On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, Iran attacked Israel with around 180 rockets. Iran has contributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East for years with its military support for Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza and Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria.
But while the regime outwardly tries to realize its regional dreams of great power, the people of Iran are turning against the dictatorship.
There are regular popular protests, most recently under the theme: 'Women, Life, Freedom', which was catapulted by the death of 22-year-old woman Mahsa Amini in Iranian police custody in 2022.
Pressure begets counter-pressure and many Iranians are seeking alternatives to Islam. According to a poll on Iranian attitudes towards religion conducted by social science researchers at Dutch universities, published by Gamaan, 8.8 % of the population in 2020 were atheists, while 72 % opposed the legal requirement for women to wear hijab.
1.5 % of the population identified themselves as Christians, according to the same survey, amounting to just over a million, far higher than the regime's latest official figure of 117,500, which does not include Christian converts but only Christian ethnic minorities such as Assyrians and Armenians. In 1979, before the Islamic revolution, the number of Muslims who had become Christians was estimated at just 500.
A few months ago, I personally met leaders of Iran's underground church
If I close my eyes, I can see the Iranian Christian converts in front of me. I met them as they visited one of Iran's neighboring countries for a few days to be taught, helped and encouraged. One evening meeting lasted up to four hours. After an hour of Bible teaching, there was worship and prayer for the underground church workers.
Several leaders were visibly moved. Some cried loudly, bent their knees and cried out to God.
However, the atmosphere was peaceful and powerful, and you could feel the Holy Spirit working and touching people. In His presence, persecuted Christians could cast their burdens on Jesus to comfort, heal and give hope.
The praise that filled the room did not come from people living in a country like Denmark with freedom and prosperity. They live in a dictatorship state and risked persecution and imprisonment when they returned home a few days later to continue their ministry in the underground church.
Read the interview "The situation is worse in 2024" with Christian Iranian lawyer about Christian persecution in Iran
Yet they sang at the top of their lungs - praying bold and visionary prayers for Iran. The Iranian convert church is beleaguered and the regime suppresses it by imposing long prison sentences on pastors. Intelligence services monitor and harass underground Christians. But just as a child is born through pain and suffering, the convert church is born and grows in predominantly Muslim countries like Iran. The church is born through persecution, discrimination and harassment. But in people groups that were previously unreached by the gospel, more and more people are becoming Christians these days.
Danish European Mission's intercessors and donors ensure that accused Iranian Christian converts receive legal advice so that they are in the best possible position when facing the Iranian judiciary. In addition, families of Christian prisoners of conscience receive financial support to pay rent, electricity, water, food, children's schooling costs, as well as medicine and medical care. Finally, the Iranian underground church is provided with many copies of the New Testament for distribution among spiritual seekers.
Please pray for Israel, the Middle East, the underground church in Iran and the leadership of Iran. That its leadership will experience the love of Jesus and turn to Him.
