Out of Zion

Dr. Susan Michael: Welcome to today’s Out of Zion podcast. I’m your host, Dr. Susan Michael, and I’m really excited to have with me today a phenomenal Christian leader and minister, Dr. Hormoz Shariat. He is the founder and president of Iran Alive Ministries. We’re going to hear today more about what’s been happening in Iran and what God is doing there, which is really amazing.

Guest (Male): Welcome to the Israel Answers series, connecting Israel, the Bible, and you. Join Susan Michael as she explores timely issues and current events from a scriptural perspective to equip the Christian world with a balanced and biblical response. Be sure to subscribe for future episodes, which will ignite your faith and bring the Bible to life in your everyday world. Now, let’s join Susan with your Israel Answers.

Dr. Susan Michael: Dr. Shariat, please share a little bit with us about your background, your story, and how you started this ministry.

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: Thank you, Dr. Susan, for inviting me to share. There is so much to share because there is so much happening in Iran and between Iran and Israel. Personally, I was born in Iran as a Muslim. I was pretty devout in my early years. When I became a teenager, I felt it didn’t make sense to just memorize these prayers and repeat them several times a day. I decided I was going to just be a good person and focus on my studies. My dream was to come to the United States, get a PhD in science, and be a scientist.

In 1979, I was a young student on the streets of Tehran. I was shouting, "Death to the Shah" and "Death to America." I wasn’t a Christian then, and I want to assure you I have repented of that "Death to America" because this is a blessed country, and I thank God for blessing America.

I came to the United States. During the first year I was here, I felt that maybe I had ignored God and needed to get back to Him. The best religion in my mind was Islam, so I wanted to become a very good Muslim. I read the Quran very carefully. It didn’t satisfy my heart or my soul.

I thought if God had written other books like the Bible, I was open-minded and would read that. I believed all religions were the same and wondered why they fought. I thought if I read both, I would prove they were the same. But when I started reading the Bible, I saw they were not the same, especially Matthew and the Sermon on the Mount.

Who is this Jesus? This is not for Iran. This is not Allah. This is not the Quran. After a few months of struggle, I went to a church in downtown Los Angeles. I heard a simple message of the Gospel that transformed my life. I felt it would be selfish if I kept that to myself, so I started sharing the message of the Gospel with other Muslims.

Dr. Susan Michael: Wonderful. Tell us about Iran Alive Ministries. How did you start that, and what does it do?

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: After I came to Christ, I was a research scientist. I started a group in my home, which grew to become a church in Northern California and eventually multiple churches. At one point, I felt God saying it was time to work in Iran. I wondered how I could do that since I couldn’t go back to Iran because they would kill me.

Then I realized satellite television was the answer. Nobody can stop that. You go over the heads of the mullahs into the privacy of people’s homes. The signal comes from the sky, and they cannot stop it. That’s when we started our satellite broadcast right after 9/11. We felt it was getting too late.

Since then, we have been broadcasting 24/7 for the last 15 years. Most people in their homes know us. Hundreds and thousands of them have come to Christ. We have the names of over 120,000 people who prayed with us to receive Christ. Probably multiple times that many came to Christ but never told us.

Dr. Susan Michael: We’ve heard that the church in Iran is the fastest-growing church in the world. Is that accurate?

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: The rate of growth is the greatest because Islam is done in Iran. The people of Iran, after 47 years of experiencing Islam firsthand, have come to the conclusion that Islam is not a solution. It is actually the source of their problems, and they need to get rid of it.

I make outrageous statements, but I have proof. One of them is this: Iran is no longer an Islamic nation, and it never will be again. People might think that’s crazy and suggest Googling it, where it says 98%. But there was a survey five or six years ago. It’s old, but today the numbers are even higher. That survey showed that less than one-third of Iranians said they believe in Islam. Now it is even less with all the massacres and killings of the last few years.

Iranians have rejected Islam and are open to everything: Western religion, New Age, etc. But when you present Jesus, nobody can compete with Jesus. We need to share that message, and once we do, thousands come to Christ.

Dr. Susan Michael: I’m sure that the Iranian government has tried to shut you down in some way. Have you experienced difficulties? Have they been able to jam the satellites or anything like that?

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: I have received life threats and all kinds of things over the years. But they cannot jam us. We changed our strategy because the satellite we had for many years was over the horizon. All the dishes were pointing to the horizon. All the government needed to do was set up a tower and send noise, and the whole town would be blocked out.

Five or six years ago, we changed our strategy. We went to a satellite overhead, directly over Iran. All the satellite dishes are pointing upward. They cannot jam it.

Dr. Susan Michael: You’ve had 120,000 people with registered salvations that have contacted you. What’s your estimate today of the number of believers in Iran?

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: It’s hard to say, but I would estimate two to three million at least. This is funny because in the West, when I state that number, some ask if I am exaggerating. Two to three million?

The funny thing is that I shared the same number with our underground church leaders. I told them I tell the West it is two to three million. They asked why I was downplaying what God is doing there. They say there are so many people out there. They tell me they go out on the street to witness, and many people they encounter are already Christians. Some say they sit in a taxi and, before they can share the Gospel with the taxi driver, the driver shares the Gospel with them.

Dr. Susan Michael: Isn’t that amazing? I’ve been following the underground church in Iran for many years. The testimonies of their courage and bravery are incredible. They go out and witness knowing that they could be thrown into prison at any minute, but they continue to do it. I just pray that God protects every one of them and multiplies His kingdom there in Iran. What is your prediction as to what might be the future of Iran soon?

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: I will make another outrageous statement. Iran will be a Christian nation. People say that is crazy and ask where I got that idea. I stole that idea from Jeremiah 49:38. In Jeremiah 49, the end verses talk about Iran, which is called Elam. Elam is completely inside the land of Iran today. Jeremiah 49:38 says, "I will set My throne there."

What does that mean? It means it is a country that will obey and know the Lord, worship Him, and obey Him. That is when He can say, "I rule here." That is the future of Iran. Iran will be a Christian nation, and it will have an impact not just on the Middle East but on the whole world.

That is the kind of God we have. When He saves Iranians, He’s not going to be happy just because these people know Him. He is a sending God. He so loved the world. Mark my word—actually, don’t mark my word, mark your Bibles—Iran will be a sending nation.

Dr. Susan Michael: How encouraging. May it be in our lifetime. Have you been to Israel, Doctor?

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: One time. Joel Rosenberg had a conference and invited me. Maybe next year I will be back at Epicenter.

Dr. Susan Michael: They’re having another conference next year. That would be wonderful. Tell me, what was it like for you to go to Israel?

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: It was short, but it was a spiritual experience. Just being there, you feel the spirit and the presence of God. It becomes so real when you go where Jesus went. I think it is an anointed land, and people who are spiritually sensitive recognize that.

Dr. Susan Michael: Speaking of Israel, there is another phenomenon in Iran. Not only is it leaving Islam and becoming more Christian, but the people are very pro-Israel.

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: That is another shock. Iranians love America and love Israel. That sentiment is growing; the numbers are increasing. They look up to Israel. They ask why they can't be like that. There is freedom and prosperity. Israel is a model for them in the Middle East, and America is the ultimate model they want to follow. They want American-style democracy.

The change of heart toward Israel is supernatural. The hatred toward Israel is also supernatural. For no reason, people hate Israel or want to kill Jews. They cannot tell you why because it is spiritual. In the same way, the Iranians who love Israel cannot always say why; they just love them.

I believe it points to the end-time friendship of Iran and Israel. God says He will set His throne in Jerusalem in the end times and at the same time in Iran. Iran and Israel will be friends again according to the Bible.

Dr. Susan Michael: Tell me about your ministry, Iran Alive Ministries. You have the satellite programming going into Iran. Is it all your teaching, or do you have other ministries? Is it 24 hours, seven days a week?

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: It is 24 hours. we produce some of it ourselves, but we have many partners. This would be a great invitation to your audience. For people who want to reach out to these seven million viewers per day—an independent survey told us that we have seven million viewers per day—we have many partners whose teaching we dub. It’s not just teaching and sermons, but any kind of media.

The people of Iran are so hungry; they just consume it. People can partner with us and broadcast on our channel. Some people think I am a televangelist; I’m not. They think it’s my channel; it’s not. If I’m not traveling, I am on the channel only two times a week. We have a variety of programs for discipleship, evangelism, teaching, women, and all kinds of content.

Dr. Susan Michael: God bless you, Dr. Shariat. It’s so nice to get to know you and about your ministry. Would you mind closing us in prayer? Let’s pray for the people of Iran and what’s happening there now.

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: Yes. Lord, when we read Your Word for the end times, we see much calamity and much suffering of the people. But we also see a great harvest—the end-time harvest, Lord. Thank You that both are happening at the same time.

I pray that through the suffering of the people of Iran, they will be saved. Not only will they be saved, but they will also have a passion to reach out to the Jews, as I see it developing, Lord. I pray for the future of Iran and Israel, that in the end times, they will serve the world and share Your Word with the world.

I pray against the demonic spirit of Allah in Islam, the spirit of murder, and the spirit of destruction. In Your name, Lord, with the power of Your name, we bind that spirit so the Islamic captives will be free. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Dr. Susan Michael: Amen. I pray that you are a prophet and all of your predictions come true—that Iran becomes Christian, Iran becomes free, and is able to be friends with Israel. What a wonderful day that would be.

Dr. Hormoz Shariat: It’s happening, and it’s happening fast. It’s not an impossible dream. It’s not just by faith; it’s by sight. We are seeing it.

Dr. Susan Michael: That’s exciting. God bless you. Thank you so much for stopping by.

Give me one more minute. I want to offer you one of our free resources. We have wonderful resources in our show notes. If you go to our website at ICEJUSA.org/shownotes, you’ll find links for a number of our free offers. We have downloads to help root you in Scripture and help you to understand the issues surrounding Israel and the importance of Christian support for Israel. Don’t forget to please follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn and stay connected. Thank you, and God bless you.

Guest (Male): We hope you have enjoyed this episode of Out of Zion with Susan Michael. Be sure to subscribe to Out of Zion now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Pray.com, Salem Web Network, Salem Life Audio, or Out of Zion with Susan Michael. Out of Zion with Susan Michael is a production of ICEJ USA. All rights reserved.