Source: www.MNNonline.org
Date: March 19, 2024
Iran (MNN) — It’s not as hard to change the world as you might think.
The nation of Iran is an unprecedented, exciting field for the gospel to advance. As young Iranians reject Islam, their awakening to who Jesus Christ is could change the entire Middle East.
Let’s take a closer look at the young generation in Iran, the unique challenges of reaching them, and how you can be part of making history.
CONTEXT: A YOUNG AND RESTLESS GEN-Z
Dr. Hormoz Shariat with Iran Alive says there are three subcultures within Iran. There is the Islamic Revolution generation (over 50), a middle generation (30 to 50), and the young generation (under 30).
Representative photo courtesy of Amir Hosseini via Unsplash.
Shariat calls these Milennials and Gen Z-ers “the generation of the fatherless and fearless.” They are the ones Iran Alive’s ministries especially focus on.
“Fatherless means they have nobody over them who cares for them. Anybody older than them, they don’t care about them,” Shariat says. “They have (been) raised in a society that doesn’t care for them. There’s a unity among them. Nobody cares for them, but they care for each other.”
He calls them fearless because “they’re free from the spirit of Islam. (The) spirit of Islam is fear, control by fear. So they’re not afraid of government, they’re not afraid of Allah. They have no fear.”
Shariat continues, “They have lost everything. They have no hope for the future, so they don’t have even fear of death, many of them. They said, ‘We are dead anyway.’”
This fearless hopelessness is what Shariat says made so many young people willing to come out on the streets in protests in 2023, even when many of them were being killed or arrested.
Although the protests were squelched and people went home, Shariat believes the people of Iran are active, especially the young generation. “Something is brewing and it will come out at the right time.”
“But now they’re wise. They say, ‘Why should they give my life for nothing? I’m ready to give my life for something.’”
CHALLENGE: BURNED BY RELIGION
The young people in Iran may be searching for something to live for, but they are also wary. To them, clergy and religion are the problem.
(Stock photo by mentatdgt from Pexels)
Shariat says a growing number of young people in Iran have concluded, “I don’t want God. I don’t want any religion. Religions all are bad. They all have been used by human being to oppress other people. Christianity is the same as Islam.”
“It’s our job to tell them, ‘No, it’s not. It’s different!’” Shariat says.
Once young people realize that the God of the Bible loves mankind and is forgiving and kind and so much more, the gospel resonates deeply within them, Shariat says. “The last six months has been an explosion of salvation of young people in our ministry.”
CALL: HOW THE GLOBAL CHURCH NEEDS TO RESPOND
Your prayers can make a difference in God’s movement in Iran.
But instead of praying first for young people in Iran, Shariat asks that you would pray for yourself.
“Pray that the Church (in the West) will see this historical opportunity, that we can change the direction of a nation for eternity and once Iran is saved, the whole Middle East and even the whole world will be impacted,” he says.
Then, pray for Iran Alive’s faithful ministry in evangelism, Bible distribution and much more. Pray that they will make the most of every possible opportunity at this critical time to transform the nation.
Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of Papaioannou Kostas/Unsplash.