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God we thank you for what is happening in Iran and their underground church.
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For the last few years, researchers have credited the underground Church in Iran as the fastest growing Christian Church in the world. It has unique characteristics that defy comparison with churches in America and Europe, and in the opinion of some who know it well, the Church in the West could learn by studying it. 

“The fastest growing Church in the world has taken root in one of the most unexpected and radicalized nations on earth,” according to “Sheep Among Wolves,” the outstanding two-hour documentary about the revival that has taken place inside Iran. “The Iranian awakening is a rapidly reproducing discipleship movement that owns no property or buildings, has no central leadership, and is predominantly led by women.”

The documentary was produced by Frontier Alliance International (FAI), which supports disciple-making teams targeting the “unreached” and “unengaged” within the 10/40 Window.

There is a mass exodus leaving Islam for Christianity within Iran, according to FAI. “What if I told you Islam is dead?” one unidentified Iranian church leader says on the film. “What if I told you the mosques are empty inside Iran? What if I told you no one follows Islam inside of Iran? Would you believe me? This is exactly what is happening inside of Iran. God is moving powerfully inside of Iran.”

Many of the ruling class still follow Islam, “because that’s where the high paying jobs are,” according to the film, but the majority of the ordinary people love God and recognize that Islam is the problem. “What if I told you the best evangelist for Jesus was the Ayatollah Khomeini?” an Iranian church leader asks. He maintains the ayatollahs brought the true face of Islam to light and people discovered it was a lie, a deception. “After 40 years under Islamic law—a utopia according to them—they’ve had the worst devastation in the 5,000 year history of Iran.”

Efforts by the ayatollahs to destroy Christianity have backfired, but have served to refine and purify the Church. “What persecution did was destroy the Church that were not disciples, and destroy the Church that were about converts,” the Iranian church leader noted. “All these church planters found out that converts run away from persecution, but disciples would die for the Lord in persecution.

“So our model inside Iran is that we don’t convert to disciple, we disciple so we can convert.”

Often a disciple making movement (DMM) begins the first moment someone comes into contact with an unbeliever. “Everything is foundational on prayer. We find people of peace through prayer. We even find locations through prayer,” the Iranian church leader noted. “When we do DMM, Jesus has gone faster than us. He has come in their dreams or He’s come miraculously in their lives. When we hear this, we know that Jesus has gone ahead of us.”

Surprisingly, their emphasis is not planting churches; it is making disciples. “He is letting unbelievers lead other unbelievers to Himself and the Kingdom of God. If you plant churches you might make disciples. But if you make disciples, you will plant churches,” the Iranian church leader said.

“One thing powerful with DMM is that it is obedience-based discipleship. It is based on the authority of Scripture and every time you read the Scripture you must obey it. This is how people become conformed to the image of Christ and sanctified. They are not just reading the Bible for information. They are reading the Bible to get transformed.”

About 55% of the disciple makers are women, according to one Iranian leader. “What’s fascinating right now is that the most powerful leaders in Iran are women, but it’s not in a bombastic, humanistic way…in fact, they are the most gentle women. They are leading this movement, going out in the highways and byways sharing with prostitutes, drug addicts, with everybody they come into contact with, and that takes courage. They are courageous women.”

The women leaders in Iran have not embraced a feminist theology, according to one of the U.S.-based leaders with FIA. “In a biblical way they are submissive to proper structure and the order of the church, but when it comes to what Satan is doing, they are fierce. These are not like modern angry liberal women that are just upset. No, there is a gentleness and submissiveness that is beautiful and follows the biblical pattern.”

(Used with permission. Article by Mark Ellis. God Reports.

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Wilbur H. Entz
December 3, 2019

I would like to contribute to this cause

Kimberly Lowe
September 30, 2019

I thank you mighty Yah for your spirit being poured out on all flesh and the underground church moving to above ground in a mighty explosion of your grace and power and spreading abroad!

Chary Horton
September 29, 2019

thank you for your great good news!

Martha
September 29, 2019

Thank you, Lord, for all that you are doing in Iran.

Delories Bell
September 29, 2019

To God be the glory in what He’s doing there. May it spread around the world.Father God set us on fire for you in Jesus name Amen!

Lela
September 28, 2019

Heavenly Father, thank You for answering prayers. You are the light in this dark world. We are so blessed that we can speak Your name and express our beliefs still in this country. I pray that those converted in Iran will be safe and their faith in Jesus will grow stronger every day. This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. Amen!

Amanda Davis
September 28, 2019

Father,
Thank you for the opportunity to praise you for this move of God in Iran. Let this spread throughout the entire world. You are a BIG God. AMEN SO BE IT.

Gail Dings
September 28, 2019

Praise You Jesus that You have gone before, just as you have promised! Thank You Lord for. The fire that is burning in Iran for Your glory! May it spread abroad!

Jim
September 28, 2019

Yes, & do pray the men wake up and begin running the church [the apostles were men]: however the church of the pope is apostate, everyone is to have a song, a hymn, a word, a teaching ETC… With an apostle who does mighty miracles to lead, Jesus did away with priest and master pastors: 1 Corinthians
12:28 King James Version (KJV)
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings,
2 Corinthians 12:12 English Standard Version (ESV)
12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.

Shay Matoney
September 28, 2019

Praise our God for what He is doing in Iran! May God set the women & men on fire in the USA to disciple then convert.

Elisabeth
September 28, 2019

What wonderful news! That God is working so amazingly and powerfully in that country! May we in America embrace the same willingness to die to self at any cost.

Catherine
September 28, 2019

This is so amazing thank you Jesus. What we could learn from them here in America

    Karen
    September 28, 2019

    Glory to God!❤️🙌🏻❤️🙌🏻❤️🙌🏻

    Dorothy Renter
    September 28, 2019

    Yes, we need a gentle and proper biblical submissive spirit here in America!

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