March 16, 2026
The Christian Church in Iran: Persecuted yet strong and growing
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Christians in Islamist countries are facing what the Bible calls “trials and tribulations,” and since Iran is one of the few countries governed by barbaric Sharia law, Iranian Christians also face an even more trying path. Nevertheless, the Iranian underground church may be one of the fastest-growing churches in the world. Christians in Iran need prayer support from the international church like never before; American Christians have little if any idea of what Sharia means for Christians and to be thrown into a medieval prison for professing Christ as Savior, as the Christians in Iran do.
“No one knows the total number of Iranian Christians, as adherence to a faith other than Islam results in imprisonment and persecution, with death a more likely result,” said Dr. Alex McFarland, founder and president of Alex McFarland Ministries. “The estimated number of Christians ranges from 100,000 to over 1 million. Sources indicate the underground church in Iran is one of the world’s fastest-growing Christian movements. What we do know beyond a shadow of a doubt is that Iranian Christians are facing risks that we in America can’t even imagine.”
As Charlie Kirk told Alex at an Alex McFarland Ministries event, shortly before his assassination, the most important thing Christians do is spread the Gospel, and the second is to ensure that the first thing can be done freely. This quest for religious freedom is at the heart of America’s work in Iran, according to McFarland.
“Today, Christians around the world should unite in prayer for change in Iran and for the safety and success of U.S. service personnel who are instruments of that change. The actions being taken by the U.S. must happen to protect Americans, those Christian and those who are not, from Iranian terror exports and desires to suppress freedoms, including the right to choose one’s faith,” concluded McFarland.
Alex McFarland currently co-hosts “Exploring the Word” on the American Family Radio Network, airing daily on nearly 200 radio stations across the U.S. He is also the host of the “Alex McFarland Show,” which airs weekly on NRB TV and YouTube. The “Alex McFarland Show” podcast is available here.
McFarland and theologian Bert Harper, veteran cohosts of the nationally syndicated broadcast “Exploring the Word,” are proud to announce their newest book, “100 Bible Questions and Answers on Prophecy and the End Times.” Available now, the book concisely answers biblical questions about God, Scripture, Christian Living, and more. A follow-up to their previous work, “100 Bible Questions and Answers for Families,” this book promises to guide you through some of the most fascinating and frequently misunderstood topics in Christianity: end-times prophecy and life in the everlasting new creation.
Alex McFarland has authored or co-authored more than 21 books, including the newly released 100 Bible Questions & Answers on Prophecy and the End Times,” “10 Issues that Divide Christians,” “The God You Thought You Knew,” “10 Answers for Skeptics,” “10 Answers for Atheists,” “The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask About Christianity,” published by Focus on the Family, and more.
McFarland is a frequent guest on Fox News and has been interviewed by other media outlets including Fox and Friends, Focus On The Family radio, NPR’s All Things Considered, The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, CBN, La Vie (France), and various news outlets including CBS, FOX, NBC, CSPAN, SRN, and the Associated Press (AP) wire service. He is a contributing writer in print and electronic media, including LA Times, Boston Herald, OK- Celebrity News Magazine, Christianity Today, Charisma, On Mission, Billy Graham’s Decision Magazine and more.
Learn more about Alex McFarland Ministries at its website, Facebook and Instagram pages, or X feed.
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To schedule interviews with Alex McFarland, contact Hamilton Strategies, media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096 ext. 105, or Richard Jefferson, rjefferson@hamiltonstrategies.com.
