Nima Alizadeh was born in Tehran two years after Iran’s 1979 revolution, which deposed the country’s monarchy in favor of an Islamic theocracy. Under Islamic law, conversions to Christianity were illegal and church services held in Farsi were banned.
Nima’s family was nominally Muslim. When his uncle converted to Christianity, Nima was confused. “Isn’t Christianity a Western religion?” he asked. “Why did you change?”
When his uncle explained Jesus, Nima was instantly converted. “I was so thirsty to hear the truth,” he said. He connected to a house church in Tehran that had only five members. But during the next year, it grew to 45. Over the next 20 years, this church has planted about 25 other small groups in 12 cities. About 500 people have committed their lives to Jesus.
When the government learned about Nima’s involvement, he was forced to flee. His conversion is apostasy, a serious offense that could carry the death penalty. He made his way to California, where he now teaches online Bible studies to Iranian Christians and seekers. Over the past few years, attendance has grown from 40 people to more than 600. He also leads TGC Farsi, with translated and original content for the Farsi-speaking world.
Ways to pray:
- Praise the Lord for his care for Nima and other Iranian Christians
- For Nima’s online ministry, and others like it, to reach searching Iranians
- For TGC Farsi to provide timely and trusted resources to Iran
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” Revelation 7:9–10
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