Will internet restrictions be lifted in Iran? In the meantime, gospel media goes forward: Mission Network News

By Katie O’Malley

Iran (MNN) — During Iran’s presidential debates, now-inaugurated President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized internet filtering. He has been in office nine weeks now, and the question remains, is reform on internet restrictions possible in Iran? We’ll have to wait and see. 

In the meantime, ministries like Transform Iran make bold use of satellite TV, YouTube, websites and more to spread the truth about Jesus. 

Media is key to the growth of Christianity in Iran

“We have two 24/7 radio stations, one purely worship music, and one a whole mix of discussion, Bible study, Bible reading. Any way that we can use the digital world to help us communicate with the people of Iran, we will use it,” says Lana Silk with Transform Iran.

Silk shares the reasons that media is so effective in reaching Iranians. 

“One of them is the accessibility that it gives us. You can see that picture of the nomadic herdsman sitting in the foothills with his radio station dialing in, you know, right through to people in the inner cities on their social media networks, trying to access different information to what they’ve been fed.”

“Also, media allows us more easily to speak to different language groups, ethnic minorities in Iran who wouldn’t as easily connect to a Farsi presentation of the gospel. We can have audio dramatizations of the Word of God in their languages, and suddenly we capture their hearts with that.” 

Another reason for media’s effectiveness comes from the Iranian regime itself, which bans access to Christian media. 

“They’re breeding an increased hunger in the people of Iran who want to know what this thing is that the government is so determined they don’t access. Again, media helps us get that to them quickly,” Silk says. 

Iranian lives changed in God’s perfect timing

Stories come in regularly of how God led people to turn on Transform Iran’s TV or radio programs at a critical moment in their lives. Pray for more people to be reached! 

We can be literally praying them through that process, that God would draw them to the media at the right time, that God would speak to them clearly in those moments when they’re reaching out, that there would be a heart connection,

Silk says, “Then once they hear the gospel, we can be praying for them to connect with believers for their discipleship process, for fruit to come out of their lives.”

Consider sponsoring a broadcast segment at Transform Iran. Just $800 (€735) will cover all associated costs to produce 30 minutes of high-quality evangelistic or discipleship material for satellite broadcast. 

Learn more about Transform Iran’s media ministries and give here. 

Images: Header and media segment costing photos courtesy of Transform Iran. People on bench stock photo courtesy of Ali Haghighi via Unsplash.

Originally published on: Mission Network News