With all the tension in the Middle East, I wondered: Why haven’t the people of Iran risen up against their harsh government? At first, it seemed like a simple question. But as I looked deeper, I realized it only scratches the surface.
I was in high school during the Iranian hostage crisis in 1980, and I remember the tension it stirred. Later, while working alongside reporters at Fort Polk, I saw the worry on their faces—concerned that their friends might be sent into conflict. Those memories have resurfaced as I wondered about Iran’s long struggle.
Why Don’t Iranians Protest More?
Iran is ruled by a very strict religious government that claims to speak for God and demands total control. Speak out, and you risk losing your job, your freedom—even your life.
The Supreme Leader holds nearly all the power. The president and parliament answer to him. Every branch of government is under his authority, and dissent is crushed with fear and violence.1
Iranians have protested often—in 1999, 2009, 2017, 2019, and again in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini. On September 16, 2022, the 22-year-old was detained by Iran’s “morality police” for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly. Officials claimed she suffered a sudden health issue, but eyewitnesses and her family said she was beaten and fell into a coma. Her death sparked protests across Iran and around the world, becoming a powerful symbol of the struggle for freedom and women’s rights.2
Under those conditions, who wouldn’t be cautious?
But Something Else Is Happening
While political protests are shut down, something deeper is stirring—a quiet, spiritual revolution.
I’m reminded of the early church flourishing under Roman persecution. Could it be that something beautiful is happening here too, though I don’t fully understand it?
Iran is now home to one of the fastest-growing underground Christian movements in the world.3 That sounds impossible in a Muslim country where it’s illegal to convert from Islam—but it’s true.
People are coming to Jesus in secret, and they are not turning back.
Why the Gospel Is Taking Root
Many Iranians are tired of state-imposed religion. They long for something true—something that brings peace instead of fear.
And that’s when they meet Christ.
Some discover Him through satellite TV or online chats. Others receive a New Testament passed hand to hand. Many describe dreams and visions where Jesus Himself calls them by name. These stories have become a common thread of God’s quiet work in Iran.4
What the Iranian Church Looks Like
There are no church buildings. No crosses on rooftops. No public baptisms.
Instead, the church meets in homes—just like in the days of the apostles. These house churches are made up of regular people: taxi drivers, college students, mothers, grandfathers. Some have been believers for years. Some were baptized last week.5
They worship quietly. They memorize Scripture because Bibles can be confiscated. They baptize in bathtubs. Some lead even though they have never been to seminary. Their only training is the Word—and suffering.6
And yet, they are filled with joy. They are bold in the most careful, courageous ways.7
Is It a Compromise to Be This Careful?
In countries like the U.S., we often think bold faith means public faith—street preaching, sharing posts online, inviting everyone to church.
But in Iran, none of that is possible. So does that mean they’re being less faithful?
Absolutely not.
Jesus said, “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matt. 10:16). The Apostle Paul snuck out of a city in a basket to avoid death (Acts 9:25). Sometimes the Holy Spirit led him to speak out. Other times, the Spirit told him to stay quiet or move on.
Maybe you’ve wondered like I have if quiet faith is really bold. Sadly, too often we see bold faith that bulldozes love.
The believers in Iran aren’t hiding out of shame. They’re being careful because they want the gospel to go further, not be crushed. Their actions are not a sign of fear—they are a sign of wisdom, led by the Holy Spirit.
That faith is bold in a deeper way. It’s costly. It’s courageous.
And it’s a testimony in itself.
What a Movie Helped Me Understand
This brought to mind Silence (2016), a film by Martin Scorsese8. It’s about two Jesuit priests who go to 1600s Japan—another time and place where Christianity was outlawed and brutally punished.9
One of the priests, Rodrigues, watches as new believers are tortured and is told that unless he steps on a carved image of Jesus—called a fumi-e—the Christians will die. He prays, then steps on the image.
To outsiders, it looks like he denied Christ. But deep down, he never stopped believing. After his death, his wife secretly places a tiny wooden cross in his hand for burial.
That story shows what I’m learning:
Outward actions don’t always reflect the deep allegiance of the heart.
Sometimes wisdom is knowing when to speak and when to stay silent.
The Kingdom Is Still Growing
That brings me full circle to my original question.
Why aren’t Iranians rising up in protest?
Because a very different kind of uprising is underway.
While the world waits for governments to topple, God is moving in the silence.
He is raising up disciples who carry His name—carefully, wisely, bravely.
They remind me that the kingdom of God is never silenced.
Even whispered in shadows, it shines bright.
And the light of Christ cannot be put out.
That’s it for now. Thanks for showing up. It matters.
References:
- U.S. Department of Justice, Iran: Country Fact Sheet, accessed June 20, 2025, https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/eoir/legacy/2013/11/07/COUNTRY_FACT_SHEET_0.pdf. ↩︎
- “Death of Jina Mahsa Amini,” Encyclopedia Britannica, accessed June 20, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/death-of-Jina-Mahsa-Amini. ↩︎
- “The World’s Fastest Growing Church,” Persecution.org, accessed June 20, 2025, https://www.persecution.org/2023/07/20/the-worlds-fastest-growing-church/. ↩︎
- Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, “Muslims Dream of Jesus,” The Gospel Coalition, accessed June 20, 2025, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/muslims-dream-jesus/. ↩︎
- “Iran’s Missional Church Is the World’s Fastest Growing,” Transform Iran, accessed June 20, 2025, https://transformiran.com/learn/irans-missional-church-is-the-worlds-fastest-growing/. ↩︎
- Ibid. ↩︎
- Ibid. ↩︎
- Silence, directed by Martin Scorsese (2016; USA: Paramount Pictures), IMDb, accessed June 20, 2025., https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490215/. ↩︎
- “Silence (2016 film),” Wikipedia, last modified June 12, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silence_(2016_film). ↩︎
Photo by Darrell
Veni, Vidi, Scripsi 
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