Iranian president
By Gary Lane
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Amid talk of a broader war in the Middle East, there is also news that a Jesus Revolution may be underway.
An unprecedented number of Muslims are choosing to follow Christ, especially in Iran as people search for a better life.
Iranians are growing tired of the ayatollahs and a nation led by the empty promises of their Islamic theocracy. An anonymous internal poll found that 80% now prefer a democratic government, and many are leaving Islam.
“You have a country with one of the highest drug addiction rates in the world. You have a country where corruption runs rampant. You have a country where more than half the people live below the poverty line,” explained Todd Nettleton of The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM).
“And the people of Iran are looking at this and they are saying, ‘Wait a minute. If this is what Islam has brought us in the last 45 years, we’re not interested. We want to know what the other options are.'”
According to Nettleton, Vice President of Messaging at VOM, the faith option many are choosing is Jesus with at least a million Muslims reportedly leaving Islam for Christianity.
So, how is the regime reacting to this with a reported 50,000 of the country’s 75,000 mosques now closed?
“This is not something that is making the regime happy. And, really, in many ways, they are seeking to solidify their power and to crush any kind of dissent,” Nettleton said. “We have heard multiple stories this year of Bible study, a home church being raided. Everyone there is photographed, everyone there is questioned. But then the leader of the meeting is held on to. They are arrested. They are detained, they’re put in prison.”
Moreover, Nettleton contends family members and friends are more tolerant than the government about leaving Islam.
“They kind of have the attitude of, ‘Hey, if you found something that works for you, if it’s Jesus or if it’s atheism or if it’s whatever, if it works for you… I know Islam doesn’t work, so I’m happy you found something that works,'” he explained.
“I think what’s happening there is actually representative of what’s happening in the Islamic world,” said Don Shenk, executive director of The Tide Ministry.
He explains how Muslims are experiencing dreams and visions, leading many to find purpose and a different understanding of God.
“We get responses from listeners who say, you know, now I understand that God loves me. I always thought that God wanted to punish me,” Shenk explained. “And I think there’s an awakening that is taking place across the Muslim world, not just in Iran.”
Shenk says Tide Ministry radio broadcasts are even receiving positive responses in Afghanistan where the Taliban pose great danger for those seeking information from secret Christians within the country.
“There’s a lot of suspicion, okay. If I’m going to meet with these people and share that I’m now a believer, ‘Are they really true believers or are they, just trying to identify me?'” he said.
“It’s more than simply being ostracized or disowned by your family. It is actually the threat of death. So, accepting new life in Christ means accepting the possibility of your life ending in this world.”
Christianity is also spreading in Yemen, where the Joshua Project reports Christian growth is almost double the global average.
Next door, Nettleton sees the Saudi Arabian monarchy becoming a bit more tolerant of Christians and their churches.
“Not necessarily welcoming with open arms, obviously. But just the understanding that it could happen, that there could be Christians here,” he explained. “And maybe that’s not the worst thing in the world. That’s such a change from what we would have seen 10 or 15 or 20 years ago.”
It’s a move of God’s Spirit bringing change that may eventually transform not only Iran but the entire Middle East.
*_Gary Lane currently serves as International News Director and Senior International Correspondent for CBN News.
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