Meet the World’s Fastest-Growing Evangelical Movement
By Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, The Gospel Coalition:
[…] While official reports still claim that 99.4 percent of Iranians practice Islam, a 2020 survey found that just 40 percent actually identify as Muslim. An even larger number—about 47 percent—said they were “nones,” atheists, spiritual, agnostic, or humanist. Another 8 percent claim Zoroastrianism, an ancient Persian religion.
And a small sliver—1.5 percent—said they were Christians.
“About 20 years ago, the number of Christian converts from a Muslim background was between 5,000 and 10,000 people,” Crabtree said. “Today that’s between 800,000 to 1 million people. That’s massive growth.” According to Operation World, Iran has the fastest-growing evangelical movement in the world.
According to Operation World, Iran has the fastest-growing evangelical movement in the world.
None of this is good for a regime that depends on a belief in Islam to stay in power. Crackdowns have been increasingly harsh, especially over the past five years. But evangelism hasn’t slowed. Despite the pandemic, ministries have reported growth in engagement and interest in the gospel via social media outreach or personal evangelism among Christians inside Iran. One of those places is Nima Alizadeh’s online Bible study. Over the past few years, attendance has grown from 40 people to more than 600.…
..Whenever two or three people came to the Lord, Alizadeh’s church would connect them with each other and help them begin to evangelize. Over the past 20 years, this church has planted about 25 other small groups in 12 cities. About 500 people have committed their lives to Jesus.
Over the past 20 years, this church has planted about 25 other small groups in 12 cities. About 500 people have committed their lives to Jesus.
That type of gospel growth was happening all over the country. A Christian television channel began broadcasting in Farsi into the country; later, information flooded in with the internet (and three more Christian television channels). Organizations were smuggling in Bibles. The rise of international travel helped too, with some missionaries in Turkey reaching out to Iranians on vacation.
See also: Christians detained for their faith in Iran paid nearly £1m in bail in 2020, from Christian Today
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