The Birth of the Gilaki Church: A First Fruit for Iran’s Ethnic Churches

Today, we celebrate a historic milestone — the first in-person church seminar for the emerging Gilaki church community. This marks a powerful first fruit of Transform Iran’s mission to establish vibrant churches in every ethnic region and language of Iran, as we work to fulfill our vision to reach every Iranian with the love and power of Christ.

The Need for Ethnic-Language Churches in Iran

The Church in Iran is growing faster than anywhere else in the world — but this growth is largely limited to people groups who have access to the Bible in their own heart languages. In regions without Scripture in their native tongues, Christian populations are often as low as 0.1%. Yet more than half of all Iranians speak a language other than Persian at home.

That is why Transform Iran is committed to bringing God’s Word to every people group — making the message of Jesus accessible, culturally meaningful, and able to reach each heart. Moreover, Transform Iran has a bold vision to train leaders and plant ethnic-language churches across Iran — discipling, equipping, and strengthening believers to grow in faith and reach others in their communities.

Read about our Church Planting work

Read about our Bible Translation work

Building the Gilaki Church Community

This landmark seminar fully in the Gilaki language was recently held in a safe Middle Eastern location, a strategically significant moment following the recent completion and print of the Gilaki New Testament and the birth of the Gilaki Church. (The Gilaki Old Testament is now 50% complete, and Transform Iran is actively fundraising to finish it. Each $35 per verse helps to bring the full Word of God to the Gilaki people.)

It was a pioneering gathering and the first fruit of the developing Gilaki church community. Nine converts were baptized, new believers were discipled, and emerging leaders were equipped and trained to serve their growing communities. Some had brought extended family members and two confessed new faith in Christ at the event!

The atmosphere was filled with joy and anticipation. Sessions covered topics such as church planting, house church formation, worship and intercession, personal discipleship, and spiritual accountability. Participants also spent time in prayer, fellowship, and one-on-one ministry, with several seeking personal freedom and healing.

To support their growth, leaders explored Transform Iran’s online tools, including our Porpasokh apologetics center and Cheshme app, which offer resources like teaching materials, books, worship content, and dramatized audio Scriptures. These resources help believers study God’s Word and connect with others in their faith journey.

Stories of Transformation

Testimonies from the seminar revealed the depth of God’s work in this community. One of the most powerful moments came when several participants were baptized, joyfully declaring their new life in Christ.

My perspective changed session by session. I became certain that the blessings of Jesus Christ are for me. I received a new birth, and I promise to live my life in obedience to Him.

This was one of the best and deepest experiences of my life. We were greatly strengthened. The teaching was so valuable. The hospitality and love shown by the servants was a living example of Christ’s love. For me, this seminar was not only an equipping program but a real experience of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The brothers and sisters embraced me with open arms, prayed for me, and lifted a heavy burden from my shoulders. I realized that God has always been with me. I decided to be baptized and give my life to Christ. Now I believe with all my heart that God will never leave us.

When I began to walk with Christ, I faced many attacks from the enemy. I felt depressed and heavy. I prayed in the name of Jesus Christ, and He filled my heart with warmth. Yet I could not open my mouth to speak or share. But now I have been set free! The Lord removed my bondage and filled me with His peace.

For me, the highlight was when I was able to share my testimony publicly. The atmosphere was full of love and acceptance, and it gave me courage. I now know that God even uses our small steps of obedience to accomplish His perfect work.

One participant shared that he had battled addiction but stopped just days before arriving at the seminar. By the end of the week, he had confessed his faith and found lasting peace. Another young man, struggling with anxiety, opened his heart during fellowship and discovered new hope in Jesus. Even a child who attended testified with simple conviction: “One day I want to build a children’s church.”

This was not just a series of teaching sessions — it was a living experience of God’s presence, transformed lives, and the beginning of new chapters in the faith of many.

Laying the Foundations for Revival

This seminar launched our on-the-ground ministry among Gilaki speakers. The Transform Iran team continues to disciple, train, and mentor these new believers weekly – joining them in prayer, answering their questions, and equipping them to use available discipleship tools for personal growth and outreach.

The ultimate goal is to see these brothers and sisters grow into strong ambassadors of the Gilaki church in Gilan and beyond. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they are being prepared to equip others, multiply leaders, and extend God’s Kingdom among their people.

A vibrant prayer ministry is now also active in Gilaki, and word of the Gilaki Community Church is spreading. Plans for 2026 are already underway, filled with expectation for a rich spiritual harvest.

Join Us in Supporting Iran’s Ethnic Church Movement

Transform Iran is committed to seeing churches thrive in every ethnic language across Iran, equipping leaders, discipling new believers, and providing resources to help communities grow in faith.

You can be part of this vision:

• Pray for the Gilaki and other ethnic church communities to grow strong in Christ.
• Support initiatives like Kairos, our AI-powered biblical discipleship tool, which could one day provide trusted 24/7 interactive guidance in Gilaki and other languages, helping believers learn, grow, and lead.
• Partner to help provide training, Scripture, and ministry resources for emerging leaders.

Together, we can help these churches grow, multiply, and bring the love and power of Christ to every Iranian.