While the younger generation in much of the Persian world is disillusioned by its hard line religious leaders, their thirst for spiritual reality remains strong. Every week Iranians contact our Audience Response Teams for spiritual advice and prayer and many speak of how their lives have been transformed when they have turned to Christ. More occasionally such encouraging stories also come from Afghan viewers of SAT-7 PARS, our Farsi/Persian language channel…
Ramin, an Afghan viewer of SAT-7 PARS (SAT-7’s Farsi language channel) in his 20s, asked us to contact him, as he was very eager to give his heart to the Lord. It soon became clear, though, that Ramin wasn’t alone in wanting the new life offered by Christ. His call became the first step in a chain reaction among his friends.
Before praying with him, the SAT-7 audience relations team wanted to be sure he understood who Christ was and what His life, death and resurrection mean for us. Ramin confirmed that this was the reason he wished to take this step and the team had the joy of praying with him as Ramin gave his heart to Christ.
Ramin had already been speaking about Jesus to some of his friends. He asked us to contact him the next day and talk to his friend, Darius, who also wanted to learn more. The call was arranged and the following day a team member spoke to Darius, explaining God’s love. Darius, too, asked the team member to pray with him, and gave his heart to Jesus.
Passing the news on
That left Roozbeh, another of Ramin’s friends. Five days later, SAT-7 was able to call Roozbeh on Ramin’s phone, with Ramin and Darius at his side. Roozbeh believed in Christ and the team prayed together for God to help him continue on this new path. Although Roozbeh doesn’t have a phone he can call us on, Ramin said he would be the mediator if Roozbeh had further questions. We spoke about being transformed through our faith in Christ, and how the old, sinful person is gone, and that we are now made new in Christ.
At the end, the PARS audience relations team said, “We encouraged all three friends to watch the programmes and worship the Lord together, telling them that Jesus told us where two or three are gathered in His name, He is in our midst.” The team explained that this is the true meaning of church.
“The three friends were very excited,” the team said. Ramin, Darius and Roozbeh mentioned how they had more friends they wished to share to the love of Jesus with. Ramin and Darius are both eager to be baptised and asked for prayer to show God’s love clearly and to connect with other believers.
After these thrilling conversations that saw three young Afghans turn to Christ, the SAT-7 PARS team said: “We thank the Lord and give Him the glory for touching the hearts of young people in Afghanistan”.
Give thanks and pray for SAT-7’s Afghan viewers, served by SAT-7 PARS. Some watch from within Afghanistan and others from abroad (around 1 million Afghans are living in Iran). As well as our many Farsi/Persian language shows, understood by many Afghans, Secrets of Life is a weekly live show in Dari presented by Afghan hosts Shoaib and Mariam. Pray for our programme makers and audience response teams as they seek to answer the cries of our audiences in the Persian world.
Donate to SAT-7 PARS programming for Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan