Women in Iran wearing the traditional hijab and loose-fitting clothing required by sharia law. (Photo courtesy of mostafa meraji/Unsplash)

Israel is among those concerned about Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. It has stated that it will not allow Iran to rebuild its nuclear capacities. But Iran insists that its developments are only for civilian purposes. 

It’s complex, isn’t it? Samuel* from Redemptive Stories explains a few things about Iran’s relationships that we might miss. First comes Israel. Why does the Iranian regime want Israel off the map? 

“It’s more complicated than just all ‘Oh, they are Muslims and those are Jews and so they hate each other,'” Samuel says. “There [are] other political and even economic factors that play into this frustration, angst, and hatred that goes back and forth between them.” 

For example, Israel has a voice in the Middle East as an ally of certain Western powers.

“The sanctions that are put on Iran, at least in part, are all related to Israel’s sentiments towards Iran, and the power that they wield within the US as well as Europe,” says Samuel.

The enmity has manifested itself in many conflicts. For years, Iran has waged war with Israel through proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. It has leveraged its influence in nations and groups with high numbers of Shia Muslims, such as Syria and Iraq.

Azadi Square, Tehran, Iran (Stock photo courtesy of Erfan Ro via Unsplash)

“Iran — they’re 94% Shia. Therefore, they are viewed, at least because of their power and their position, as the heart of Shia Islam,” explains Samuel.

“So Hezbollah, being Shia, also leans back to look to Iran for help. And Iran is helping. That is why Israel continues to bomb in the south of Lebanon and to attack targets that are there, because Hezbollah has so far resisted any thoughts of disarming.”

Conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, Israel and Iran have brought devastation, but “God is a friend near to those that walk through pain,” Samuel says. Pray that there will be enough peace in the Middle East for Christians to bring the love of Christ to the people suffering.

“If you look at the 20 points that have been laid out for Gaza [in the ceasefire deal], they really create opportunities for human flourishing to really occur in that area,” says Samuel. “But is there enough trust to walk them out? That is a different question.” 

*Pseudonym

Header photo: Tafresh, Markazi Province, Iran (Photo courtesy of Mostafa Meraji via Unsplash)

The Convention of National Cooperation to Save Iran, July 26, 2025 in Munich, Germany (Photo by Mazi for IMM)

Denise Godwin with International Media Ministries, says seven actors from their upcoming film Esther: Queen of Hope participated in the summit. 

“The Persian Empire — which [corresponds to] modern-day Iran — believed in allowing people [they conquered] to keep their own religion,” said Godwin. “Basically, the Persian people of today are saying, ‘We want to go back to what we were, where we could choose.’” 

During the filming for Esther, the June Israel-Iran conflict broke out. The IMM crew prayed with the Iranian actors throughout production. Godwin said not all of the team are believers in Christ, but they all believed in the story of Esther and in a free Iran, “because it gives people the choice of freedom of religion.”

“It was marvelous to get to know them and stand with them in this idea of freedom of religion, of sharing the freedom of God back into Iran through Esther,” said Godwin.

She felt like the team was observing world history unfold this summer. “[The summit is] not making the news, but this could completely change the face of the Middle East,” she said. 

“[The crown prince] made a point of saying, We’re not asking the West to do this for us. We’re asking them to stand with us as we see this regime fall.”

Political change is a fragile process. But with freedom comes greater opportunity for the Gospel to spread. So please pray! 

“Let’s pray with Iranians that the country [gains] freedom of choice, freedom of religion and freedom of speech,” said Godwin. “What an opportunity to stand with brothers and sisters in Christ and pray for that kind of change in the region!” 

 (Photo by Mazi for IMM)

Header photo: Reza Pahlavi at The Convention of National Cooperation to Save Iran, July 26, 2025 in Munich, Germany (Photo by Mazi for IMM)

(Image courtesy of SAT-7 USA)

Meanwhile, parents in Lebanon are concerned their children could be radicalized by extremist groups like Hezbollah, which are eager for new recruits.

Joe Willey with SAT-7 USA says, “When there is instability there, and whether a government is toppled, whether there are natural disasters, whether there is conflict between other nations, there are voids. And into that void, something will go.

“That concern of any parent, whether it’s in the US or around the world, is, ‘Are my children safe?… Will my children survive?'”

Even beyond Lebanon’s borders, the threat of radicalization is felt globally.

Germany is still reeling after a Syrian refugee sped a car through pedestrians at a Christmas market, killing five people and injuring over 200.

In the United States, a car-ramming terror attack targeted New Year’s revelers on a packed New Orleans street. At least 15 people died and dozens were injured. The attacker, a US citizen and army veteran, was potentially radicalized and had an ISIS flag in his possession.

Radicalization can happen suddenly or slowly over time, starting at a young age. Hezbollah’s recruitment tactics in Lebanon even include summer camps for kids, targeting children as young as six years old, according to The UN Refugee Agency.

(Photo courtesy of SAT-7 USA)

For parents in Lebanon seeking safe entertainment options, SAT-7’s satellite television program, SAT-7 KIDS, offers Gospel-focused entertainment for children.

Willey explains, “Not only do Christian families and Christian children watch it, but we also have messages — and we’ve had many — from parents of children of other faiths who say, ‘I can put SAT-7 KIDS on and I can be confident that my children are going to hear something that’s good.’

“‘They’re not going to hear something that could radicalize them. They’re not going to hear something that I don’t want them to hear. They’re family values.’ And of course, what we know is they’re speaking about biblical values.”

Pray for children in Lebanon to put their trust in Jesus Christ rather than the false promises of extremist groups. Ask God to give parents wisdom, that they may also follow Jesus and point their kids to biblical truth.

“We certainly at SAT-7 have a mission to really minister to children because these children that are living and have lived in war zones have lived in such chaos,” Willey says. “They are being shaped – and they will either be shaped by that violence, or they can be shaped by the Gospel.”

Learn more about SAT-7 KIDS.

Header photo: Hezbollah fighters train in southern Lebanon, May 2023. (Photo courtesy of Tasnim News Agency/Wikimedia Commons)

Could this gift of tanks turn the tide of the war?

Eric Mock with Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) says, “What we see with the advent of the tanks or the continued Western involvement is that this will be a protracted long-term conflict. These military vehicles will definitely tip the scales. They are very powerful platforms that will be used in the conflict.”

(Photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association)

With more than 50% of the nation’s electrical infrastructure damaged, the people are just struggling to survive.

“People live in basements. People are losing their lives in these contested villages and cities. The quality of life has gone down,” Mock says.

“I was worshipping in several churches where it was 34 degrees inside the church. And it’s pretty normal to be sleeping in a room that warms to 45 or 50 degrees. It’s very uncomfortable, very difficult.”

Through their Heat and Hope campaign, SGA is giving Ukrainians generators, stoves, blankets, meals, and the list goes on. All with a deeper hope in God’s comfort.

Mock explains, “Here in the last few months, we’ve been able to provide over 250 generators to churches. We were able to provide over 200 cast iron stoves,…[and] about 5,000 Blankets have gone out.”

SGA is also trucking 40 tons of aid per week from Poland into Ukraine through their Ukrainian Aid Fund. This combined with aid for Ukrainian refugees in surrounding countries totals to 11.2 million meals provided by SGA.

Mock invites you to join the ministry in supporting churches as they minister Christ’s love in Ukraine! Click here to give to Ukrainian aid through SGA.

(Photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association)

“You can’t help every single home, but you can help these churches — of which, there’s 2,300 churches. You can begin to equip them with resources that allow people to get warm, to charge their phones, to get a blanket, to get a hot meal, to get a cup of tea, to catch their breath, and also experience the love of God through the gracious acts of the believers in the church. So we’re working on equipping the churches.”

You can also sign up to join SGA’s Crisis Prayer Team here.

Mock says, “As we see the politics, tanks, planes, rockets, power going off, these are the things of earth that are passing away…. Remind your listeners to fix their eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, for that is the only thing that will last.”

Header photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association.

President Emmanuel Macron of France received criticism for saying Russia “must not be humiliated” in order to preserve a diplomatic way out of the war. Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, has been accused of not sending enough military equipment to Ukraine.

TWR

Despite the war, Trans World Radio (TWR) staff continue to produce Gospel programming from their Kyiv office. Frank Stephenson says, “I’m sure there are still tons of military checks. It just takes a lot of time to travel, even within Kyiv. However, they still do the work. Our ministry director for the region says she is really thankful and impressed by the production capacity that they’ve had.”

“In May, they did a lot more than we thought they would be able to do.”

One TWR team member, Natalya, continues producing despite moving around the country to avoid the fighting. First, she and her family moved south. Then, Stephenson says, “Things got really heated and dangerous in the south, near Odessa. So they fled further north. Now, they’re in the region of Kyiv. And who knows how long they’ll stay there?”

The TWR office near Kharkiv remains closed, as the region still sees artillery fire and some fighting.

The programming TWR produces includes Roma Camp Moves On, a program designed to share Jesus’ love with the often-despised Roma people of Europe. Roma who fled Ukraine often have trouble finding shelter in nearby countries.

Praise God for the faithfulness of TWR producers in Ukraine. Pray for an end to the Russian invasion.

The header photo shows Natalya producing content. (Photo courtesy of TWR) 

That’s different from Christians being patriotic or loving their country, says Caleb Hutcherson, a lecturer in historical theology at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Lebanon.  “Christian nationalism is this fusion between Christianity, Christian beliefs and symbolism, and even practices and politics that, in some way, become focused around and centered on a national identity.”

Examples

Hutcherson gives some examples of what Christian nationalism looks like. “Probably the most recognizable, infamous example is when German Christianity blended a form of Christian doctrine, Christian beliefs, and Christian practices with Nazi ideology.”

This fusion happens in other places with large churches as well, Hutcherson says, like the U.S., England, Spain, and Russia. “But even here in the Middle East, we’ve had similar kinds of blending or fusing of these Christian religious symbols, along with national symbols.” Read more in an article by Hutcherson on the subject here.

Fighting this fusion

Ever since the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as the state religion, Christians have struggled with the relationship between faith in Jesus and political power. So how can Christians around the world prevent this sort of fusion from creeping into the life of the church?

Hutcherson quotes an early Christian writer who faced a very similar situation in his time. “‘A living faith consists in thinking little of oneself and showing tenderness towards others.’ I think that idea really points to this caring for others, and particularly the marginalized, the oppressed, those who are outside of and are crushed by empire power and by that authority.”

ABTS trains leaders for churches across the Middle East. Ask God to bless this ministry.

(Header photo courtesy of SEspider from Pixabay)

“When I was young, I was 18, I thought, ‘What is the meaning of life? To make money? To have girls? Success?’ But then I met all these famous people and I saw the empty eyes. So, the next question — ‘What will come if I have to die tonight?’” Nachtigal recalls.

Fast forward to today and Nachtigal is a Christian leader in Germany. He is the President of Global Outreach Day, a catalyst movement where on a single day each year, Christ followers reach out to non-Christians in unison. However, his story of growing up in a church without the Gospel is not uncommon. In fact, one could argue it is the plight of post-evangelized Germany.

The Facts

Germany is a European country with nine neighbors surrounding it. To the north is Denmark along with the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. On its Western borders are the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. To the south are Switzerland and Austria. Finally, on its eastern borders lay Czechia and Poland. However, Germany is also the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation in 1517.

Bronnbach Monastery, Germany. (Photo courtesy of barnyz via Flickr)

“Germany is a beautiful country. Beautiful, I mean, we have a great social system [and] health care. I would say Germany is one of the best countries in the world, for sure. I mean, in the winter it is quite cold, but I would say to live in Germany is really a privilege…. It’s a peaceful country,” Nachtigal explains in an awe-inspiring tone.

However, challenges arise when the Bible’s teachings go against society’s grain. Some people are open to the Gospel, but not all. Political correctness is valued and having views opposing this category can be detrimental. Germany, while it is a free country, Nachtigal says it does not necessarily support free speech.

“I love my country…. I thought about moving to the U.S. because I like Santa Monica. No, because you have many Christians. [The United States has] so many ministries. You have more ministries in Colorado Springs probably than we have in Europe…. You are living in Disneyland if it comes to so many good churches and ministries. But, we have only one megachurch with over 4,000 people. That’s it,” Nachtigal says.

Bridging Gaps in Germany

For Nachtigal, there is no easy answer in bridging the disconnect between the Gospel and the Church’s seeming lack of fire for loving people, despite who they are or what society teaches. Not all congregations lack this fire, but it is prevalent.

“I’ve read in a book that a revival is when every believer is active, not only in a church shouting and dancing. But how to engage churches? I mean, we are really working on it for the last ten years. I know…how to spur [a] revival, besides the Holy Spirit. (Of course, we believe in the power [of the Holy Spirit.]) W-O-R-K. It’s work. It’s a process,” Nachtigal says.

For the typical Christian in Germany, it is not persecution they face, but lethargy and a lack of training. Nachtigal and many others are working on this through Global Outreach Day and by living evangelism as a way of life.

“It’s work and sometimes you’re frustrated and all these; yes, it is. But still, we’re not giving up. We are slowly [seeing] a development where we could influence quite a lot of churches and inspire a lot of Christians. But still, it’s a lot of work,” Nachtigal explains.

When it comes to prayer needs, Nachtigal asks for one thing — ask God to use you.

As he’s already said, it takes work in Germany to share Christ, live a life of evangelism, and persevere in a post-evangelized society. However, Nachtigal quotes Matthew 9:37.

“Then he said to his disciples, ‘the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few’.”

Ask God how He can use you. Pray for ways to serve and share of Christ’s love in your town. If you are not sure where to start, begin with a training program through organizations like Global Outreach Day or even e3 Partners. Use them to springboard into a life of sharing the Gospel and seeing lives changed because of it.

International reactions have been strong and varied. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson expressed their commitment to still try to keep the Iran nuclear deal afloat and even attempted to convince Trump not to pull out of the deal signed by his predecessor, Barack Obama.

On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s decision to pull the US from the Iran nuclear deal. In a presentation on Monday, Netanyahu said Iran had lied about its nuclear ambitions and secretly still had plans to build atomic warheads.

Mike Ansari with Heart4Iran says the fallout of US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is still ongoing. However, a few effects are already projected to occur.

“The repercussions of what would come out of that would affect potentially the Iranian government in increasing and hiking the price of petroleum which would, at the end of the day, affect the amount of money each one of us in the West pays out of pocket for filling up our gas tanks,” explains Ansari.

“Beyond that, there is a lot of political repercussion. Geographically in the Middle East, in the neighboring countries, Iran has a lot of influence over Yemen still, in Syria fighting ISIS, in Lebanon, and in other areas. So Iran is definitely going to maintain a posture of strength and defy anything that would jeopardize its current position and status in this deal.”

Additionally, there will likely be negative effects within the country of Iran. Minorities and Christians in Iran are often used as scapegoats, accused of sabotaging Iranian interests and spying for the West.

Iranian family watching the Jesus Film. (Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)

“We have seen repeatedly in the past that whenever international sanctions are put on Iran, the Iranian government usually turns up the heat on its minority — on the Baha’is, on the Christians, on the Jewish population — and they use them as a scapegoat to lash out on them. It becomes a specifically difficult time for the Christian population in Iran.”

Ansari says the combination of the broken nuclear deal and approaching Ramadan means hostilities towards Christians could increase. “As the Body of Christ, I would urge all of us to continue to keep the Christians and the minorities, the Baha’is and other minorities in Iran in prayer so that God’s glory will be seen.”

He also adds, “I would ask the Body of Christ, the other believers across the world to come together and pray for the Church to be rebuilt in that region. It was a Church that was once very powerful and had a lot of influence. So let us pray that God would restore His Church as He is doing to the fullness of His glory.”

Click here to learn more about Heart4Iran’s ministry.

(Header photo courtesy of David Stanley via Flickr)

Matt Morrison of e3 Partners said that even now, some refugees are just arriving in camps around the world. That’s why the team of an upcoming e3 Partners trip to Berlin is going to work with new arrivals.

“The German government does not allow them to take jobs or work yet. They’re not allowed to necessarily really integrate into society, and they obviously don’t have a lot of money,” said Morrison. He describes the camps as “a kind of purgatory” as men, women, and children wander the city waiting to hear if the government can legally consider them refugees.

(Photo courtesy of e3 Partners)

Morrison said living for someone living with constant uncertainty, it means a lot for another person to simply sit and listen to them.

“They’re kind of honored when someone wants to actually hear their story; when someone actually does care enough,” said Morrison. “They enjoy just someone being there to kind of help them pass the time while they anxiously wait to find out if they’re going to get to stay or not.”

The e3 Partners team will work with the refugees for just over a week, but Morrison said that’s plenty of time to make a difference to the refugees and team members alike. “I can tell you, spiritually, it’s like drinking through a fire hose. It’s a lot to take in,” Morrison said. “There are things I saw and things I heard and stories I heard that I could not shake for a while. I was not myself when I came back, but I can honestly say that it gave me a much more honest perspective of who these people are and what they’ve been through.”

As intimidating as the situation may seem, Morrison said the clash of cultures presents a unique opportunity. “God has taken the snowglobe of cultures and just kind of shaken it,” he explained. “They’re flooding out of regions where it’s traditionally been very difficult to reach them, and now they’re in the open environment of Europe and even the United States.

(Photo courtesy of e3 Partners)

“What it’s allowing us to do is to minister to these people who otherwise it would be very difficult or even impossible to touch.”

If you want to join a trip, we can connect you. “You may not feel like you have a lot to offer these people but you will be amazed what God will do with just your presence there and your faithfulness to His call.”

Even if you don’t decide to go, the team needs your prayer so the refugees will be open to hearing God’s truth. “The only true answer to the problems of our world, no matter what they are, is Jesus,” said Morrison. “He’s the one who makes all things new. He’s the one who came to defeat death. And He’s the one who will return again one day.”

Germany (MNN) — Germany has one of the more open refugee policies in Europe. But starting in mid-March, refugees migrating to Germany from Greece will be deported back to Greece to apply for asylum status.

It’s part of the European Union’s Dublin rule, which states refugees must seek asylum in the first port they enter within the bloc. Most refugees enter Europe through Greece, Bulgaria, and Italy. An interior ministry spokesman for Germany estimates they’ll be ready to re-enact the Dublin rule by March 15.

Meanwhile, for refugees already in Germany, the waiting period is excruciating to get formal asylum status and have the ability to start work. Matt Morrison with e3 Partners says they’re inviting believers to join several missions trips to Germany this year to minister to these refugee families.

“What’s really exciting about this trip is it just gives you a direct connection to this crisis. It is ground zero to the refugee crisis when you’re there. This is where all the refugees are trying to get to and they’re in a very vulnerable place in their life when they arrive. They’re waiting to find out if they get to stay or if they’re going to be sent somewhere else. So this is a great chance to hear their stories, minister to them, just demonstrate Christ’s love to them, and in many cases, you’ll even have a chance to share the Gospel with them.”

(Photo courtesy of Christian Aid Mission)

Thousands of refugees in Germany are currently living in old buildings — former hospitals, offices, and dormitories — which the government designated as refugee housing.

Morrison explains, “They’re very nondescript buildings. You’re walking around often not realizing that you’re standing right next to a refugee camp in a settlement area. On my latest trip when I was in Berlin, we were in a building that used to be a city hall, used to be a government center for that district in Berlin, and it was home to over 1,000 refugees who were now living in what used to be offices years ago.”

Asylum seekers are given government stipends and train passes. German NGOs and churches often provide meals, clothing, and play areas for the children.

But Morrison says many of those seeking asylum in Germany want to start contributing to society again and regain a sense of stability. “They’re completely dependent on government assistance, and many of them are so eager to get off of that way of life, to get out of that situation.”

Praying for and financially supporting refugees and refugee ministries is one thing; but why a mission trip?

“For one, it totally changes your perspective on who these people are. There’s a lot of stereotypes bouncing around out there about these people being dangerous, or these people being poor, or they’re just trying to get out of their country, or they’re somehow a drain on society — and they’re not. They’re great people who had very productive lives back at home that got disrupted. They were middle class citizens, in many cases, in their homes. Now they’ve been relegated to probably the worst status you could imagine in the world today.”

(Photo courtesy of Christian Aid Mission)

Morrison continues, “Secondly, it’s important definitely to pray and it’s important to give, I wouldn’t want to somehow discount that. But if you get the opportunity to go and you feel like that’s something God is calling you into, you’re going to get a personal chance to touch these people’s lives, and I don’t think there’s anything that quite compares to that…. These are people who have been through so much, are the center of so much controversy right now in our world; and just to get to speak into their lives, to hear their stories straight from their mouths about what’s happening at home and what they’ve been through, it’s an honor. And then to get to serve them, it’s just really exciting as well.”

Click here for more information on e3 Partners’ mission trips to Germany.

E3 Partners also has several trips opening up to reach out to refugees in Greece! Check out the upcoming Greece mission trips here.

Morrison offers this challenge: “By all means, go, get out there, be a part of this. This is the moment for the Church in our generation to rise up, this is our moment to get involved.”