Pentecost ‘Upper Room’ S/Heroes… part 1

Cham continues our Pentecost series by honouring and celebrating the courage of those prepared to leave their ‘Upper Rooms’...

Picture the headlines - fastest growing church in the world… Where? Iran!  What’s the secret formula?  Slick worship, well planned services, charismatic ‘cool’ leaders, bible college trained pastors?  No!  It defies convention on so many levels!  Actually, the underground church in Iran is being led by those, who in the Western context would be considered inexperienced, unsuitable, unqualified candidates for ministry. The church is being led by those living on the margins of Iranian society… consider the outcasts, marginalised, othered … mainly women!   And being led underground within the context of persecution.

55% of the leadership and believers within the Iranian underground church is comprised of women. That is an astonishing figure compared to Western Churches – think about the men-to-women ratio in the leadership of your own local church/denomination.  And just to clarify… our Iranian sisters are not leading the children, hospitality or women’s ministry!

Here's a flavour of church… it is underground (due to the lived threat of persecution), in peoples’ homes, there are no central buildings to gather and worship in. It is without denominational leaning or affiliation, no bank accounts, ngo status, centralised leadership, no bible colleges, no buildings, no church buildings, and (I might have already mentioned) predominantly led by women! God is clearly on the move to disrupt our ‘upper room’ mentalities, simultaneously reminding us of our fellow sisters and brothers who while living under precarious circumstances, continue to carry the good news message of Jesus with them. 

I invite you to imagine a former meth cook, amateur comedian, failed suicidist, former Shia extremist, now pastors and overseers of hundreds of churches! How would you feel about being led by any one of them?

Sisters and brothers across the world… God calls who he wants, when he wants, how he wants!  Constantly flipping our assumptions and presumptions, calling us out of our upper room mentalities… and expectations…  I for one, am forever grateful for the choices Jesus makes, because frankly I wouldn’t be writing this now if he hadn’t chosen me…

*Art by Helen Yousaf https://www.helen-yousaf-art.com