“Here, we are able to openly declare our faith in Christ”: Iranian couple finds warm welcome in UK church
Sara and Sirius*, an Iranian couple, discovered faith in Christ through SAT-7 while living in Iran – a decision that came at a cost. Forced to flee their homeland in search of safety and freedom, they found refuge in the UK, where they experienced something they never thought possible: a warm welcome into a church family. We recently had the privilege of hearing their remarkable story.
FINDING FAITH
Across Iran, huge numbers of people are coming to faith in Christ – in large part due to satellite channels like SAT-7, who can bypass censors to bring the good news directly into people’s homes. Among them was Sara, who found out about SAT-7 from her sister. “We had a good standard of life in Iran, but we felt lost and empty,” Sara shares. “My sister encouraged me to read the Bible and watch SAT-7. My husband and I prayed for salvation with SAT-7 PARS… since then, we have eagerly worshipped Jesus Christ.”
Thanks to your support, SAT-7’s Persian channel is providing invaluable Christian teaching and encouragement to viewers in Iran – through every stage of their faith journey. After becoming Christians, Sara and her husband Sirius began to watch SAT-7 PARS frequently, even praying live on air. “[Following SAT-7] helped us become more enthusiastic in our faith, and this impacted our personalities and behaviour,” she told us.
COMPELLED TO LEAVE
But like many new believers in Iran, Sara and Sirius’ new faith put them at risk. Those who convert to Christianity are often monitored and harassed, and their employment options can be restricted. Church members are regularly arrested and imprisoned on charges of national security and subjected to psychological and physical abuse, often lasting for weeks on end. As a result, many feel they have no choice but to leave Iran.
“In Iran, we couldn’t go to church and had to attend house churches in secret,” Sara shares. “As changing one’s religion in Iran is considered a crime punishable by death, we felt compelled to leave.” The couple fled to the UK, where they were able to find a church that welcomed them and enabled them to worship without fear. “We needed to be among brothers and sisters in faith, to pray, and to worship our Lord. Here, we are able to freely attend church and openly declare our faith in Christ,” Sara says.
SETTLING IN
Many churches across the UK are seeing an increasing number of Iranian believers joining their congregations. The church that Sara and Sirius joined, in the southwest of England, has seen their congregation treble in size in the past few years – all with new Iranian believers! Tom, a ministry team member at the church, told us: “This new growth has seen an incredible sense of community develop. We’ve begun translating services into Persian so that new Iranian believers can experience the word of God in their heart language. There is so much to praise God for – new believers are finding space here in the UK to worship, experience fellowship and grow in faith.”
And SAT-7’s support of Iranian believers doesn’t end when they leave Iran. Thanks to social media and on-the-go streaming app SAT-7 PLUS, Persian speakers are able to watch SAT-7 wherever they are – providing a valuable bridge as they settle into new communities. “One of our most-requested resources is our ‘How to Watch’ flyer, which details how to watch SAT-7 for Arabic, Persian and Turkish speakers in the UK,” shares Bronwen Heaton, SAT-7 UK’s Church Engagement Officer. “We’re noticing increasing numbers of churches in the UK who are seeking to welcome and support newcomers from the Middle East, including Iran. And helping them access SAT-7’s teaching and discipleship resources online and via our app, in their own languages, is a really good place to start.”
As for Sara and Sirius, their beloved nation of Iran is still in their hearts as they forge a new life in the UK. “Pray for Iran, that they Lord shines His light on the country and its people, and that they will come to know the true God,” Sara asks. “And please pray for us, that we are able to develop careers and do well in this country, and that we will help many more people come to know Him.”
*All names have been changed for security purposes, and images used for representation only.