May 1, 2021
Pastor Nasser preached God’s Word to his largely Iranian congregation in Toronto every Sunday without realizing he was reaching an international audience of one.
Mahla, who immigrated from Iran, was using her cell phone to “broadcast” Nasser’s sermons live to Tehran each Sunday, where her husband, Kavan, still lives.
Most Sundays, Mahla would ask the pastor numerous questions about his sermons, hoping Kavan would overhear the discussion and embrace the Gospel message himself.
One Sunday, Mahla gave a joyous report.
“My husband got saved!”
Soon, Kavan was inviting friends and neighbors to his Tehran home for the Sunday broadcasts from Toronto. One day, 53 people squeezed into his small home to hear the sermon.
Today, thousands of Iranians log onto Instagram to watch what has become known as the “Long-Distance Church” of Toronto and Tehran.
Iranians have migrated to Canada in increasing numbers since the Iranian Islamic Revolution of 1979. Many arrive in the West seeking freedom after questioning the harsh religious restrictions enforced by the Iranian Islamic regime.
Today, approximately 250,000 Iranians live in the Greater Toronto Area, where they struggle to learn English, find work, and complete lengthy legal entry requirements while living far from family back home.
Iranian women are finding new freedoms and identities through Christ in Toronto, where they form the majority of Iranian Christ-followers. Young Muslim men are also experiencing a growing openness to the Gospel.
Thousands of Iranian Muslims in Toronto have come to know Jesus as their only Savior and Lord! Many gather in the city’s dozen or so largely Iranian churches, while others gather in homes or have assimilated into traditional Canadian churches.
Pray that Jeremiah’s prophecies (Jer. 49:34-39) about the ancient Kingdom of Elam (Iran) continue to be fulfilled today.
- Pray for Iranians who are disillusioned with Islam to see Jesus as their only Savior and Lord.
- While some Muslims have a sincere faith in Jesus, others “convert,” hoping it will help them receive refugee status. Ask God’s Spirit to help churches discern the hearts of those who profess faith.
- Pray for unity and faith among Iranian Christians as they battle their own anxieties and the tensions within their communities.
NOTE
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