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Pastor Orhan was kidnapped in the dead of night . . . His church building has been stoned and otherwise attacked.

In 2007, it was discovered that Çevik was a marked man. His name appeared on a hit list that was discovered by security forces when three suspected terrorists were arrested in Izmir. Weapons were found on the three men. Security forces surmised that they were planning an attack, or a series of attacks that were imminent. Çevik

apparently committed the grave sin of

officiating at the funeral service of one of three Christians that were killed by Muslim extremists in the eastern city of Malatya in April 2007. In addition, a Turkish newspaper accused Çevik of “coercive evangelism” – using money and drugs to lure young people into Christianity. He was granted a bodyguard and given round the clock protection.

Despite this, ministry at the Izmir Protestant Baptist Church continues. Some are attracted by the aesthetics of the property. “Because of the church’s beauty;

reaches out to those who come by sharing literature.

“Pastor Orhan” is Orhan Pıçaklar, pastor of Samsun Agape

Church in the Black Sea region of Turkey. Pıçaklar has had to endure attacks on his person and church. He was kidnapped in the dead of night by men posing as police, had a bag thrown over his head, driven around town for several hours and beaten, before being released with threats. His church building has been stoned and otherwise attacked.

He too, was granted protection by the government. “Samsun Agape Church is under intense pressure and attack,”

people are interested in seeing it,” Çevik explained. “Everyday at least 20 people visit the church.”

The congregation Those

Orhan Pıçaklar, pastor of Samsun Agape Church

intrigued beyond aesthetics are invited to join a Bible study. “At times when they hear the word of God, some of them, their hearts

are touched by a Bible verse and become Christians.”

He explained that new Christians sometimes encounter

problems. “Some have trouble with their families and at their workplaces. But Christ helps them with their issues.” He indicated that it is not unusual for planned attacks to be discovered and then averted by the police. “Three times there were attacks planned and stopped. This is not only for me but for Pastor Orhan, and another pastor in Istanbul and Anchoram.”

Top: Founding pastor Orhan Pıçaklar (right) presides at a baptism at the Samsun Agape

Church in eastern Turkey.

Right: The Samsun Agape Church in the

Black Sea area of eastern Turkey

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Pıçaklar told one interviewer. “Certain sectors that target us hate us because they thought we’d split the homeland. But I was always a proud citizen of the Republic of Turkey.” Despite the troubles he and the members of the church face, Pıçaklar said “God is doing great things here; we are now seeing it ourselves.” The last three to four years have been less tense and more

peaceful for Baptists in Turkey. At the Baptist World Alliance Gathering in Izmir, city and national government officials were present, and positive news articles ran in the city’s newspapers. Bringing greetings to the global Baptist family were Rifat Sait, a leader in the ruling party who represented Turkey’s prime minister, Mayor of Izmir Aziz Kocaoglu, Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Director Abdülaziz Ediz and Aytun Ciray, vice president of Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party. Each speaker stressed the importance of religious freedom.

Ciray, recognizing that Martin Luther King, Jr. was Baptist, cited his work in reconciliation and as a defender of religious freedom. “Some of his dreams came true and we hope all his dreams come true and we will have peace in the world,” noted Ciray. In April, the four Baptist congregations in Turkey – in Istanbul, Anchoram, Samsun and Izmir – launched the Alliance of Baptist Churches in Turkey with Çevik elected president and Pıçaklar general secretary. The goals of the group are to encourage member churches, explain the teachings of Baptists to member churches and to others, develop Baptist leaders, pray for the churches’ needs, highlight these needs to other churches, and strengthen believers by organizing seminars, camps and conferences.