“Dorood” means hello in Persian. As many Iranians turn to social media to seek truth beyond government censorship, a simple greeting from a friendly evangelist with a powerful message can change their life forever.

Farzad’s* journey with Christ began in his teenage years, influenced by his siblings’ faith, movie “The Gospel of Luke” (1979) and Yahoo Messenger chats in Iran. He says: “There was [an] online church in Farsi. They said, Kelisaye Interneti. And I found many friends there.” He also explored a Muslim Yahoo chatroom but grew discouraged by constant Sunni-Shia debates. The Christian chat felt different. “I could feel Holy Spirit among them,” he says.

Woman behind laptop (photo courtesy of Krismas via Unsplash)

The seeker became the Messenger!

Today, Farzad is a dedicated internet missionary. He once used Instagram and Facebook but now finds Telegram most effective. In the past two years, he has led twenty people to Christ! His method is simple: he creates a Christian profile, joins Persian chats, and builds friendships. “The best thing in Telegram is going to a group with a few members, for example, 200-300 members, and being with them, being among them and just talking with them — not directly about God, but without hiding your faith,” Farzad explains.

People notice his avatar and start asking questions: What do you do in Christianity? Do you fast? Do you have namaz (prayer)? They’re curious about the differences between Christianity and Islam, but most importantly, they want to hear his personal story.

“Then I share my testimony in a voice message. And it takes one hour, usually, because it’s not just my testimony, it’s my life story — from when I was five to now. I explain how I became a believer, how my parents, how my siblings… and it takes time. Then they always need time to process, to think about it, and the prayer helps a lot,” says Farzad.

It takes time, Farzad says, but after a few months, some return with a clear desire to know Christ. “If it’s time, I give them the salvation prayer, and I say, ‘Do you want me to pray with you? You can do that by yourself.’ From each group, usually at least two or three people come with their questions and get discipled.”

And after a simple greeting and a season of searching, an Iranian soul finds its rest in Jesus’ embrace.

Find your place in the story!

Many ministries are reaching out to Iranians, but the need for online evangelists is greater than ever. So next time you go online and meet an Iranian, don’t hesitate to say dorood! Your conversation might be the very start of their exciting journey to knowing Christ.

*Full name withheld for security.

Header photo courtesy of Haftohasht Innovation Studio via Pexels.

Founded in 2019, MLC’s mission is to accelerate gospel ministry by equipping Christian leaders across the Middle East and North Africa. They’ve seen much fruit. Last year, 450 participants from nearly 30 different nationalities enrolled in their courses. 

Fadi Sharaiha highlights the impact of two courses on digital church and on AI for professionals.

(Photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center)

“Before the trainings that we have provided, some people did not even have an online presence,” he says. “Now one of the ministries I have in mind, they have around 50,000 people attending their online church.” 

Online churches meet a huge need in regions where Christians can’t always gather in person. Then the AI course taught leaders how AI can support discipleship and even evangelism. Participants discovered how AI chatbots can help them connect with people online. 

“The AI itself will be interacting with people and then do some kind of funneling so that people can do the follow-up with the right people. Amazing ways of how to use the technology for the glory of God,” Sharaiha says. 

There’s more like this ahead in 2025! MLC will be starting asynchronous courses as well as creating a new initiative that will invite partners and ministries to come and learn together. 

If this type of leadership capacity building gets you excited for the future church in the MENA region, pray for the MENA Leadership Center and get involved! 

“Whenever we are doing something for the glory of God, Satan is not happy. Please pray for protection,” Sharaiha says. “Please pray for financial support for the ministry. We are in need to fill the gap for next year. We are in need for partners to come on board.” 

Learn more about MLC at their website.

Header photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center. 

Founder Terry Ascott says,“Since COVID, we all know what it means to be at home and yet take part in a church service, or fellowship with others online. For many of the people that we’ve been ministering to over the past two decades, this has always been their reality.”

Some isolated believers may be the only Christian where they live or may not know another Christian personally. TV and online video programming by SAT-7 could be their only connection with the Body of Christ. Learn how a new program supports isolated believers in North Africa.

Even the leaders of small house churches often lack theological training. Responding to the need, SAT-7 formed the TEACH program, which stands for Theological Education for Arab Christians at Home.

“We take people through all the kinds of things they’d learn in a seminary because some of these house groups or little family Fellowships are led by people, of course, who would just happen to be the first person to come to Christ in their community, and they haven’t had any training,” Ascott says.

“Providing systematic fellowship and teaching is very important for this underground church, this isolated groups of believers in different countries.”

The ministry also offers counseling lines viewers can call and other ways to connect with their audience.

“We’re getting 1000 reactions from our audience every day. And trying to you know, process these and to respond to all kinds of needs, in a way that’s helpful to the viewers is quite challenging,” says Ascott.

If you speak Arabic, Farsi, or Turkish, SAT-7 could use your help. Get in touch at SAT7USA.ORG.

Header photo courtesy of SAT-7 USA.

A worker in Beijing hangs her hands over the testing holes during a 1-minute break period between day-long consistent testing services.
(Photo, caption courtesy of Eric Lin/Unsplash)

China’s economy is widely expected to miss its official growth target this year, raising concern among investors and policymakers alike. Experts say China will not likely start the long journey out of zero-COVID until 2023.

Lockdowns hamper churches as well as businesses, but believers find peace amid uncertainty.

“We don’t know what the future holds. But we know Who holds the future, and that’s Christ,” China Partner’s Erik Burklin says.

The Lord continues to open doors of opportunity for China Partner. What began as a short-term solution to social isolation could now become a standard method of operation.

China Partner’s team mentors Chinese pastors and Christian leaders through long-term relationships. More about that here. Since 1991, China Partner has been invited to train leaders in seminaries, Bible schools, and local churches in 42 cities.

Now, China Partner uses Zoom training to disciple Chinese leaders instead of in-person seminars.

“When we started China Partner, it was not an online type of ministry. But technology is so easy these days; it is like a new normal,” Burklin says.

“Who [could predict] Zoom would become one of the major platforms God would use [for] ministry?”

Pray for wisdom and discernment as church leaders navigate the legal process for registration.

“They (the Chinese government) passed a new internet law March 1; this was a typical way for the government to control things,” Burklin says, adding that the process is similar to registering a physical church.

“You can register your website or your internet content with the Religious Affairs [department;] there’s an application process you must go through.”

Header image depicts a public sanitation worker during the recent lockdown in Shanghai. (Photo courtesy Xiangkun ZHU/Unsplash)

Mike Ansari says, “They were hopeless, traumatized, and afraid for their lives. All of the callers needed trauma counseling. So we hired Afghan Christians, trained them on trauma counseling, and set up a vast call center focusing on processing contacts from Afghanistan.”

“They talk to those inside of Afghanistan, and also Afghan refugees fleeing to other countries.”

This initiative is called Heart4Afgahnistan.

Ansari says most callers wanted to know about Jesus. “We just told them that God loves them, and has not forsaken them. We assured them that God had a wonderful plan for them.”

Afghan church

Afghans are very tech-savvy, Ansari says. They spend time on Facebook and Instagram, trying to connect with people outside the country.

This contributed to the success of the Heart4Afghanistan platform. Ansari says, “They are looking for hope, they are looking for meaning. We launched back in 2019, an online virtual church for Iran. And the response was great. So we decided to do a beta launch of an Afghan online church. And the results were very impressive.”

The online church just launched at the end of July. Pray it would bring hope and joy to many Afghans. You can support this effort here.

Ministry in Afghanistan

Heart4Iran has worked inside Afghanistan since 2009. Ansari says, “We’ve been doing two weekly live shows on Mohabat TV reaching the Afghans.”

Afghans are a part of the Persian-speaking world. They speak and understand Farsi, which is the official language of Iran.

Header photo courtesy of Heart4Iran on Facebook. 

(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)

“More than 51,000 children have lost one or more of their parents due to the COVID pandemic, and that’s leaving these children very vulnerable. Thousands of them have to fend for themselves; they become either homeless or victims of trafficking or abuse, or become refugees,” Ansari explains.

Heart4Iran is working on a new program to connect these kids with the hope of Christ.

“Our ministry is starting 2022 by raising funds for the future church of Iran. This includes launching a Virtual Sunday School, continuing to partner with Superbook to create shows in the Farsi language, and increasing our outreach to this younger community through our counseling center,” Ansari says.

“The Virtual Sunday School is not another platform to teach the Bible to children. It is a place where they become part of a bigger family.”

Led by believers from a Muslim background, these new efforts will introduce kids and families to the message of redemption.

“Remember, Iran [has] a worldview of honor and shame, and whenever they are going through difficult times, they feel ashamed,” Ansari says.

“We need to cut through those barriers and bring the Gospel to them.”

Partner with Heart4Iran in this new initiative here. Most importantly, pray.

“Pray for the families, for the moms and dads or single parents, to come to know about Jesus. Pray for God’s mercy and protection and grace over the children finding themselves as orphans or highly marginalized,” Ansari requests.

“Pray for Mohabat TV to walk in God’s accuracy, wisdom, and favor. Pray that we will have God’s DNA in everything that we do.”

Header and story images courtesy of Heart4Iran.

The online church provides more than convenience in the Middle East and North Africa. Sometimes, it saves lives. “I think about the moms who’ve come to faith, and they’re married to someone who is a non-Christian,” MENA Leadership Center (MLC) CEO Jennifer Murff says.

“It’s very dangerous for them and their children to just step into a local church.”

Following Jesus leads to a death sentence in many MENA countries. “Local churches need a safety outlet, which is the digital church,” Murff says.

“People who come to faith, whether it’s through evangelism, dreams or visions, or however God meets them, [can] step into discipleship in a safe way that doesn’t put their family at risk.”

How to “do church” online

MENA Leadership Center equips Christian leaders throughout the Middle East North Africa region. More about that here. Training and resources from MLC help Gospel workers set up and grow their online churches.

(Photo courtesy of Samantha Borges/Unsplash)

“In many countries in the MENA, it’s illegal to change your religion. The digital church provides an outlet [where] they (new believers) can continue to grow in their faith and get discipled until they can step into a physical location,” Murff says.

MLC training helps leaders understand all aspects of the online church.

“There is the technical element of the digital church: lighting, setup. But what’s the theological framework of an online church? How do you marry someone?” Murff says. She points to recent training in Iraq as one example of capacity-building.

Digital fellowships can also help church planters in the region. “Church planters use the online church to micro-target where people are coming from, and then they’re able to use that data to plant churches physically,” Murff says.

Now that you know, how will you respond? Prayer is a natural place to start. Use the prompts listed alongside this report to guide your intercession.

If the Lord leads you to financial involvement, learn how to sponsor a MENA leader here.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Sergey Zolkin/Unsplash.

Yesterday, churches around the world met digitally to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A worldwide coronavirus outbreak has closed many church buildings, forcing Christians to move their services online.

But Heart4Iran launched a virtual church back in October 2019, Heart4Iran’s Mike Ansari says. “The conditions in Iran do not afford us the healthy and thriving church model that that we are used to in the West. [Most] of the Iranian believers are coming from [an] Islamic background. These are converts. They are isolated believers.” Heart4Iran calls their digital fellowship Mohabat Virtual Church. 

The goal? To train the next wave of Iranian Christian leaders to secure the future of Christianity across Iran – through partnership and collaboration with like-minded individuals and organizations. 

Billions celebrated Easter yesterday. (Image courtesy of Heart4Iran’s Facebook page)

How it works

Mohabat’s virtual church connects Iranian believers around the country into one family, Ansari says. “So, the very first virtual church that we launched for Iran in the region, we had roughly 1,000 people participate. And one individual . . . from Afghanistan gave his heart to Christ. This is telling us that there’s a huge demand, especially with a younger audience.”

The Mohabat Virtual Church airs every Thursday on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and www.mykelisa.com. In the next few months, Ansari says, they plan on starting a Sunday school program called Superbook produced by the Christian Broadcasting Network.  “It’s a children’s program that has been dubbed and finalized into Farsi and very soon we’ll be able to reach the children of Iran, the parents, and Sunday schools across Iran and the region with a knowledge of God’s love for our children and our families.”

But the online church doesn’t just stream sermons. During the Coronavirus outbreak, they minister to Iran – the epicenter of coronavirus in the Middle East – with a message of hope. This platform is fully staffed by Iranian pastoral, technical and follow-up team members. “These are individuals that all come from a Muslim background, understanding their own people. And they’re available through our call center. Every single individual, every single phone call, every single chat is important to us. Is important to the kingdom. And we try to engage them and pray with them. And let them know that they are not alone in their journey.”

The underground church in Iran is growing. Someday it will come to the surface. (Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran’s Facebook page)

God is working in Iran

Ansari says God’s work is just beginning in Iran. Political turmoil presents  enough challenges without the coronavirus outbreak, which has hit Iran especially hard.

In the recent years, Iran has seen a huge growth of indigenous Christian growth in its population. 

“You have to understand,” Ansari says, “that the first millennia of Christianity, before there was Islam in Iran, there was Christianity in Iran. And it was eradicated by the Muslims. This organic reemergence of Christianity in Iran is an amazing phenomenon. It’s a miracle. It’s God’s design to bring reconciliation with the people that had Cyrus in Old Testament, that had Xerxes in the Old Testament.”

Iran faces a tumultuous time, but the Holy Spirit works in the country. Pray that the Church in Iran will triumph.

Image from the new Sunday school curriculum the digital church will be using. (courtesy of Heart4Iran’s Facebook page)

Events like these often turn people against Muslims and anyone from the same country as the attacker. For example, the Pew Research Center reports 93 anti-Muslim attacks in 2001, the year of the September 11 terrorist attacks. That number rose to 127 in 2016; there were seven shootings or bombings in the U.S. fueled by fear of radical Islam between May 2015 and November 2016.

Mohammed Alshamrani
(Photo courtesy of @FBIJacksonville via Twitter)

Patrick Murphy from I Found the Truth Ministries says U.S. believers should extend Christ’s love instead of condemning Saudi nationals.

Saudi nationals under suspicion

Though the FBI investigation is still underway and motive remains unclear, Reuters claims Alshamrani may have been radicalized. Sources told Washington Post that Alshamrani seemed “strange” and “angry” in recent weeks. On Tuesday, U.S. officials halted all operational training of Saudi nationals “until further notice.”

It’s a precarious time for Saudi nationals living in the United States. “They’re watching those stories and they’re thinking, ‘Oh, boy, I’m from Saudi… what are people going to think of me?’ It’s a real concern,” Murphy says. He encourages believers to extend a friendly welcome instead of suspicion.

“If I met someone that was from Saudi, I’d say… ‘You’ve probably heard the news and I just want you to know I don’t see you as that person. I see you as someone that would stand against [the attack] and I’m glad that you’re my neighbor’.”

Believers might try talking about how God is moving in Saudis’ homeland. “We know many Muslims in Saudi Arabia that have come to faith in Christ, and many of them are worshiping with [the] online church,” Murphy reports.

“Church is looking a lot different in these days than it has for centuries.”

(Photo courtesy of Open Doors USA)

Open Doors ranks Saudi Arabia at #15 on its World Watch List, a compilation of nations where it’s most difficult to be a Christian.  Yet, technology allows Saudi believers to know Christ and grow in their faith. “Some of them…will never meet another believer face-to-face; their fellowship is online,” Murphy says.

“It’s risky for them to do it but they do it anyway because…they want to grow. They want to be rooted in Christ with their new faith in Jesus, and this is the only option for them.”

Learn how technology provides new opportunities to reach unreached people groups.

How to reach Saudis for Christ

Stay informed, Murphy says, but consider each report in light of the Great Commission.  “The enemy uses the headlines to paralyze us, as Christians, into inactivity. And then, the Gospel is thwarted…So, we need to just look at Muslims one-on-one and reach out to them with the love of Christ,” Murphy says.

“It was a horrible thing that happened, no doubt. But, we still need to reach out to Muslims because they’ve never been more open to the Gospel than they are right now.”

Every successful outreach effort begins with prayer. Use this free Prayercast video to guide your prayers for Saudi Arabia and Saudi nationals.

“Reach out to the Saudis that are in America. They’re searching,” Murphy says.

“Typically, they’re financially prospering and so they may not see their need for Christ…yet… we know that money, wealth and things that we acquire [are] not going to bring ultimate satisfaction. So, let’s just reach out to Saudi Arabians with the love of Christ.”

Header image courtesy of FBI Jacksonville via Twitter.

But this changed when the Saudi government made the shocking announcement they would now accept international tourists for the first time from 49 approved countries.

Patrick Murphy with I Found the Truth says this is a unique glimmer of hope amidst swelling tensions in the Middle East.

“We always know this — the physical war on the ground is just a mere reflection of the spiritual war raging in the heavenlies. God is moving and Muslims are coming to faith in Christ.”

Muslims in a mosque in Saudi Arabia. (Photo courtesy of Pixabay)

With a previously-closed door now cracked open in Saudi Arabia, Murphy says, “Christians need to pray. They need to ask the Lord if they’re called to go and be there and be some salt and light. We’re talking about a country where the majority of the people there have never met one believer ever.”

Islam is the only recognized religion in Saudi Arabia. Christians are banned from gathering, but many of them don’t even know other believers to gather with.

When the above-ground Church is illegal and the underground Church is scarce, Murphy says, “We now are looking at Church in the sky…and it’s the Church that meets connected on the internet.”

Fatima’s Story

Murphy shares the story of Fatima, a woman in Saudi Arabia who came to know Jesus. She didn’t know any Christians in her area, but she found a fellowship of believers from a Muslim background online.

“There were prayer groups, there were worship services, and they were meeting together. Unfortunately, she was discovered by her brother, who worked for the secret police, and he took her life.”

However, Murphy says, “Fatima wrote a prayer on the computer before she went to her death. She talked about how she was not afraid. She [said] ‘their swords don’t concern me’ and that Jesus Christ was the protector of her life. She went willingly to a brutal death at the hands of her family.

“Here’s the amazing thing to us. She is receiving a martyr’s crown in Heaven, and it’s probably the first time…that she met another Christian face-to-face.”

Murphy says Fatima’s story is common among Saudi believers. “We’re working with the way above-ground churches that are being connected through the internet, and people are coming to faith in Christ. Sometimes, that’s all they have. That’s their fellowship. They don’t have the luxury of meeting with other believers face-to-face. But they have eternity for that. One day, they’ll be with the Body of Christ in Heaven forever.”

IDOP Sunday

(Photo courtesy of Open Doors USA)

This Sunday, November 3 is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP), a time for Christians to come together and lift up our brothers and sisters suffering for their faith.

“This month [of] November reinforces that the Body of Christ is under siege around the world,” Murphy says. “Eighty percent of all religious crimes are aimed at Christians. Jesus said this: ‘They’re going to hate you because they hated me first.’ He promised it.”

While the persecuted Church in Saudi in small and hidden, Open Doors USA reports the number of Saudi Christians grew last year.

This growing band of believers needs to know they are not alone. They need the prayers of encouragement of the global Body of Christ.

“It should be on our dashboard as Christians. We shouldn’t be far from that, knowing that our Christian experience is vastly different from the majority of believers around the world and we need to pray for them.”

(Photo courtesy of Prayercast)

Please pray for persecuted Christians in Saudi Arabia and around the world to sense the Holy Spirit with them. Ask God to bless their ministry efforts, whether aboveground, underground, or online. Pray for men and women living in darkness to start relationships with Jesus and know His truth.

Murphy specifically encourages pastors this IDOP Sunday, “lead your congregation to pray for the persecuted Church. That’s such a good thing to love on them, to show them that we stand with them. Paul said when one of us suffers, we all suffer.”

There are several resources out there to help you stay informed as you pray. “Mission Network News, Voice of the Martyrs, Open Doors, 8thirty8 — there are lots of things that the listeners can get on and get up-to-date prayer requests. Rather than just praying, ‘Oh, Lord, we pray for our brothers and sisters in the Middle East. They’re suffering,’…get tuned in to some of the news stories. Find out what’s happening.”

Header photo courtesy of Pixabay.