Southern Baptists Honor Hobby Lobby Owners, Saeed Abedini

on June 13, 2014

On the final day of the 2014 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) presented the John Leland Religious Liberty Award to the Green family, owners of the national craft store Hobby Lobby, in recognition of their fight for religious liberty in the face of government coercion.  The ERLC also gave the 2014 Richard Land Distinguished Service Award to Saeed Abedini, an Iranian pastor imprisoned for preaching the Gospel. In light of his absence, the award was accepted by Saeed’s wife, Naghmeh Abedini.

ERLC president Dr. Russell Moore opened his presentation with a reflection on the persecution faced by past Christians. “Baptists in this country have gotten awfully used to being out of jail… Baptists started in prison cells in England because they would gladly say, “God save the King,” but they knew the difference between the king and God. And Virginia Baptists just down the road from here where we are standing right now, were hauled off to jail because they wouldn’t sign up for a license to preach…

“We are living in a time right now in which religious liberty is imperiled at home and around the world, and it is time for us to remember that we have been here before,” Dr. Moore said. “The Gospel came to us in letters being written out by apostles from jail cells… Don’t call it a comeback! We have been here for centuries, and we will continue to stand here for religious liberty for everyone.”

The Greens received their award first. The Green family, devout Southern Baptists, are currently engaged in a high-profile court case against the Obama administration over the HHS contraception mandate. The Greens believe that forcing them to provide certain contraceptives, which they believe end a human life, would be an affront to their religious convictions. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius sometime within the next two weeks.

The award’s citation, read aloud by Dr. Moore, thanked the Green family for their “steadfast commitment to the sanctity of human life,” for their “Gospel witness in the public square,” for “not wavering from the convictions of [their] conscience,” and for “reminding us that religious freedom is a gift from God, our birthright and not a grant from the state.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Green,” said Dr. Moore over applause, “We stand with you.”

From there, Dr. Moore turned to the plight of Pastor Abedini. He explained to the audience that the Abedinis had fled to America to escape the persecution of Christian home churches in Iran. But Saeed returned to preach the Gospel. The Iranian government has responded by throwing him in prison, beating him, and refusing him medical care.

“At every point, the Iranian government seems to think that Saeed Abedini will get tired of all of this treatment and renounce his faith in Jesus Christ,” Dr. Moore said, “and at every step no matter the beatings, no matter the imprisonment, no matter the exile, Saeed Abedini has confessed with that great cloud of witnesses, ‘Jesus Christ is Lord.’”

He also praised Nagmeh Abedini for her bravery in the face of adversity, and for her tireless advocacy. “She has stirred the church in the United States to stand up and to speak out for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. She has spoken to government officials, pleaded with them to take action, and she has exalted the name of Jesus through it all.”

Dr. Moore addressed Saeed personally, with the hope that one day he would be able to watch the video of the ceremony. He told Pastor Saeed that he was a “joyful cross bearer” and an inspiration to all. “[I]f Saeed Abedini can take his faith and take his gospel witness into the worst conditions in prison in Iran, surely we can mobilize the North American church to reach the nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

The Greens and Nagmeh Abedini did not speak at the presentation. However, they each gave their thanks in a press release before the ceremony. “On behalf of the Green family we are honored to accept the SBC’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s 2014 John Leland Religious Liberty Award,” said Steve and Jackie Green. “We appreciate your prayers & support as we stand together for religious freedoms.”

“I am honored to receive this award on behalf of my husband, Pastor Saeed Abedini, who is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence in Iran because of his Christian faith,” said Nagmen Abedini. “I had hoped that Saeed would be here to receive the award himself, but I know that Saeed would say that he counts it a privilege to be suffering for Christ knowing that his imprisonment is being used for the furtherance of the Gospel both inside of Iran and also across the world.”

Incoming president of the Southern Baptist Convention Ronnie Floyd led the meeting in a prayer for the Green family and Saeed Abedini. Floyd’s prayer asked that the Supreme Court would rule on the side of religious liberty, and implored God to intervene on the behalf of Pastor Abedini. “We ask you ago in the name of Jesus: Let him go!”

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