Christian Republic of Iran - Christian is rising in Iran and this is a new development

Robert Bruce, a Scottish missionary who labored in Iran during the late 19th century, sent word to his supporters saying, 'I am not reaping the harvest; I can hardly claim to be sowing the seed; I scarcely till the soil; but I am removing the stones. Yet, such is the work of a missionary; let it be accompanied by loving sympathy and fervent prayer.'

For numerous years, Iran was a challenging tract to spread the gospel. Nonetheless, a momentous shift occurred with the Islamic Revolution in 1979, which yielded an Islamic Republic led by Ayatollah Khomeini. Sharia law was established, with Muslim clerics serving as leaders, and any conversion to another faith was considered apostasy and deserving of death.

Despite heightened persecution of Christian believers, remarkable progress happened, and the gospel message spread throughout Iran like wildfire. The apostle Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 16:9 served as a fitting description for this impressive progress, 'A great and effectual door opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.'

In 1979, there were only about five hundred known Christians from a Muslim background dwelling in Iran. Yet, according to the Joshua Project site, the number grew to about 175,000 by the year 2010. Nowadays, there may be as many as 300,000 to one million Iranian Christians.

Several factors contributed to this remarkable expansion of the church in Iran. Four of the primary explanations are given below:

1. DISILLUSIONMENT WITH ISLAM:

The regime failed to deliver on its promise of economic development and freedom. Instead, the economy stagnated, and people suffered oppression, which isolated them from the rest of the world. As a result, Iranians became increasingly skeptical of Islam, and consequently, open to Christianity.

2. PERSECUTION:

The rise of persecution against Christians in Iran served both as evidence of the rapid growth of Christianity in the country, and as fuel for further expansion. Various church leaders were martyred in persecution, such as Mehdi Dibaj, who had a famous speech before his execution, which rallied Iranian Christians.

3. THE DIASPORA AND USE OF MEDIA:

Technology, especially the Internet, satellite TV, and social media, have made the Christian message more available to Iranians, including those who have never met Christians. Diaspora Christians have played a critical role in broadcasting the gospel into Iran.

4. BIBLE DISTRIBUTION:

The Bible, notably the New Testament, is forbidden literature in Iran, but people there crave the word of God. Over two million New Testaments and about 180,000 entire Bibles have been distributed within Iran.

Even though Iran's door is wide open, the need for support and prayer has not diminished. We can pray for Iran in three ways: for courage for Iranian Christians who are under the constant threat of arrest; unity, since most church activities are planned secretly and discreetly, creating isolation among Christians; and trained leaders who can teach sound doctrine and better serve other believers.

The Lord of the harvest calls for laborers in his plentiful field (Matthew 9:37-38), and we must pray that he sends them to Iran so that millions more Iranians can discover forgiveness, peace, and the hope of glory available through the gospel of Jesus Christ.