Persian-Speaking Churches of Council 222 in the Netherlands Celebrated Twenty Years
If two people do not share the same thoughts and dreams, they will not be able to work together and certainly will not succeed. Jesus Christ builds the church of God, but it is these individuals from different languages and nationalities who work to advance the goals of God’s kingdom.
I am pleased that today we are witnessing the fruit of collaborative work that we began years ago with my brother, Pastor André of the Wegwijzer Church. Extraordinary work has been accomplished.
These were part of the remarks made by Pastor Lazarus Yeknandar, President of Church Council 222, at the ceremony marking the twentieth anniversary of the 222 churches in the Netherlands and the opening of the new building of the Almere Church. He further stated that “in the world, collaborative and shared work also begins with a shared dream. Just as married couples, if they do not have a shared dream, their marriage will fall apart.”
He continued: Many were with us in this dream. People like Khelet and David Caster who helped us produce television programs, or my brother André, the founder of the Wegwijzer Church, shared our dream. Today we see what a magnificent and glorious church has been built, and we are proud to inaugurate the Persian-speaking group of this church.
Following this ceremony, Pastor André addressed the guests. He stated that “God’s call to us is to proclaim His word until the end of the age. Twenty-two years ago, God made a promise to me: do not be afraid, speak out and do not be silent, for I am with you. We must not be silent, and in these times we must reach out to one another and, in unity, bring God’s word to everyone.”
He continued: When I became acquainted with the services of Council 222, I was deeply moved by their vision and dream for Iran. I believe that God wants to fulfill His promise in these times.
Pastor André further reminded us: We are aligned with the vision of Church Council 222, and we believe that in the near future, God’s promises concerning Iran will be fulfilled. In this path, it is not we, but God’s word and promise that are most important.
The ceremony continued with the introduction of the servants of Church Council 222, and gratitude was expressed to those who have cooperated with this council over the past twenty years.
Joel Voordewind, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Christian Union, was another special guest at this ceremony who spoke to the participants for several minutes.
In his opening remarks, he spoke about his efforts to help persecuted Christians in Iran. He noted that he plans to travel to Iran in the near future—something he has attempted many times but has not yet succeeded in doing. He expressed hope that this will happen soon and that, with the cooperation of other organizations and groups, he will be able to meet with Christians in Iran and work in that country. In his current position, he will not fall short in any effort to support Iran’s persecuted Christians, and he will stand with them in this endeavor.
The ceremony concluded with speeches by Pastor Verj Babakhani, Overseer of the Persian-Speaking Churches of Council 222 in the Netherlands, introductions of other 222 churches in the Netherlands (Venlo, Zwolle, Groningen, Almelo, etc.), and remarks by Pastor Vahik Abramyan, Pastor of the Almere Persian-Speaking Church.
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