"...unless a grain of wheat falls into the
ground
and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much
fruit" John 12:24
The Hovsepian family's ministry was founded by their great inspiration: Haik
Hovsepian, a loving husband and father, who was martyred in Tehran, Iran in
1994. After fifteen years, the Hovsepian family still feels Haik's absence
everyday, but at the same time they know where he is and will meet him soon.
For them, forgiveness, is a daily journey.
Haik's family moved to the US in 2000 and today, each
family member is involved in a different aspect of the Hovsepian ministry, encouraging and mobilizing
Iranians around the world in their Christian growth.
The life of Haik Hovsepian, as the Superintendent of the Protestant
churches in Iran, has set a spiritual example for all of us to follow. Haik was a
caring father to four children and a faithful husband to Takoosh.
He
was an outspoken Christian apologist, evangelist, and a gifted musician.After almost Fourteen years of Haik's martyrdom, the church of Iran still
remembers him as a faithful leader who never left the flock at any cost. His martyrdom has raised many fearless
servants to continue the work he had started.
Since the start of Haik's ministry as a pastor in Gorgan, Iran
in 1964,
the Hovsepian
family has gone through many crises. While Haik and Takoosh were traveling
with a missionary family, a tragic accident killed their first born son.
Though this was the first of many tragedies, they trusted in the Lord and
continued their faithful ministry. Takoosh says "Christian life is like a
university, which you never graduate from. After each tragedy we faced, we
thought we learned it all...all the spiritual lessons, but later you realize
it's indeed a long process to become like Christ."
In 1982, Haik became the Superintendent of Assemblies of God
churches in Iran, and several years later the representative of all
Protestant churches in Iran.
He did not
believe in succumbing to government pressure and chose instead to “tell the
world” about the plight of Iranian Christians. He said, “If we go to jail or
die for our faith, we want the whole Christian world to know what is
happening to their brothers and sisters.” His efforts reached it's climax in
1991 when Iran's church received the news of Pastor Hosein
Soodmand's martyrdom in the city of Mashhad and soon after, in 1993, with the
news of execution order of Pastor Mehdi Dibaj, a convert from Islam, who was
put in prison for almost ten years.
Haik worked
very hard to bring the attention of human rights as well as other violations
of religious freedom of Christians in Iran with the world. Due to the
world’s reaction, Dibadj was released on January 16, 1994,
only few days before his official execution date.
On
January 19, 1994 Haik disappeared from the streets of Tehran. The
authorities reported his death to his family on January 30;
he was stabbed 26 times in his chest.
Indeed, Haik gave his
heart to Christ twice.
Once when he invited Christ to his life as his Savior,
and second, when his heart was torn apart for his faith in Christ.
After the martyrdom of Haik, several other Iranian believers, including
Pastor Mehdi Dibadj, Pastor Tateos Mikaelian, and Pastor Mohammad Bagher
Yusefi, also known as Pastor “Ravanbaksh” (soul giver) disappeared.
The martydom of not only Haik, but the martyerdom, disappearance and
imprisonment of other Iranian believers has motivated and inspired the
Hovsepian family to share the message of forgiveness and love.
For more information about the Hovsepian Ministries, please
click here.
