Pars Theological Center is a London-based virtual seminary that uses the internet, satellite TV, and conferences to deliver Farsi-language theological training to Iranian Christians both inside and outside Iran. Classes are taught by well-known Iranian pastors, Bible teachers, and theological instructors.
Read MoreHassan and Sara
Hassan, a student at Pars, hails from Abadan, where he had once served in the Iranian police force. Raised in a traditional and devout Muslim family, he underwent a profound transformation when he embraced Christianity. For six months, Hassan fervently prayed for his family, resulting in the conversion of most of his relatives, including his brothers, sisters, son-in-law, and around 30 others.
Read MorePars Student Spotlight
Reza became a Christian in 2004 when he learned about Jesus through his father. When his father initially shared the Gospel with him, Reza rejected it. However, he did not want to ignore his father, so he decided to do some more of his own research. He wanted to compare and contrast the Bible with the Koran. This took him about a year, and during this time of seeking, Reza had a dream. In his dream, there were two groups of angels, and they were singing, “Arise, this is the time to worship Jesus.” Jesus was standing between these two groups of angels. He reached out his hand and invited Reza to worship. Reza woke up from this dream with peace in his heart that Jesus is the true way.
Read MoreThe country of Iran is faced with many uncertainties. In the midst of socio-cultural and economic fragility, Iran is experiencing what can only be described as a spiritual revolution. A recent report conducted by a secular non-profit organization reported that 1.2 million Iranians identify as Christians, one million of whom are believers from a Muslim background. Not only is the number of those identifying as Christians in Iran much higher than what many expected, but the rate of growth of the church is also exponential. In January 2021, The Economist magazine reported that “Christianity is growing faster in Iran than in any other country.”
Read MorePars Theological Center is a London-based virtual seminary that uses the internet, IT technology, satellite TV, and conferences to deliver Farsi-language theological training to Iranian Christians both inside and outside Iran. Classes are taught by well-known Iranian pastors, Bible teachers, and theological instructors including Rev. Dr. Sasan Tavassoli, Coordinator of Iranian Ministries for The Outreach Foundation. Students are mentored by the Pars team on how to integrate the principles they are learning into their ministry and personal spiritual lives. Pars also includes a Christian Counseling Center. We recently received the following from Pars Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mehrdad Fatehi:
Read MorePars Theological Center is a London-based virtual seminary that uses the internet, IT technology, satellite TV, and conferences to deliver Farsi-language theological training to Iranian Christians both inside and outside Iran. Classes are taught by well-known Iranian pastors, Bible teachers, and theological instructors including Rev. Dr. Sasan Tavassoli, Coordinator of Iranian Ministries for The Outreach Foundation. Students are mentored by the Pars team on how to integrate the principles they are learning into their ministry and personal spiritual lives. Pars also includes a Christian Counseling Center. The words that follow reflect the thoughts of the leaders of Pars Theological Center.
You will have read or heard by now about the impact that the Coronavirus pandemic is having on mental health all over the world. At Pars, this is manifested through a 50% increase in Iranian Christian clients seeking therapy through our Counseling Center in the months of April and May. Our counselors report that the majority of these cases concern marital and familial struggles (among refugees in particular) that have come to the surface as a result of life in lockdown. Others have sought therapy due to relapses into addiction and the return of depression as a consequence of experiences of loss too difficult to bear.
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