Welcome back to Jesus Speaks Farsi! We've got lots of new stories and conversations from the Iranian church that we're excited to share with you.

Today Jenn, Dara Lynn and our new host Chrissy have a chat about what's coming up on Jesus Speaks Farsi in the next few weeks.

We're so glad you're here!

As we kickstart the podcast back into a new season, this first episode features a conversation with Magda, an Iranian woman who works in ministry to Persian-speaking women.
From all the stories we’ve shared on this podcast, we know that persecution is a very real threat for Christians inside Iran, but we can mistakenly think that that only means the threat of prison and arrest. Today, we’ll hear how Magda, who’s never been arrested or imprisoned for her faith, had a life-changing experience with persecution, ultimately leading her to make an unimaginably heartbreaking decision.

 One note: This episode does touch on domestic abuse as well as detailing a difficult decision involving a child. So, you may want to listen without children nearby.

In today’s episode, Chrissy and Hannah have a conversation with our resident historian Tom Hawksley on the story of Iran’s church through the ages. They also explore why so many Iranians are responding to the Gospel in recent decades.

Tom, a British missionary, has served the Iranian church for 40 years alongside his Iranian wife Mojdeh, who serves in women’s ministry to Persian-speaking women. If you’d like more background on Tom and Mojdeh, you can hear their testimonies in past episodes of Jesus Speaks Farsi. You can find Tom’s story "here" and Mojdeh’s "here".

In today’s episode, Chrissy and Dara Lynn have a conversation with Amir, a young Iranian man currently living in North America. Amir shares about his experience of growing up in a Christian family in Iran, becoming a refugee in Turkey for 9 years, and finally, being resettled in Canada. 

Amir’s story gives helpful insight into what life as a refugee, particularly a Christian refugee, can look like. His story includes the challenges and the unexpected possibilities of being a refugee, all of which are part of how the Lord brought Amir back to Himself. Amir also shares how the Lord has called him into business and he is eager to see how he can use his work to benefit God’s church.

In today’s episode, Dara Lynn and Jenn chat with Kenneth Kuhn, the leader of Elam’s Europe team. Kenneth shares about his journey into ministry from growing up in Denmark as the son of a pastor to becoming one himself, as well as his experience of working with Iranian and Afghan refugees in Europe.

Throughout his story, Kenneth gives helpful insights into the challenges of cross-cultural ministry and how churches can overcome them. He also shares the moving testimony of a woman who suffered for following Christ in her home country but stood firm in her faith and is now in a thriving church community in Europe.

In this episode, we’re wrapping up the most recent season of the podcast. Jennifer and Dara Lynn get together to chat about compelling conversations with Magda, Kenneth, Amir, and Tom. They discuss what it looks like when people say yes to Jesus, despite difficult consequences - and how stories like these can encourage the wider church. So, grab a cup of tea and join us for another episode of Chai time on Jesus Speaks Farsi.