Iran (MNN) — The peace process between the United States and Iran appears fragile, if not stalled, despite a mid-June ceasefire deal. Iran’s nuclear program, shipping access through the Strait of Hormuz, and fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon remain key sticking points.
As the world watches events unfold, Christians inside Iran remain at risk.
“Whenever there’s conflict like this, it strengthens the hands of extremists, and then they go after minority groups,” David Bogosian of the Alliance for the Unreached says.
“It’s already happening; more Christians are being arrested, more Christian leaders are being targeted.”
Yet a deep hunger for truth remains. Many Iranians are responding to the Gospel, even as the government cracks down.
“The extremist elements have taken over the government. Elements that were kept at bay by moderates are unleashed now, and there’s nothing to restrain them,” Bogosian says.
“The extremist elements within Iran don’t like the fact that Christianity is one of the fastest-growing parts of their society; they want to crack down on that and suppress it.”
Reason to hope
(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)
Iran remains an essential territory in the Great Commission. Unreached people groups comprise over 90 percent of its population. “Iran is the epicenter of an area of the world that we call the Restricted Access Zone, where 3 billion people are denied access to the Gospel,” Bogosian says.
Despite persecution, the hope of Christ is spreading like wildfire in Iran. “The Word of God is being distributed in large numbers; there are people meeting in thousands of small groups all over the country,” Bogosian says.
“In spite of the fact that it’s illegal to become a Christian, it’s illegal to proclaim the Gospel, it’s happening in an epic way as we’ve never seen before,” he continues.
“It’s one of the most incredible things that’s happened in our lifetime for the Great Commission.”
Ask the Lord to strengthen Iranian Christians as they share the Good News with people who’ve never heard about Jesus.
“The first thing for the Church to pray for is that they (Iranian Christians) would not have fear,” Bogosian says.
“[Pray] that they would continue to have boldness in proclaiming the Gospel, and that they wouldn’t be silent, in spite of the fact that so many have been arrested.”
Header image depicts an Iranian protest in Canada. Photo courtesy of Sima Ghaffarzadeh/Pexels.
