Source: Mission Network News, March 19, 2018
Last week, American Pastor Andrew Brunson was given a new indictment in Turkish court. This time he was charged with “leadership in a terrorist organization.” Prosecutors are seeking a possible life sentence. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns the indictment and calls on the US government to deal with the issue.
According to USCIRF, Brunson’s charges have been brought based on so-called secret evidence and a secret witness. However, the charges seem baseless.
David Curry of Open Doors USA reminds us that BrunsoAn served as a pastor in Turkey for more than two decades before his arrest. He’s been in prison since October of 2016.
In this situation, Curry says that prayer is really the very best (and perhaps only) action we can take. And as you pray for Brunson—for his release, courage, and perseverance—Curry says to remember others who are also facing persecution for their faith:
“The thing to remember is when we hear about an American pastor who is held prisoner somewhere, whether it’s in North Korea or in Turkey, there are many, many, many other pastors who are in prison or Christians who are in prison for their faith around the world. This is just one, it’s public knowledge here in America because he is an American citizen. But we don’t pray for him because he is an American citizen, we pray for him because he’s a follower of Jesus, in my mind. He’s a citizen first of the Kingdom, and so we support our brother or sister in the Lord.”
» Read full story. Note that March 13 reports that prosecutors had submitted an official indictment demanding life imprisonment were premature, though evidently an indictment was drafted.
According to his daughter Jacqueline, early this month Brunson wrote the following: “Let it be clear, I am in prison not for anything I have done wrong, but because of who I am—a Christian pastor. I desperately miss my wife and children. Yet, I believe this to be true, it is an honor to suffer for Jesus Christ, as many have before me. My deepest thanks to all those around the world who are standing with and praying for me.”