Prayer Update 

Dear friends,

Thank you for your prayers as we seek to strengthen and expand the church in the Iran region and beyond.  We trust these encouraging testimonies will help you to pray for Iran this month.

More Leaders Ready to Serve

Despite the obvious opposition and dangers they may face, more emerging leaders want to be trained for church planting.  “We want to go wherever God calls us.  Our desire is to serve Him,” shared one couple preparing for ministry in the Iran region through Elam’s three-month leadership course.  It is a familiar refrain from Elam students.  Along with 11 others, they are now half way through their training.  A recent visiting lecturer was delighted to spend time with these students, “Hearing the students tell of how God has spoken to them has been very encouraging.”  Please pray for these young men and women to continue to grow in faith especially as they plan for their future ministries.

This month, over 30 Iranian house church pastors have gathered for two weeks of further training.  Pray for times of refreshing and please also pray for those who will be speaking and teaching these pastors.

“Stay Awake and Pray”

Two of Elam’s graduates, who planted a thriving church in the Iran region, recently shared about their Easter services.  “When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane he told his disciples to stay awake and pray so they would not fall into temptation.  So on Good Friday we held a twelve hour prayer meeting overnight to remember the death of our Lord.  The Lord gave many messages to the members.  That night the church was so blessed that we decided to hold one of these twelve hour prayer meetings every month.”

In a recent prayer meeting this same church prayed for a pregnant lady who had been diagnosed with hepatitis.  The next Sunday they learned that both the mother and the baby were fine and that God had healed them.  “Please pray for us,” asked the pastors.  “Please pray especially for spiritual growth in the church and for finding new vision for ministry.”

Listening to TV

Elam continues to receive calls and emails from those who watch Kalameh TV.  Farah* called to say that although she does not have satellite she listens to the programme through the telephone when her daughter phones her.  Farah was very encouraged by what she had heard!

She shared how she had prayed and been healed from cancer.  Her doctors could not understand how the tumour had disappeared.  She explained, “God must have healed me!”  Farah’s husband was not a believer and he had also been diagnosed with cancer.  The third time he had cancer he was ready to die, but Farah told him, “You can’t die till you are saved.”  Then in the middle of the night her husband started talking to God confessing his sins, and that night he became a believer.  One week after giving his life to Jesus he died!  Praise God for His wonderful works and pray for the continued impact of Kalameh TV.

Thank you again for all your prayers and support!

The Elam team

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