A new tool for evangelism and discipleship comes in a time of need for Iranian believers.

Iran (MNN)–Iran’s Islamic hardliners tightened their grip on the country’s parliament in Friday’s elections.

Amid charges of cheating by the minority parties, Islamic conservatives were poised to sweep the ballot. While the results won’t be officially confirmed until the end of the week, they are a foregone conclusion.

Hundreds of reformist candidates were disqualified by religious hardliners fueling a widespread public indifference.

The conservative power grab likely adds the legislature to political and security bodies already controlled by the 25-year-old Islamic republic.

That may make things unpredictable for believers, but Evangelist Sammy Tippit says they’ve found a way to encourage the underground church. “We are planning to initiate a weekly broadcast into the country. Now, this is going in primetime Iranian time into the country. We will begin that broadcast in April.”

Following the success of this week’s Gospel broadcasts into Iran, Tippit says there is obvious spiritual hunger. “So many people are becoming Christians. They cannot identify themselves in a public church, [because] it’s too dangerous. So, they’re in small home groups. We need to pray for leaders for these cell churches that are cropping up, and we need to pray that God will just bless them and use them. We need to mobilize a prayer movement for Iran.”