I meet Behrang in a beautiful old garden near London at the launch of the new Bible for Iran. When you meet Iranians like Behrang, you get a sense of the revival taking place in Iran these years.
When the Shah fell in 1979, an estimated 500 Muslims converted to Christianity. Despite the new clergy's fierce persecution of Muslims who convert to the Christian faith, today the number has increased to around 360,000 people, which is a conservative estimate. Many have been met by Jesus supernaturally - and one of them is Behrang.
Has ancestors back to Mohammed
Behrang tells us: I was born in Iran into a strongly devout Muslim family. My mother and father could trace their lineage back to the Prophet Muhammad, so the family could call themselves 'sayed', which means master.
Behrang continues: "Jesus reveals himself to us so that we can witness to others. People are puzzled when a 'sayed' (gentleman) comes to believe in Jesus. They ask "How can a 'sayed' believe in Jesus?"
Saw in Jesus' eyes that he was forgiven
I lived in Tehran. I saw Jesus physically in His glorified body. He spoke Farsi, and His words shook me. I saw His eyes - I could see in His eyes that I was forgiven. My eye was unclean: I partied and had many lovers.
Before this encounter with Jesus, several people had witnessed to me. For example, I was once on a bus and a man sat down next to me. He said: "I see Jesus in your face". I had told him that I was going to an exam and he said: "Jesus will meet you and help you with your exam". I passed the exam and got into medical school.
Behrang was a party animal
Five years later, I became a party animal and had many sinful relationships. I also started smoking. A woman came to me. She said: "I see Jesus in your face". It was the second time I got this word. She gave me a Jesus movie based on the Gospel of Luke and my mother and sister watched it. However, I went out of the house and didn't watch it, but when I came home, I saw my mom and sister crying.
His sister was a secret believer for five years
Later, an Armenian dentist testified for my sister. After that, Jesus met her in a dream. For five years she was a secret believer in our home, praying for us as a family to come to faith in Jesus. Once she invited me to church and I went with her. In church they prayed in Farsi, but as a Muslim I was used to praying in Arabic. My sister said: "Jesus is here and He is alive".
Jesus took the addiction to cigarettes
As a doctor, I wanted proof that it was true, and I said: "Then Jesus will take my craving for cigarettes". The next day, I couldn't touch the pack of cigarettes because I felt that smoking made me unclean. At that time I was 29 years old. I stayed home, I didn't go to work, but I read the Bible and prayed for five days.
He had unclean eyes and looked for women
When we seek Him, He comes. His face shone like the sun. You could see humility in His face. He said: "Follow me." Every word was life-changing. I was a different man after this encounter with Him. My mother, who was Muslim, could also see a change. Even my eyes were changed - I had unclean eyes and looked for women - but Jesus changed my eyes.
Jesus said: "Give up everything, even your work as a doctor". He opened the door for ministry. I met Samuel Yeghnazar from the Danish European Mission partner organization and he arranged for me to receive theological training. Jesus said "Follow me", and now people are being healed, for example of tumors, cysts are disappearing, and demons are going out of people.
Danish European Mission donors ensure thousands of Bible parts are smuggled into Iran - so more people's lives can be transformed by Jesus, just as Behrang's life was.
You can send more Bibles to Iran now. It costs around 80 kroner to ensure that a Bible is smuggled into Iran. The price includes all printing, smuggling and administration costs.
