Two Christian prisoners in Iran speak out

I often speak of the persecuted church in the world and ask you to pray for them. Please read the below interview to see how your prayers have impacted real lives. Maryam and Marzieh were held in an Iranian prison for 259 days because they are Christians. The prayers and letters from Christians made a huge impact on their lives.

(interview from Elam Ministries)

They had to overcome the fear of life imprisonment and the possibility of execution because they loved and followed Jesus Christ. They had to remain strong through weeks in solitary confinement, and endless hours of interrogation by Iranian officials and religious leaders. They had to endure months of harsh living conditions and debilitating sickness. In their first interview since their 259 day ordeal in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison in 2009, Maryam Rostampour (29) and Marzieh Amirizadeh (32) tell Sam Yeghnazar what life was like in prison and how they survived.

In their first interview since their release, they tell Sam Yeghnazar, Elam’s Founder and Director, what life was like in prison. They share how they had strengthen themselves in the Lord to overcome the fear of execution or life-imprisonment and maintain peace and hope through very dark days.

The shadow of execution
SY: What was the worst thing that happened to you?

Marzieh: One of the worst was the execution of two of my fellow prisoners. I had never experienced such a thing. One of those killed was my roommate. We had spent a lot of time together. And one day they took her to be executed. For a week I was in shock that killing a human being was so easy. She lived among us, a fellow human being; I saw her every day, and we said, ‘Hello’. The next day she is not there. After these executions the spirit of sorrow and death hung over the prison. There was deadly silence everywhere. We all felt this. There was nothing we could do. Everyone was under pressure. The sadness was overwhelming. We stared at each other but had no power to speak. This was the worst experience. It was horrifying and tangible. (Marzieh is heard weeping)

Maryam: The worst thing for me was the execution of Shireen who became a close friend in prison.

SY: Did you ever fear execution?

Maryam: I never thought about execution, I thought we might be sentenced to life imprisonment because that is the punishment for women convicted of apostasy. I just thought this was something we would have to bear.

Marzieh: Before prison we talked about execution, but when we got to prison and experienced the fear of it - our way of talking changed. The very first night that we were arrested, when they threatened us, we were really frightened. We never imagined we would be so frightened; we had talked about these things before. But the atmosphere there and what happened to us frightened us beyond our expectations. We were confined to a dark and dirty room and paralysed with fear. We could see the fear in each other’s faces. We prayed and what calmed us was the presence of God and the peace that He gave us.

I just want to add, it is easy to say that I give my life for the Lord and I will do anything for Him, even die. I always thought it would be a privilege to give my life for the Lord. You say these things. I know for sure that if this would happen to us we would rejoice ultimately. But human fears gripped us. The power the Lord gave us helped us to overcome these fears, just as when we prayed in the police station, God banished our fear and renewed our strength.

From ‘Unclean apostate!’ to ‘Please pray for me’
SY: How did the guards treat you?

Maryam: When we were arrested most of the guards treated us badly, especially when they knew we had been involved in evangelism. They would curse us and would not let us drink water from the public tap or use the wash basin. But this changed and eventually they asked us to pray for them.

SY: How did the other prisoners treat you?

Marzieh: Some called us ‘Dirty, unclean, apostates,’ but their opinion changed and they asked for forgiveness. We had become an example to them and they would take our side.

Maryam: At Evin Prison the well-educated political and business prisoners called us ‘Mortad Kasif’ (Unclean apostates). In less than a month everything changed. As they got to know us, they were curious about our faith, they respected us and called upon us to sort out arguments they had between themselves.

SY: Did any other prisoners come to faith?

Yes. There were those who accepted Christ. When we were in Vozara (the first prison the women were taken to) we prayed the sinner’s prayer with many of the prostitutes. They prayed themselves and we prayed for them. But there were others who were too frightened to confess their faith. There were many who were impacted.

Letters ‘gave us hope’
SY: What message do you have for the thousands who prayed for you when you were in prison?

Marzieh: I would like to thank them for their prayers and support, and the letters they sent us. During this time it wasn’t just Maryam and Marzieh who were imprisoned, but all these prayer warriors. This was a great encouragement for us. We felt their presence alongside us. So please keep praying for those who are in prison for their faith, believers in Afghanistan and Pakistan and other places. Don’t think that your prayers are unimportant.

SY: What happened to the thousands of letters you were sent?

Marzieh: We heard that people sent us letters in prison, but we didn’t get any of them: Just hearing that people sent us letters, was a great encouragement to us. And what’s interesting is that the guards who opened our letters, read the Bible verses and the prayers, and were impacted. We know this because they told us and mentioned some of the verses from the Gospel. I can’t thank them (those who sent letters) with all that is in my heart; I can say ‘thank you,’ but this is not enough.

Maryam: I thank them. It’s true we didn’t see the letters they sent, but we knew there was a large group supporting us. This was a huge encouragement to us and helped us to stand firm. We heard from our guards that forty to fifty letters were coming every day. They saw how Christians stood together to support their own. This was something that gave us hope.


(To read about more Christians who are imprisoned and to write letters to them - the letters are translated online...very easy process...go to Prisoner Alert)

Columba - missionary to Scotland

Columba and the Loch Ness Monster

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14

The next few months of this blog will look at the lives of missionaries through the ages. It is my hope that you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith as you see God's hand working through the lives of ordinary people as they followed the will of an extraordinary God.

We will next look at the Church in the Dark Ages, from 500-1000 AD. After Patrick took Christian faith to Ireland, 

- Scottish monks, to include Columba, evangelized lower England around 600 AD

- Irish monks returned to Europe as missionaries from 500 to 1000 AD 

- The first Christians were reported in North Yemen and Sudan

- Huns living in China and Central Asia were taught to read and write by Nestorian missionaries

- Gregory the Great sent Augustine and a team of missionaries to (what is now) England to reintroduce the Gospel. The missionaries settled in Canterbury and within a year baptized 10,000 people

- The Lombards, a German people living in northern Italy, became Christians

- A church building was erected in Ch'ang-an (Xi'an, China), then perhaps the largest city in the world

- 680 AD saw the first translation of Christian Scriptures into Arabic

- In 716 AD Boniface began missionary work among Germanic tribes

- Charlemagne, king of the Franks and head of the Roman Empire,  commissioned Bible translations

- In 828 AD the first Christian church in present-day Slovakia was built and the first missionaries reached the area that is now the Czech Republic

- In 912 AD the Normans became Christian 

- Harold I of Denmark converted to Christianity and smoothed the way for the acceptance of Christian faith by the Danish people

- Mieszko I of Poland converted to Christianity and began the period of Christian Poland

- In 1000 AD  the leader of the Magyars (modern day Hungary) Stephen I converted to Christianity

(information taken from Timeline of Christian Missions) 

The missionaries that will be highlighted during this period are:

Columba (521-597)

Nestorian missionaries

Columba (521-597)

Columba was born in northern Ireland, the great, great grandson of an Irish high king. In early Christian Ireland, the druidic tradition collapsed due to the spread of the new Christian faith. The study of Latin learning and Christian theology in monasteries flourished and Columba became a pupil at the monastic school at Clonard Abbey. During the sixth century, some of the most significant names in the history of Irish Christianity studied at the Clonard monastery. It is said that the average number of scholars under instruction at Clonard was 3,000.

Twelve students who studied under St. Finian became known as the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. Columba was one of these. He became a monk and was ordained as a priest. During this time he is said to have founded a number of monasteries. Unfortunately, a dispute with St. Finian led to a battle where many men were killed. As a result, Columba sent himself into exile to Scotland and vowed that he would win to Christ as many men as were killed in the battle. 

In 563 he travelled to Scotland with twelve companions and was granted land on the island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. This became the center of his evangelizing mission to the Picts, a people group who worshipped many gods. 

Aside from the services he provided guiding the only center of literacy in the region, his reputation as a holy man led to his role as a diplomat among the tribes. There are also many stories of miracles which he performed during his work to convert the Picts. One such miracle has been interpreted as the first reference to the Loch Ness Monster. According to Adomnán (author of a work entitled Vita Columbae), "when Saint Columba was traveling through the country of the Picts, he had to cross the River Ness. When he reached the shore there was a group of people, Picts and Brethren both, burying an unfortunate man who had been bit by a water-monster. Columba ordered one of his people to swim across the river and get the boat on the other side so that he might cross. On hearing this, Lugneus Mocumin stripped down to his tunic and plunged in to the water. 

But the monster saw him swimming and charged to the surface to devour poor Lugneus and everyone who was watching was horrified and hid their eyes in terror. Everyone except Columba who raised his holy hand and inscribed the Cross in the empty air. Calling upon the name of God, he commanded the savage beast, saying: "Go no further! Do not touch the man! Go back at once!" 

The monster drew back as though pulled by ropes and retreated quickly to the depths of the Loch. Lugneus brought the boat back, unharmed and everyone was astonished. And the heathen savages who were present were overcome by the greatness of the miracle which they themselves had seen, and magnified the God of the Christians."  Fisheaters

Columba was very energetic in his evangelical work and, in addition to founding several churches in the Hebrides, he worked to turn his monastery at Iona into a school for missionaries. He was a renowned man of letters, having written several hymns and being credited with having transcribed 300 books. One of the few, if not the only, times he left Scotland after his arrival was toward the end of his life, when he returned to Ireland to found the monastery at Durrow.

Columba died on Iona and was buried by his monks in the abbey he created. Columba is credited as being a leading figure in the revitalization of monasticism, and his achievements illustrated the importance of the Celtic church in bringing a revival of Christianity to Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Columba

Patrick- former slave brings Ireland hope

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14

The next few months of this blog will look at the lives of missionaries through the ages. It is my hope that you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith as you see God's hand working through the lives of ordinary people as they followed the will of an extraordinary God.

The first period of time covers the time of the Apostolic Church, Christ to 500 AD. During this time, Christians often came into conflict with the Roman government because they refused to worship Caesar as God. Despite the persecution, "by the end of the third century, the majority of the residents of some areas controlled by Rome were Christians converts. (The Gospel had reached such places as Sri Lanka, Algeria, Portugal, Morocco, Britain, France, India, Switzerland and Belgium, with Armenia accepting Christianity as their state religion in 304 AD...see Timeline of Christian Missions). The high cost of following Christ was more to be treasured than the Roman sword," Foxes Voices of the Martyrs. And God brought great good out of this persecution because as persecution arose in one area, Christians would flee to other regions, thus spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.

The missionaries that will be highlighted during this period are:

Ignatius of Antioch (30-107 AD)

Polycarp of Smyrna (70-155 AD)

Ulfilas (311-381 AD)

Patrick of Ireland (389-461 AD)

Patrick of Ireland  (389-461 AD)

To read the story of Patrick to your children, go to:

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/StPatrick.html

After Saint Patrick died, Ireland was used greatly by God to keep Christianity alive in Europe during the Middle/Dark Ages. At that time, there was much corruption in the Church in Europe and very few people knew how to read, so it was difficult to spread the Gospel. However, the Irish/Celtic Church sent out many missionaries and helped preserve the Christian religion through its monasteries. 

This early celtic Church flourished with many monks and priests leaving Ireland to begin missions in Europe. In the first two hundred and fifty years after Patrick's death, around five hundred Irish saints were recognized. These missionaries established monasteries in Scotland, England, Switzerland, France, Germany and as far south as Italy. We have much to be grateful for in the lasting Christian heritage and legacy of Patrick and Ireland!

Ulfilas - prophet to the Gothic tribes

Ulfilas shares the Gospel with Gothic
tribe members

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14

The next few months of this blog will look at the lives of missionaries through the ages. It is my hope that you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith as you see God's hand working through the lives of ordinary people as they followed the will of an extraordinary God.

The first period of time covers the time of the Apostolic Church, Christ to 500 AD. During this time, Christians often came into conflict with the Roman government because they refused to worship Caesar as God. Despite the persecution, "by the end of the third century, the majority of the residents of some areas controlled by Rome were Christians converts. (The Gospel had reached such places as Sri Lanka, Algeria, Portugal, Morocco, Britain, France, India, Switzerland and Belgium, with Armenia accepting Christianity as their state religion in 304 AD...see Timeline of Christian Missions). The high cost of following Christ was more to be treasured than the Roman sword," Foxes Voices of the Martyrs. And God brought great good out of this persecution because as persecution arose in one area, Christians would flee to other regions, thus spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.

The missionaries that will be highlighted during this period are:

Ignatius of Antioch (30-107 AD)

Polycarp of Smyrna (70-155 AD)

Ulfilas (311-381 AD)

Patrick of Ireland (389-461 AD)

Ulfilas     (311-381 AD)

Born nearly 300 years after Jesus lived on the earth, his mother was from a Gothic tribe and his father, who may have been a Christian, was captured by Gothic raiders. Although little is known about his early life, except that he grew up in captivity, at some point Ulfilas accepted Christ as his savior and began to have a burden to bring the good news of Jesus to the war-hungry Gothic tribes who were constantly invading the Roman empire, carrying away slaves and wrecking havoc.

At the age of 30 he was appointed a bishop by the Church. In time, he left the Roman empire to bring the Gospel to the tribal people who had captured his father. He spent the next 40 years among them, teaching them about Jesus. This could not have been an easy task. At one point he, and his congregation, were forced to relocate due to persecution. 

Not only did he share Christ with them, he became one of the first people to translate the Bible into his native tongue. "Since the Goths had no written language, Ulfilas was compelled to invent an alphabet. He reduced Gothic sounds to writing. The first great piece of literature which the people of these vast nations, lying north of the empire's frontiers, looked upon was the Bible,"  Church History

He translated "all the books of Scripture with the exception of the Books of Kings, which he omitted because they are a mere narrative of military exploits, and the Gothic tribes were especially fond of war, and were in more need of restraints to check their military passions than of spurs to urge them on to deeds of war"  Catholic Encyclopedia "The greatest struggle this apostle had with the Goths, as he informs us, was not so much the destruction of their idolatry as it was the banishment of their warlike temper. They, however, made great progress in replacing their passion for martial campaigns with a settled, organized government and the upbuilding of their civilization," Church History

At this time, Constantine, the father of the current emperor of Rome, had become a Christian and so the Roman empire was now Christian. The Roman empire began to spread Christianity, often as a means to subdue a conquered people. Thus, while Rome may have seen the work of Ulfilas as a way to spread the Roman empire to the Gothic tribes, Ulfilas saw it as a way to spread the Kingdom of God to a pagan people who needed to know that Jesus loved them, died for them and wanted to give them His peace. And, "to the surprise of all, the Goths were won to the gospel in an astonishingly short time, not by the persuasion of Rome, but by Ulfilas. While the church at Rome was grasping after secular power, these churches were alive with missionary zeal," Church History.

Later, when the Ostrogoths and Visigoths sacked Rome in 410 AD, "it was a great thing for Europe that when the Goths poured over Italy and even captured Rome they came as a Christian people, reverencing and sparing the churches, and abstaining from those barbarities that accompanied the invasion of Britain by the heathen Saxons," Church History The Christian faith of the Gothic tribes owes much to the missionary work of Ulfilas. 

Polycarp - bravery in the face of flames

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14

The next few months of this blog will look at the lives of missionaries through the ages. It is my hope that you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith as you see God's hand working through the lives of ordinary people as they followed the will of an extraordinary God.

The first period of time covers the time of the Apostolic Church, Christ to 500 AD. During this time, Christians often came into conflict with the Roman government because they refused to worship Caesar as God. Despite the persecution, "by the end of the third century, the majority of the residents of some areas controlled by Rome were Christians converts. (The Gospel had reached such places as Sri Lanka, Algeria, Portugal, Morocco, Britain, France, India, Switzerland and Belgium, with Armenia accepting Christianity as their state religion in 304 AD...see Timeline of Christian Missions). The high cost of following Christ was more to be treasured than the Roman sword," Foxes Voices of the Martyrs. And God brought great good out of this persecution because as persecution arose in one area, Christians would flee to other regions, thus spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.

The missionaries that will be highlighted during this period are:

Ignatius of Antioch (30-107 AD)

Polycarp of Smyrna (70-155 AD)

Ulfilas (311-381 AD)

Patrick (389-461 AD)

Polycarp of Smyrna     (70-155 AD)

"Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?"

Polycarp is a celebrated figure in the history of Christianity. A direct pupil of the apostle John, Polycarp lived between 70 and 155 A.D., connecting him to both the biblical apostles and the age of the early church fathers. Several ancient sources document the contributions of Polycarp to Christianity, including his letters written to the church at Philippi, in which he encourages the members to remain strong in their faith and to flee from materialism. He may have been the one who compiled, edited, and published the New Testament.[14] All of this makes his writings of great interest.

Polycarp served as the bishop of the church at Smyrna (modern day Izmir), and was recognized as one of the early combatants of Christian heresies. He lived in an age after the deaths of the apostles, when a variety of interpretations of the sayings of Jesus were being preached. His role was to authenticate orthodox teachings through his reputed connection with the apostle John. He rejected the teachings of Marcion, an influential heretic who tried to create a "new brand" of Christianity by redefining God and rejecting Old Testament teachings. In his well-known thesis, Polycarp combats Gnostic heresies that were beginning to spread throughout the Christian church.

Polycarp's greatest contribution to Christianity may be his martyred death. His martyrdom stands as one of the most well documented events of antiquity. The emperors of Rome had unleashed bitter attacks against the Christians during this period, and members of the early church recorded many of the persecutions and deaths. Polycarp was arrested on the charge of being a Christian -- a member of a politically dangerous cult whose rapid growth needed to be stopped. Amidst an angry mob, the Roman proconsul took pity on such a gentle old man and urged Polycarp to proclaim, "Caesar is Lord". If only Polycarp would make this declaration and offer a small pinch of incense to Caesar's statue he would escape torture and death. To this Polycarp responded, "Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" Steadfast in his stand for Christ, Polycarp refused to compromise his beliefs, and thus, was burned alive at the stake.

Polycarp's martyrdom is historical reality. He died for one reason - his unyielding faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Yet Polycarp's well-recorded death is only one of many lives that were given to reveal and proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ. In light of the cruel and torturous deaths of the first and second generation Christians, all theories that Christianity is a fabricated myth, created for the personal gain of its followers, must be rejected. Even today, many will die for a belief, but none will die for a lie. God allows the deaths of His saints not because He is a helpless or indifferent Lord, but because their deaths are powerful declarations of the free gift of life that is offered to us through the Person of Jesus Christ

You can view a short video about Polycarp here Polycarp

Some information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycarp and http://www.polycarp.net/

Ignatius - thrown to the lions yet praising God

Icon of the martyrdom of Saint Ignatius

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  Matthew 24:14

The next few months of this blog will look at the lives of missionaries through the ages. It is my hope that you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith as you see God's hand working through the lives of ordinary people as they followed the will of an extraordinary God. 

The first period of time covers the time of the Apostolic Church, Christ to 500 AD. During this time, Christians often came into conflict with the Roman government because they refused to worship Caesar as God. Despite the persecution, "by the end of the third century, the majority of the residents of some areas controlled by Rome were Christians converts. (The Gospel had reached such places as Sri Lanka, Algeria, Portugal, Morocco, Britain, France, India, Switzerland and Belgium, with Armenia accepting Christianity as their state religion in 304 AD...see Timeline of Christian Missions). The high cost of following Christ was more to be treasured than the Roman sword," Foxes Voices of the Martyrs. And God brought great good out of this persecution because as persecution arose in one area, Christians would flee to other regions, thus spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. 

The missionaries that will be highlighted during this period are:

Ignatius of Antioch (30-107 AD)

Polycarp of Smyrna (70-155 AD)

Ulfilas (311-381 AD)

Patrick (389-461 AD)

Ignatius of Antioch     (30-107 AD)

"I would rather die for Christ than rule the whole earth."

Born around the time of Jesus' return to Heaven, Ignatius was good friends with the disciple John. Tradition says that he was one of the children that Jesus took in His arms and blessed. It is believed that his appointment to be bishop of Antioch came from the apostle Peter. Ignatius "wrote with a focus on Christ and the unity of the church - themes he sounded before the trial court (held when he was seventy-two) where he faced trumped up charges of disloyalty to Rome for failing to bow to pagan deities," (Foxes, 49). 

Ignatius was part of new spiritual movement whose followers could never again offer Rome ultimate loyalty. "Throughly devoted to Christ...he was part of that great generation who taught and built the church, buried the apostles, collected their writings, stood before the emperor's psychotic wrath, and fought heretics and swindlers infiltrating the movement," (Foxes, 50). 

En route to his martyrdom in Rome, Ignatius wrote a series of seven letters which have been preserved as an example of very early Christian theology. Important topics addressed in these letters include ecclesiology, the sacraments, and the role of bishops. The letters were addressed 

- To the Ephesians (Turkey)

- To the Magnesians (Turkey)

- Letter to the Trallians (Turkey)

- To the Romans (Italy)

- To the Philadelphians (Turkey)

- To the Smyrnaeans (Turkey)

- To Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna (Ignatius). 

He was sent to the lions by Emperor Trajan, with these words to those who knew him, "Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing of visible or invisible things so that I may but win Christ. come fire and cross and grapplings with wild beasts, the rending of my bones and body...only let it be mine to attain Christ." (Foxes, 50).  

"And the Gospel will be preached in all the world..."

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.  John 14:12-13

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.  Acts 4:13

Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."  Acts 5:38-39

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.  Acts 20:24

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  Matthew 28:18-20

After Jesus rose from the dead, "He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God." Acts 1:3 The Bible records very little of what He said. Yet, what He did say echoed through the Gospels and Acts: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

This charge, this commandment, was for the early Church, all through the centuries, to the Church in 2011. We are to be His witnesses, for God's glory and for the salvation of others, to the ends of the earth. It's not given to a select few who God "calls," but to all of us.

The truth and urgency of this commandment was not really clear to me until a few years ago. I had been asking God to "break my heart for what breaks Yours." And He did. Beginning with a concern for orphans, then for the persecuted church throughout the world and then for missions, He has laid this commandment on me and it is one that I desire, with every ounce of my being, to obey.

As this passion for missions has grown, I have become more and more interested in learning about missionaries of the past and present. Ordinary people who God used to do extraordinary things. I find great encouragement as I read about how God met their needs, encouraged, provided and protected them and allowed the Gospel to be preached to the ends of the earth through them.

As I have gained encouragement, as my faith in God has grown and as I have had a deeper passion for missions through reading their stories, I am going to share their stories with you, in the hopeful prayer that you too will be encouraged toward a greater involvement in Christ's Great Commission.

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.  2 Corinthians 3:3

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.  John 21:25

The next few months of this blog will only scratch the surface of the men and women God has used to further His Kingdom. May you gain greater faith through their testimonies and believe that you, too, can be used by the Lord to share the Good News of Jesus with the world...not just in your own backyard but to the ends of the earth.

I plan to highlight missionaries in chronological order. Thus, I will begin with the "Apostolic Church" from Christ to AD 500. Below is a list of what happened to Jesus' disciples and early followers. You will note that they all died a martyr's death, except John. But also notice the regions of the world where the Lord took them as He spread the Gospel through His followers:

Matthew -Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, killed by a sword while carrying out Jesus' commission to reach the world with the Gospel.

John - Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome ...However, he was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos ...He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos. The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern-day Turkey. He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.

Peter - He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross in Rome. According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

Philip - He was crucified in Hierapolis, in present day Turkey.

James the Less - Son of Alphaeus, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, was also assigned the area of Syria as his mission field. He was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.

James the Great - Son of Zebedee, was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem ...

The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

Bartholomew, also known as Nathaniel - Was a missionary to Asia ...He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey ...Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed and then crucified.

Andrew - His missionary travels may have taken him as far as Scythia (southern Russia) and included time around Ephesus with John. He was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece ...After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired.

Thomas - Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the sub-continent.

Simon the Zealot - The traditional account of Simon's missionary travels has him taking the road less traveled. He went south and west from Jerusalem, crossing the full breadth of northern Africa, passing through Egypt, Libya and Mauritania, and then up through Spain and even into the islands we now call Britain. All of these destinations fell within the boundaries of the Roman Empire. He is later found with Jude (Jesus' brother) taking the Gospel to Persia. He was sawn in half.

Judas, also known as Thaddaeus - Brought the Gospel to Armenia, present day Turkey and possibly as far as India.  Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

Matthias  - The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, traveled as far as Sevastopol, Ukraine before he returned to Jerusalem where he was stoned and then beheaded.

Mark - Died in Alexandria , Egypt , after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead.

Luke -  Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost.

Paul - Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he  had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters,  which taught many of the foundational doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose” Jim Elliot, modern-day missionary to Ecuador, martyred that many more might be saved.