Keen evangelists know a bus/rail station or airport is a good place to work, for this is where people arrive from ‘closed’ countries and can be given a New Testament and some Christian literature. Though Iranians face fairly severe visa requirements, they still travel – a lot. Thirty nine international airlines operate out of Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport to Europe, South America, and Asia. Some of the countries Iranians are flying to, like the Gulf States or China, are as closed as Iran. But others, like India or Holland, are completely open. There is nothing to stop churches meeting Iranians off a flight with a welcome to their country, and the present of a New Testament in Persian. Some Iranians travel by bus to neighbouring countries – Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan. These countries need more sensitivity, but wise Christians can still be creative when those weary travellers get off their dusty bus.

Pray for

• Churches near airports to be active in evangelizing Iranian visitors
• Wisdom for Christians who can meet bus passengers
• Supply of New Testaments

Ouija boards, calling on the spirits, putting curses on necklaces, fortune telling – there is plenty of ‘jadugari’ (dark magic) going on in Iran among ordinary people. And as is true the world over there’s a heavy price to pay for dancing with the demons. Recently Elam’s ‘Healing For The Broken Hearted’ testimony based TV programme featured a lady whose talking with evil spirits led her to be possessed. Her resident demon refused to let her have any friendly relationships with anyone else – especially her husband. Life was miserable. This family was contacted by Christians and on coming to church they made a commitment. The wise pastor realised the lady needed deliverance and sent her away to experienced exorcists who prayed and fasted. She was wonderfully freed. After this programme was broadcast the telephone counsellor received many calls and emails from others afflicted by evil spirits. In one instance a team were able to visit, and pray for the victim – and again, in the all powerful name of Jesus Christ, demonic chains were cut.

Pray for

• More exorcists to be raised up
• Those oppressed to find Christians who can help
• More TV programmes that deal with people’s pain

During the celebrations for the 31^st anniversary, the government imposed an almost total internet blackout for a few days. Even Google was blocked. Telephone lines were also cut. This is a good reminder for Christians engaged in reaching Iran with the gospel not to pour all their resources into the digital revolution, or any ministry that ultimately depends on technology. It is people who count. And even when everything is working perfectly, nothing can substitute for the ‘living letters’ the Apostle Paul talks about – men and women on fire for Jesus Christ, whose characters shine out and speak to others because they see who they are and how they live. Jesus Christ discipled twelve men and changed the world. Whatever happens in cyber space, that same challenge will never go out of date. This type of training is hard work, as it involves a lot more than Bible teaching. Most important of all there needs to be that context where the Holy Spirit can be free to turn that stubborn I of the ego into the beautifully broken C of Christ. This can be painful, especially for the mentors who have to keep the pressure on, so the saints can come out more precious. While there is much fine work given to the internet and the TV, quietly and faithfully some have not taken their eye off the jewel in the crown of ministry: discipleship.

Pray for

• Agencies engaged in discipleship
• Willingness of churches to resource the training of the few
• For the ‘living letters’ today to have fire and compassion in their lives

Website browsing used to be done on computers, and phoning people was done on phones. Now mobiles are really small computers – and those who can afford this latest technology are browsing on their phones: full marks to the IT industry for refusing to rest when there is another frontier to tackle. Christians involved in Iran need to make sure this new merging of computers with mobiles is used to reach millions with the Gospel in Iran. It is true there are challenges from censors not that keen on the Christian message, but as this new generation of mobile phones takes off, so there will be many more ways to communicate with people.

Pray for

• Mission agencies to have ingenuity when using this technology
• Skill to by pass hostile censors
• Necessary investment

With 23 million browsers Iran is the mega country in the Middle East for the net. And Google, like everywhere else (apart from China) is the big name. Christians should be very thankful for this company, especially now they have developed a Persian to English, and English to Persian translation tool anyone can add to their account for free. The translation works both ways, Persian to English, or English to Persian, and it is free to install. The standard of translation depends a lot on the original material, so it is not always brilliant. As with most things on the web, it is bound to get a lot better. Such a tool could dramatically help outreach to Iran.

Pray for

• Agencies to use this tool creatively for the spread of the Gospel
• For more internet evangelists to be raised up
• For wisdom to avoid censoring from those opposed to the Christian message

Thousands of Iranians first experience Jesus Christ when reading the pocket size of the Millennium Version of the New Testament. They like the style: the Persian is modern, but still elegant. And they like its smart leather feeling front cover, and they especially appreciate its physical size, just 8.8 by 17.4 cm and weight, 15 grams. It’s perfect for slipping into a hand bag or an inside jacket pocket. Now Iran’s favourite pocket NT has got even better, as there is a new edition which includes the beautifully translated Psalms and the Proverbs. At the end of all the editions there is a section entitled, ‘Tasmeeme Shoma’, ‘Your Choice’ where the Gospel is clearly explained and an invitation given for the reader to accept Christ.

Pray for

• Hundreds of thousands of New Testaments to reach Iran this year
• Courage and wisdom of distributors
• For these Scriptures to find open hearts

The DVD Magdalena will shortly be available in Persian. It is a powerful feature film, telling the story of Jesus through the eyes of Mary Magdalene. Dramatically delivered herself from demons, Mary tells how Jesus touched the lives of other disgraced women – a used prostitute caught in adultery, a lonely villager rejected because of her promiscuity, a diseased woman made unclean by her bleeding. In recent years hundreds of Iranian women have been won to Christ, attracted to the respect and compassion he showed women. With this film they will be able now to invite hundreds of others to come and see for themselves how Jesus cared for women.

Pray for

• Successful completion of the production of the DVD in Persian
• Funds for on going production
• Millions to be distributed in the Persian speaking world

For at least two days this week there was a clampdown on telephone lines, mobile networks, and the internet. Government opponents used December 7^th, National Student Day, to demonstrate, and clearly officials did not want unseemly reports of baton wielding policemen going round the world. With such control it is important the church never allows the new technology to dominate its efforts to reach Iran. Still by far the most important contribution international believers can make is to ensure New Testaments are sent in. Satellite TV and websites are certainly having an impact, but the temporary programmes of the silver screen can never replace the gold like value of an actual New Testament in someone’s hands. And when all connections go down, as happened this week, God’s Word is still there, in a pocket, a hand bag, in the drawer of a bedside table.

Pray for

•  Millions more New Testaments to flood into Iran
• The courageous distributors
• Less control of satellite and internet connections

The printing of all Scriptures and Christian books in Iran is strictly illegal, so thousand of believers have come to rely on the internet for resources. Though some Christian sites have been blocked in recent years, Christians still have a presence in cyberspace. There is now a danger of increased interference. The protests about the summer presidential elections have had a large internet factor, both in terms of calling people out onto the streets and reporting events. In response the government has set up an internet force to police the net more thoroughly and to bring to justice not only those engaging in financial fraud, but also those spreading ‘lies and insults’. It is likely that the main ‘insults’ the new force will be investigating will be political, but there is a possibility that Christian sites could also get into trouble.

Pray for

• On going blessing of Christian internet sites
• Wisdom in the way they share resources
• Protection from interference

A pleasure loving medical student goes out to a party, leaving his sister watching the ‘Jesus’ film that a random stranger gave him. His sister weeps as she sees Jesus on the cross and later becomes a Christian. She prays for her brother and eventually he agrees to go to church with her where he asks God to take away his addiction to nicotine. God answers, he feels sick at the thought of cigarettes. He too became a Christian, and is now a full-time minister. Praise God for the ‘Jesus’ film based on the Gospel of Luke and seen by at least three billion, including thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Iranians. One agency produced 50,000 DVD’s of the film, and in less than a year supplies ran out. So…someone is probably watching the film right now.

Pray for

• Whoever is watching the film right now, that God speaks to their hearts
• For those who have come to faith in Iran through watching the film
• For hundreds of thousands more of the DVD to be produced and distributed