CAMENA Newsletter – October 2024
By God's grace, the Farsi media ministry has developed in amazing ways since 2022. Despite the many difficulties and threats they experience, the team carries out their work with unity, high quality, joy and creativity.
Persian World Radio – A Voice and Identity for Christians
There’s a spiritual hunger in the Persian-speaking world. TWR for Farsi speakers’ vision is to share the hope of Christ with them and give a voice to local Christians through Persian World Radio (PWR). This voice for Persian-speaking Christians is a vital function “because their governments often pretend they don’t exist and reject them, along with their faith,” says TWR’s Farsi Ministry director.
Most Farsi speakers live where social, cultural, and political obstacles hinder church growth, making it difficult for anyone to hear the gospel, let alone learn the tenets of Christian doctrine. How can those who hear and commit their lives to Christ grow spiritually without adequate discipleship resources in their language? Radio is an effective way to share the love of Christ with people living in restricted Farsi-speaking countries.
TWR’s PWR encourages believers who often feel misunderstood and isolated; it brings the gospel to seekers in the Persian-speaking world who are disillusioned with religion.
A dynamic production team is creating three online radio stations streaming 24/7: Persian Worship Radio (music and worship), Persian Word of God Radio (reading Scripture), and PWR (a mixture of programs). www.persianworldradio.com
Persian Worship Radio, a 24-hour online worship radio stream that integrates traditional instruments from various areas of the Persian world. The music connects deeply with listeners by using instruments specific to different cultural regions, such as the setar or santoor. Around 500 songs have been produced and will be played in a loop, with additional songs added to the repertoire. The goal is that through this online radio stream, Farsi speakers will gain a deeper understanding of their true worth in Christ.
- In 2023, progress was made toward launching the Persian Word of God Radio. Each Bible reading will have immersive, 3D Dolby Atmos sound effects and music to go along with it. Depending on the Bible story, the sound effects could be that of a horse or people on the street. This way, listeners will feel like they’re in the middle of the story.
- PWR went on the air in early 2022 and focuses on reaching audiences in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Much of the program content is about finding one's identity in Christ. The purpose of PWR is to share the hope of Christ with Farsi speakers and encourage Persian believers in their faith.
My name is Amir.*
I was a Marxist and never believed in a creator or source for existence. Religion and religious practices always seemed absurd to me. Reading a few books, attending anti-religious gatherings and even opposing God had become a matter of pride. For these beliefs, I was in prison for four years by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
My brother often said, "A man without conviction is extremely dangerous." I ignored him and carried on, finding it more thrilling to engage in intellectual discussions that seemed to deconstruct everything from the ground up. But the ever-watchful eyes of the patient Companion saw and endured all these moments.
I sinned, and God saw.
I spoke blasphemies, and God heard.
I behaved arrogantly, and God forgave me.
Then, through listening to Persian World Radio, I learned about Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. To my surprise, God was still waiting for me to return, and over time, my heart began to find peace.
One night, I suddenly realized that I was sincerely praying for my friends. How strange it was for me to be praying! Yet it was this unexpected moment that initiated a profound change within me. Every day, I felt better, especially as I witnessed the impact of both my prayers and the prayers of others.
This transformation led me to make the decision to follow Jesus and be baptized. I am incredibly grateful for this blessed radio station, and I hope to contribute to it in the future.
With love, Amir
* Name changed for security reasons.
- Central Asia – Karakalpak, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Central Asian Russian, Tajik, Turkmen and Uzbek
- Praise God for the new co-worker and leader in a country in Central Asia. Pray for him to be blessed and protected as he serves in this region.
- Middle East – Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish Kurmanji, Turkish and Russian speakers in Israel
- Praise God, a studio for our Farsi team is underway. Pray they get all the permissions needed, allowing the building to move forward smoothly.
- Pray that the Farsi team will find more ways to promote their content in Iran; most social media platforms are being banned within the country.
- North Africa – Kabyle
- Pray for wisdom for those who interact with listeners who contact us. May they know how to answer people's questions and share openly about Christ.
