Christ’s gospel overcoming fear in Iranian hearts

Ben Greene

Pastor & writer

  • Missions

One woman, dressed all in black, stood out among the hundreds of Iranians listening as Revig H (name changed for security purposes) shared the gospel in Denizli, Turkey.


To Revig, the woman in black looked like a fanatical Muslim. But was she open-hearted to God’s son, or was she dangerous? Revig found out after he finished sharing the gospel.


“I gave the altar call, and six people came forward,” he said. “The last person, the sixth person, was this woman. I was shocked.”


Tens of thousands of former Muslims from Iran have chosen Christ as Lord in recent decades, Revig said. Harsh mullahs have turned many Iranians off to religion since 1979. But God is winning hearts through a love-based relationship with those far from him.


Revig, an Armenian descendant, grew up in Iran and fled in 1999. Someone once stabbed Revig’s father, a pastor, 26 times.


After his father’s martyrdom, Revig started evangelizing Iranians through satellite TV and visiting countries where Iranians live. He also became a worship leader, songwriter and music producer.


God is multiplying Revig’s faith by using him as a mentor to other Iranian worship leaders, such as Mehdi.


Mehdi was another fanatical Muslim who became a Christian. His family rejected him when he chose Christ and married a Christian woman. He is a worship leader who learns from Revig as the two serve the least-reached Iranian diaspora.


Iranians are overwhelmingly tired of Islam, Revig explained, because it is a fear-based religion. On the contrary, the gospel tells of God’s love and inspires people to trust and obey. The new life of God motivated Mehdi to believe just as the gospel did for a devoted Muslim woman in Denizli.


“They are ready to pay the price,” Revig said. “Out of love, they just worship.” 


Did you know 70,000 people die daily without a chance to hear a credible gospel presentation? Converge International Ministries is asking God for a gospel movement among every least-reached people group in our generation. 


Ben Greene, Pastor & writer

Ben Greene is a freelance writer and pastor currently living in Massachusetts. Along with his ministry experience, he has served as a full-time writer for the Associated Press and in the newspaper industry.

Additional articles by Ben Greene