According to a recent online article from Christianity Today by Matthias Pankau and Uwe Siemon-Netto, “The Other Iranian Revolution,” there is a recent and vibrant Christian awakening–a wonderful movement of the Spirit–going on today among Iranian immigrants who are living in Germany.  The article places “the genesis of the Persian awakening…in Saxony, the birthplace of the Reformation, where Christians have become an endangered species.” (Only 13% of east Germans say they believe in God.) And as if that wasn’t ironic enough, the very Bible Luther translated for the German people has played a part in this awakening as well:

“Twelve years ago, Trinity Parish in Leipzig, a tiny congregation of the Independent Lutheran Church, began teaching German as a second language to asylum seekers awaiting government approval of their refugee status. Trinity used Luther’s Bible translation as a textbook… Intrigued by what they read, several exiles asked to be baptized. They brought along friends who also wished to learn the basics of the Christian faith.”

The authors state that “linguists credit that translation with having created the modern German language.” This is much the same way that Tyndale’s New Testament, which went on to make-up an estimated 85-90% of the popular King James Bible, helped to create English as we know it today.

Now the very country where the Reformation began, which since has become a predominantly secular culture, is giving birth despite itself to a whole new movement of the Holy Spirit. Pastors all over Germany are reporting similar conversions wherever there are large communities of Persians. It’s as if God is saying, “If you won’t carry on the faith of the Reformation, I’ll bring the Reformation back to you through another people!” It will be fascinating to see what happens among the German people as the faith of these Iranian believers bears fruit within their newly adopted homeland.

If you want to read more about the Persian awakening, the dangers faced by the converts, the visions of Jesus being reported, and a little bit about the underground Christian movement in Iran itself, go to the full article here.