The Iranian church continues to grow despite all opposition

As we approach the 2000th anniversary of the founding of the Church, there has been an increasing focus on fulfilling the Great Commission, resulting in a growing and expanding Church around the world. In turn, I am compelled to bring attention to one of the fastest growing churches in the world, one so dear to my heart and life’s calling: the Iranian Church.

I was born into a very passionate-for-Jesus, Spirit-filled family in Iran. My grandfather was a first-generation Christian, following a radical encounter with the Lord. For several years after his conversion, his family hosted meetings in their home, launching an exciting movement in Iran and serving as a founding picture of the Iranian Church today. In fact, it grew to a point — much like the first church in Acts — where people were standing outside their “full to capacity” home, straining through open windows, desperate to hear the message, eventually needing to relocate to accommodate the growing crowd.

Despite the current regime’s takeover in 1979, resulting in an extremely controlled and oppressed nation, the Iranian Church continues to grow and thrive. In fact, I have witnessed countless resemblances to that of the very first church, outlined in Acts 2:

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42-47).

Just as the first Church faced intense opposition and danger, so do the developing Church of Iran. Similarly, as a result of divinely interrelated avenues, all pointing these Iranians to salvation in Christ — including miraculous encounters with Jesus, evangelism through action, and the right resources offered at the right times — the Iranian church is larger and more active today than ever before in history.

Miracles: Muslims meeting Jesus

Before the Islamic revolution, there were only several hundred believers with Muslim backgrounds. Today, there are more than 1 million Christian believers who have converted from Islam. This complete turn of the tide can only be attributed to the mercy and grace of Christ in an intensely oppressive environment and to the Iranian search for truth in opposition to the regime’s dishonest narratives toward the people. These converts’ eyes have been opened to the reality of the darkness that they once embraced, thinking it was life, and in their search for truth, they have found Jesus.

In fact, oftentimes, Jesus is the direct person with whom Muslims interact. Most have heard of Him but have maintained a lifelong misperception of who He really is. The vast majority of testimonies we hear about are miraculous revelations that the person of Jesus is God himself — a blasphemous concept in the Muslim faith — often paired with a supernatural experience in their lives. In these moments, Muslim converts are overwhelmed by the reality of God’s character, experiencing His transformative love for the first time.

Unlike the Western world, there is hardly any ability to remain lukewarm in faith in Iran. The light of the Gospel shines the brightest in the darkest of nations. When Jesus appears to these once-staunch Muslims in dreams or visions, completely transforming their belief systems, they face social ostracization and persecution through imprisonment, violence and death for their new faith — realities they readily embrace in order to boldly follow Jesus and share the Gospel message of joy with others.

Evangelism: Practical service and radical care

In Iran, it is crucial that we are not simply throwing theology at the people, but rather, demonstrating the love of God in practical ways. Jesus himself was extremely practical in the way he loved people and transformed their lives. Therefore, it is imperative that we model that love by recognizing the needs of the people and meeting those needs.

For example, as social and religious turmoil has been amplified in Iran over the last two years, hospitals were warned that they would be heavily penalized if they treated anyone with a gunshot wound or wounds that appeared to stem from protest participation. So, one of the best ways to practically love the people of Iran was to help those bleeding in the streets by offering them shelter, care and medical aid. In doing so, the Christians of Iran were able to meet needs and share Jesus in the process.

Speaking to the hearts of Iranians: Bible translations and digital church

A key way that Iranians experience love is through being prioritized in culture and language. With more than 39 languages spoken throughout the nation, almost all considered “unofficial” except for the national language of Farsi, each with specialized vocabulary and nuances, the value of preserving these languages is great to the Iranian people. As Bible translations are being distributed for the first time into these “heart languages” in written forms and audio forms, these people are deeply touched, often gathered together, experiencing God’s Word speaking to their hearts for the very first time.

Another way the people of Iran are being reached with the Gospel message is through online platforms and satellite signals. Because the people of Iran are acutely aware of the government’s aim to misguide them with false information, they seek out connections and information online through unregulated internet servers and satellite waves. Taking advantage of these servers to share the Gospel message through digital church services has been revolutionary for the growing church body in Iran.
 
The overwhelming result: Organic church growth

While intentional church planting occurs from time to time, it remains extremely rare. Normally, the churches in Iran are planted out of very organic growth. As Iranians encounter the love of Jesus, they are often miraculously freed from addiction, healed of disease, delivered from depression, or restored in marriage; as a result, people see that a miracle has occurred, serving as a starting point for this person to share what Jesus has done in his or her life. From this starting point, Iranians begin gathering together to explore the character of Jesus through discussion, prayer, worship and Bible readings.

And that is really the definition of a church, isn't it? Touching the hearts of the unreached, the unwelcome, the unloved — the very people that Jesus gravitated towards — to share His love, is entirely the point. Rather than waiting for these Iranians to become cleaned up and perfect to turn to the Christian faith, Jesus is meeting them right where they are.

Like the church of Acts, these radically transformed converts are consumed with the Spirit of God, left with the audacious choice of following God and leaving behind their old lives completely, inevitably facing intense opposition and persecution. These followers, unable to stay silent on all that Jesus has done for them, are sharing the Gospel, selflessly helping others and boldly performing miracles. They are congregating together for learning and discipleship in one another's homes in every opportunity they possibly can, and the number of those saved in Christ is growing daily.

This is the true, unapologetic church, fulfilling the Great Commission in Iran.