Iran (MNN)—In a world where conflict between nations is the norm, how are we as Christians to respond?  Tom Doyle of Uncharted Ministries recently shared a story from ten years ago, involving his friend Amir from Iran, that can help answer that question.

Doyle’s friendship with Amir first began when Amir reached out to him online. 

“I started sharing the gospel with him, and gloriously over the internet, he came to faith in Christ. It was beautiful,” says Doyle. “And he was reading some of the books that I’ve been privileged to write, and asking questions, and grew up Muslim, but just so drawn to Jesus.”

While about to go on stage and preach at a Jewish Messianic church in Tel Aviv, Israel, Doyle received a text from Amir.

“He’s calling me from Iran,” says Doyle, “and I said, ‘Amir, I have to go up and preach right now. But would you like to say something to the people in Israel?’ I’m going up to a live microphone. ‘What do you think?’ I’m whispering it to him. He said, ‘I would love to.’ I went up and said to the congregation, ‘We don’t normally start this way, but I have on the phone Amir from Iran. He loves Jesus, and he has a message for you.’”

Amir proceeded to remind Doyle, and the congregation he was preaching to, of an important truth—that no matter where we’re from, all Christ followers are united as brothers and sisters in the family of God.

“He said, ‘Brothers and sisters, we want you to know the majority of Iranians don’t hate you. It’s exactly the opposite. We love you. And for me, as a believer in Jesus, I want you to know I’m praying for you. Please pray for us here. And one day we’re going to get together, Iranian believers in Jesus and Jewish believers in Jesus, and we’re going to worship together. Maybe it’ll be in Jerusalem, maybe it’ll be in Tehran together, but we look forward to that because we both love Jesus, and that’s what keeps us together.’” 

According to Doyle, “The people were stunned—and then, it just broke into this standing ovation. I mean, where are you going to hear that message?

“It just reinforces that’s the answer to all this,” continues Doyle. “Jesus has no boundaries. Jesus has no borders. Jesus’ family is of all nations. He’s the one that brings peace and reconciliation between people. War won’t do it. United Nations won’t do it. Government won’t. Only Jesus can.”

 

Header photo courtesy of Uncharted Ministries.