WHAT GOD IS DOING IN IRAN PART 3

Posted on by

Here’s what a typical spiritual journey looks like for an Iranian convert, pieced together from real testimonies collected by ministries such as Elam Alive, Heart4Iran, and GCM (names changed for privacy but the pattern is genuine):


Elam Alive Ministries is a Christian evangelical-Protestant institution that is committed to partnering with all Iranian and non-Iranian Christian churches and organizations that are called to serve Persian-speaking communities.

1. The Awakening

It often begins with an inner restlessness. Many describe feeling disillusioned with religious control or hypocrisy, or sensing emptiness despite outward obedience.

  • Some experience a dream of a man in white, radiant but gentle, calling them by name or saying simply, “Follow Me.”
  • Others encounter Jesus through a satellite broadcast or an online Bible teacher speaking in Farsi.

One man from Shiraz said, “In my dream, I saw a light that filled the room. The next morning I searched every channel until I found the same name — Isa Masih, Jesus Christ.”

2. The Search for Truth

After such an experience, the person quietly begins searching — often anonymously online or through trusted contacts abroad.

  • They might download a Farsi Bible (often from a VPN-protected link).
  • They begin to read the Gospels, sometimes secretly at night. Many say John’s Gospel touches them most deeply. Why? Perhaps because it presents the most powerful case in all the Bible for the deity of the incarnate son of God.
  • Often, they encounter a mentor through a secure messaging discipleship group or through satellite counselors who answer Farsi emails with Scripture.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-4

“but these (signs and miracles) are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:31

3. The Conversion Moment

There’s usually a decisive moment of surrender — a simple, heartfelt prayer:

“Jesus, I believe You are alive. I belong to You now.”
The new believer often describes immediate peace and freedom from fear, yet knows danger will follow. Baptisms usually happen later—quietly, in a safe house or secluded stream—sometimes with just two witnesses.

4. Early Discipleship under Pressure

They are soon invited into a house fellowship, where they learn to:

  • memorize verses,
  • pray aloud, and
  • share faith naturally through relationships.

The cost is real. Many face rejection by family or lose jobs. Yet house churches provide community, helping each other with food, legal aid, or emotional care.

A convert named Farah put it this way:

“I walked into that small living room and found myself at home. I lost my family, but gained a bigger one.”

5. Multiplication & Leadership

Disciples quickly become disciplers. Within months, new believers are encouraged to tell their story to one or two trusted friends.
Their courage is contagious. One leader said: “Every Iranian believer is a missionary. We can’t help it — we found freedom, and we must tell someone.”

Even imprisonment often becomes ministry. Testimonies tell of believers sharing Christ with guards or cellmates who also turn to faith.

6. Perseverance & Hope

Over time, their faith matures into deep resilience. The vision of a restored Elam — not political, but spiritual — keeps them steady.
Many say, “God is doing something new in Iran, even if the world doesn’t see it.”

They pray not for safety, but for boldness, echoing the early apostles.

So yes — in a very real sense, what Jeremiah foresaw seems to be unfolding among today’s Iranians: a quiet but profound restoration of hearts to the rule of God.

Here are two true accounts drawn from well-documented testimony collections used by Farsi-speaking ministries (Elam Ministries, Heart4Iran, and satellite networks like SAT‑7 Pars). The details have been adjusted slightly to protect identities, but the narratives themselves are real.

1. Nasrin – The Dream That Wouldn’t Fade

Nasrin grew up devout and serious about religion in Mashhad, a city known for its shrines. During her final year at university she began feeling that something was missing.

One night she dreamed of a man in dazzling white standing beside a spring. He looked at her with compassion and said only, “I chose you.” She woke shaken—but with deep peace.

Weeks later, while flipping TV channels late at night, she found a Farsi satellite program where the speaker said almost the same words Jesus speaks in John 15 — that He chose us. She wrote down the address on the screen, emailed the producers, and received a digital New Testament.

She read in secret for months. When she reached the story of the woman caught in adultery, she said,

“I felt He was forgiving me personally. I knelt on my carpet and told Jesus He could have my life.”

Through encrypted chat she met another believer who trained her privately in Scripture memory and prayer. Today Nasrin quietly disciples three women in her city. Her family still doesn’t know.

2. Reza – The Prison Pastor

Reza was a police trainee from a conservative background near Shiraz. He first encountered the name “Isa Masih” while listening to shortwave radio to practice English. The preacher’s description of unconditional love intrigued him; he began emailing questions under a false name.

Months later, authorities arrested him on unrelated charges. In prison he met a man serving time for “house-church activity.” The prisoner had such calm confidence that Reza asked him his secret.

The man replied, “Because Jesus is here, even in this cell.”

Reza remembered those broadcasts, prayed to know that peace, and says his heart changed that night. When eventually released, he contacted the underground network and asked for baptism. Within a year he began leading prayer meetings for former inmates.

He later said:

“They took away my gun, but gave me the sword of the Spirit.”

Both testimonies mirror hundreds of others circulating inside and outside Iran—different people, same pattern: a personal encounter with Christ, quiet discipleship amid danger, and transformation that multiplies.

WHAT GOD IS DOING IN IRAN PART 1

Posted on by

This post follows my earlier post “What is God Doing in Iran?“. If you have not read it, I suggest you do so before reading this one. There is no doubt that God is converting Iranians supernaturally through dreams and visions and the movement is now widespread. I mentioned the following Scripture in the previous post as this  prophecy about Elam (Iran) in Jeremiah 49:34–39 is fairly unique. It foretells both judgment (the sword, dispersion, destruction of leadership) and restoration “in the latter days.” This is one of the few places where Elam specifically receives that kind of dual prophecy.

“I will terrify Elam (Iran) before their enemies and before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, my fierce anger, declares the Lord. I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them, and I will set my throne in Elam and destroy their king and officials, declares the Lord. “But in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 49:37-39

 Jesus is appearing to many Iranians in visions and dreams resulting in many converts to Christianity. Reports have indeed circulated widely, especially from missionaries, Iranian Christian networks, and ministries that serve believers from Muslim backgrounds.

What’s known with reasonable confidence is this:

  • Christianity has grown rapidly in Iran over the past two decades — one of the fastest growth rates in the world, despite official restrictions and persecution.
  • Many Iranian converts—both inside Iran and in the diaspora—personally testify that their first awareness of Jesus came through a dream or vision.
  • These stories are hard to verify scientifically, but they are consistent across numerous independent testimonies, including from former Muslims who later joined underground churches.

From a theological standpoint:

  • Scripture records God sometimes revealing Himself through dreams and visions (e.g., to Daniel, Cornelius, and Paul).
  • Many Christians understand these modern experiences as ways God personally draws people in regions where the Gospel is suppressed and other means of hearing about Christ are restricted.
  • Others are more cautious, viewing such accounts as sincere experiences best tested against Scripture and the message of the Gospel itself.

In simple terms:
Yes — numerous reliable witnesses describe such encounters among Iranians, and the resulting conversions are widely documented. Whether one sees that as “Jesus personally appearing” or as God using visions to awaken faith, the movement toward Christianity in Iran is real, large, and ongoing.

 Growth & Scale of the Underground Church

  • Estimates vary, but most credible sources place the number of Christian converts from Islam in Iran between 300,000 and 3 million. This movement is regarded as one of the fastest-growing in the Middle East. (buzzbeatmedia.com)
  • The U.S. State Department, academic studies, and the World Watch List provide more conservative figures:
  • Between 250,000 and 300,000 ethnic Christians remain in Iran, largely from recognized Armenian and Assyrian communities. (buzzbeatmedia.com)
  • Open Doors estimated about 800,000 Christians in total for 2026. (opendoors.org.au)
  • Iran Alive Ministries, an evangelical network, puts the number of Muslim-background believers around 2 million and suggests the real figure may be even higher. (mbcpathway.com)

2. Nature & Dynamics of the Movement

  • House churches are the core expression of the movement—small, unregistered gatherings that meet in private homes. These meet without legal protection and face relentless surveillance and risk. (buzzbeatmedia.com)
  • Digital evangelism plays a pivotal role. Converts often come to faith through satellite TV programs, encrypted messaging apps, and online Bible studies—tools that offer relative safety and privacy. (terreneglobe.com)

3. Dreams & Visions: A Common Testimony

  • Numerous testimonies report Iranians encountering Jesus through dreams or visions—often described as deeply personal and transformative experiences. (aquinas.ac)
  • A survey referenced on social media notes that 25–27% of Muslim-to-Christian converts in the Middle East cite dreams or visions, with the figure rising to 40% in Iran. (x.com)

4. Persecution & Government Response

  • The Iranian regime views the movement as a serious threat, frequently prosecuting converts and targeting underground leaders. Arrests of Christians have increased dramatically—up sixfold between 2024 and 2025 in Tehran alone. (religionnews.com)
  • Despite the dangers, the underground church remains resilient, continuing to expand through digital discipleship tools, mentorship, and discreet gatherings. (transformiran.com)

Summary Table

TopicInsight
Scale of MovementEstimates range between 500,000 to 3 million believers, including converts
Form of ChurchPredominantly underground house churches and online platforms
Dreams & VisionsUp to 40% of Iranian converts cite visions of Jesus as catalyst
Government PersecutionLegal repression and arrests are increasing, yet the church persists

In short: While precise numbers are hard to verify, the evidence points to a significant movement of Persians discovering faith despite persecution. The prevalence of dreams and visions in these conversions echoes patterns seen throughout Scripture—miraculous, personal encounters that awaken faith where traditional evangelism struggles to penetrate. Hallelujah!

10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ESTABLISHING A HOUSE CHURCH

Posted on by

Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh was convicted by an Iranian Court May 2017 to 10 years in prison on charges of “acting against national security through the formation and establishment of an illegal church organization in his home,” according to the Jubilee Campaign.

He has been in the notorious Evin Prison since January 2018 and had appealed his detainment and conviction, which was rejected.

Nasser has written open letters to the Iranian authorities, questioning his conviction.

“Would it even be possible for a committed Christian — who was born and raised in Iran and whose forefathers lived in this land for thousands of years, and who is a servant to the God who has called him to a ministry of reconciliation — to act against the national security of his own country?” he wrote in August 2018, according to World Watch Monitor.

“As the charges against me in my indictment states: ‘Action against national security through establishment of house churches,’ is the fellowship of a few Christian brothers and sisters in someone’s home, singing worship songs, reading the Bible and worshiping God acting against national security?” he continued.

“Isn’t it a clear violation of civil and human rights, and an absolute injustice, to receive [a] 10-year prison sentence just for organizing ‘house churches,’ which is a sanctuary sanctified as a place to praise and worship God due to closure of churches in Iran?”

Fortunately, Jesus told us that persecution of His children, Christians will increase in the “last days” before His return. Satan knows His end is near and is doing His utmost to take as many of the people God created in His image down with him. Note the strong warnings in the following Jesus prophecy, but also, that only when the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is proclaimed to all the world then the end will come. The Saints are taken up to heaven and then the wrath of God is poured out on an unrepentant world.

Only a Christian who knows his salvation is assured can smile and declare “I’m proud to be a Christian” before being put to death

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14

IRAN: GOD IS WORKING IN MIRACULOUS WAYS

Posted on by

Hormoz Shariat, president and founder of Iran Alive Ministries says, “Christianity has more credibility and respect among a large number of Muslims than Islam itself”. “Iranian Muslims used to say, ‘Islam is good, and it’s just the government that has a problem.’ No, Iran has passed that point. It has come to the point that many say, ‘Islam has major flaws and problems itself.’ People are fed up with the hypocrisy of what Islam has done to this society. And every time things happen [in the news], another layer of the veil of Islam is removed. People look at what Islam is, and a greater number of people will be abandoning Islam and coming to Christ.”

Shariat told Charisma Magazine, one Iranian Christian called to tell him that he got arrested after starting house churches. He had to seek medical treatment for the beatings he received. But the man told Shariat, “Pastor, do not give up. Don’t worry about us. I had the honour of being tortured for Christ. Do you remember Psalm 23? I had the honour of experiencing that verse in the torture chamber. How can you experience that if your enemies are not there? My enemies are there, but my sweet Jesus was there also.”

Shariat has spoken to many Muslims through his work with Iran Alive Ministries and says many of them are frustrated with Islam. Mosques across Iran are reportedly emptying.

VISIONS AND MANIFESTATIONS

Iranians’ increasing rejection of Islam has made them more open to other religions, including Christianity. And Jesus is utilizing supernatural means to reach some of these former Muslims, sources tell Charisma.

Though many American Christians don’t believe Jesus physically appears to people anymore, Joel Richardson, who co-produced Sheep Among Wolves, Volume II, describes a recurring phenomenon in the Middle East that challenges that belief. Multiple people describe remarkably similar encounters in which a “man in white,” identified by many as Jesus, appears to them.

While interviewing a woman from Afghanistan, Richardson referenced cessationist theology: “John MacArthur, a well-known preacher here in the States, says that Jesus is not really appearing to Muslims. What do you have to say about that?”

The woman responded, “I don’t know who John MacArthur is, but I do know the man in white who has been appearing to Muslims.”

Henry says he’s met many Muslims in Iran who report seeing this “man in white.” He even says one Muslim he met wrote down the entire Gospel of John due to the “man in white” appearing to him and telling him to do so. This Muslim—who lived in a mud hut and had no electricity, gas or phone line—had never even heard of Jesus.

The man told Henry, “A man in white knocks on my door every night. And every time I open the door, I can’t look at his face, but he tells me to write these things down.”

“How long has he been coming?” Henry asked the man, and the man gave him the notebook containing the words he’d been commanded to write. Henry was astonished to discover it was the entire book of John, verbatim. He concluded that Jesus had been visiting the man every night. Eventually, Henry says, the whole city came to Jesus because of this man’s testimony, and he was forced to flee for his life.

Bagheri says these kinds of miraculous visitations by Christ are actually the main way Iranians come to faith.

Hope the trailer inspires you to get both films

DISCIPLESHIP

Richardson says discipleship in Iran is the main reason why their churches are flourishing. That said, the Western model of church—such as the typical Sunday morning services—doesn’t work well in Iran.

“The way that we in the West do church is not always conducive to discipleship,” Richardson says. “In that sense, I would say it’s the focus on Sunday church that can be the problem in the West. ‘Christian’ [in America] is defined by someone who goes to church regularly, whereas biblically, a Christ follower—a Christian—is a disciple; it’s someone who’s actively engaged in an obedience-based relationship.”

Evangelical efforts within Iran are strictly based on reaching individuals, such as family members and close friends, as opposed to large groups. One-on-one evangelism is the safest and most effective model for the Iranian community.”

The leadership is decentralised and it’s distributed. It’s not based around a particular individual or skill set or gifting. It’s built around an Ephesians 4 framework of empowering everyone in the body [of Christ] to be all things to all men with the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit being manifest through all of us. … The entire body of Christ should have the yoke of leadership upon them for disciple-making, for the apostolic, for the prophetic, for the evangelistic, for the pastoral and for the teaching.”

“Virtually every woman in Iran probably has faced some level of sexual harassment or outright rape or abuse, either by bosses or by family members, ” Joel Richardson says. “In a place of profound brokenness in that culture, the Lord is using the most broken. These women—in their healing and their restoration—are among the most deliberate and passionate [evangelists], now that they have been set free from so much of the pain they’ve had to endure.”

Women have not risen to power in the church out of a desire to rebel against authority, according to the documentary. They are gentle and submissive—and willing to risk their lives to obey the Great Commission.