Pahlavi was in Germany in mid-February too, as part of the Munich Security Conference, just a few weeks before the United States-Israel war on Iran began. The 65-year-old is the son of Iran’s former shah deposed in the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He has proposed to lead a transitional democratic government in the event of Iran’s regime falling.

HIH Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran (Photo By FDD – FDD Maximum Support: Operationalizing the Other Iran Policy Event, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Talk of regime change has become familiar to Heart4Iran’s team, says Edwin Abnous, the ministry’s executive director. The team feels the tension between their spiritual mission and the political hopes of those they serve. Yet in these tensions, the ministry holds to a few guiding principles. 

“We want to make sure that our approach is Christ-centric, and we want to make sure we care about the good of the nation, rather than siding with certain political opposition,” Abnous says. “We want to make sure that we are outspoken and echoing the realities on the ground anytime there is an injustice, especially for the Church.”

This requires sensitivity. Abnous explains that Iranians in the diaspora can risk political statements that those within Iran can’t. That is especially true for Christians in Iran. Under the nation’s Islamic theocracy, calling Christ Lord is seen as political opposition. 

“[Christians] cannot call Khamenei or his son ‘Ayatollah,’ which means ‘the sign of Allah’ or ‘appointed by Allah,’ because they do not believe in Allah. They do not believe that Allah will assign someone to oversee the country,” Abnous explains. 

Christians are especially vulnerable after uprisings or external threats are removed — such as the extended reprieve of the United States-Iran ceasefire.  Christians are historically labeled “Zionists” or accused of working with enemy governments. Abnous says that events like this ceasefire give the regime space to refocus on internal control. Just one example of regime crackdown is the 56-day internet blackout (as of April 24, 2026) that Iranians have endured.

(Photo courtesy of Gilles Lambert/Unsplash)

“Especially in the West, we look at internet access as a convenience. But for Iran, it is oxygen — not only for the Iranian citizens, but also for the Christians,” says Abnous. “If you cannot connect with [the underground church] and help them and provide pastoral care, that is a huge interruption to our ministry.”

Since connection is so critical for discipleship, Abnous says Heart4Iran’s contingency plan focuses on resilience and redundancy.

“We do not rely on a single communication channel. We want to make sure that we are providing all different types of mediums for [Iranians] not only to consume, but also to be able to connect with us,” he explains. “We structure our ministry so we can function even if we are isolated.”

Heart4Iran’s mediums include satellite TV, social media, a 24/7 call center, Bible distribution, and more. Just one of their two satellite signals is estimated to reach 810,000 to over 1 million viewers. 

Please pray for endurance, open communication lines, and emotional resilience for Iran’s people. Heart4Iran’s staff regularly find themselves offering trauma support to Iranians who contact them. 

“The majority of the calls and the contacts [Heart4Iran received] even prior to war were trauma-related,” says Abnous. “Iranians are a traumatized nation because of living under oppression for the past 47 years, and that has increased after the latest oppositions and uprising.” 

Learn more at Heart4Iran’s website about how you can partner with them to reach Iranians with the hope of Jesus.

(Photo courtesy of Denis Oliveira/Heart4Iran)

Header photo of protest in Stockholm, Sweden, c. 2022 (Photo courtesy of Artin Bakhan via Unsplash)

WEF is an annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, that has been held since 1971 (with a few exceptions). Although participants come with a variety of agendas, WEF — also called Davos — aims to foster dialogue on global issues. 

Joe Handley serves with A3, a leader development group. He says that despite criticism of Davos as being elitist, “They’re meeting at a pivotal moment in history. When I look at the world, what was the post-World War II kind of global order is completely being reshaped these days.”

Conversations at Davos can have global ripple effects. Handley is watching closely for implications for the Ukraine-Russia war, tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, and ongoing religious freedom concerns worldwide. 

“The Davos meeting reminds us that the world is seeking coordination to solve global problems,” he says. “But we know that the Word of God teaches us that no system can heal the human heart or human condition. We need character-formed leaders, and this is where the church serves the world best.”

That conviction has driven A3’s work for decades, equipping Christian leaders to serve differently. 

“Our theory is that the world doesn’t necessarily need better policies — although good policies are helpful — it needs a different kind of leader. That’s why A3 does what it does, to form Christ-like leaders who can serve, not dominate, and really be the light and hope of Jesus in the world today,” says Handley. 

“The world doesn’t suffer from a shortage of smart people, but it suffers from a shortage of Christ-like character.”

Find your place in the world’s events through prayer.

“Leaders, all of us, are in a uniquely dangerous position, because power can corrupt, and we tend to get isolated from people and from the truth when we fall into those positions of authority,” says Handley.

“Scripture warns us that this can be dangerous, and leadership can be tempted to replace what should be dependence on God [with dependence] on ourselves.”

In keeping with 1 Timothy 2:1-2, pray for world leaders this week and beyond. Pray for godliness, wisdom, justice, and compassion among them, especially during the World Economic Forum, January 19-23, 2026.

Header photo: By UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – The World Economic Forum in Davos, CC BY-SA 4.0. 

He was holding not a gun, not a knife, but a microphone.

Kirk was a prominent political figure in America who consistently emphasized his faith in Christ and the biblical values that shaped his worldview and debates.

Greg Yoder, Executive Director of Keys for Kids Ministries, reflects on Kirk’s impact: “He had the uncanny ability, kind of like the Apostle Paul, of taking Scripture and proving Scripture to be absolutely true, but then infusing it into everyday culture and helping young people understand it. I think this is why he was targeted.

“He was actually convincing many of these young people that the ways of Jesus are the right ways of life.”

College students met around the country to pray for Charlie’s family and our nation. (GVSU – Photo: Joe Moss)

Kirk was known for practicing civil discourse and championing free speech on college campuses. His conservative convictions centered on faith, family, the sanctity of marriage, pro-life values, patriotism, justice, and individual freedom.

He willingly engaged with both supporters and critics, inviting students who disagreed with him to come talk at his table first.

Yet, even amidst differences of opinion, Kirk pointed young people to the Gospel. In an X post on September 6, just days before his assassination, Kirk wrote, “Jesus defeated death so you can live.”

Yoder says, “What I’m always amazed at is how he was depicted as some kind of monster and a hateful person, bigoted, etc. Clearly, they never watched any of his interactions with college students because he loved them. I mean, even those that criticized him and called him horrible names. He just smiled and said, ‘Well, you know, you have the right to say that. I love you. Jesus died for you.'”

American Christians are largely unfamiliar with physical persecution. Kirk’s assassination serves as a stark reminder that anyone who is a loud voice for biblical values may become a target for physical violence.

Yoder points to the truth of Ephesians 6:12: Our wrestle is not against flesh and blood.

“This is a time to mourn — not just for Charlie Kirk, but our culture, which is dying without Jesus,” Yoder says. “If the culture can lie and be convincing enough to tell someone they don’t know what gender they are, or that what’s evil is good and what’s good is evil, we know that this is the spiritual battle that Scripture is so clear about talking about.”

According to Barna Research, Generation Z is experiencing a spiritual revival. American churches are seeing young people coming back in droves, seeking out spiritual truth and answers to life’s questions.

At this pivotal cultural moment, young believers are asking, “How am I going to use my voice for truth for Christ?”

It looks like picking up the microphone and engaging in hard spiritual conversations — as Yoder puts it, “sharing your faith boldly and lovingly in this marketplace of ideas.”

Charlie Kirk (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

He asks, “Now the question is, who’s next? Who will join Charlie in declaring the liberating power of the Gospel, and using that to help form a political guide? We as Christians still live in this world. Are we to be influencers in the world? I think we are.”

If you want more biblical resources to encourage young people, check out the Keys for Kids devotionals and Unlocked devotions for teens.

Yoder also urges, “Obviously, we need to be praying for Charlie’s family, his wife Erika, his two kids, his friends, his close family, and those shaken by the event. There were so many young people there that saw this, and they’re not going to ever forget it.

“We need to be praying for ourselves, praying for our churches, and praying for those that are going to be responding in light of all of this that’s happened — and being reminded of the fact that God is still on the throne.”

Header photo: Charlie Kirk speaking with attendees at the 2022 AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Caption, photo courtesy Gage Skidmore/Flickr: https://tinyurl.com/4z9jey33)

President Yoweri Museveni has held office for nearly 40 years. Ever since he seized power in 1986, Uganda has been “comparatively stable, but increasingly authoritarian,” according to a 2025 report from the U.S.-based Congressional Research Service. Uganda has never had a democratic transition of power.

Whether or not Museveni receives a seventh term in office will be determined in the January general elections. But Uganda’s 2021 elections were marred by a number of killings, enforced disappearances and other human rights abuses. Months ahead of the elections, David Durance with TeachBeyond said local staff are starting to see more of the same.

(Photo courtesy of TeachBeyond Uganda)

“[They tell us] that this is much more intense than it has been before, that there’s already pressure and even violence,” he said. 

As in most cases, the outcome of national government elections will affect ministry. Durance says there are two dimensions that TeachBeyond is mindful of and praying about. The first layer is that education policy changes can change the landscape. 

“[For example,] we spent years working on a school project that’s now open and really flourishing. But one swipe of a pen in Kampala could wipe that away,” Durance said.

The second layer that TeachBeyond is praying about is practical. Political unrest can prevent students from attending school or even make parents hesitant to send kids to a Christian school. 

“There’s all these [underlying] tensions that happen that impact our ability to really reach the communities that we’re trying to reach,” Durance said in summary. 

Yet in Uganda’s turbulence, Christians carry the gospel as the answer. One Sunday, Durance visited a Ugandan church where half of the worship songs were prayers for their nation. “It was amazing to see how this community of believers recognized that it was their responsibility as followers of Jesus to be praying for their country and that they want to be the active agents of having the gospel heard,” he said. 

“I thought what was interesting was not that they were actually praying for some sort of political revolution or even change. They were praying that people would turn to Christ, knowing that all those other things will fall into place.”

Pray with TeachBeyond for political favor for ministry and for the next generation of Ugandans to be grounded in the Lord.

(Photo courtesy of TeachBeyond Uganda)

Header photo from Iganga, Uganda courtesy of Zach Wear via Unsplash.

On Monday, the capital city came to a standstill as businesses, schools, and vendors shut down in protest. A demonstration of roughly 200 people gathered in Harare’s Freedom Square. The government responded with heavy police presence, arresting at least 95 protestors who were accused of throwing rocks at law enforcement.

Greg Yoder, President of Christian World Outreach (CWO), says, “Even though these protests are kind of limited to the capital…it does affect the whole country. As power changes from one leader to another or is possibly changing, it does cause people to think, ‘Okay, what’s going to happen now?’”

Kids supported by CWO in Zimbabwe. (Photo courtesy of Christian World Outreach)

Amidst political uncertainty, Zimbabwe’s youth face challenges of their own. Over half struggle with substance abuse, and high unemployment leaves many feeling lost.

CWO supports vulnerable children and teens in Zimbabwe through the Our Kids program, which provides food, medical care, and education in Jesus’ name.

“The children we work with are vulnerable children — maybe an orphan or double orphan,” explains Yoder. “So we come alongside caregivers and try to help them and even give them training so they know how to take care of these children that they’ve brought into their homes.”

For teens, the focus is on sharing the Gospel and setting them up for a bright and productive life. Yoder says, “We recently had a camp with teenage boys and girls and they were asked the question: ‘If you dream about your future, what would you want to do?’”

“One of the young ladies shared that there’s only one clinic in her area. She wanted to become a doctor so she could come back to her area and be able to help the people.”

(Photo courtesy of CWO)

CWO also works with local churches to support these kids. “We’re trying to encourage the leaders of churches to come alongside these young people and be able to minister to them. So we try to connect with a church in that area…and work with the leadership in those areas where the kids are.”

As Zimbabwe faces an uncertain future, ministries like CWO are pointing the next generation to Jesus Christ.

Yoder encourages, “Pray for our staff that are working with these young people as they go through the program. They can invest in their lives. These kids are the future of Zimbabwe, and so to raise up Christian leaders is important.”

Financial support is another way you can make a difference. “This program costs about $45 a month to help send these kids to school, to help them with medical, clothes, food — whatever their needs are — and to support the caregivers too.”

Connect with CWO’s Zimbabwe ministry here.

Header photo: Zimbabwe’s president, Emmerson Mnangagwa. (Photo courtesy of News Measurements Network Live/Flickr: Public Domain Mark 1.0 Universal, https://rb.gy/cx6qlr)

“For me, personally, I saw religion and politics as spiritual issues when you boil them down to their finite,” he says. 

Woolford felt the Lord calling him to run for office after his experience with COVID clampdowns on the church. The unraveling of Christian values across our nation paired with the willingness of believers to give up rights was alarming to him. As a basis for his political service, he points to Psalm 82:3: “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.” 

Matthew 4:4, where Jesus refutes the tempter by proclaiming ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,’ fuels Woolford’s other work: Bible distribution through Mission Cry. 

“As the president of Mission Cry, sending the word of God around the world to people – that’s the only thing that doesn’t return void – and then working also as a lawmaker, I see it going hand in hand,” he says. 

The work is rewarding, but the responsibility is weighty. Woolford draws strength from the Lord. 

“God has called me to both these things, and so it’s a balance that only God himself could be doing right now.”

Mission Cry President Jason Woolford and volunteer JoAnn Walsh. Photo courtesy of Mission Cry.

Whether sending Bibles to 178 nations or working to change unjust laws in Michigan, Woolford knows his work puts him on the front lines of spiritual battle. Please pray for Woolford, his family, and their ministry team. 

Acts 1:8 reads, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

“Michigan at the capitol is the uttermost parts of the earth,” Woolford says, “so I would appreciate the prayers, and I’m very thankful to be serving both globally and at the state level for Michiganders.”

Pray that Mission Cry would raise sufficient funds to send containers filled with Bibles and free books around the world, and pray for partners distributing them. On the home front, pray for Representative Woolford as he storms the spiritual strongholds of Michigan’s political realm. 

“That’s going to be a real battle, and so praying specifically that God would give me strength and wisdom and knowledge above and beyond my own, and a Holy Ghost boldness,” he says. 

Featured image courtesy of Mission Cry. 

For the pro-life movement, it was a complicated night.

Kurt Dillinger, Founder and President of LIFE International, believes organizations like theirs will “have a friendly atmosphere in our culture with the work that we’re doing here in this nation.”

On the other hand, abortion expansion laws were on the election ballots in 10 states this week, and seven states approved them. The three states to reject expanded abortion measures were Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

LIFE International staff (Photo courtesy of LIFE International)

Dillinger says, “This clarifies what we need to be doing in this country on this issue. We need to be working at the state level on these issues and continue to help the Church be the Church on these issues in each of these states. When we do that, there’s hope that we can change policies for life.”

Ultimately, politics can only legislate action, but the Gospel changes hearts.

“The Church can really be a reflection as we’re called to be that in Ephesians 5:1,” encourages Dillinger. “Be imitators of God, be a reflection of Jesus Christ to our world. This, to me, is being pro-life.”

We’ll be back tomorrow with part two of this story discussing the future of the pro-life movement and the Church, both in the US and around the world.

Learn more about LIFE International’s ministry here.

Header photo courtesy of Frank Mckenna/Unsplash.

*The radio broadcast of this story incorrectly stated that the Republicans had won majority in the House. While this is the projected outcome, some final House races have not been called yet.

The two primary presidential candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, have been campaigning in swing states the last few weeks and pose very different visions for the future of America.

(Image courtesy of Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash)

Meanwhile, the political temperature is extremely heated in the United States. Polarization and contempt across party lines are at an all-time high.

How can Christians be the light of Christ in this cultural moment?

Eric Mock with Slavic Gospel Association encourages believers to take our cues from Scripture.

In the book of Daniel, Mock says, “Even as the Israelites were taken away into Babylon, they were told to be productive members of society while you’re in exile in Babylon. Therefore, we should not unplug. We need to engage in society. We need to be salt and light. We need to be fruitful people in society.

“Above all else, much like Daniel was in Babylon, let us be on our knees three times a day. May we not shrink back so that we would be bold to declare Christ among the nations.”

SGA works with churches in former Soviet nations to share the Gospel. Mock says the examples of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world can also affirm Christians in the US.

“I gave my heart to serve with SGA 22 years ago [because] God has raised up His Church to be His people with His message,” Mock says. And I love being able to work with SGA to get behind those people God has raised up now in 13 nations.

(Photo courtesy of Ben White/Unsplash)

“They would tell me they pray heavily for the people of America because in America, we have many more distractions… They pray for us as we pray for them, that we would be rock steady in our faith, holding to the word of God, and holding forth the Gospel of Jesus Christ, living as ambassadors of Christ.”

As we wait for this presidential election’s results, pray for truth and peace to prevail. Pray for God’s will to be done and for unity in the Church. “Regardless of who wins the election, we have to recognize that God raises up leaders and brings them down for His purposes,” Mock says.

“Ultimately, be responsible for voting. But your hope is in Jesus Christ.”

Header photo: Mail-In Ballot from USA Presidential Election 2024. (Photo, caption courtesy of Joshua Woroniecki/Unsplash)

The inciting incident

(Photo courtesy of Dan Kiefer via Unsplash)

In October, the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) published a discussion paper on religious intolerance which named Christmas and Easter as examples of “systematic religious discrimination.” 

Don Hutchinson, a board member with Voice of the Martyrs Canada, says, “The discussion paper caught the attention of some people who were startled that the Canadian Human Rights Commission could be discussing the idea of potentially doing away with statutory holidays for Christmas and Easter — in the opinion of those who were startled. So that was brought to the attention of the House of Commons.”

In November, the House of Commons unanimously denounced the paper. A few days later, the CHRC’s Interim Chief Commissioner Charlotte-Anne Malischewski offered this opinion piece about the discussion paper — it merits reading for further clarity into the controversy. 

A different perspective

Canada is a diverse country, home to a large number of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and ethnic religions.
(Photo courtesy of Mihai Surdu via Unsplash)

Hutchinson thinks that people made a bigger deal about the matter than it warranted.

He explains that while Canada has a strong influence of Christianity in its history, it is not a Christian nation in its constitution. It’s reasonable that it would raise questions like this.

“We also need to be mindful that other religious communities are going to have concerns about our Christian heritage in terms of the statutory holidays, when they have dates that they consider to be prominent and important — particularly some communities where people are using their vacation time to celebrate their holy days,” Hutchinson says.

He adds that Christmas and Easter have been long-held, even largely secularized holidays in Canada. There is room for differences of religions even within that. Certain 24/7 industries (such as hospitals) have collective agreements that allow employees to exchange their days off for other preferred ones. In short, Canadians of many different backgrounds are used to these holidays and how to function with them. The House of Commons saw no need to alter the nation’s statutory holidays.

The response for next time

Hutchinson recognizes that this won’t be the last time government agencies discuss topics that stir up concern among Christians. He encourages believers to respond to these types of events with prayer first, remembering 2 Timothy 1:7 and Ephesians 6:12-18.

“We’re seeing this increasingly, I think, in the church in Canada that there are parts of the Christian church that are fearful that we’re going to lose our religious freedom — either because religious freedom is granted to another religious community or because the government is taking action that that we find contradictory to our religious beliefs,” Hutchinson says.

In a democracy, there is indeed the risk that things will change due to political behavior, but Hutchinson says “it’s not something that tends to happen instantaneously. So there’s a place for us in the church to pray, and then to engage where we have concerns.” 

He adds, “I think that the best thing for us to do is be the Church. Instead of becoming the political activists who are going to stand up for the Church, be the Church. The political activism will flow from being the Church when we’re focused on Christ first.”

Join Hutchinson in praying “that we search the Scriptures together, that we pray together — that rather than just reacting when we see something in the media or some rumor about what’s happening with government, that we pray, we confirm the details of what we’re praying about, and then, from our place of prayer, we determine what action might or might not be beneficial.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Ben White via Unsplash.

The ADL also tracked anti-Israel protests and rallies in the US. At least 109 had explicit or strong implicit support of Hamas or championed violence against Jews in Israel.

(Photo courtesy of Yoav Aziz/Unsplash)

Nations around the world are seeing similar spikes in antisemitism. On Sunday, rioters in southwest Russia flooded an airport, hunting passengers from Tel Aviv and shouting anti-semitic slogans. Police arrested at least 60 rioters.

Victor Kalisher, Executive Director of The Bible Society in Israel says, “There was an airplane with Israelis coming and [rioters] were all seeking to butcher, to kill, to murder Jews. And you see all that is happening around the world.”

The rise in antisemitic reports begs the question: Is this a resurgent phenomenon? Or has antisemitism always been under the surface?

Kalisher, whose own parents survived the Holocaust, says, “Antisemitism is a demonic virus that many people have. It didn’t disappear. It’s there, and once in a while, in the right circumstances, it comes out.

“You know many leaders that even wouldn’t say anything bad about Hamas. It’s painful. What kind of hypocrisy is that? What needs to happen that people will call evil, evil?”

Victor Kalisher giving a presentation with The Bible Society in Israel. (Photo courtesy of The Bible Society in Israel)

Many Jews in Israel had to be evacuated from risk zones amidst the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza as well as rocket fire from Hezbollah in Lebanon. Sirens blare every day now with incoming missiles, a grim reminder of the horrors they experienced as a nation and people just a few weeks ago.

The Bible Society in Israel is supporting displaced Israelis with aid and hope. Kalisher says, “We’re engaged in helping those that are suffering and we’re engaged in helping the basic needs of people [who] lost everything and were evacuated. For example, they need socks and underwear…and we’re helping with that.

“We also believe that it is more important to try to share the Gospel, share the Good News, share the eternal hope in this time, share the truth of God and the purpose for it all. This is really to bring people to faith.”

Pray for Jews in Israel and worldwide to trust the Lord as their defender and find ultimate peace in Jesus Christ.

Also, Kalisher says, “We pray that God will give wisdom and the fear of God in the hearts of leaders because whatever they do affects the lives of so many people.”

Click here to learn more about The Bible Society in Israel. You can give to their war relief efforts here.

Header photo courtesy of Dave Herring/Unsplash.