The 1979 revolution in Iran was an attempt to slam shut the country’s doors to the gospel but it did not succeed.
The truth is the gospel is moving in the Islamic Republic of Iran despite the risk of persecution and is being paid more attention than it was before the revolution. More than 25 years of rigid religious rule have left Iranians disillusioned and looking for other avenues of hope.
More than the potential for persecution, Iranians anguish over an uncertain future. Samir, the father of two sons, fled to Europe in the late 1980s, planning never to return to Iran. But the assumed democratic reforms of the 1990s gave him hope, and he returned to Iran with his wife and two young children. Today, after the reforms have faded or been rescinded, Samir laments his decision. “There is just no future for my sons … there is nothing here for them.”
But Iranians inside the country are finding a future and a hope for themselves. They are finding them through satellite radio, television, compact discs (CD), books and the Internet. Iranian men and women are literally risking their lives to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the world is eager to provide it.
On the Internet alone, there are thousands of pages devoted to getting the good news to people inside Iran. Persian World Outreach (www.persianwo.org), Iranian Christians International (www.iranchristians.org) and EveryTongue.com (www.everytongue.com/iran) are just a few of the sites reaching out to searching Iranians.
The Internet, combined with illegal satellite receivers and black-market Christian CDs in Iranian homes, has made the nation more open to the gospel. Because cracking down on these media would take too many resources, the government is putting more pressure on the churches.
“Satellite (television) is the most effective tool we have for reaching Iran for Christ,” said one veteran Christian who works among Iranians.
As if to emphasize its effectiveness, there are reports that for two years, an imam — a Muslim cleric — watched Christian programming on satellite TV and eventually gave his life to Christ in early February by calling a counselor at Trinity Broadcasting Network’s Nejat TV.
The biggest need among Iranian believers is discipleship. Because most are new converts to Christ, it is sometimes a case of the partially sighted leading the blind.
However, Discipleship Training on the Air (DOTA) provides a comprehensive Bible study in the Farsi language for Iranians through radio programs and workbooks.
At the DOTA Web site (www.dota.net), all 12 workbooks can be downloaded and used separately or as a complement to the radio broadcasts.
Study topics range from apostasy to wisdom and encourage deeper study of the Bible.
Another way Iranian men and women are learning about Jesus Christ is through the Farsi audio Bible. CDs of this Bible have been copied repeatedly and are seen on the black market, where they are sold along with American movies.
While these resources for sharing the gospel are good, there is no substitute for the personal touch.
A young Iranian man made the life-changing decision to return to Iran to minister to his people.
The decision was not easy, and he was asked, “Are you sure you want to do this?”
The young man responded, “No, I want to go further west and enjoy life in America. But when I face the West, I know that behind me are millions of my people who have never heard about Jesus. That makes me ashamed and I know that I have to go back to them.”
Because of this man and others who reach out personally or through electronic media, Iranian men and women receive life lessons on what it means to be a follower of Christ in a hostile country.
Editor’s Note — M.M. Kumar is a Christian worker in Iran. His name and others were changed for security reasons.
Share with others: