Network of house churches founded in Islamist's house

Facts: Great church growth in Iran

Before the 1979 revolution that overthrew the Shah, an estimated 500 people had converted from Islam to Christianity, while a very conservative estimate says that today that number has grown to 370,000. It is estimated that as many Iranians have come to faith in Jesus in the last 25 years as in the last 1300 years combined!

Ali was a well-known Muslim leader in a large city in northern Iran. With just a few phone calls, he could rally a crowd around him. He was not someone you wanted to get on the wrong side of.

But that was exactly what Hassan risked. Hassan, an avid evangelist with a Muslim background, couldn't keep quiet about Jesus. When Christian Hassan saw Ali posing as a militant Islamist, he looked past the long, Muslim prescribed beard and into the empty heart inside. He shared the gospel. Surprisingly, Ali didn't react with anger, but became curious. For a month, he asked Hassan questions. One evening, this former fanatical Muslim knelt down and, with the simplicity of a child, asked Jesus to come into his life.

The whole family came to faith

Ali wanted Hassan to come and share the gospel with his family. One evening, Hassan met with eleven members of Ali's family. Hassan was a little nervous when he started speaking, but they all listened to him carefully.

Image: Iranian authorities do not allow Muslims who convert to the Christian faith to meet in church buildings, so they must instead meet secretly in private homes.

Finally, Hassan asked if anyone wanted to invite Jesus into their lives. All the members of Ali's very Muslim family raised their hands. They all became Christians that night.

From then on, a house church was founded in Ali's house, and as others heard his testimony, the house church network grew. After one year there were 60 members, and after two years there were almost 250 members.

Image: There is a great spiritual hunger for Bibles in Iran

Ali is an example of how some of the people we least expect to ever come to faith may deep down long to come to faith in Jesus.

A warm thank you to all who pray for Christians in Iran and the rest of the Middle East. Thank you to everyone who, through the Danish European Mission, ensures that Christians receive Bibles and New Testaments and can share the Gospel with their fellow human beings.

It costs 160 kr. to print and distribute 4 new wills in Iran or to Iranians in the region.