"Where is your Church?"

"And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating
with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples,
why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
             (Mark 2:16)


I have a question that's burning in my soul. "Where is your church?"
This is a common question that most Christians ask each other. Where is your church? Where do you worship at? Where do you meet at on Sunday?
In our culture today, most churches are built to look like shopping malls to attract the "sensitive seeker" and make him feel right at home. Most churches of course have comfortable padded pews with state of the art video and audio technology and even come complete with cafeterias.
If we're honest, most of our churches are insulated from the real world in a comfortable zone where members can be sheltered from all of the chaos and confusion. The Sunday sermon sometimes amounts to little more than a pep talk that's guaranteed to get you out in time for lunch or before the start of a major sporting event.
For the past two weeks my life has been challenged and transformed. I've been reading, "Captive in Iran," by my two dear Facebook friends, Maryam and Marziyeh.
I have also been emotionally consumed by the ongoing crisis of my brother Saeed Abedini in Evin Prison, who is being tortured for his faith on a daily basis.
At the same time, my Christian friend Ebi, who lives in Tehran, shared with me that he had just being released from jail after being lashed 76 times for his Faith.
Jesus preached in the synagogues, but he didn't stay there. He went out among the hurting and broken and by doing that risked his reputation among the religious elite of his day. The religious establishment didn't like that he associated with the tax collectors and the sinners. By the way, the elite religious crowd are still with us today. They haven't went away.
So my questions still remains. "Where is your church?"
Maryam and Marziyeh's church for 259 days was the "First church of worship,"in Evin Prison in Tehran, where God powerfully used my dear sisters, as they reached out to prostitutes, political prisoners and outcasts with the gospel.
Pastor Saeed's church has been an ongoing crucible of suffering in Evin Prison, where he is learning about the power of forgiveness and endurance.
Ebi's church was the painful, stinging leather straps whipped against his bare back.
"Where is your church?"
Is it safely inside four walls and padded pews or is your church, "outside of the box," among the broken and hopeless, where it is dangerous risky and inconvenient?
I have been challenged to step out of my boat, out of my comfort zone to go where the real needs are. Yes, I write books to Muslims and chat with them on the internet, but I do it in a safe environment with no real risk to my life. All of us need our faith challenged and strengthened.
The days of "playing church" are over! A hurting and dying culture needs our love and compassion.
Will you join me?



suggested reading..

"Follow me" by David Platt
"Captive in Iran"  by Maryam Rostampour & Marziyeh Amirizadeh
https://www.facebook.com/randy.l.noble#

Take up your cross and follow me.

"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways,
take up your cross daily, and follow me."
                       Jesus
                       (Luke 9:23)

In the past two weeks, I have been bombarded with troubling and distressing news, concerning the people that I admire and love. I learned that my dear brother in Christ, Saeed Abedini, is suffering from internal bleeding because of the constant beatings and torture he is receiving from his captors in Evin prison in Iran. Then if that wasn't distressing enough, a few days later my Christian friend Ebi who lives in Tehran gave me some more bad news. He had just been released from jail after 12 days and explained that he had been lashed 76 times and fined a large sum of money. Why? Because of his Christian faith.  In Iran, it is a very serious crime to convert from Islam to Christianity. It can be punishable by death from hanging.
The reality of this troubling and distressing news instantly reminded me of the solemn words of Jesus as he prepared his disciples for the hard road that lay ahead of them;
"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me."
Jesus is reminding us that there is a high price, a personal cost to following him. When we identify ourselves as Christians, we are sending a direct message to the world and sometimes the world is very hostile in its response.
What does it mean to "take up your cross?" It means very clearly that as a Christian, we must die to ourself and our own agenda and be willing to submit to God's will for our lives. In some cases that may mean death.
"What? wait Jesus, I didn't sign up for that!"

Unfortunately, sometimes we are very selective when it comes to the promises of God. All of us are familiar with the verses of Scripture when it comes to answered prayer, health, healing, blessing, but some of us conveniently forget those promises by Christ himself when he declared, "If the world hates me they will hate you also," or, " in this world, you will have tribulation," or, "take up cross," and so forth.
The question then becomes, why do we follow Christ if the road ahead is perilous and full of danger and my life is at stake? Wouldn't it just be easier to just try and get along with everyone?
The answer is of course, "No!"
 Jesus took up his cross and gave his life for us! He loved us that much! He endured the pain and torture of an agonizing crucifixion so that we could be forgiven.
In this world, we too will have tribulation, but Jesus reassures us, "Take heart, be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."
These are words of comfort to me when I think of Saeed and Ebi. Jesus understands the depth of their pain. He has experienced it himself. He is saying, "Don't be afraid. I am with you. I have overcome the forces of darkness. You belong to me."
Following Jesus can be costly and sometimes we are tempted to turn and walk away. On one occasion, the teachings of Christ offended some of his "so called followers" and they quickly departed. Jesus then challenged his twelve disciples with the all important question, "Are you also going to leave?"
Peter quickly responded with the only answer any of us could give to this very important question posed by our Lord and master.
"Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life?"
When the journey becomes difficult and life threatening, we need to remember Peter's answer.
Jesus is our only life and hope. There is no one else we can trust our life with but Him.
Despite the depressing news of my dear friends, when I ponder the ultimate truth of this, then I can finally have peace and be comforted that they understand the cost of what it means to follow Jesus.
Do you still want to sign up?

Maryam and Marziyeh: Lights in the darkness of Iran.

"But those that know their God shall be strong
and do mighty exploits."
                       (Daniel 11:32)

Two years ago, I published my second book, "Shining star: a light in the darkness of Iran."
 I had no idea at the time that this book would forever change the course of my life.
There were two pivotal events that inspired me to write about the struggles of the underground church in Iran. The first event came on June 20, 2009 when I sat in front of my tv, horrified, watching a young Iranian protester, Neda Soltan, murdered in broad daylight in an alleyway in Tehran. I could not get the image out of my mind. It haunted me day and night.
The next event was watching a news report just two months later about two young Iranian Christian girls, Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh, on death row in Evin Prison, for sharing their Christian faith in Tehran. I was gripped by their courage and faith and knew instinctively that I had to write about it.
A few months later, I sat down at my computer and begin to write, "Shining Star" telling the story of Muslims who converted to Christianity in Iran and had to meet secretly to protect their lives.
In the middle of writing my book, I was overjoyed to hear the incredible news that Maryam and Marziyeh had been miraculously spared from the death penalty and released from Evin Prison.
Their release was an amazing answer to my prayers and I remember crying tears of joy sitting at my computer when I first heard the good news. I finished writing, "Shining star" and put their names on the dedication page, thanking God for their new freedom.
Just a few weeks ago, another life-changing event occurred in my life. God in His marvelous providence connected me with Maryam and Marziyeh on Facebook. I was astonished and overjoyed! I had finally met the two Iranian Christian women that had inspired my life and caused me to write about the underground church in Iran. Ironically, Maryam and Marziyeh had just finished writing their book, "Captive in Iran," and were preparing to go on a nationwide book tour.
I asked Maryam if she would like to read my book, "The Rose of Nowruz," which is the story of a woman freedom fighter in Iran, and she enthusiastically agreed. In a beautiful gesture of kindness, both Maryam and Marziyeh posted a picture of my book on their Facebook page.
The incredible story of Maryam and Marziyeh is an amazing story of God's Grace and favor.
After being arrested for evangelizing and handing out thousands of New Testaments all over Tehran, the Iranian government was convinced they had put an end to their preaching.

Wrong! The dark and cold cells of Evin prison could not silence my dear friends. God transformed their tiny cell into a church pulpit and for 259 days, Maryam and Marziyeh boldly preached Christ to everyone who would listen. In the midst of their suffering and pain, God turned their captivity into an incredible opportunity for being a light in the darkness of Iran.
The story of Maryam and Marzieh is the story of two courageous women who "know their God and do mighty exploits" for the glory of His name. Just like the title of my book, Maryam and Marzieh, truly are "Shining Stars," illuminating the darkness and bringing hope and freedom to Iran.

"Image is everything, right?'

"Dare to love yourself, as if you were a rainbow
 with gold at both ends."
                        Aberjhani, "The river of winged dreams."


  One of the traditions of my Iranian friends as they prepare for the celebration of Nowruz, the Persian new year, is shopping for new clothes. Spring is just around the corner and its time for new beginnings and one of those new beginnings is expanding one's wardrobe!
 My dear friend Atefe, who lives in Tehran, excitedly left her home one day to go shopping at the local clothing store. While browsing around in the clothing store, she noticed Iranian security forces confronting the store owner. Later on she discovered that the security forces had found that the store owner was in violation of the Islamic dress code. She had failed to put hijabs on all of the mannequins and had to do so immediately or be arrested.
It is Islamic law in Iran for all women to be veiled when they go out publicly. If they fail to comply they can be fined and or arrested. But what a minute!! Help me out, please! Is there not a distinction between human beings and mannequins? What is a mannequin? A mannequin is a lifeless form of plastic representing a human being that is used to display the latest fashions in store windows!
Oh, I get it now!
The Islamic regime would prefer that all Iranians be just like mannequins. Mannequins don't speak or talk back or protest or whine or complain. These lifeless plastic forms wear whatever you put on them without a complaint and stand in a window all day.
It seems that image is everything according to Iranian law. Iranians are supposed to obey without complaint and wear what they are told much like the mannequins in the clothing store windows.
The sad reality to this "image is everything" scenario is that it reduces human beings to lifeless forms without hearts or souls. Human beings cannot exist under these conditions. They quickly lose all self worth and self esteem and that's exact what false religion does. It robs people of all meaning and purpose in life and reduces them to puppets on string.
God didn't create us as lifeless forms or puppets on a string. He created us with great value and worth and gave us a heart to discover the beauty of life that surrounds us. He breathed into our souls love, purpose and creativity to shine like the brilliant colors of the rainbow and to make a difference in a world of suffering and pain.
 Our lives wont shine very brightly if we are reduced to the morbid and depressing existence of mannequins in the store window.

But, image is everything, right?

A Day in the Life of an Iranian Woman: In her own Words

I remember as a young teenager watching the movie, "The diary of Anne Frank." I was fascinated and intrigued by the courage of this Jewish family, struggling to survive in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands. Eventually they had to go into hiding to avoid being rounded up and shipped away to the death camps. For nearly two years before they were finally caught, Anne faithfully recorded in her diary, the trials, the fears and the emotions of living crammed together in a tiny office space, struggling to survive and holding out hope that one day they could be free again.

I have a precious friend named Atefe who lives under similar circumstances in Tehran, Iran. Like Anne, she faithfully records the experiences of what its like to live under the oppression and fear of an Islamic government. Although Atefe is not forced to go into hiding like the Frank family, yet like Anne, she longs for the day when she can walk the streets of Tehran without fear.

The stories and experiences Atefe shared with me greatly contributed to the writing of my new book, "The Rose of Nowruz: dream of hope and freedom."

Recently I asked Atefe to explain in her own words what it's like to live in Iran so that I could share her story with my customers at my upcoming book signing. I remember opening her email at work and reading it. After I finished, I was almost speechless and in tears. What you are about to read is unedited and exactly the way Atefe wrote it. I will not change anything or try to improve on it. This is a brief description of a day in the life of an Iranian woman: in her own words:

" Imagine a day when you wake you and dress as normal as you always do. You are fresh to start a day but as you reach your university faculty, your phone rings. It's the security guard. They have been watching you talk to your male classmate, so you are called to the discipline committee to prove that you aren't involved with that boy in violation of the Islamic rules. You never can prove that and you get something like a note in your graduation certificate stating that you had an illegitimate relationship with your classmate.

Another day as you enter the faculty, a woman wearing a chador stops you at the door and asks, "What's that make-up your're wearing?" Again..discipline committee.

Day 3..Your mobile rings..It's the discipline committee.."Miss, Why have you got a Facebook account?" Why aren't you wearing a hijab in your profile picture?"  Again..discipline committee. "Have you got a boyfriend? Who are your friends? Do you friends have boyfriends? Do they have sex with their boyfriends? Do your friends stay at your boyfriend's houses?"

Then they ask you to spy for them in the dorm and report to them anything that happens there!

If you say anything against Islam or any of the political figures, your parents won't see you anymore!

You are graduated and you are working:

8:00 am..You go out of the house and when u reach downtown, The Gasht Ershad (morality police) stops you. Again, the same questions..They take you to a police station. You sit next to men who have been arrested in the street. They take a picture of you while you are holding a paper with your name on it. Exactly like a criminal!!

They treat you like a prostitute, bombarding you with their words and accusations until you burst into tears. Then they call your home and ask your parents to bring a longer manteau,

(Islamic chador) Then you have to sign a commitment paper which says if they see you on the street and they don't like your appearance, you will have to appear in court and the vicious cycle continues for the rest of your life. (They even stop your car to check your appearance)

These are daily routines for Iranian girls here and when you wish to free yourself by migrating somewhere else, the sanctions and poor economical situation won't allow you to pay the primary expenses..

Then you feel there is nothing called "God"..no justice.

Just imagine a hot day in summer when you have to wear a manteau..a scarf..and try to work.

You can't even imagine the way we live here. You can't even imagine..NO, YOU NEVER CAN

  

"He will rescue the poor when they cry to Him. He will help the oppressed who have no one to defend them.

                                   (Psalm 72:12)

Worshiping together without fear

"Come let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
For He is our God."
  (Psalm 95:6)

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul! Worship His holy name."
This is the opening lyric of an incredible worship song and video by contemporary Christian artist, Matt Redman. This song is also on my ipod and I find it hard to stop listening to it. I find myself adoring God in worship and praise through this powerful little song. Just recently I uploaded it to my Facebook page to share it with all of my friends. One of the first persons to "like" it was my dear friend in Iran. He will remain anonymous because of security reasons.
After he watched the video, we began to have a chat together. I was on my smartphone and he was on his pc at home in Tehran. I asked my friend what he thought of the video and he quickly responded that it was beautiful. What he said next was the cause of a profound worship experience.
My friend said, "Randy, it is my dream to go to church someday with you without fear."
I cannot adequately describe the emotions I had when he said that. I began to think of the song again by Matt Redman entitled, "10,000 reasons." In what I can best describe as a flash of light or vision, I could see myself and all of my friends in Iran, together worshiping God without fear.
I quickly texted my friend back and told him, "You dont have to be afraid..We are together now in heart and spirit. We may be miles apart but we are together worshiping God in spirit."
I told my friend to watch the video again as we chatted. Then I said, "Lift you voice and heart in praise with me right now. We are worshiping together. "
The I boldly told him. "There is no government in Iran that can stop our worship together."
My friend agreed with me and then told me, "My biggest dream is to go to church."
My heart goes out to my friend. His greatest dream in Iran is to worship Jesus without fear. Muslims in Iran are forbidden to convert to any other religion. It can cost them their life and that's why my friend lives in constant fear. A few years ago he became a Christian and because of that he must practice his Faith secretly.

However, God's word is not bound or restricted by government laws. Through the miracle of technology, My friend and I did go to Church together. For a few precious and unforgettable minutes, we worshiped together, reflecting on an incredible song by Matt Redman.
I told my friend, "Your dream is coming true right now. You and me are in church together as we worship. There is no distance in our worship."
 I can sing with Matt Redman "Bless the lord O my soul. Worship His holy name." For a few minutes, one night after work, God answered the prayer of my friend in Iran. It is moment that I will never forget.

Worshiping God together without fear

"Come let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
For He is our God."
        (Psalm 95:6)

"Bless the Lord O my Soul. O my soul! Worship his holy name."
 This is the opening lyric of an incredible worship song and video by contemporary Christian artist Matt Redman. I also have this song on my ipod. I find it hard to stop listening to it. It stirs the emotions of my heart and causes me to lift my hands in adoration to our great God. I recently uploaded this video and put it on my Facebook page, anxious to share it with my friends. One of the first persons to "Like" this video was my friend in Iran. His name must remain anonymous because of security reasons. What my friend said next was the cause of a profound worship experience. I was on my smartphone and he was on his pc at home in Tehran.
My friend told me, "Randy, it is my dream to go to church with you without fear."
I cannot adequately describe in words the emotions I felt when he told me that.
I quickly texted him back and replied, "Dear brother. Do not be afraid. We can worship God right now together without fear." He agreed.
I told my friend, "Please watch that video again now. Raise you hands and heart with me. Your dream is going to come true right now. Even though we are miles apart we are together in spirit worshiping Jesus."
My friend clicked on and watched the video again. He told me it was beautiful.
I said to him, "Lift your voice and your heart in praise with me. Right now we are worshiping together without fear and no government in Iran can stop us!"
Why was my friend so afraid? In Iran, a Muslim is forbidden to change his religion. It could cost him his life! A few years ago, my friend converted to Christianity and now has to practice his Faith secretly.
However, the Word of God cannot be bound! God is not bound or restricted by governments!!
One unforgettable night after work, through the miracle of technology, My friend and I joined our hearts and spirits together in worship. God answered the prayer of my friend.
 For a few precious minutes, we worshiped together to an incredible song, "10,000 reasons," by Matt Redman. I can sing loudly with Matt, "Bless the Lord, O my soul. Worship His holy name."

It is a night that I will never forget!