The Persian World
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”
(Isaiah 55:6)
A BRIEF SYNOPSIS
The Persian-Median world comprises 249 people groups with linguistic similarities. Their homeland spreads from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Himalayas in the east, though emigrants have found homes on almost every continent.
Persians are the largest of the people clusters (57 million) followed by the Kurds (38m) and the Tajiks (23m). Nearly all of the Persian-Median people groups follow the tenets of Islam though the level of adherence varies widely. Ongoing political unease has existed for decades, and although protests ignite from time to time, the governments of this region have maintatined control.
While the church is growing rapidly in some sectors, there is still much to be done. This region is home to some of the world’s least evangelized megapeoples. We long for the day when the peoples of the Persian-Median world will know and glorify Jesus and make his name known among the nations.
HOW CAN WE PRAY
- Pray for the spiritually hungry to have dreams and visions of Jesus that lead them to followers who can show them the Way to righteousness with God.
- Pray for community leaders to come to Jesus and for movements of disciples obedient to God’s Word to spread the Good News throughout these peoples.
- Ask God to reveal the barriers that block these beloved peoples from moving into the kingdom of Heaven. Pray for them to encounter the The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
CRAZY IDEAS IN THE SMOKING CAFE
Karl was discussing the Sermon on the Mount with two young Muslim men in a smoking cafe. The Scriptures on blessings were easy for them to accept. Things became more troublesome when they read about murder, adultery, and divorce.
“Those Scriptures had their proverbial ‘boat’ rocking a bit,” says Karl, “but when we got to the passages about loving your enemies, their ‘boat’ almost capsized! In the ‘Shame-Honor’ culture where we live, the idea of turning the other cheek is not only foreign but is considered shameful. You punch the tuk-tuk driver if he bumps you; you fight if someone insults you. You do whatever it takes to keep shame away and maintain your honor.