Updated 11:59 pm.EST, Fri November 20, 2009

Missions|Fri, Sep. 21 2007 12:51 PM EDT

Iranians Flocking to Christian Television

By Sze Leng Chan|Christian Post Correspondent

A Christian satellite TV network has reported “spectacular church growth” in Iran and noted the importance of media in strengthening the churches there as well as in reaching out to Muslims.

SAT-7 is “receiving a lot of reports on people watching this channel more than almost any other channel in Iran,” Debbie Brink, the network’s executive director, reported recently to Mission Network News (MNN).

She said SAT-7 had deliberately chosen not to tackle political issues and focuses instead on the message of hope and peace.

"I think we attract viewers in these times, because they're looking for an alternative message. They're tired of all the conflict and the war, and they do see opportunities for learning more about God's love, His forgiveness, reconciliation and peace," she stated.

In recent years, an increasing number of Muslims throughout the Middle East have converted to Christianity through watching Christian satellite television programming.

Satellite TV has emerged as an important and effective evangelism tool to share the Gospel with Muslims in closed Islamic states.

Muslims watching the shows have confessed that the message of hope and love is a stark contrast to the oppressive Islamic message conveyed by their government and on Islamic TV programs.

“The house church movement has seen spectacular growth,” reported Stefan De Groot, Open Doors Middle East field worker, in a recent report on the growth of Christianity in Iran.

“This is not happening just because of dreams and miracles,” he said, as is common among Muslims. “The majority of people now come to faith through the multimedia, and especially satellite-TV. Nobody can control which programs Iranians watch.”

SAT-7 is the first Arabic language Christian satellite channel to broadcast successfully in the Middle East and claims a viewership of 8-10 million in the Middle East and North Africa.

It also broadcasts 24-hours-a-day in Farsi and Turkish through SAT-7 Pars, which takes its name from the Farsi word that embodies the Persian culture.

Christian Post reporter Michelle Vu contributed to this report.

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  • Mon Oct 01, 2007 1:32 pm Agree: 3   Disagree: 0

    In a recent interview with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a reporter asked him - repeatedly - why there are teams sent out by the Iranian government to destroy satellite dishes on people's homes in Tehran. "What don't you want them to see?" he asked him several times.

    In typical fashion, Ahmadinejad denied the destruction and insisted that many people enjoy satellite TV.

    Is it really that hard to figure out what he doesn't want them to see? Given that he promotes and prays for the reappearance of the "Imam al-Mahdi" (who fits the description of the Antichrist) and the Muslim Jesus "Issa" (who fits the description of the False Prophet), this diabolical version of John the Baptist doesn't want any of his people to hear anything but his false "gospel."

  • Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:08 am Agree: 5   Disagree: 0

    When will the US get some Christian TV?
    I am sicken by the lawyers and murders featured here.
    Lucky Iranians

  • Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:38 pm Agree: 3   Disagree: 0

    And here we are in our country with our CBN, TBN, FN, and all the other Christian networks, along with all the multitudes of radio stations (six in my area and more to discover), and we can't make a similar impact??? It shows that where a nation is starving for Gospel-forgiveness, the media can only offer the message; it's the Spirit that gives it the power. Amp it up!!

  • Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:17 am Agree: 4   Disagree: 0

    When we bomb Iran why don't we use Bibles in their language instead of destructive bombs? Why didn't we do that in Iraq? What if soldiers entered a country carrying Bibles and no guns? Sure there would be martyrs for the faith but that is how the early Church grew.

  • Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:44 am Agree: 2   Disagree: 0

    Maybe we should all try to remember what it was like when we first heard the Gospel.

  • Sat Sep 22, 2007 3:34 am Agree: 4   Disagree: 0

    Amen, let's pray that the channel will be easily access by millions in that country.. it is the last becoming the first as western Christians are infighting with unqualified issues like LGBT bishops. God bless them!

  • Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:06 pm Agree: 6   Disagree: 0

    Amen - the love of Jesus must sound/be amazingly sweet to them!

  • RBB »
    Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:55 pm Agree: 8   Disagree: 0

    Praise God !!!

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In 1979, the Ayatollah Khomeini seized power in Iran, unleashed the Islamic Revolution, and allowed his followers to seize the American Embassy in Tehran and hold 52 hostages for 4

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