American Pastor Andrew Brunson Freed by Turkish Court

Prayer works, folks.

The wonderful news today is that Pastor Andrew Brunson, the American pastor who has been detained by the Turkish government for the last several years, has been released. The Turkish court has decided to give him credit for time served.

He’s coming home, and for that, Christians who have held him up in prayer for all this time should be giving thanks to God first, and then thanks to the efforts of lawmakers in the Trump administration, who have worked to secure Pastor Brunson’s release.

From OpenDoorsUSA:

The ordeal for Brunson has been long and difficult. He was accused of aiding in a failed coup attempt against Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, charges he has steadily denied. Reports from earlier this year suggested his health had deteriorated after he spent time in a “nightmare prison” within Turkey.

The back story is that Pastor Brunson has been living and ministering in Turkey for twenty years. He was the pastor of the Izmir Resurrection Church – an evangelical church in a nation that is listed at #31 in the top 50 nations that persecute Christians.

The Turkish government had accused Brunson of having links to Kurdish militants, as well as Fethullah Gulen, a cleric who was blamed for a 2016 coup attempt.

Brunson has adamantly maintained his innocence, denying all charges brought against him.

Witnesses have even come forward to say that testimony presented in court, attributed to them was inaccurate, at best.

While questioning one witness, the judge was asking about things that Brunson was not even involved in.

Railroad attempt?

It wouldn’t be the first time a Christian in a hostile land was falsely imprisoned.

Meanwhile, what has been an ongoing struggle between the United States and a nation that is, technically, considered a strategic “ally” in the region has resulted in considerable economic damage.

President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, as well as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have persistently called for Brunson’s release (on Twitter, since that’s how things are done, now, apparently), with Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan calling for a prisoner swap.

Instead, sanctions were implemented, and Turkey saw the value of the lira take a steep dip.

The speculation is that a “secret deal” was made to secure the pastor’s release.

Yesterday, NBC News reported there was a secret deal to grant the release of Brunson. The details of that deal remain unclear, but some observers assume Brunson’s release will come with an easing of economic sanctions on Turkey, which has been in the midst of an economic crisis.

It may be a few days before we know exactly what was given in exchange for Pastor Brunson’s release, but for now, we should just be happy for the win. The politics of it can wait a day.

For Pastor Brunson, he’s obviously happy to be free, but the ordeal has not soured him on the nation he felt drawn to, as his mission field.

Dressed in a black suit, white shirt and red tie, the North Carolina native wept as the decision was announced, witnesses said. Before the judge’s ruling he had told the court: “I am an innocent man. I love Jesus, I love Turkey.”

And that’s the right attitude, in spite of everything.

OpenDoorsUSA reminds us that there are other Christians dealing with persecution in the world, so as we pray and offer thanks for Brunson’s release, do remember the others, and pray for the persecuted Church around the world.