Massive conversions to Christ in Iran

The following comes from Intercessors Network:

‘MASSIVE’ CONVERSIONS TO CHRIST REPORTED IN IRAN DESPITE REPRESSION

Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) President Tom White says that despite all the terrorist activity and Muslim persecution of Christians, an estimated 500 to 600 Iranians are converting to Christianity each month. Seven Iranian Christians who share their stories are featured in White’s new book, Iran: Desperate for God.

A country ranked in the top-10 persecutors around the world is failing to stop “massive” numbers of conversions to Christ despite reports that Christians “continue to be subject to harassment, arrests, close surveillance and imprisonment.”

Iran is one of the youngest nations in the world with about 70 percent of the population under 30 years old.

“We’ve met with Iranians in several countries across Europe, we’ve met with Iranians in Iran, and when they encounter the love of Christ or forgiveness, which is alien to their beliefs —especially the radical Islamic approach in Iran —they are amazed and curious about Christ,” White says.

Praise God! Thanks for sharing this.

It is good to see that God is still working! (not that I doubted it)

:-D

Praise God! Thanks for posting this Diane.

...despite all the terrorist activity and Muslim persecution of Christians, an estimated 500 to 600 Iranians are converting to Christianity each month.

Wow, I guess they must really have some good coffee and praise bands in Iranian churches. Isn't that what attacts people to the faith?

Forgive me but my remarks have a point...I fear that our American marketing'instincts' to create seeker-sensitive churches are actually contributing to shrinking church growth. I mean, if people are being told they are basically okay, except they need to say a little prayer...then how important can the Gospel be? The more church leaders in this country try to cater to spoiled American religous consumers, the more they lose their message for the millions of people needing to find something real, and more importantly someone real, who is worth living and dying for.

What strange power is drawing these dear Iranian brethren to Christ that our coffee, entertainment, and air conditioning can't?

A country ranked in the top-10 persecutors...reports that Christians “continue to be subject to harassment, arrests, close surveillance and imprisonment.”

Lord, be with them...and help us to be like them.

MC

This is wonderful news.

What strange power is drawing these dear Iranian brethren to Christ that our coffee, entertainment, and air conditioning can't?

This:

and when they encounter the love of Christ or forgiveness, which is alien to their beliefs —especially the radical Islamic approach in Iran —they are amazed and curious about Christ

They've been fed a false hope-so salvation all their lives. All condemnation and no love. They know God's requirements, (i believe the Koran teaches some laws similar to God's) yet knowing they are unable to fulfill them, they are hopeless. Christ gives that hope.

All condemnation and no love.

We have all heard countless reports (both in the media or in the church) about the frightening activities of the jihad. But how often have we heard reports about the victories in the kingdom of God? It could very well be that the statistics of the Iranian conversions will rise exponentially in the coming days; but we will likely not hear about them on the News. We will only keep on hearing about the terrorists in Iran.

Why not be reporters for God - and pass this good news on to our Christian brothers and sisters – so that they too may be encouraged.

“I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you,
because your faith is being reported all over the world” Rom. 1:8

“Everyone has heard about your obedience,
so I am full of joy over you.” Rom. 16:19

We sure can’t count on the media to do the reporting. But that’s okay. We have the internet at our disposal!

Here are some links with the article:

[url=http://www.hcjb.org/news/global_religious_news/massive_conversions_to_christ_reported_in_iran_despite_repression_2.html]HCJB World Radio[/url]

[url=http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/7/252006f.asp]News from Agape Press[/url]

Diane

Hi everyone.

Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) President Tom White says that despite all the terrorist activity and Muslim persecution of Christians, an estimated 500 to 600 Iranians are converting to Christianity each month. Seven Iranian Christians who share their stories are featured in White’s new book, Iran: Desperate for God.

I'm reading this book now. The second testimony is from a woman who attended an Islamic institution called Zeinabiyeh, or [i]the House of Zeinab[/i] for 7 years. She relates how she would awake every morning at 1am for prayers, which would continue until 5am. After this she went to school all day and then more prayers.

Besides this I was surprised to learn that they also had times set aside where they would grieve for the dead imams and that they prayed to the imams, which I understood to be the Islamic teachers. The descriptions of these times of grieving were [i]intense[/i], where men beat themselves with chains and the women gathered in circles and engaged in other violent behaviors.

This woman, praise God, was stopped from committing suicide while coming into contact with a Christian ministry on television. She and her family all came to Christ!

[b][color=000000] Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.[/color][/b]

Let me tell what happened just recently here in my country. The eastern part of Ethiopia especially bordering Somalia is exclusively Muslim region. After 9/11 more jihadistes begun to appear there. Our dear brother (his name is Estifanos-meaning Stephen surprising!) who was a son of a rich merchant of the same region converted to Christ after a vagabond life style lived recklessly. The father sent him out of his house and Estifanos begun to dwell among street children sharing his Jesus and converting many. He planned to go to the further part of the region for gospel’s sake and while traveling in a bus the jihadistes stopped the bus and ordered every one to kneel down and proclaim ‘There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet” everyone including two of Estifanos’ friends bowed down and proclaimed it. But Estifanos stood his ground and said ‘THERE IS NO GOD BUT GOD THE FATHER AND JESUS CHRIST IS HIS SON!” then they compelled him to bow for Allah but he said no and started to preach the gospel for every one in a loud voice and knowing that his time has come then the Jihadistes hit him with their sword and some shot at him and his last word was “Lord the time I long for for so long time has come!!!!” then he gave up the ghost. After that the other Muslims in the region condemned the acts of the Jihadists and everybody become eager to hear about the Jesus of Estafanos- Then the street boys who were converted by Estifanos continued the work of the gospel! In Ethiopia always persecution brings this kind of thing. During the communist regime one sister was tied with a dead donkey and thrown to hyenas to be eaten alive- but the hyenas ate only the dead donkey and left her alone-just like in the book of Daniel and this astounded the communist leaders and many were challenged about the faith. Stories like this were common like sand during the communist regime and Christianity spread just like a wild fire. But now when the freedom came and we adopt the western like easy Christianity we become the scorn of the by passers. And I’m truly praying for that pure time to come back again!!!!

Sorry for the long letter

Your sis. Mek.

A great post, sis Mek. Wow. Thank you for taking the time to post it.

Northern Africa is a dangerous place to own Christ publically. Ethiopia, Nigeria, Sudan - I've read many stories of martydom and the horrors that the machete-wielding Mohammedians inflict upon God's children. I worked with a Nigerian who told me first hand of the things they do. Like Paul exhorted us, we need to offer prayers on their behalf; it's only by the grace of God that I wasn't born in a Calcutta slum or in a Sudanese Muslim area. I was born in comfortable Miami, Florida, USA and never had to know any of the horrors these dear Christians endure daily. I always want to hide my face when people start speaking of persecution and affliction. Who am I to do or say anything? The only thing I can add to the conversation is my weak prayer on their behalf.

Brother Paul

The saying is that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of revival.

Opposition is at best unpleasant and at its worst deadly - it can kill. We do well to take lessons from these saints...lessons of persistence, faith, not bowing in to pressure for comforts' sake.

Thanks for posting this info. It is really edifying.

ginnyrose

Wow, Mekdi, what touching testimonies. I'm speechless.

After reading the many posts here today, got me thinking this, which kind of martyrdom is more difficult? To be martyr the one-time physical self, or to 'martyr' the old self daily in its depravity? Living in this part of the world, with all of its freedom and affluence, does have it's drawbacks.

Romans 7:24
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?