Neda from Iran: Church leader in the lion’s den
Isolation, fears and the constant risk of imprisonment: being a leader in Iran’s house church is not for the faint of heart. This is the story of church leader Neda, who has been faithfully serving the Lord in Iran for over 25 years with no intention to quit anytime soon.
Where and how Open Doors talked to Neda* can’t be revealed: if the government of Iran knows she has talked to us, she will most definitely be called for interrogation. Open Doors must be careful, but Neda wants to share her story with you because she knows the worldwide church is surrounding the Iranian church with prayer and support.
Neda is a sophisticated lady whose calm manner of speaking fits in flawlessly with her wise words. In addition to her role as a church leader, Neda is a mother of 4 adult children. She is a faithful servant, but also a human with fears and doubts.
Her first experience with God was long before she knew Him personally: “As I child there was a Christian nurse who had told my father I was ‘a daughter of God’.” Neda starts sharing. “After I came to faith, almost 20 years later, I met this nurse again in the house church: a clear sign that God has a plan for each and every one of us.”
Neda came to Christ when she found a Bible hidden in her future husband’s drawer. It surprised her because she knew him as a strict Muslim. But when she started reading in secret, her heart was touched. “I became interested in Christianity and visited a church several times. That is where I came to Christ. When persecution increased and we couldn’t visit a church building anymore my husband and I decided to start a house church.”
Fear
We know the Iranian church from the many stories about God’s powerful presence, and as a long-term church leader, Neda has her share of stories too. But what not everyone realizes is that these blessings go paired with hardships.
“Since I gave my heart to the Lord, there was fear,” Neda shares. “Especially after we started the house church. My husband was taken for questioning regularly. It went on for years. People we knew were thrown into prison. A Christian friend of mine had her child taken from her after she left her husband who abused her for years to make her renounce her faith. I can’t lie, it was a very stressful situation, especially for my husband and me as church leaders.”
Neda’s son jumps into the conversation and says: “Sometimes there was so much pressure that it was only us as a family that could come together safely. We took it seriously: Around 5:30 we were all sitting down. One of us would lead devotions, the other one would play guitar. My father was preaching, and we even took offerings. What would happen if someone would have caught us? We were really scared, but we did continue.”
Ever since her husband passed away Neda is leading the church by herself. Her children married and moved to different cities: the church has changed. But the persecution has remained consistently strong: “We know some of us are monitored, so we have to be careful. We don’t talk about our meetings over the phone. Instead, we meet each other at the bus station or grocery store to secretly pass on the meeting details.”
Blessings
Neda could have chosen to give up. But after more than 25 years, she still serves the church. Neda doesn’t take credit for this herself. Rather she thanks the Lord, who has always guided her through the storm. “‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Light’” Neda quotes her saviour. The church leader has always felt the Lord’s guidance, mostly through Bible texts.
At times the Lord has come to her through dreams. She remembers one in particular, at a time she was very worried about her children’s safety: “I dreamed that I saw a lion that was about to attack my kids. I was so afraid! But to my amazement, the lion did nothing. I understood this dream when I read the story of Daniel in the lion’s den: God protected us like he had protected Daniel.”
It’s the tangible presence of God that keeps Neda excited to serve the Lord in Iran. Because yes, there is pressure, but the other side of the coin is the blessings and miracles she sees. “Even though our church consists of just a small group of people, we are very blessed. God shows his power everywhere, but I believe it becomes even more apparent in places where Christians are under pressure. I know that God is with us, and I am excited to see Him do more great things in our country.”
*Neda’s name and some recognizable details in the story are altered for security reasons.
Please Pray
- Pray for Neda’s ministry, pray she has the wisdom to lead well in this complicated country.
- Pray that God will open the eyes of the authorities to see that Christians aren’t a threat to Iran but a valuable part of Iranian society.
- Pray that the house churches will equip believers to serve Jesus.
