Wifi gives Iranian youth a strong connection to God

Wifi, a new show on SAT-7’s Persian-language channel, hopes to help young Iranian adults connect more strongly to each other and to God.

“The idea of Wifi came when I was thinking about how we can attract young people who spend a lot of their life online,” says Dariush Golbaghi, a pastor who disciples Farsi-speaking believers both inside and outside of Iran. “The wifi is their connection point. So the idea is that it’s a metaphor for connecting with God and relationships.”

CONNECTING TO THE FATHER

“In Iran, you can’t say God is your father, because God is far from you,” Dariush explains. “How can you say that God is your baba, your father?”

“But if you know Jesus, you can connect with God,” he adds. “And if you have a peaceful relationship with the Father, you can have a peaceful relationship with others in society, at school, in work. We try to bring that vision to the programme.”

Each episode of Wifi is 30 minutes long, and features a discussion between Dariush and four other Iranian presenters. The presenters start by looking at a Bible passage, which they then discuss and apply to their daily lives and challenges. The show, which is produced by SAT-7 partner Media Mission the Messengers at IRR-TV’s studio in Finland, utilises a unique production method – the five cameras move 360 degrees around the discussion table, so viewers can feel they are present in the discussion.

SHARING STORIES

The show uses different stories from both the Old and New Testaments, such as Adam and Eve or Nicodemus, and uses them as a springboard for discussion on topics like forgiveness, resisting temptation, and taking responsibility for your actions. The presenters, who are all aged between 19 and 22, share honestly about their struggles and their relationship with God – in the hopes that their stories will resonate with young viewers.

“For youth, it’s important to see other youth on TV sharing their testimony, their lives,” Dariush says. “If they hear from people the same age, it goes much deeper.”

Each programme ends with a worship song relating to the discussion topic, Dariush says, “to let the word of God settle deeply into their hearts.”

“YOU CAN TALK WITH HIM”

Through Wifi, Dariush hopes that young Iranians will discover the truth that God is with them, and that the Bible is relevant in whatever challenges they face.

“The main message is having a strong relationship with God – to encourage them to turn on the “wifi” of their hearts and connect them to heaven,” Dariush says. “He is not far from you, you can talk with him and share your life with him.”