Tag Archives: Pastor

Prison Guards Say Saeed Abedini Won’t Go Free Until He Denies Christ

The wife of wrongly imprisoned pastor Saeed Abedini says the guards at the prison where he’s being held tell him that unless he renounces Christ, he will never be released.

“Last week had been quite difficult for Saeed. He has been under a lot of pressure and attack from the hardliners. The guards have also been threatening Saeed that he will never go free and additional charges (and years) will be added to his sentence (which they have done to other Christians and fellow inmates),” said the pastor’s wife, Naghmeh Abedini, according to American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

“They continually threaten Saeed that the only key to his freedom is denying Christ and returning to Islam. Saeed refuses to deny Christ and continues to be a light and witness in that dark prison. These threats, coupled with the fact that there have been mass executions during the last week in Rajayee Shahr prison, have really taken their toll on Saeed. He asks for prayer for continued strength,” she said.

Saeed has been imprisoned for more than two and a half years for his Christian faith.

The ACLJ is calling on U.S. officials to raise the situation with Abedini when they return to the negotiating table with Iran on April 21st.

“Our government must do everything in its power to bring pastor Saeed home. It is absolutely critical that the Obama administration and the State Department continue to demand that our innocent citizens — especially pastor Saeed who is suffering only because of his religious beliefs — be returned home,” said the organization. “He suffers from injuries. He is separated from his family. He is persecuted for his faith. He is surrounded by fellow inmates being dragged to the gallows. The thought is unbearable.”

Legendary Pastor Robert Schuller Passes Away

Rev. Robert H. Schuller, the founder of the television ministry “Hour of Power” that reached millions around the world, died Thursday at the age of 88.

Schuller had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer in August 2013.

“My father-in-law passed away peacefully early this morning. He was a great Dad and a great man of God,” said Schuller’s daughter-in-law, Donna Schuller, in a Twitter message.

Schuller and his wife Arvella started a ministry in 1955 with $500.  He would preach from the roof of a concession stand at a drive-in theater near Los Angeles.  The church had a motto of “come as you are in the family car.”  They had their own building by 1961 and began the “Hour of Power” broadcast in 1970.

In 1980, Schuller built the iconic ‘Crystal Cathedral” that was seen in the “Hour of Power” broadcasts.

Schuller is remembered as a missionary who was called to reach people who had distanced themselves from church.  His mission of “find a need and fill it, find a hurt and heal it” has brought millions help and healing.

Pastor Jailed Over Pro-Life Outreach Exonerated

A Mississippi pastor who took a stand for the unborn and was arrested for it 4 years ago has been exonerated on all the charges against him.

Pastor Steven Joiner of Columbus Church of the Nazarene came upon a protest by Pro-Life Mississippi in his city.  He parked at a nearby business and walked over to thank them for their standing up for life.  Joiner joined the group’s protest.

A police officer then approached the group and told them to leave saying they were blocking traffic. Pastor Joiner said he had a First Amendment right to stand on a public sidewalk.  The pastor was arrested for “failure to obey a police officer.”

The pastor was initially convicted on charges of violating the city’s Parade and Handbill ordinance.  An appeals court overturned that verdict.  The pastor then sued for his right to protest.

The court ruled that the pastor’s rights were violated, ordered the city to pay $10,000 in damages and attorney fees.  The city was also ordered to amend their law to protect free speech.

“The notion that one man can constitute a parade and that small groups of individuals need to seek permission and a permit from the government before they can open their mouths on a public sidewalk is repugnant to the Constitution and undermines the foundation of this nation,” Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Pastor” Who Says There Is No God Insulted When Told He’s Not A Christian

A man who claims to be a Presbyterian minister but denies God exists…and still heads a “church” in Oregon…claims he’s very insulted when people tell him that he’s not a Christian.

“The concept of ‘God’ is a product of myth-making and ‘God’ is no longer credible as a personal, supernatural being,” John Shuck wrote in a blog post on his site “Shuck and Jive.” “Jesus may have been historical, but most of the stories about Him in the Bible and elsewhere are legends.”

Shuck rejects the Bible as literal and denies the existence of Heaven and Hell as well as God.

“Even though I hold those beliefs, I am still a proud minister. But I don’t appreciate being told that I’m not truly a Christian,” he stated. “Many liberal or progressive Christians have already let go or de-emphasized belief in Heaven, that the Bible is literally true, that Jesus is supernatural, and that Christianity is the only way. Yet they still practice what they call Christianity.”

Many observers of Shuck say that he is just openly doing what many others who have similar beliefs are trying to do:  tear down the church from the inside.

“What you see here is nothing more than someone who wants to infiltrate the Church in an attempt to destroy it,” Andrew Rappaport of Striving for Eternity Ministries in Jackson, N.J. told Christian News Network. “The two things that he does not understand is, first, the Church will not be destroyed, and second, his whole argument that God does not exist is based on intelligence, logic, ability to reason and morality—all of which require the God that he denies, because immaterial things are not the product of chemical reactions; they require God.”

Pastor Saeed Writes Son on 7th Birthday

Imprisoned pastor Saeed Abedini was sent an invitation to the birthday party of his son Jacob next week and responded with a letter saying his “chains are keeping me from you.”

He said that Jacob should invite Jesus into his heart and that He will fulfill all of his son’s needs.

The letter was given to a relative of Abedini who was permitted to visit him last week in his prison.

“I saw your beautiful birthday invitation that you had made me and I know how much you want me to be there on your birthday,” the letter reads. “Daddy loves you so much. I long to be there for your birthday and to make this reunion happen, but my chains are keeping me from you.”

“So happy birthday to my big boy and my hero, Jacob Cyrus Abedini,” he wrote.

President Obama had told Jacob he would get his father home for his birthday but so far nothing has been done by the administration to secure the release of the American pastor imprisoned for his faith.

Canadian Pastor Missing In North Korea

A Canadian pastor is missing in North Korea.

Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim, the head of the 3,000 member Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Toronto, was scheduled to return home from a visit to North Korea one month ago.  No one has heard from the pastor since that time.

“[Lim] left Toronto on Jan. 27 for Seoul, then flew to China and crossed over the northern border of North Korea into the Rajin region,” explained Lisa Pak, official spokesperson for both the family of Rev. Lim and Light Korean Presbyterian, told The Christian Post.  “[He] traveled to the Rajin region to continue support for the on-going ministry of orphanages, nursery and nursing homes.”

Pak said that Rev. Lim had traveled to North Korea many times previously and knew how to deal with the political situation in the region.

The Associated Press noted that the country had just lifted travel restrictions due to Ebola.

“Pak said they are not sure why they haven’t heard from him, but noted North Korea just lifted severe restrictions on foreign travel imposed last year to keep the Ebola virus from crossing its borders,” reported the AP.

“The already isolated country virtually closed its borders to foreigners last October, halting all non-essential visas and requiring those few foreigners allowed in to undergo three weeks of quarantine.”

Pastor’s Wife Defiant About Working At Abortion Clinic

A Baptist preacher’s wife caught working at an abortion clinic is lashing out at Christians who are condemning her for ending the lives of babies.  She says that no one has the right to condemn her because everyone sins.

“I feel that we have all sinned. None of us are perfect. No sin is greater than any sin. I don’t know why, other than that’s the only decision [abortion] that a woman could make. That’s her right to make that decision because that’s her body,” Callie Chatman, a certified medical technician who works at Reproductive Health Services told The Christian Post in an interview Sunday.

The controversy about Callie Chatman came to light last week when a Missouri Service Corps missionary with the North American Mission Board posted a video of her pastor husband dropping her off at the abortion clinic.

“Sadly, this is a Montgomery pastor dropping off his wife who works at the abortuary here in Montgomery. We have spoken to her often and the only response we get is that God forgives and we are not to judge. Her husband is the pastor of New Elam Baptist Church. Her son works here as well as the security,” wrote David Day Sr. on the video description.

Chapman responded angrily to direct comments from those who are against her assisting in the death of babies.

“You know what? The activists need to get their lives together. When they become sin free then you call me back.”

Pastors Thrown Out of Capital For “Appeal To Heaven”

A pastor’s group was thrown out of the U.S. Capital Visitor Center for their racial reconciliation event because the theme of the event included a reference to “an appeal to heaven.”

Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. says the action against the High Impact Leadership Coalition is calling it a clear act of religious discrimination.

“They were aware of the original theme, but it seems as they looked into things that the question of God and heaven really caused them angst,” said Jackson.

“Unfortunately, we got pushed back and we felt it was discriminatory. And there is a tinge of religious prejudice in terms of our content, our theme, our focus. We felt that we needed to continue with the meeting anyway rather than get all tied up in a back-and-forth fight with the folks at the Capitol.”

Jackson said the representatives of the Capital told them they were being forced to leave because they were referring to God.

The Washington Hilton eagerly welcomed the group and their message.

“I think the real problem for me, personally, is that first a go ahead was given and the rules were followed as we had known them at that moment. Then questions come, content is questioned … and it seemed to me that there was some angst and concern that we were a biblically based, evangelical, black, Christian group,” Jackson told the Christian Post.

“Had we been more of another religious background or more interracial or there was a sense that there was more control over the event, it may have been different. But from where I sit, it seems like religious pushback, racial concern, about how this is going to look and what our intentions are going to be. However you envision it, it’s not the welcome we want based on using a public facility and following the rules,” he said.

The U.S. Capital Visitor Center would not answer questions from the Christian Post on the situation.

Pastor’s Son Arrested In Family’s Death

The family of Redeemer Episcopal Church in Houston were still reeling from the news their pastor and his family had been murdered when they suffered a second blow.

The son of Pastor Israel Ahimbisbwe has been arrested in the murder of his father, mother and brother.

Houston police say that 19-year-old Isaac Tiharihondi has been charged with two counts of capital murder and was being held in custody in Mississippi where he fled after the killings.  He covered the bodies with blankets and towels in the back bathroom of the apartment where the victims were found Monday.

A member of the church told a local TV station that she had lunch with the accused killer after police say he committed the crime.

“It’s devastating. It’s sad. It’s unexplainable,” Nancy Taylor, who attends Church of the Redeemer, told KHOU.  “We had lunch, we sat, we chatted, we talked, we laughed. It was just a real enjoyable experience and time together. … Good kid, polite, nice, respectful, grateful.”

“While I am relieved authorities have found Isaac, I am heartbroken that he has been charged with capital murder. This only adds to the tragedy of their deaths and raises more questions than it answers,” Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, Episcopal Bishop of Texas said in a statement.

Pastor and Family Killed In Houston

The faith community of Houston, Texas is reeling from the news a popular pastor, his wife and 5 year old son were murdered in their home.

Police confirm that Israel Ahimbisibwe, Jr. was found in his apartment around 9:30 a.m. Monday.  A welfare check had been made on the family after the pastor and his wife didn’t show up Sunday and didn’t return phone calls Monday morning.

“He didn’t show up for church yesterday afternoon, which is totally out of character for them not to let us know, and didn’t respond to text or phone calls,” church member Keever Wallace told the Christian Post.

Investigators say that there were no signs of forced entry into the apartment.

“I will say that they did suffer some type of unknown wounds,” Houston Police Department spokesman Victor Senties told FOX 26. “It is being investigated as a homicide.”

“This is a horrific and awful tragedy,” noted Bishop of Texas C. Andrew Doyle in a release from the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. “We are in touch with the police and Israel’s family here in Houston. Please keep the Ahimbisibwe and Redeemer families in your prayers.”

The pastor leaves behind two older sons.