28,120 --> 00:23:31,760 After a few days, my lawyer called me and told me, do you 317 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:33,080 know what happened? I said no. 318 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:36,200 Do you know why they move your document to the different court? 319 00:23:36,360 --> 00:23:40,040 I said no, The judge who wanted to kill you, he died. 320 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:43,520 And other judges afraid God, they wanted to send you out. 321 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:45,320 Don't come back here. I don't want to see you. 322 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:52,560 That was the reason I'm not happy, God, I'm not happy. 323 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:56,320 He died before he received salvation but that was the Gods 324 00:23:56,880 --> 00:24:04,480 decision. Psalm 3732 until 36 is very real 325 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:09,360 in my life but I'm going to read just 32 and 36. 326 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:12,680 The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him 327 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:16,480 to death. But he passed away and behold he 328 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:18,840 was no more. Thought I solved him. 329 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:23,720 He could not be found. Bible is not the just for 2000 330 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:28,520 or 3000 years ago. Bible is alive and for today. 331 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,600 And if today God command us, go make disciple. 332 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:36,000 God is with us. God didn't promise you are not 333 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,240 going to receive persecution. You are not going to be under 334 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:44,760 suffering. God promise, I am with you. 335 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:53,200 This is his promise. He gave us peace through those 336 00:24:53,320 --> 00:25:00,120 difficulties. He is with us, but we should 337 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:08,960 obey our God and go and make disciple in our Jerusalem, in 338 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:13,160 our Judea, in our Samaria and all around the world. 339 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:21,920 So other court sentenced me two years in prison. 340 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:28,800 But I don't know they say, I know they say by mistake. 341 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:34,240 Do you remember was a new judge they say by mistake, but I say 342 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:38,680 but by miracle of God, he the new judge didn't know I have a 343 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:43,040 different court case. He made my bail free and I 344 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:48,760 bought 2 tickets and I moved to I flew to Turkey and apply as an 345 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:51,360 asylum seeker to United Nations as a refugee. 346 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:55,680 I said 2 tickets because I bought 2 tickets for my daughter 347 00:25:55,680 --> 00:26:00,160 and mine and two months later my wife and my son, they joined us 348 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:03,080 because my I adopted my daughter. 349 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:08,520 One of the heaviest leverage they use against me in prison 350 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:11,680 was they wanted to take my daughter back from me. 351 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:17,440 They said Muslim girl cannot raise in the Christian home but 352 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:22,440 I said I am her father but she has heavenly father, he will 353 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:26,960 take care about her and he did so I bought 2 tickets. 354 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,040 We flew to Turkey. We apply as a refugee. 2 months 355 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:36,520 later, my wife and my son joined us and in Turkey our refugee 356 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,320 process took four years. During those four years, we 357 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:42,920 continued working with IMB. We had a training center, we 358 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:46,520 brought pastors from Iran, trained them, send them back. 359 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:49,960 And also we thought that two churches are still meeting 360 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:53,760 today. And we became students at 361 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:58,560 Southeastern Seminary. Actually, 2009, while I was in 362 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:03,400 Iran, my wife and I became student, but they send us the 363 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:08,400 external heart of the lectures and the book was the theology 364 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:11,080 for church. That was an amazing book for 365 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:15,280 exercise every morning. But that's very difficult to 366 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:21,320 understand. You know, always I say Farsi is 367 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:23,760 heavenly language. All of us, we are going to speak 368 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:25,240 Farsi, my language in the heaven. 369 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:29,040 But honestly, I can't confess. English is heavenly language 370 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:34,480 because takes forever to learn. Still, you can see I I have a 371 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:37,240 struggle with English. This is the English I'm 372 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:42,160 speaking. When I was in Iran, when we 373 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:47,000 became a student, 10 students enrolled in Southeastern and 374 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,160 only two of them, they graduated. 375 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:56,520 My wife and I, I was crying, I was praying God, please bring 376 00:27:56,520 --> 00:28:01,120 somebody to Southeastern to make that team Farsi be easy for me, 377 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:06,120 but I didn't know God is going to I'm nothing. 378 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:09,840 I'm not capable, I'm not qualified. 379 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:16,640 He's doing everything but answered my prayer and God 380 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:21,520 opened the amazing way. Two people in my life, they had 381 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:29,200 an amazing effect and also they in they direct me in this, this 382 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:34,960 life and this direction and they had an amazing role in my life. 383 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:43,000 And one of them is Doctor Youth, your pastor, Pastor John, he had 384 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:48,280 a heart. Thank you, Doctor Youth, for 385 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:50,440 everything you have done and you are doing. 386 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:55,320 He's visionary. He had vision. 387 00:28:56,480 --> 00:29:01,880 And then I went to 2000 OK, I should I should go by the 388 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:08,800 logical 2015 United Nations sent us to US and we went to South 389 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:12,320 Carolina because Lexington Baptist Church in South 390 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:16,800 Carolina, they were our partner and they told us come to South 391 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:19,360 Carolina, we help you to settle in US. 392 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,560 And after we send you to North Carolina to continue in 393 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:27,040 Southeastern. But they told me there is a 394 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:29,240 condition if you want you want we help you. 395 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:32,760 I said, what's the condition? So you should be able to say, 396 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:36,680 hey, you all. So we passed the test. 397 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:42,520 We passed this and we came to the South Carolina in 2016, we 398 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:44,760 moved to North Carolina. We lived in the campus of 399 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:49,080 Southeastern. And doctor, you called me to his 400 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:54,320 office and he told me, are you willing to help other student 401 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:58,080 like yourself to study in Southeastern in English? 402 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:03,240 I said shoe I became director for Persian leadership 403 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:08,120 development at Southeastern Seminary and God had a different 404 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:13,560 plan. God wanted to answer my prayers 405 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:21,120 and provide Farsi program. So this is a pictures of the 406 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:28,160 those churches in Turkey and in 2016 until 2019, I was working 407 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:32,880 on the foundation to start to launch the bachelor degree in 408 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:38,280 Farsi and our first cohorts graduated in 2023. 409 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:46,200 Also, we started our master degree, MTS, Master of 410 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:50,560 Theological Study under the leadership of doctor youth and 411 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:54,360 God opened the door. Our first graduation was this 412 00:30:54,360 --> 00:31:00,040 year 2025 in Turkey. I brought some pictures I'm 413 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:04,360 going to show you. But also we started our MA 414 00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:08,560 Biblical counselling. My wife also graduated as a 415 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,040 Doctor of Education Biblical Counselling. 416 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:17,600 So we started MABC Mass MA Biblical counselling and our 417 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:20,640 first graduation is going to be 2026. 418 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:25,120 All of you invited May 30th, 2006 in Istanbul. 419 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:30,400 So we are we are celebrating our graduation in Istanbul. 420 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:33,920 People from Iran, they can come and people from the all Europe, 421 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:37,400 they can come there. So I brought some pictures and I 422 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:44,120 want you to know that this is the only accredited college and 423 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:50,600 seminary in Farsi for theology all around the world and all 424 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:55,280 entire the history. One day in Iran church history, 425 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:58,880 they are going to study about us in about 30 years. 426 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:04,280 So those people, they have a black in their eyes because they 427 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:09,800 are living in Iran for security. I did that and this is the 2023 428 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:15,160 we graduated the first cohort of the bachelor's degree and that 429 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:20,680 was a privilege to having people from all around. 430 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:26,280 But in 2016, when I became director for Persian the Shiva 431 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:31,880 Alta SE Seminary until 2019 to start, I was I was saying God 432 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:36,040 all Muslim background believers, Farsi speakers, they cannot come 433 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:40,440 to the academic world, but they need right theology. 434 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:45,400 There was a something in southeastern MOOC MO massive 435 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:50,600 open online courses. I said, I asked after you, how 436 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:56,280 can I have a something like this for Iranian and he told me you 437 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:59,800 need not nonprofit organization. I said what? 438 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:05,360 In Iran I had a company, I had a water purification field. 439 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:10,200 I the design and manufacture reverse osmosis system for water 440 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:14,200 amplification, but not nonprofit organization. 441 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:16,440 I didn't know this. This is not, we don't have 442 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:17,760 something like that, that system. 443 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:21,000 But I said what? I said go to the lawyer of 444 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:22,680 Southeastern, he will help you. I went there. 445 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:24,880 He said sign here, sign here, sign here. 446 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:26,800 I sign. I said OK, you have a nonprofit 447 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:31,320 organization, Go Open account said OK, I had the $500. 448 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:34,440 I put the account and I came. I said OK, now what? 449 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:40,800 You have to go. I went to the Any Studio to 450 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:45,280 record our lectures. They said $50,000. 451 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:51,760 So we started our our website, we started our Moodle, the 452 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:55,320 platform, we are offering our courses and we start 453 00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:59,600 registration and 500 people enrolled and I checked my 454 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:04,760 account, we had a $500 Jehovah Jireh provided. 455 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:14,320 So we offer in Mozde. We offer Mozde means good news 456 00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:19,159 so Muslim industry. We offer free online theology 457 00:34:19,159 --> 00:34:21,080 courses. Are you ready for that right 458 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:23,560 now? So we aim to seeking souls 459 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:30,800 developing powers among Muslims. But now, right now we have 3638 460 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:35,719 students from 49 different countries, all Farsi speakers, 461 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:42,400 two 217 cities out of Iran, 54 cities in Iran and youngest 13 462 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:50,679 and oldest 79. I'm going to I brought you some 463 00:34:50,679 --> 00:34:55,120 statistics in Islamic country ladies that are secondary in the 464 00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:59,400 society, but 45% of our students are female. 465 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:05,120 They are they are women and God is doing amazing things. 466 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:14,240 I have some statistics but you cannot see but the next slide I 467 00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:18,480 brought the next, the first five population of that six of them 468 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:21,920 are the first largest population of our students. 469 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:25,040 They are inside Iran. I cannot go back to Iran, but 470 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:29,200 our teaching can go. So second is Turkey, Germany and 471 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:36,680 Canada, but Afghanistan is the still in the Taliban time. 472 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:40,680 They log in and they continue their study. 473 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:49,040 God is good and God is doing amazing things and God is 474 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:56,120 continuing. God doesn't need us, but this is 475 00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:58,520 our privilege and honour. God using US. 476 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:02,760 Please pray. Pray for Moisden right now. 477 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:07,280 We are in, we are in. We have some meetings with the 478 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:10,920 Central Asia's missionaries, all the IMB people there. 479 00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:15,240 So we are going to make that for the different languages in 480 00:36:15,240 --> 00:36:20,840 Central Asia too. That model among Iranian was 481 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:23,960 very successful and now we are going to extend the different 482 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:27,920 languages. Please pray for that. 483 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:35,760 I'm going to share one story about my son and I'm after that 484 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:39,080 I'm going to pray for you in Farsi, the only language I can 485 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:42,800 talk with God because any other languages I should translate, I 486 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,480 should should come from my mind. The Farsi comes from your heart. 487 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:50,760 So I'm going to pray for you for I can't translate for you, but I 488 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:54,720 cannot translate for him. So I'm going to share a very 489 00:36:54,720 --> 00:36:58,000 short story about my son and after I pray for you and after I 490 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:00,760 give back to you, he's going to come and pray for you. 491 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:11,400 But my son was 7th grade in Iran and he was in the shower and he 492 00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:15,960 saw one lizard going up from the wall is that was weird was not 493 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:20,120 usual but he took the lizard put in the water. 494 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:25,320 He said after my shower finish I'm going to study about that. 495 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:28,560 He loves everything telescope and the microscope. 496 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:35,760 He loves study, so after his shower finish he came out and he 497 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:39,040 checked the lizard. Poor lizard died. 498 00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:41,160 They're not drunk. Who put the lizard in the water? 499 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:48,000 And in the movies he watched, you know based on that, he put 500 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:52,400 the lizard on his hand and start massage, massage. 501 00:37:52,920 --> 00:38:01,280 CPR didn't work, he had a big toy had a 29 Volt battery, he 502 00:38:01,280 --> 00:38:04,960 cut the wire he brought and shark massage. 503 00:38:04,960 --> 00:38:12,200 Shark massage. After 19 sharks some other came 504 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:15,640 out and hand move and let's revive. 505 00:38:15,720 --> 00:38:20,080 Don't ask me how, I don't know, but I know one thing. 506 00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:24,680 He couldn't stay. He was jumping around, yelling, 507 00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:29,680 rejoicing and laughing after 10-15 minutes. 508 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:35,480 Then he became a little bit calm and he said when reviving one 509 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:40,280 lizard, is this my joyful? How joyful will be if I revive 510 00:38:40,280 --> 00:38:44,840 one human? He finished the right now. 511 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:51,560 He finished the UNC biology and he's studying on bio, on 512 00:38:51,560 --> 00:38:55,560 genetics in John Hopkins. Right now he's a student master 513 00:38:56,640 --> 00:39:00,560 and also he is working in EMS ambulance. 514 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:08,520 One lizard changed his life. One lizard she gave him 515 00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:13,720 direction and he's continuing. He's keep going in that 516 00:39:13,720 --> 00:39:16,880 direction. Brothers and sisters, when you 517 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:23,360 go and share gospel and God use you and save their life, their 518 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:29,320 life will change, yes, but your life also will change after 519 00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:31,320 that. You are not going to listen to 520 00:39:31,320 --> 00:39:35,000 your culture which says don't talk about religion. 521 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:41,520 You will listen to your master who says go and make disciple 522 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:47,280 among all nations. One thing I want to say, 523 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:53,480 Muslims, they don't have any barriers to talk about religion. 524 00:39:55,440 --> 00:40:01,000 Those barriers is around you. Please destroy that because the 525 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:04,680 fourth thing in the conversation with the Muslims can be what is 526 00:40:04,680 --> 00:40:06,920 your religion? Hello, what is your name? 527 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:08,720 Where are you from? What is your religion? 528 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:13,880 Talk about religion. Right, many, many places I went 529 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:17,160 and to share my testimony. Then I came out and they they 530 00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:19,320 came and they told me we had a Muslim friend. 531 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:22,680 Now is the 2 years we go to their home, they come to to our 532 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:24,920 home and say share the gospel. Did you share the gospel? 533 00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:28,720 Say no, we are building relationship two years building 534 00:40:28,720 --> 00:40:34,760 a relationship just first day. The 4th question can be what is 535 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:38,320 your religion? Share gospel and build your 536 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:54,560 relationship around the gospel. I'm going to pray for all of us 537 00:40:55,360 --> 00:41:10,120 to God use us. Let's pray.