There Is a Historical Movement of the Gospel Taking Place Among the Iranian People
What God is doing in Iran right now is unlike anything in modern church history.
We are witnessing a pivotal moment in Iran, shaped by God’s purpose for King Jesus.
Amidst war and widespread displacement, God is working in unexpected ways — turning people’s hearts into fertile ground for the Gospel. The underground church is not retreating. It is advancing.
Despite pressure and persecution, believers are stepping forward with courage and faith. FBC Boerne’s ministry partner, To Every People (TEP), recently hosted a live briefing where church and ministry leaders heard directly from Iranian believers — firsthand accounts of lives transformed and a church growing stronger in one of the most hostile environments on earth.
Two Million Believers. The Fastest-Growing Church in the World.
Iran now has an estimated two million believers — confirmed, practicing, baptized Christians. Through TEP’s ministry alone, 16,000 people have been brought to Christ. The Iranian Christian Church is widely recognized as the world’s fastest-growing church.
Praise God.
One Man. Nineteen People Groups.
Among those who shared at the briefing was Ali — his name changed for his security. Originally from Kurdistan with Islamic roots, Ali was expected by his father to become an Imam. But Ali wrestled with Christ’s message, finding that what he read in the Qur’an conflicted with what God was doing inside him.
He left Islam. He found a house church in Kurdistan, Iraq. He learned to speak about Jesus.
Then he started bringing people to house churches, teaching them to share Jesus, and sending them out to disciple others. Every month, they reconvene for ongoing training. Over eight years, this ministry has been growing and multiplying — reaching 19 people groups so far.
This is what Deploy looks like on the other side of the world.
Getting the Word In.
Getting Bibles into Iran is no small accomplishment. TEP has found a way: 3D-printed devices that conceal audio Bibles, allowing thousands — including those who cannot read — to hear the Word of God. Romans 10:17 says it plainly: “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
The Cost Is Real.
God’s work in Iran has come at a price. Workers have given up physical comfort, family, and in some cases, their lives.
Iranian Christian leaders, speaking in their own words, expressed gratitude for the international pressure being applied to a regime that has suppressed the Iranian people in the name of Islam for nearly 50 years. They are praying for regime change, long-term religious freedom, and the freedom to worship King Jesus without threat.
A Hotel Room. Palm Sunday. The Resurrection.
Amid all of this, something holy happened.
In a small hotel room in Iraq, 15 Iranians, 10 Syrians, a couple from Baghdad, and a few Americans gathered to celebrate Palm Sunday and the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. They were sad and weary — grieving for those who don’t know Jesus and for those who have lost their lives. And at the same time, rejoicing. Rejoicing for all those who have come to know Jesus as their King, Lord, and Savior, and for all that He is doing in Iran and Iraq.
This is a historical movement of the Gospel among the Iranian people. And we are alive to see it.
Thank You, Jesus.
Pray for the liberation of the Iranian people and for the mobilization of resources, both physical and otherwise. Pray for the workers. Pray for the underground church to keep advancing.
FBC Boerne partners with To Every People as part of our commitment to taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Learn more at ToEveryPeople.org.
— FBC Boerne Missions Story Team
