Iran (MNN) — Defying a government ban to hold a rally, an estimated 100,000 Iranians flooded the streets of Tehran supporting Mir Hossein Mousavi. He's the moderate presidential candidate who says he is the rightful winner in Iran's hotly-contested presidential elections last week.
In the wake of these protests, Iran's supreme leader ordered the Guardian Council to investigate presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi's claims of electoral fraud.
All of this unrest is exactly what Evangelist Sammy Tippit had predicted. "This has been a growing feeling — this animosity toward the present regime and the hard liners within the country — and it's been growing for quite some time. I think it's just come to the point of boiling and exploding."
Tippit says the hard line Islamic Ahmadinejad government has been tough on Christians. "Persecution has been increasing over the last few years under his regime."
If Mousavi somehow wins the elections, Tippit says there may be some positive changes for believers. "We really feel like if a reformist movement were to come to power, there would be more dialogue with the West. There would be more opportunity. There would be less persecution of the Christian community."
Since 1998, Sammy Tippit Ministries has been ministering to the people of Iran through pastoral and leadership training held outside the country. They have a Persian language Web site to help disciple and train new believers, as well as "a television broadcast and a radio broadcast that's going into the country," says Tippit. "In fact, just two weeks ago they jammed our television broadcast, and no one could see it for a few days."
Over the years, many Iranians have turned to Christ after watching the broadcasts. Tippit says God has done an incredible work. "There are hundreds of house churches that have grown up over that last few years. Most of those house churches are young people. And, if you'll notice who's on the streets right now, the biggest group of protesters against the government are young people. Young people in Iran are very open to the Gospel."
Tippit is asking you to pray that God will work through the current political situation. Funding is also a need to help train and disciple new Christians in Iran. If you'd like to support Sammy Tippit's broadcast ministry, click here to give.
