Nothing can stop our satellite signal. Nothing. The signal comes from the sky, and anybody with even a cheap satellite dish costing $20-$30 can receive our programs safely in the privacy of their homes—and over 20 million do.
Our satellite footprint covers all nations in the Middle East, reaching Farsi speakers in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. With your support, we transcend the influence of the Mullahs, bringing the message of Christ’s love and salvation directly into people’s homes, and the Islamic government of Iran has not been able to do anything about it. In this way, we reach every home—rich and poor, powerful and hopeless, religious or non-religious, old and young, and our reach extends everywhere—even inside mosques.
I want to share the story below with you. This story is about how an underground church was established inside a mosque in Iran through our satellite broadcast. The narrator of this story is Minoo, a 28-year-old woman from a small town in the northeastern part of Iran.

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

The Footprint of Our Satellite Broadcast

When I was a child, there was a couple in our neighborhood who were loved by everyone. We called them Papa Rahmat and Mama Mahtab. They were like a father and a mother to us kids. They were custodians of our neighborhood mosque and lived there. They cleaned the mosque and served the community. People loved them and often gave them food and groceries. They  ften gathered children like me in that mosque, gave us snacks, and told us stories from the Quran. 

As I grew up, I got busy with school and then work, so I couldn’t visit the mosque often, but I always cherished my fond memories of Papa Rahmat and Mama Mahtab. Over a year ago, I had   business trip to Turkey. There, I stayed in the house of one of my old friends. She told me how she had come to Christ through Church 7 (the name of Iran Alive Ministry’s global church)  and was now serving Christ with Iran Alive. She shared the Gospel with me. I was deeply touched and became a Christian On that trip. My life instantly changed. When I went back to my  hometown, I was a new person. I felt Jesus living in me and through me. I treated my family and others with love, wanting to be like Christ and proclaim His love and salvation to all. Over  he next several months, many of my family members came to Christ through me.

One day, walking down the street, I ran into Papa Rahmat. He had aged, but his face was bright and full of smiles. I asked him about Mama Mahtab and started witnessing to him, telling him how I had met Jesus and how He had changed my life. After hearing my testimony, he said, “Please come to the mosque and tell this yourself to Mama Mahtab.” I accepted.

When we entered the mosque, Mama Mahtab greeted us warmly. Papa Rahmat told her, “Minoo wants to tell you and me some good news.” As I shared about who Jesus is and the fact that  we are all sinners, but Jesus is the Savior who can take away our sins, tears rolled down their cheeks and they kissed my forehead. I thought, “Praise the Lord, they are touched and their  heart is ready. Now I can lead them to receive Christ.” But Mama Mahtab said, “Come inside my house, I want to show you something.” I took off my shoes and entered their one-room  apartment. What I saw stunned me.

They had a TV, and a program from Shabakeh 7 (Iran Alive Satellite Channel) was on! I looked into their eyes with astonishment and asked them, “What is this?” They laughed and told me, “Two years ago, we were tired of watching the government’s channels, so we asked the mosque’s leading Mullah to buy us a satellite dish. He was kind enough to do that. The young man who installed our dish set our first channel to Shabakeh 7 Christian channel. He told us, ‘This is a good channel, watch it and it will help you in your old age.’ We believe he was a Christian  himself.

We started watching that channel. We heard the testimonies of many Muslims, young and old, who had become Christians, and their lives had changed. We heard about God’s love for all, including us. We learned about who Jesus is and what He did on the cross. So, one day, wholeheartedly, we knelt down by our TV set and repeated the prayer of salvation with the host.

Jesus saved us that day. All those years of living in the mosque, fasting, and doing daily Islamic ritual prayers (namaz) did not teach us much about God. They couldn’t change us and couldn’t bring forgiveness for our sins, but Jesus did.

I was shocked and speechless, now with tears of joy rolling down my cheeks. Then Papa Rahmat said, “Wait, I have another surprise for you.” He took me to a room in another part of the mosque. There, I saw three of my old friends sitting and studying the Bible. They told us, “We are now Christians and meet here weekly to fellowship and study the Bible.” Instead of telling stories from the Quran, Papa Rahmat and Mama Mahtab were now leading that underground church, sharing stories from the Bible and teaching what they learned from satellite TV.

I want to thank you on behalf of all who have come to Christ in Iran through you and your Christian programming on your satellite broadcast. You might not realize the impact you have had in Iran and how many people have come to Christ through you who will never contact you. You have entered the callous hearts of many. You have entered mosques.

Because of you, there is a church inside my neighborhood mosque, and I pray that someday soon, all mosques in Iran will become churches.

My friends, it is because of your support that we can reach every home, even mosques, in Iran. As someone once said, ‘Water is free, but the plumbing to deliver it costs money.’ Similarly, the Gospel is free, but delivering it to every home comes at a cost. According to an independent survey, we have over 6 million people who watch us daily, and 20 million who watch us at least once a week. Satellite is the most cost-effective way to take the Gospel to every home. Did you know that it costs only 5 cents per person to deliver 24/7 Christian programming for the whole year to 20 million people?

Without the faithful support of friends like you this has not been, is not, and will not be possible. We are in it together. Iranians—even those serving in mosques—are ready for the Gospel. Indeed, this is a great ROI (return on investment) for your investment in His Kingdom. We finished  2023 with about a 1-million-dollar deficit in our budget. We pray that we do not have to cut back on what we are doing.

At this historical time in Iran, we need to do more—not less.

May I ask you to generously invest in His Kingdom in Iran? With your help, Iran will be the first Islamic nation that turns to Christ. This will impact not just the Middle East but the world.  Give according to your means, but I pray that you will give, and give generously. Some of you may be able to give a $100K or even a $1 million gift. I pray that you will hear the Lord on this,  obey his voice and prompting, and give what He asks you to give.

Yours for the Salvation of Iran,

Dr. Hormoz Shariat
President/Founder
Iran Alive Ministries