The leaders of the Central Assemblies of God Church in Tehran, have announced that Friday worship services will no longer take place and only two Sunday services will be conducted in future. The Church has been conducting 2 worship services each Friday afternoon in what represented the largest formal public gathering of Iranian Christians inside Iran, It has been under extreme pressure from the Ministry of Information to shut down its Friday meetings. The decision to close the Friday services was made in the best interest of the membership of the church.  

The announcement of the termination of the Friday services was received with shock and surprise. Rev. Soorik, the overseer of the AOG Churches in Iran who made the announcement, has been under ongoing pressure from the officials of the Ministry of Information to close down the church on Fridays, the official day of worship in Iran when most people do not work. The Revolutionary Guards had demanded the closure of the church by October 31, 2009, or they would close it for good by force. The decision to close the Friday services was therefore made to protect the members.

The Assemblies of God Church of Tehran was founded by several Godly men and women many years before the Islamic revolution. This church continued its ministry after the victory of the Islamic Revolution and several pastors were martyred by extremist and fanatic elements within the regime. So far no reasons for the closure of the Assemblies of God Church have been given by any government official. However it demonstrates the intention of the government with regard to the Iranian Christian communities within Iran.

Source: Intercessors Network