Battle for Hearts in Iran     

Dr. Hormoz Shariat

                                                         Coming Tuesday: Fighting the good fight   
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   Iran's budget proposal:
$8 billion for the Revolutionary Guard Corps. This force defends the regime from internal and external threats. Dr. Shariat says, "Arrest in Iran means no family is contacted, no charges are brought, no report is made of whether they are alive or not."

   Christian broadcasting is one of three ways Iran has become host to the fastest-growing evangelical population in the world. Besides TV, Bible distribution and personal evangelism contribute to growth, despite government opposition. 

   Iran jails Christian converts and church leaders. While Bibles are banned, Elam Ministries has printed and distributed 2 million New Testaments. Elam's executive director, born in Iran, says Iranians are "willing to take the risk of sharing their faith, telling people about Jesus." 

   He adds, "People have suffered under the Islamic regime for nearly 40 years, and they have seen the true face of their religion. Many have become deeply disillusioned and are hungry for spiritual truth."

   The regime, WORLD magazine wrote, may be weakening as its clerics age. A likely scenario will be a police state, run by the Revolutionary Guard. 

   Dr. Shariat of Iran Alive says the divide between government and the people is larger than ever, and it is not going away. People are still hurting. He believes Islam in Iran already is defeated.

      Jimmy