“That means that downloading the videos, audio, and all sorts of resources that Iranian or Western ministries are preparing for Iranians inside the country are not easy to consume.”

The regime’s constant monitoring of digital activity means that consistent, meaningful communication with people inside the country is a challenge for ministry partners outside of it. When Iranians do communicate online, they do so through virtual private networks (VPNs), which serve as pipelines to Biblical resources. But Abnous says this is a channel that isn’t always open. 

“VPN is the only way for them to be able to communicate outside the country, but if the internet is shut down, the VPNs are basically useless.”

In the absence of internet connection, one of the most common ways Iranians access Biblical resources is through satellite television. Censorship of this medium is not widespread in Iran, and Abnous says there is no way for Iran to track viewership. Thus, Biblically faithful TV programming remains an open door for reaching Iranians. 

Image courtesy of Heart4Iran

Another door opener is Artificial Intelligence.

“Either on TV or social media, there are ways for us to use these new technologies to not only minimize the challenges of the security of Iranians but also be more efficient and effective when we’re sending content inside Iran,” Abnous says. 

Recently, Heart4Iran has been employing a version of ChatGPT trained to operate with a Biblical worldview. 

“We have tested multiple times, and we’re getting constant feedback,” Abnous says. “As an Iranian Christian or an Iranian seeker inside the country is asking the question, the answer they get is Biblical.” 

Abnous says the other beautiful aspect of using AI is to be able to clean, categorize, and tag data in an analyzable format. 

“That is of great value for ministries outside the country because we’re dealing with a country that is very restricted. So to have these tools at our disposal, we will have better insight inside the country to see who is consuming, the demographic, the type of content they’re interested to consume.”

Looking forward, the team at Heart4Iran hopes to ensure personal connection by introducing internet searchers to Christians who can pick up where AI leaves off. 

Please pray for the security of Iranians inside the country as well as ministry partners interacting with them. 

Pray for anointed decision-making that will bring forth fruit in places that were once desolate.

Pray for Heart4Iran to wisely steward its resources. 

Pray that God would pave the way for more ministries to partner with Heart4Iran in reaching this closed country. 

“Especially these days with the advancement of technology,” Abnous points out, “you’re always excited to try every new thing that comes in the market, but we want to have that discernment to make sure what is needed now, how to use it, how to master it, how to educate our team members to use it best.”

Photo courtesy of Transform Iran; header photo courtesy of Markus Winkler via Pexels

Joe Willey of SAT-7, a satellite TV ministry to the Middle East and North Africa, points out that the Middle East is a composite of countries with varying degrees of conflict and complexity. For many children, that means growing up against a backdrop of trauma. 

“There is such a need for many millions of children in the Middle East and North Africa to deal with the trauma of conflict and warfare,” Willey says. 

SAT-7 programs address this from a Biblical standpoint. 

“Really SAT-7 is bringing hope and comfort,” he says. “And it is the hope of the Gospel; it is the comfort that Jesus Christ is the son of God, not just a prophet as is explained in the faith predominant in the Middle East and North Africa.”

SAT-7 Kids is an Arabic children’s channel that broadcasts content 24/7. 

“There is content to help children that are dealing with the trauma from conflict, from warfare – as well as educational programs to help lift people out of poverty.”

Sudan alone, for example, has approximately 19 million school age children lacking access to formal education. 

“That’s just one example of the need, not only for education but education that is being produced and provided by Christians out of a Biblical ethic and worldview,” Willey says. 

Through a library of educational programs, kids can practice fundamentals in reading, writing, and mathematics. Willey says these are often viewed by parents who may have gaps in their own education. 

“So it is meeting not only children, but it is also meeting adults,” he says. 

Programs are designed to be a discipleship program, but trust is being built even among Muslim communities.

“Although it is Christian content, we have people who are not Christians who watch,” Willey says. 

SAT-7 programming goes beyond proclaiming truth, as presenters help explain it and empathize with listeners experiencing great suffering.

On this International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, would you pray for children living in the shadow of war and trauma? Please pray for children across the Middle East and North Africa, and pray for the effectiveness of SAT-7 programming to a vulnerable audience. 

“Christ has a heart for children, and I believe that we as believers should care for – as we call them and as Scripture has said – the least of these,” Willey says. 

Above photo: women and children in Iraq, courtesy of Pixabay; featured photo: SAT-7 kids programming, courtesy of SAT-7

It was artfully done. After building rapport with audiences with a quality story and production, the series finale delivered an unexpected twist. It closed with a heartbreaking portrayal of a blasphemy accusation and deadly violence. Then, the closing credits showed photos of Pakistanis who were falsely accused of blasphemy and then killed, as well as images of churches and homes destroyed in those types of riots.

Aftermath of the Joseph Colony attack on Christians in Pakistan in 2013 (Photo courtesy Voice of the Martyrs Canada)

The bold risk and message of the show’s creators have sparked strong reactions, and also hope for change.

“It’s a unique situation where this was not [created] by Christian groups. They weren’t pastors,” says Floyd Brobbel with Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. “It seems to be from the entertainment community, recognizing that there is an issue in Pakistan, and recognizing that, ‘Hey, we don’t want this to be a part of our culture in Pakistan.’” 

Brobbel explains that Pakistani authorities usually fail to hold mob attackers accountable, even when accused people have been murdered. That has to change.

One voice for that change was Shahbaz Bhatti, a Pakistani politician who was killed in 2011. He was critical of blasphemy laws, and he supported a Christian woman named Asia Bibi who was imprisoned on blasphemy charges at the time. Sunday, March 2 marked the 14-year anniversary of Bhatti’s assassination at the hands of the Taliban. (Read more on Bhatti’s ongoing impact in Pakistan here.)

Now that Tan Man Neel o Neel* has hit the cultural scene, Brobbel says Pakistani Christians can be encouraged that more people recognize the injustice going on in Pakistan.

Asia Bibi was imprisoned in Pakistan on blasphemy charges. (Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs, Canada)

“Hopefully now the majority will begin to speak up and really start pressing government officials and police to … start holding them (perpetrators) accountable and seeing them being charged with inciting mob violence, bodily harm, and in some cases even death,” he says. 

Would you please pray for Pakistan? Ask God to use this TV series to open the eyes of people who have been ignoring injustices against Christians and other religious minorities. Pray for a just government. Pray that the Pakistani Church will boldly press forward with the gospel in this cultural moment.

“God has often used unique ways to deliver His people, to show that He is in control and allowing His people to further the Kingdom,” Brobbel says, “and I think this could be a possible way in Pakistan that God is using to free up opportunities for the gospel to go forward.”

*Tan Man Neel o Neel loosely translates to “Body and Soul Badly Bruised”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Amir Arabshahi/Unsplash.

Years later, God opened the door for that dream to come true. Today, Shady is a host on SAT-7 KIDS, using his platform to encourage children as Lebanon faces new turmoil.

Shady has lived through two conflicts, including the latest Israel-Hezbollah war which has rattled Lebanon. Tensions still continue under a precarious ceasefire. Yet, Shady is using his platform to point Lebanese and refugee children to Jesus.

(Photo courtesy of SAT-7 KIDS)

Joe Willey with SAT-7 explains, “Instead of saying, ‘Wait, God, why me?’ [Shady] is presenting and saying, ‘I understand what you are going through. I have lived through it, and I’m living through it again. And there is no hope like the hope that Christ gives.'”

Shady recently saw the lasting impact of SAT-7 KIDS firsthand when he visited a displacement camp. There, he met two young sisters watching the channel, singing along to worship songs, and reciting the Bible verses from the shows.

“Our situations can change,” says Willey. “In the life of [Shady], it changed drastically and quickly. But he also celebrates that Jesus Christ never changes. So that is something that young people in the Middle East and North Africa are hearing and need to hear.”

Praise God for how He is working in the hearts of children in Lebanon through SAT-7!

Willey emphasizes, “Making God’s love visible to people who are in a difficult time is important and it will matter – and it will matter for eternity.”

Read more of Shady’s story at SAT-7’s website here!

Header photo: Shady Tarzi with two refugee sisters who enjoy watching SAT-7 KIDS. (Photo courtesy of SAT-7 KIDS)

Staff member Kate Michel explains they are now a multimedia ministry: 

“[We] started just doing radio [in 1950], and then in 2015 we began doing television as well. So we have a local television station in Cap-Haitien. We have a YouTube channel with 130,000 subscribers,” she says. 

Their team also connects with fellow Haitians through social media, especially with an interactive daily prayer program.

The city of Cap Haitien. Photo courtesy of samu3ld via Unsplash.com
https://unsplash.com/photos/cars-parked-beside-brown-concrete-building-during-daytime-HlseIzr_6fI

“[The program] is midday every day for an hour, which is guiding our listeners in praying for Haiti, for the country, for leaders, and then for each other, for the prayer requests that listeners and viewers send in,” she explains. 

People listen in to 4VEH’s Christ-centered culturally relevant content all the way from Port-au-Prince, where gang activity is at its worst. 

“The radio signal doesn’t reach there, but they do listen in other ways, like on the internet, [or] from their phones,” Michel says. “So we are supporting those listeners as well, particularly through prayer.”

4VEH takes the gospel to Haitians wherever they are — in every sense. 

“For people who are not able to access the local television station, or maybe even not able to afford batteries for their radio, we use solar-powered radios that we distribute to people in very poor areas,” says Michel. 

“We’re excited that we still are able to do that. Even with all the problems that Haiti is going through, we’re still able to go out and give out these tools for people.”

Praise God for what He’s doing to bring hope to Haiti, and pray for abundant ministry for 4VEH’s next 75 years. 

Want to hear stories of lives turned around through 4VEH? Check out their website for English listeners at 4veh.org/en. 

Header photo of children in Haiti courtesy of Zach Vessels via Unsplash. 

Bringing Community to the Isolated

Dennis Wiens with SAT-7 says they recently launched a show called, You Are Not Alone.

Wiens says, “A lot of our viewers are isolated believers… We have 18-year-olds that have come to faith through watching the programs and they can’t even tell their folks they’re a Christian. There’s no church for them to go to. They’re isolated believers, and so we want to assure them that they are not alone.”

(Image courtesy of Jose Antonio Alba on Pixabay)

The program reaches people through two Arabic satellite TV channels covering North Africa and the Arabic-speaking Middle East. For instance, believers in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, the Gulf, Egypt and more would all be able to tune in.

The goal of each program is to encourage people that there are other Christians standing with them throughout the region. Isolated believers are part of the larger Church. Even within their own countries there are other followers of Christ who face the same pressures and stresses.

“It’s been a tremendous encouragement for these isolated believers to know that they’re not alone, that the global church is interested, is praying for them and is aware of them,” Wiens says. “That’s such an encouragement to those that are really isolated by conflict and chaos.”

Personal Stories

Part of the show includes sharing stories of isolated believers. One woman came to faith through SAT-7, but was scared to tell her husband and family.

(Image courtesy of Engin Akyurt on Pixabay)

Wiens explains, “She asked her husband to take her on a shopping trip to Europe. She figured that if she told him in Europe and he divorced her, she’d be in Europe and she could apply for asylum. But a couple months later, they did take a trip to Europe, shopping trip, and she told him that she had become a Christian. His question was, ‘When did this happen?’

“And to her surprise, he didn’t get mad. She told him the story, and he says, ‘You know, I noticed when your life changed, and I’ve been watching you all these months. I want what you found.’”

This type of testimony not only showcases God’s radical ability to change hearts, but it offers encouragement to women in similar situations. In the middle of all the hurt and pain people living in conflict zones face, God is moving. People are coming to faith and the Church is growing.

Get Involved

Despite the many successes of the Gospel, believers are still living in isolation and facing the trauma of constant conflict. Wiens asks the Church to pray.

“Pray for those doing the programs; they’re looking in the into a camera lens and speaking to millions of people. Pray for the people receiving the message – that the Holy Spirit will work with His word, work in people’s hearts so people can see the hope of the Gospel in it, and they’ll have the strength, even in difficult situations, to trust what they’re hearing.”

If you want to help support SAT-7 programming, click here.

Image courtesy of Bananayota on Pixabay.

(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)

Lana Silk says Transform Iran is helping believers answer questions like these using media. 

“In the West, we’re spoiled for access to people and methods of communication. In a persecuted environment, we must be smart to use digital tools that God has provided to effectively communicate the Gospel where we can’t do that in person,” she says. 

This fall, Transform Iran is holding workshops to teach believers about television ministry. Specifically, Gospel workers will learn how to create, produce, and edit TV programs.

Silk says attendees will include pastors, evangelists, children’s workers, and others who are active in ministry to Iran but need more tools for effective media ministry. 

These believers may have successful programs underway in person, but transferring that content to a platform like TV requires a different strategy.

“It’s about equipping people in how to use media effectively. You can’t just do what you would have done anyway, but do it to a camera,” Silk says.

“So [we’ll share] some really practical things. Know where to look, how to use your hands, posture; how to create bite-sized content so we can repurpose it for different uses; how to consider an audio-only audience.”

Pray that even the most difficult topics will be easily understood. Pray that wonderful new TV programs will be created as a result to reach Iranians with the gospel.

“I would invite you to learn the importance of using media like this in a persecuted environment and then help us get it done,” Silk says. 

Silk explains there is a difference between an Iranian audience and many Western audiences, where people dabble, surf and scroll without much drive.

(Graphic courtesy of Transform Iran)

“[Iranians are] a people who are actively looking for a different message — a different worldview, even — to what they’ve been fed,” Silk says, adding that around 70% of households in Iran have satellite dishes, which are illegal in Iran.

“Every once in a while, the police will do a quick cleanup, and then they (satellite dishes) just pop up all over again. People are desperate to reach out for what is available outside of their borders, and that’s a great captive audience. You’re talking 50–60 million people who want to hear what we have to say.”

Connect with Transform Iran to learn how you can help reach Iranians for Christ. 

Header photo courtesy of Sam Moghadam Khamseh/Unsplash. 

“From morning to night people are running but they are not getting anywhere,” one of the women said. “Poverty is great. It is everywhere and growing constantly. People are hungry and powerless to change their circumstances.”

Representative stock photo courtesy of Pouya Hajiebrahimi via Unsplash

Lana Silk with Transform Iran translated the women’s audio messages into written English. She says it was a struggle to convey in writing what their voices and tones carried. Their sorrow and burden for their country is profound. Read their messages on the web article here.

Silk says the people of Iran are the first to pay the price for their nation’s brutal regime. 

“We must remember there is an agenda that [the Iranian] government is pushing that is evil in many ways and causing havoc through the Middle East. But this is not the agenda of the people of Iran,” Silk says.

“They’re trapped in a country with overwhelmingly high inflation rates, no prospects, no jobs, [and a] mental health crisis. [If] you speak out, [if] you do anything, you’re imprisoned, you’re tortured. It’s a desperate situation, and they’re turning to desperate means such as drugs [and] prostitution to try to deal with their own pain [and] inability to put food on their plates.” 

Transform Iran broadcasts the hope of Christ through its ministry Pearl of Persia. Pearl focuses on reaching people who are victims of trauma, abuse, addiction and prostitution. It introduces Iranians to what the Jesus of the Bible says about them as human beings. 

“[Pearl of Persia’s message is] not overtly gospel [focused] at the beginning. It’s about identity, looking after mental health, dealing with depression, dealing with addiction. When they (Iranians) reach out for help, then we present them with the full picture and we offer them the opportunity to receive counseling from a Christian. They’re loving that opportunity and seeing change through that process that we can give them through trained counselors,” Silk says.

(Graphic courtesy of Transform Iran)

Would you prayerfully consider joining this critical ministry by supporting Pearl of Persia?

“We are in a position now where we are able to expand, but we don’t have enough counselors to deal with the expected increased demand on our time for counseling and therapy,” Silk shares. 

“So if you want to see us help [and] deal with this [mental health] issue, get behind Pearl of Persia and it will be an exciting adventure.”

Silk says the circumstances in Iran are dire, but God is more than able and wants to draw people to Christ. 

“We praise Him for what He’s doing and for His overwhelming love for these people. We have hope in the future because of Him,” Silk says. 

Header is a representative stock image courtesy of Shimabdinzade via Pixabay.

In Iran, the government can not only limit or shut down the internet, but also track peoples’ use of it. Because of this, more and more Iranians are turning to satellite TV, which cannot be stopped or monitored. 

(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)

It’s a trend that ministries such as Transform Iran are making the most of for Christ. 

“They’re not necessarily looking for Jesus at this point,” says Lana Silk with Transform Iran. 

“They take to the satellite airwaves to find material from the West that they can listen to that is different to the rhetoric that they hear at home — and that is where we want them to find Jesus.”

There’s an interesting contrast here. In 2016, Iranian officials confiscated 100,000 satellite dishes, declaring that the corrupting influence of satellite TV led to marriage troubles, addiction and poor education for children. 

Today, however, Transform Iran hears testimonies from people who were caught in those same struggles. But in these accounts, people on the brink of suicide, or trapped in addiction, depression or broken relationships discovered the help they needed. 

“They find the message of Jesus through the TV, and it gives them hope, it gives them a better way, and then through that they can contact us — and we give them safe ways to do that. Then we can minister to them in-person and disciple them,” Silk says.

“We have really increased our investment into program creation, to make sure that we’re delivering fresh, current quality programs that the people of Iran will want to watch, will engage with and be blessed by.”

In addition to recently finishing a series on history, politics and heritage of Iran, they have also focused on children’s programming. Silk says that in Iran there are eight to 10 million children between the ages of five and 12. They are the future of Iran. 

(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)

“We would love you to pray for us for protection on all the people involved in the frontline producing these programs, because we see time and again, as people take offensive in spiritual battle, their health is attacked, their families are attacked,” Silk says. 

There is also a practical way you can reach Iran with the gospel: by partnering to support their next programs.

“Our regular programming costs $800 for one 30-minute episode, $900 for children’s programs,” Silk says. “That’s everything from conception to production, to all the talent to recording, post production, editing. All in one, that’s $800-900 will get you a program.”

Click to learn more about Transform Iran’s ministry in radio, television and social media.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of mojzagrebinfo/Pixabay.

Government spies are everywhere, and saying the wrong thing to the right person could get you arrested, tortured, or killed. Yet Iranians are desperate for truth.

Two years ago, Transform Iran launched a free mobile app called Cheshme to help meet the need. People can scan a QR code to download the app, avoiding government detection.

“This isn’t about making a profit,” Transform Iran’s Lana Silk says.

“This is about making sure people can access the Gospel in an easy, convenient, and safe way.”

Today, the app has been downloaded thousands of times and is used frequently across devices. Learn more about Transform Iran’s media ministry here.

Cheshme app
(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)

“The idea with the app is to create a one-stop shop for people to access a whole range of Christian resources,” Silk says.

“People can access our online meetings, whether it’s a digital church, prayer room, or an apologetics center. They can also download the Bible in text and audio; they can access sermons, books, articles, worship songs, and materials for children.”

Pray for house churches to be started in ethnic minority communities as people learn from God’s Word in their heart languages.

“Thanks to generous funding, not only have we been able to translate unfoldingWord’s Open Bible Stories into 18 languages of Iran, but we have also been able to complete the Gilaki New Testament, and several Gospels of John, and there is more on the way,” Silk says.

“However, the key for many of these translations is the provision of the audio dramatization to ensure the most remote and the most illiterate can access and understand them. We currently have an audio dramatization of the Gospel of John in Balochi, Bakhtiari, Laki, Luri, Gilaki, and there’s more coming. We have also been able to dramatize the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke in Gilaki.”

Help reach the unreached of Iran by investing in Bible translation here.

“The great need now is to secure the funding to be able to dramatize all that has already been translated as well as pressing into more essential translations,” Silk says.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Clay Banks/Unsplash.