Persecuted for a Book He Didn’t Believe

Bethany DuVal • Dec 21, 2017

Hamid used to travel the world searching for truth, but he says it was like “you lose something, and you don’t know what it is.”

That changed when he moved to Turkey and visited the St. Paul Cultural Center — a TEAM ministry made possible by generous people like you! When Hamid showed up with questions, a staff pastor shared the Gospel. Now Hamid is a growing Christian who works with and is discipled by TEAM missionaries.

Looking back, Hamid has no doubt that God brought him there.

Hamid Searched the World for Answers

Life in Iran wasn’t hard for Hamid. As a young man, he lived on his own and earned enough to visit another country every year or so.

“I had everything. … But I didn’t have something in my spirit,” Hamid says.

Despite his comfortable life, Hamid was often stressed and fought with his family. But there was something else nagging him, too.

When he was 17, Hamid saw a picture of Jesus with children, “and many times, this picture came to my mind because it was very kind, and it was, I don’t know. The feeling is different, you know?”

As a Muslim , Hamid found it impossible to get a Bible in Iran. So, he started visiting other countries, searching for Christians.

But Hamid’s government keeps close tabs on citizens, even when they visit other countries. On a trip to Armenia, someone gave Hamid a New Testament. Soon after, his parents called to say authorities were asking questions about him.

Illegal Bible Forced Him to Flee

In Iran, you can be arrested for owning a Bible — whether you believe its words or not. Hamid had no choice but to seek refuge in another country. That’s how God led him to Turkey.

Hamid registered as a refugee, and the U.N. asked him to pick a city to live in. He knew nothing about Turkey, so he blindly picked a place.

Little did he know, TEAM missionaries were working in the nearby city of Antalya. There was already a church waiting for him.

That’s a huge deal because Turkey is 98 percent Muslim, and the government has blocked many church buildings. But through TEAM partners like you, missionaries opened a Christian cultural center, giving them a legal place to meet.

During the week, people come for classes, lunch at the café or to ask the staff about Christianity. On Sunday, the center hosts church services in Turkish, English and Farsi — Hamid’s language.

When Hamid asked people about churches in Antalya, they pointed him to the center, where 100 Iranians attend church.

Iranian refugee

The St. Paul Cultural Center is a safe place for local refugees that not only provides jobs and community, but it is also an open door for new Christians to seek answers. Photo by TEAM


Hamid Found Freedom in Christ

Hamid went to the center and finally found his answers. Then he gave his life to Christ! Now, Hamid works as a security guard at the center, where he gets to be with fellow believers and help point others to his Savior.

“I am so thankful to have heard the Gospel and to have been saved that I want others to have the chance as well,” Hamid says.

He’s had the opportunity to travel again, but his restless soul has found peace. And as he shares Jesus with others, he seeks to grow closer to God every day.

“That is very important for me, nothing more,” Hamid says. “I mean, if you have Father, you have everything.”

By Suzanne Pearson 19 Mar, 2024
Previously on the TEAM blog, we sat down with Justin Burkholder (pictured above at left, with TEAM's Executive Director of Communications, Aaron Catlin). Justin will become TEAM’s next International Director on July 1, 2024. Justin shared about his background, family, and the journey that led him to TEAM. Check out that interview here . Today, we pick up the conversation as Justin shares how God called him to the role of International Director, and what he sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church. Q: How and when did you first consider applying for the position of International Director? How did the Lord reveal Himself to you as this opportunity presented itself? A: For some time, I have been evaluating how God wants me to use the gifts He has given me. Jenny and I have had a fruitful ministry in church planting in Guatemala and would happily continue doing so as God leads. However, as God blessed my efforts in TEAM leadership, there were friends and family who expressed that I should consider using my gifts in the International Director role. I don’t believe that everything necessarily rises and falls on leadership, but I do believe that it is a core component in the body of Christ. Using the gifts God has given me is a way that I want to bless the body of Christ in TEAM, making my contribution to the global purposes of God’s mission. Jenny and I spent a lot of time praying about this and decided that I should put my name in for consideration, trusting God’s guidance. We had a tremendous amount of peace throughout the entire process and were blessed by the prayer-filled process that the board undertook. Q: This is a key role in a large and complex organization, and I’m sure this was a big decision for you and your family. What were your fears or concerns? Why did you ultimately decide to accept the position? A: You say “were” like the fears have passed! I still am quite aware of my youth and inexperience - of the responsibility and weight of this role. Mostly, I’m afraid of leading an organization like TEAM in the flesh. Many of the fears that I have faced have been fears rooted in fleshly desires and concerns. I have no desire to succeed in the world’s eyes and fail in the Kingdom of Jesus. Why did I ultimately decide to accept the position? I’m convinced that the Good News about Jesus is true. The tomb is empty, Jesus is King, and the world needs to know, because Jesus is coming back. He will put things in order. He will establish righteousness, peace, and justice for all mankind, and He has commissioned His Church to proclaim and demonstrate His rule and reign. I want to use my gifts to do whatever I can to amplify the proclamation of this message and the multiplication of His Church around the world. Q: What are your goals and vision for the future of TEAM? A: This is something that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about. I’m certainly not ready to present a fully-shaped vision and goals for TEAM’s future without the input of other people in different contexts in TEAM. But, I will share a few things that I think are important: First, we need to model God-Dependence . I am hopeful that as leaders in TEAM, we can continue to model God-Dependence. As Hudson Taylor said years ago “…God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supplies.” I am hopeful that we can increase our sense of faith in God, prayer, and seeking direction from the Spirit. Secondly, we must strengthen our relational fabric . Due to the changes that we have experienced by decentralizing our home office functions, and the challenges from the pandemic, we have experienced a loss of relationships. It is imperative that we intentionally prioritize the building of relationships with one another. I plan to visit our workers and staff, and I am expectant that other key leaders and staff will be doing the same. Third, we must pursue the greater presence of the global Church. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ doesn’t look like any single geopolitical, ethnic, or racial culture. If we want to truly see the Kingdom of Jesus come on earth as it is in heaven, then we as citizens of this Kingdom must learn from one another, submit to one another, and grow with one another. The missional potential of the global Church has been unleashed by God’s Spirit since Acts 1, and we have an opportunity to learn from many brothers and sisters in Christ who can help us to better model and proclaim the Kingdom of Jesus to those who have yet to believe. Lastly, we must increase our Gospel boldness . There are still many places of great spiritual blindness and spiritual brokenness around the world. The apostolic impulse of cross-cultural organizations should call us to the to the edges of where the Kingdom of Jesus is not penetrating. Whether spiritual blindness and brokenness exists because of lack of access, idolatry, injustice, or any other myriad of reasons, I prayerfully hope to see more and more TEAM workers continue to move into spaces of great Gospel need.
By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
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