Revival in Iran continues - despite longer prison sentences for church leaders

Image: Tens of thousands come to faith every year. We know this because of the number of New Testaments distributed, says Mojtaba.

I have asked Mojtaba Mohammedi about this. For security reasons, this alias is used as he is a key figure for the church in Iran.

In 2017, the Iranian clerical regime began sentencing Christians to longer prison terms of up to 10 years. Has the crackdown had any impact and if so, what has it been?

The answer is no. New believers are not looking at the length of a potential prison sentence, but are thirsty for the truth. However, the harsher sentences may be affecting church leaders in that they have become more cautious. Years ago, prison sentences were typically a few months. Then Farshid Fathi was (released 2015, ed.) sentenced to five years in prison, which was the longest prison sentence at the time, and now church leaders are sentenced to up to ten years in prison.

Is the revival continuing?

Yes, far beyond anyone's expectations, especially at a time when persecution is getting tougher. It is not new that Iranians are thirsting for the truth and that Jesus is bringing them to the light, that development has not slowed down, but the biggest challenge is to train the new believers. Our experience is still that if you witness to ten people in Iran, eight out of ten will be interested. If you follow up on those eight, at least four of them will come to faith in Jesus.

What are the consequences of the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the US boycott of companies that continue to trade with Iran?

Especially the upper and lower middle and lower classes in Iran are very much affected economically. The majority are in the lower part of society and have suffered for many years, even after sanctions were lifted by Obama and money started flowing into Iran. This money was mainly spent by the regime on wars in the Middle East, so ordinary people didn't see much difference when Obama lifted the sanctions.

Image: Iranians are frustrated with Islamic clerical rule, leading many to seek the Christian faith instead. Here President Hassan Rouhani (Image: Tasnim News Agency).

Iranians in general, though they won't say so publicly, want the sanctions to work. They are not happy about the sanctions, of course, but welcome anything that can bring down the regime.

Do the sanctions have consequences for the church?

Believers will also suffer due to higher unemployment, but the hunger for the word, for people to seek answers and hope in the gospel is perhaps greater now. Suffering typically leads people to seek something higher than themselves. In the dark times, people seek the light.

Where does the spiritual thirst of Iranians come from?

Why is Iran so open to the gospel compared to, say, Turkey or Pakistan?" asks Mojtaba. Iran is the only country in the world led by Islamic clerics, but in Pakistan it's fundamentalist groups fueled by imams calling for the hanging of Asia Bibi (because Pakistan's Supreme Court had just acquitted Asia Bibi, who was sentenced to death for drinking from the same cup as Muslims during harvest work, making the water impure according to the Muslim workers, ed.)while the country's government is secular. The same is true in Turkey.

The only way secular governments can stay in power in the Middle East is by compromising with the mosques. Just look at Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's compromise with Tehreek-e-Lebbaik Pakistan over Asia Bibi (so that the Supreme Court's acquittal can be appealed, ed.).

We don't have that in Iran - the government is the mosque and the mosque is the government. The Iranian people have lived with clerical rule for almost 40 years and have seen Islam in its pure form. In Pakistan, the masses are demonstrating for the hanging of Asia Bibi and the implementation of Islam, but not in Iran, because here the people have seen what Islam brings. That is why Iranians are spiritually thirsty.

In Pakistan, the masses demonstrate for the hanging of Asia Bibi and the implementation of Islam, but the people in Iran do not, because they have seen what Islam brings Mojtaba 

It seems that God has looked to Iran, the place of greatest darkness, and set His throne there, as He promised in Jeremiah 49:38. He didn't start in Tajikistan (a more moderate, post-communist, secular Persian country). In Jeremiah 49:30, God promises: "But in the end, I want to reverse Elam's fate". This promise is being fulfilled with the growth in the number of Muslims converting to the Christian faith.

Are Iranian Christians mission-oriented?

When an Iranian comes to faith, the first thing he or she will do is tell others. Iranians don't come to faith because of great preachers. We don't have a Billy Graham in Iran because all evangelistic work is done in silence. Tens of thousands come to the Lord every year. We know this because of the number of New Testaments distributed. And when five others have come to faith in Jesus, the first one becomes their pastor after two months, Mojtaba concludes with a smile.

Thank you to everyone who stands with the persecuted Iranian Christians through prayer and financial support. Together with the Iranian Christians, we are witnessing the fulfillment of the promise in Jeremiah 49:34-39 - that God will establish His throne in Elam (Iran, ed.) and reverses the fate of the country.

It costs DKK 40 to ensure that a copy of the New Testament is smuggled to Christians in Iran or neighboring countries where Iranians also live.