Faith Facts

• Albert and Ellen Bryan established Churches of Christ in both Tripoli, Libya, and Tehran, Iran during the 1950s, serving U.S. servicemen and civilians during the Cold War
• Their grandson, Lt. Gen. John Bradley, continued their legacy of service through 41 years in the Air Force and humanitarian work in Afghanistan through the Lamia Afghan Foundation
• Today, over 1 million Iranians worship Christianity in secret despite severe persecution, with 250 believers arrested in 2025 alone for “propaganda contrary to Islam”

Officially, fewer than 150,000 of Iran’s 93 million people claim Christianity as their faith, most of them from Armenian and Assyrian backgrounds, according to a government census. Unofficially, at least 1 million more Iranians worship in secret, and their numbers are growing, claim organizations that track religious movements.

Iranian authorities arrested more than 250 of those worshipers last year on charges of “propaganda contrary to the holy religion of Islam.” That’s nearly double the number arrested on such charges the previous year, according to a report from Open Doors, Christian Solidarity Worldwide and other nonprofits.

It’s difficult to imagine a time when Churches of Christ — much less, congregations comprised of U.S. servicemen — met freely in Iran and other predominantly Muslim countries, including Libya. But Churches of Christ did once exist in the capitals of Tehran and Tripoli, thanks to the work of Christians including Albert and Ellen Bryan.

A Humble Beginning in Tennessee

Born near Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1892, Albert H. Bryan Sr. was the son of a farmer who also taught in a one-room schoolhouse near his farm. Two of Albert’s brothers earned medical degrees from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

One became a medical missionary in China in the 1920s and was imprisoned by the Japanese when they invaded. The Japanese later released the brother, who returned to the U.S.

Albert, meanwhile, stayed on the farm and married Ellen Waters Baker, who grew up in nearby Watertown, Tennessee. Albert took over teaching at the school when his father died.

Although he never went to college, Albert studied civil engineering through mail-order courses and got a job with the Tennessee Highway Department. He helped plan some of the first paved highways in Middle Tennessee.

Then Albert took a job in the civil engineering office at Arnold Air Force Base near Tullahoma, Tennessee. He attempted to retire in the early 1950s, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers asked him to change his plans and move to Libya.

Building God’s Kingdom in North Africa

At the time, the U.S. operated Wheelus Air Force Base, just east of Tripoli. Albert and Ellen moved there in early 1953.

During the Cold War, Wheelus was the largest U.S. military facility outside the U.S. Albert worked in the civil engineering department, assisting in building projects on the base.

“He and my grandmother right away started a church in their home,” said his grandson, John Bradley. “They were longtime members of the Church of Christ.”

In addition to being a self-taught civil engineer, Albert became a minister, baptizing new converts in the Mediterranean Sea. Eventually, the Tripoli Church of Christ purchased its own meeting place with the help of the College Street Church of Christ in Lebanon.

Bradley has a photo of the building, complete with North African-style pointed arches. “There is a note on the back of the photo that says it was the first ‘non-Muslim’ church ever allowed by Libya in Tripoli,” Bradley said.

From Libya to Iran

After four years, the Bryans returned to the U.S., though not for long. The Corps asked Albert to do similar engineering work in Tehran, so he and Ellen packed their bags for Iran.

“Again, my grandfather and grandmother started holding church services in their Tehran home,” Bradley said. “There were many U.S. military and civilians working there who attended those services.

I do not know if they were ever allowed to buy a building in Tehran for church services.”

During the couple’s time in Tehran, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower visited Iran’s ruler, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

“My grandparents saw a huge parade down a boulevard in December 1959 with the president and the shah sitting together in a Cadillac convertible,” Bradley said.

The Bryans returned to the U.S. again in 1962. Seven years later, Muammar Gaddafi seized control of Libya and ordered the closure of U.S. air bases there.

A decade later, in 1979, Pahlavi fled Tehran in the midst of the Iranian Revolution. The freedoms that had allowed American Christians to worship openly vanished.

A Legacy of Faith and Service

Albert became an elder of the College Street church, eventually serving alongside his son-in-law and Bradley’s father, Leonard K. Bradley Sr. Ellen Bryan died in 1973 at age 86.

Albert followed her in 1986 at age 91.

The couple’s sons served in the military. Albert Bryan Jr. fought in the Army in World War II.

Robert Bryan graduated from West Point before earning a doctorate in nuclear engineering. Charles Bryan attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and flew reconnaissance missions during the Vietnam War.

“The sweetest man I ever knew,” said his grandson, John Bradley. “He was so kind. He was a wonderful husband to my very sweet grandmother. All the grandchildren loved them so much.”

Bradley himself served in the Air Force for 41 years. He flew 337 combat missions in Vietnam, received the Distinguished Flying Cross and earned the rank of lieutenant general before retiring.

In 2008, Bradley and his wife, Jan, launched the Lamia Afghan Foundation, named for a 9-year-old girl who pushed her way through a crowd to ask the general for boots during his tour in Afghanistan. Through the foundation, the Bradleys provided more than 3.5 million pounds of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, built seven schools and clinics and provided prosthetics for children injured in their country’s decades of conflict.

“I always wanted to be like Papa,” Bradley said of his grandfather. “I have fallen short, but I keep trying. The work Jan and I do in Afghanistan through our foundation, we feel, is trying to help very needy people have some hope of improving their lives.”

Although laws prevented the Bradleys from evangelizing Afghans, “people there, of course, knew we were Christians,” he said.

Taking a cue from Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:40, “I looked at our work as doing for ‘the least of these.'”

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Faith Facts

• Three teenage boys convicted of brutal rape received suspended sentences, sparking nationwide outrage over justice system failures
• Scripture consistently condemns sexual violence and calls for justice for victims, never minimizing the severity of such crimes
• When earthly courts fail, God’s perfect justice remains certain and unchanging for both victims and perpetrators

A recent court decision has ignited justified anger across America as three teenage boys convicted of the brutal rape of two young girls walked free with suspended sentences. The case highlights a disturbing trend in our criminal justice system — one that stands in stark contrast to the clear biblical standards for justice and protection of the vulnerable.

The lenient sentencing has left many questioning whether our legal system truly values the dignity and safety of women and girls. For people of faith, this raises an even deeper concern: are we as a society abandoning the biblical principles that once formed the foundation of Western justice?

Throughout Scripture, God takes sexual violence with utmost seriousness. The Bible never minimizes rape or treats it as a lesser crime. From the Old Testament laws that protected women to the New Testament teachings on the sanctity of the body, God’s Word consistently demands justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators.

In Deuteronomy 22, the Law of Moses prescribed severe consequences for sexual assault, recognizing both the violation of the victim and the破坏 of community trust. These weren’t arbitrary rules — they reflected God’s heart for justice and His protection of the vulnerable, particularly women in a culture where they had limited legal recourse.

The failure of earthly courts to deliver appropriate consequences doesn’t negate God’s perfect justice. While human systems may fail, God sees every act of violence, hears every cry of the suffering, and will ultimately hold all wrongdoers accountable. This truth doesn’t excuse us from pursuing justice in our earthly systems — rather, it compels us to align our laws more closely with God’s standards.

For the victims in this case and countless others, the pain of injustice compounds the trauma of their assault. As Christians, we are called to stand with the vulnerable, to demand accountability, and to work toward a justice system that reflects biblical values rather than cultural relativism or misguided leniency.

The suspended sentences in this case send a dangerous message to both potential offenders and future victims: that sexual violence will be treated lightly, that the suffering of victims matters less than the convenience of perpetrators. This is fundamentally incompatible with a Christian worldview that affirms the inherent dignity of every person, especially the most vulnerable.

Our criminal justice system must return to principles rooted in biblical truth — principles that recognize the gravity of sexual crimes, protect the innocent, and hold wrongdoers accountable with appropriate consequences. Anything less betrays both victims and the moral foundations our nation was built upon.

As people of faith engage with these difficult issues, we must remember that advocating for justice isn’t about vengeance — it’s about reflecting God’s character in our communities. It’s about creating a society where women and girls can live without fear, where perpetrators face real consequences, and where victims receive validation rather than being failed by the very system meant to protect them.

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Faith Facts

• Up to 80% of children in orphanages worldwide have at least one living parent, revealing a family separation crisis rather than true orphan care
• Research shows orphanages can cause lasting trauma and developmental delays in children, even when well-intentioned
• Family-based care models align more closely with biblical principles of preserving families and protecting the vulnerable

For generations, American Christians have supported orphanages around the world with the best of intentions — answering the biblical call to care for the fatherless and vulnerable. But a growing body of evidence suggests our compassion may be inadvertently causing harm to the very children we seek to help.

The uncomfortable truth is that most children in orphanages aren’t actually orphans. According to research, up to 80% of children living in institutional care have at least one living parent.

These facilities often separate children from families struggling with poverty, not because parents don’t love their children, but because they lack resources to care for them. When well-meaning donors fund orphanages, they can unintentionally create an economic incentive that pulls families apart rather than strengthening them.

“We must ask ourselves: are we truly serving these children in the way God intends, or are we simply making ourselves feel better?” says one child welfare advocate familiar with faith-based missions.

The science is clear: children thrive in families, not institutions. Research consistently shows that orphanages — even clean, well-staffed ones — can cause developmental delays, attachment disorders, and lasting psychological trauma. Children need the consistent love and attention of a parent or caregiver, something institutional care simply cannot provide.

This doesn’t mean Christians should abandon their calling to care for vulnerable children. Rather, it means we must redirect our resources toward solutions that truly honor God’s design for families.

Family preservation programs that provide economic support, parenting education, and community resources can keep families together. Foster care and domestic adoption within a child’s own culture and country offer family-based alternatives. Supporting kinship care — placing children with extended family members — maintains crucial family connections.

The biblical mandate is clear: God places the lonely in families (Psalm 68:6). He is a father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5). Our calling isn’t simply to house children, but to ensure they experience the love, belonging, and security that can only come through family.

“True religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress,” James 1:27 reminds us. But caring for them means doing what’s actually best for them, not what makes us feel good.

This shift requires American churches to become more informed donors and mission partners. Before supporting any children’s ministry overseas, churches should ask hard questions: Are children truly orphaned, or could family reunification be possible? Does this organization prioritize family preservation? What is the plan for each child to grow up in a permanent family?

The transition away from orphanage support isn’t easy. Many Christians have deep emotional connections to specific facilities they’ve visited or supported for years. But our commitment must be to the welfare of children, not to institutions.

Countries like Rwanda have led the way, closing orphanages and moving children into family-based care with remarkable success. Christian organizations can support this biblical model of care rather than perpetuating systems that separate families.

As believers, we are called to defend the cause of the weak and fatherless, to maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed (Psalm 82:3). That defense means advocating for what research and Scripture both confirm: children belong in families.

Our heavenly Father adopted us into His family — not into an institution. If we truly want to reflect His heart, we must ensure the same for vulnerable children around the world.

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