Missions Catalyst

Source: Mission Network News, October 5, 2022

Widespread protests continue across Iran as people demand more rights.

But behind the scenes, something even more remarkable is happening. Nahid Sepehri, Director of the Iranian Bible Society, says, “Christianity in Iran is growing every day. Every day, people are coming to Christ. And when they come to Christ, they need a Bible. It’s the main thing, the first thing they need.”

The Iranian Bible Society hopes to provide 1 million Bibles to Iranian Christians between 2023 and 2026. They got an early start, already printing 300,000 this year.

Pray also that the Bibles can get into the country. Sepehri says, “God, please shut down the eyes of people on the border, so they don’t see. Let them sleep one extra hour while the Bibles come through. Because in Iran, sometimes they even open the post to see what is in there.”

Read the full story.

Frustration and hopelessness seem to be rising in Iran. Another ministry reports through Mission Network News that Iran is seeing at least 15 suicides per day, many involving young adults (Heart4Iran).

See Justin Long’s recent Weekly Roundup for more of what is happening in Iran.

Source: Beyond, September 28, 2022

Racism and prejudice are unacceptable to God, and casteism is racism to the extreme. Caste teaches that some people are simply better and more valuable than others. [This] is a huge issue that must be dealt with.

North Indian movement leaders knew that new churches needed to learn from the Bible, not from them because only the Lord can touch a heart. So, they gave Raj, a movement trainer, a list of verses that addressed casteism [and] the equality of all people in God’s Kingdom, as well as who can take the Lord’s Supper.

Raj brought the scriptures to the new church leaders. They studied God’s Word and discussed what he said regarding casteism and the Lord’s Supper. Raj did not preach or teach. He prayed. He asked questions. Finally, the leaders concluded, “If I am in Jesus, I am no longer Brahmin (or whatever caste I was born into). I can either be a Brahmin or in Jesus, but I cannot be both. If that’s the option, I want to be in Jesus!”

The full article reports that these leaders not only humbly apologized for their behavior but also gathered multiple churches with mixed-caste people and took communion together.

See also another Beyond story about the believers humbling themselves so the gospel might advance in North India.

See also an informative 2021 report from the Pew Research Center on attitudes about caste in India. (tl;dr: It’s complicated!)

Source: Open Doors, September 29, 2022

Andrew Van der Bijl, the founder of Open Doors, and known around the world as Brother Andrew, died on Tuesday, September 28 at the age of 94. He left this world much as he’d lived his life, with little fuss or fanfare. He died peacefully at his home in the Netherlands, according to a family spokesperson.

Although gone, his faithful life and legacy have impacted millions and will continue to impact millions to come, through Open Doors, the oldest worldwide ministry for persecuted Christians. He was “everyone’s brother,” a true servant of Jesus who washed the feet of persecuted believers for more than half a century.

Brother Andrew lived a life on fire for God along with a love for the persecuted church. With complete dependence on Jesus, he risked his life crossing the borders of these countries, illegally transporting thousands of Bibles to believers who had never seen the Word of God. He made hundreds of these dangerous trips, facing military checkpoints and car searches—earning the nickname “God’s Smuggler” for his daring Bible deliveries. Not once was he caught.

Read the full story.

A tribute website includes more about his life, including a five-minute video.

See also an obituary published by Christianity Today.

Source: Back to Jerusalem, October 4, 2022

China’s police state has reached a new level of persecution with 1.43 million arrests in only three months, many of them political dissidents, protestors, and unregistered Christians. China’s Ministry of Public Security announced that they had arrested more than 1.4 million criminals during “Operation Hundred Days,” with much of the world questioning the lack of legal basis for the crackdown.

The increase in persecution against citizens under the guise of ‘fighting crime’ was launched just before the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, where President Xi Jiping is expected to be the first Chinese leader since Mao Zedong to secure a third term and likely hold his post for the rest of his life.

China claims their 100-Day operation was the “hard fists” needed to protect the people. Christians are often called an enemy of the people because they disrupt “social harmony.” The Communist Party strongly believes the people need protection from the evils of Christianity and that those who preach the gospel message of Jesus are anti-revolutionary.

Read the full story.

Source: East-West Ministries, October 3, 2022

Mawlid is an annual Islamic holiday that celebrates the life [and birthday] of the prophet Muhammad. The holiday is also known as Mawlid al-Nabi, Milad, or Eid Milad un-Nabi. Muslims commemorate Muhammad’s life during the Islamic calendar’s twelfth day of the third month.

In the early days of Islam, followers of Muhammad met to honor their leader, and over time Mawlid became an annual event. The holiday reflects on the life and teachings of Muhammad.

As Christians have conversations with their Muslim friends, being informed about Mawlid and Muhammad can help direct their friends toward the gospel truth.

During Mawlid, Muslims decorate their homes, mosques, and streets to celebrate the life of Muhammad. Mosques have lectures about Muhammad’s teachings, and special meals are planned. In the Middle East, free pastries and eastern sweets are offered in the streets. Conferences and programs are organized where people can learn, debate, and celebrate the life of Muhammad. While not all Muslim communities celebrate Mawlid, many countries in the Middle East and North Africa recognize Mawlid as a public holiday.

The full story includes suggestions for how to pray for and share the gospel with others in connection to this festival, which will be observed this weekend (October 7-8). Note that within Islam, celebrating Muhammad’s birthday is sometimes controversial, so bring it up with caution.

See also a short article about how preparations for the holiday are ramping up in Egypt (Arab News) and another from the UK (Leicestershire Mercury).