Churches in Iran Expanding Rapidly, says VOM Spokesman

Iran has become increasingly open to evangelical Christians and for the time being, Evangelicals have unique opportunities in the Middle East nation.

By Kenneth Chan, Tuesday, March 29, 2005

While the Bush administration pushes the Iranian government to scrap its nuclear weapons programs and Iran’s regime faces major restructuring, the Church in Iran is expanding rapidly according to a persecution watchdog group spokesman.

In a recent interview, Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs said Iran has become increasingly open to evangelical Christians and that for the time being, Evangelicals have unique opportunities in the Middle East nation.

There are “very exciting things happening” among the Christians in Iran, Nettleton told AgapePress during the interview.

“The Lord is doing great, great things in the Church there, and it’s exciting to see what’s going to happen,” the VOM spokesman added. “There has been talk: Is there going to be a revolution? Are they going to push the Mullahs out of power? How’s that all going to work? And what’s that going to mean for the Church?”

Although Nettleton said he wished he had answers to all those question, he admitted that he does not know what the future holds for the Iranian believers. “I do know, however, that there is a rapidly growing, very excited, very evangelical church that is being rooted in Iran,” he told AgapePress. “And whatever happens, that Church is going to have an impact on the people around them and on the society as a whole.”

However, life is still very dangerous and difficult for Christians in Iran, Nettleton pointed out. According to the spokesman, there are factions of the Iranian government that continue to support severe persectuion of believers. Open witnessing is banned and the government reportedly uses spies to closely monitor Christian groups. Believers are also discriminated against education, employment, and property ownership, and several pastors have been murdered in recent years, AgapePress noted in its report.

Nevertheless, a growing number of Muslims have come to a saving faith in Christ even while Christian missions are not allowed to enter.

VOM is urging believers in the West to pray for the Church in Iran, asking God to protect the evangelical Christians there while inspiring them with creative ways to share the gospel inside their country.