Becoming christian, backgrounds and motives of Iranians in the Netherlands leaving Islam

i
Becoming Christian
Background and motives of Iranians in the Netherlands
leaving Islam
Peter Geerlings
14 June 2010
Student number: S9939105
Master of Arts in Religious Studies - Thesis
Specialisation: Islam in the Contemporary West
Supervisor: Prof. Mr. dr. M.S. Berger

ii
Acknowledgements
My sincere gratitude goes out to the Iranians who wanted to participate in this research.
Without their cooperation I would not have been able to conduct this study, which deals about
them, in the quality that I want. Their hospitality will be remembered by these words of
thanks.
Also I thank the churches and Christian mission organizations who were willing to provide
me with knowledge about the subject and helped me to find the right contact persons.
Finally, I am grateful to prof. dr. emeritus J.A.B. Jongeneel who helped me starting up this
research, dr. N.M. Dessing for her assistance about working out the interviews and especially
to prof. mr. dr. M.S. Berger who helped me in structuring this research.

iii
Introduction
For twelve years I have been working with the Dutch Central Agency for the Reception of
Asylum Seekers (COA). The COA provides accommodation to asylum seekers during their
asylum procedure and prepares them for either living in the Netherlands, returning to their
country of origin, or transmigration. In all those years I noticed huge numbers of Iranian
Muslims convert to Christianity. At many periods, none of the Iranians living in the reception
center I worked in were and still are, listed as Muslim. In their personal data file, they are
referred as „Christians‟ or it is stated „no religion‟.
It is hard to find any data about the religious convictions of people living in the Netherlands,
inlcuding those of the Iranian Christians. Many Dutch churches do not keep up lists of their
members. Besides, various Christians in the Netherlands come together in informal gatherings
or do not attend church at all. The rare numbers of Iranian Christian converts in the
Netherlands are solely based on estimates. One of these estimates has been conducted by the
Catholic Kaski institute, a social scientific institute of religious and ideological developments
in society.1
Kaski is attached to the Catholic University of Nijmegen. In a non-published
Kaski report of 2004, it is estimated that out of the 28.000 Iranians living in the Netherlands
in 2003, about 21.000 (75 percent) are Christians.2
However other non-religious sources show
a different picture. According to the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) the majority of
the 31.6673
Iranians living in the Netherlands claim they do not profess a religion.4
No
numbers are given! In a CBS survey conducted in 2006, 60 percent of the Iranians living in
the Netherlands state they are not Muslim.5
Estimates vary significantly. However a first
cautious conclusion is these numbers at least show a substantial number of Iranians living in
the Netherlands, do not feel Muslims.
To get another angle I compared the conversion ratio of Iranians and other (Muslim) asylum
seekers. Therefore I executed two brief surveys. On the Google web search engine I explored
the Dutch commands, asielzoeker (asylum seeker), bekering (conversion) and Nederland (the
Netherlands). Of all the 2870 hits I got, I investigated the top twenty of them. Thirteen of the
these websites contain information about Iranian converts. Likewise I searched in the national
Dutch news papers database Lexis Nexis, Academic NL6
and explored the years 2005 until
2007 and traced twenty-one articles. Seven of these articles concern Iranian converted asylum
seekers, five articles relate to other topics, four articles describe the position of converted
asylum seekers in general and the other articles concern single other groups or subjects. It is
my conclusion that in the Dutch media the majority of the news coverage about the
conversion of asylum seekers involve Iranian Muslims.7
Since the overwhelming majority of
the Iranians living in the Netherlands have a Shi‟i background8
and are asylum seekers, Shi‟i
Iranian asylum seekers are the target group of this research.
Based on my personal observations and these simple surveys I conclude relatively more
Iranian Muslim asylum seekers convert to Christianity than other Muslim asylum seekers do.
1
http://www.ru.nl/kaski/ (accessed at June 8, 2010).
2
The report is mentioned in Hans Euser‟s Migranten in Mokum: De betekenis van migrantenkerken voor de stad Amsterdam, (Amsterdam:
Vrije Universiteit, 2006) 34-35.
3
http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/publication/?DM=SLNL&PA=37325&D1=a&D2=0-4,136,151,214,231&D3=0&D4=0&D5=96&D6=a,!0-
8&VW=T (accessed at May 11, 2010).
4
Thomas Hessels, Iraniërs in Nederland, Bevolkingtrends (CBS: 2004), 57.
5
Marieke van Herten and Ferdy Otten, Naar een nieuwe schatting van het aantal islamieten in Nederland, Bevolkingtrends (CBS: 2007), 49;
Prof. dr. F.L Leeuw, Integratiekaart 2006, CBS en Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek en Documentatiecentrum, 2006.
6
http://www.bibliotheek.leidenuniv.nl/catalogi_databases/fulltext.jsp, Lexis Nexis Nederlands Nieuws, I searched in the national Dutch
newpapers database which contains some of the most well known news papers: Algemeen Dagblad, NRC Dagblad, NRC.NEXT, Het Parool,
Reformatorisch Dagblad, Spits!, De Telegraaf, Trouw and De Volkskrant.
7
Surveys conducted at January 27, 2009 and March 21, 2009.
8
98 percent of the 65.5 million Iranians in Iran is Muslim, of which 89 percent is Shi‟i Muslim. The remaining two percent of the population
consists of Zoroastrians, Baha‟is, Christians and Jews, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html - CIA
World Factbook (accessed at March 17, 2010).

iv
However, statistically and scientifically proven numbers to verify this finding do not exist.
Although it would be very interesting to confirm this conclusion, at the foundation of these
conversions, lies something more interesting; the question of this thesis:
Which backgrounds, forces, motives, factors and feelings can be of influence to Iranian
Muslim in the Netherlands to convert out of Islam to Christianity?
The result of this research is an introductory inventory. Introductory, since to my knowledge
no extensive research has been undertaken thus far, about Iranians converting to Christianity
in the Netherlands. In this research I conducted interviews, studied literature and investigated
the internet. I interviewed fourteen Iranians who converted to Christianity in the Netherlands.
I talked with them about the whole conversion process and the pull factors of Christianity and
the push factors of Islam. It became obvious to me that these Iranians are basically going
through an insecure time of their lives because of the asylum procedure. The work being
conducted by churches and mission organizations9
are of vital importance to their
conversions. I also found out all Iranians I interviewed converted to Protestant Christian
denominations. Therefore in this research when I speak of Christians I mean Protestant
Christians. To visualize, feel and trying to understand the climax of conversion, I visited a
baptism service in an evangelical church in Haarlem. Also I went to a so called „integration
service‟ in another evangelical church in Amersfoort. The mass was visited by Iranians and
Dutch church members. Twice I visited the service of the Iranian Kores Church in Apeldoorn
which is predominantly visited by Iranians. Furthermore I went to Dutch mission
organizations and spoke with their staff and had contact via internet. Finally I interviewed
professor doctor emeritus Jan Jongeneel an expert on international mission, an official of the
mission organization Gospel and Muslims foundation and the pastor of the Kores Church. In
all these meetings, conversations, E-mail contacts and interviews, the people in their own
words concluded: “something special is going on amongst Iranians in relation to Christianity
and conversions”.
I studied literature about this subject although there is a lack of study about the Iranian
Christians living outside of Iran.10
Literature about conversions in general is available. In this
study I use, to what I think is a, clear, uncomplicated and practical definition of conversion. I
borrow it from dr. Lewis Rambo, an expert on religious conversions: “conversion means
turning from and to new religious groups, ways of life, systems of belief, and modes of
relating to a deity or the nature of reality”.11
I believe a conversion is what a person says it is
and takes place only in very particular circumstances: ―…the process of conversion is a
product of the interactions among the convert’s aspirations, needs, and orientations, the
nature of the group into which she or he is being converted, and the particular social matrix
in which these processes are taking place‖.12
The conversion to Christianity is usually marked by the baptism ritual, analogue to God‟s
order in Matthew 28:19 to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.13
On the internet I researched the Iranian Christian websites about their theological contents,
their mutual connection, testimonies of conversion. As well I explored the Dutch mission
9
In Dutch the words zending and missie are usually used to name the proselytizing activities of the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches.
In English the translation will be mission, although sometimes I will use the words evangelize or proselytize.
10
Kathryn Spellman, Religion and Nation , Iranian Local and Transnational Networks in Britain (New York, Oxford: Berghahn Books,
2004), 167.
11
Lewis R. Rambo, Understanding Religious Conversion (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1993), 3.
12
Ibid., 7.
13
Holy Bible, New International Version, International Bible Society, 1973, 1978, 1984 -
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+19&version=NIV (accessed at May 28, 2010).

v
organizations and Dutch churches in cyber space about their goals and their adaptation to the
new media era.
Extensive theological treaties are absent in this research. I focus on the process of conversion
and relevant factors which precede it.
The first chapter of this research is a analysis of the results of the interviews I conducted with
fourteen converts who left Islam for Christianity.
In chapter two the theory of the conversion process is included.
The chapters three till five contain three categories of motives I constructed. These categories
are based on my interviews with converts and church members and officials of mission
organizations.
In chapter three I discuss vital importance of the Dutch mission. They offer Iranian asylum
seekers in need care and assistance in Christianity.
Chapter four is a report of the disillusionment many Iranians feel about the outcome of the
1979 Revolution. This feeling can be of importance in the process of converting out of Islam.
According to themselves, literature and Dutch missionaries, Iranians are considered to be
dreamers and sensitive towards miraculous events. This difficult but important subject which
can be of influence on their conversions is described in chapter five.
In chapter six and seven I discuss subconsciously thoughts present in the minds of Iranians. In
the interviews with members of Dutch churches and mission organizations I first heard of
these feelings which I further explored in literature and on the internet. These thoughts
influenced most of the interviewees subconsciously in their decision to leave Islam.
Archetypical Iranian thoughts date back to ancient Persia and are still present amongst many
Iranians. The typical Iranian way of thinking determines the national identity of Iranians and
can be attached to Christianity. The safeguarding of the national idenity can make a
conversion to Christianity much easier. An elaboration of this subject is included in chapter
six.
In chapter seven I describe parallels between Shi‟ism and Sufism with Christianity. The
Iranians are mostly unaware of these features which can be decisive forces in their choice to
convert to Christianity.
In chapter eight I investigate to what extent Iranians convert to Christianity in order to
influence their asylum procedure to obtain a residence permit.
In the conclusion I describe the interlocking of all possible backgrounds, forces, motives,
factors and feelings that are of influence in the conversions of Iranians in the Netherlands.
.

vi
Contents
Acknowledgements ii
Introduction iii
Chapter one – Stories of conversion
1.1 Composition of the target group
1.2 Practicing religions
1.3 Duration conversion process
1.4 Churches of conversion
1.5 Pull factors to Christianity
1.6 Push factors of Islam
1.7 Main motives to convert
Chapter two – Conversion theories
2.1 Context
2.2 Crisis
2.3 Quest
2.4 Encounter
2.5 Interaction
2.6 Commitment
2.7 Consequences
2.8 Conclusions
Chapter three – The vital role of Dutch mission
3.1 Mission in the Netherlands
3.2 Evangelical churches
3.3 Iranian Churches
3.3.1 Kores Church
3.3.2 The Iranian Church in the Netherlands
3.4 Mission organizations
3.4.1 Gave Foundation
3.4.2 Gospel and Muslims foundation
3.4.3 Open Doors
3.5 Missionary approach
3.5.1 Common features
3.5.2 Diverging roads
3.6 Mission by media
3.7 Conclusion
Chapter four - Receptiveness to Christianity because of disappointment in revolution
4.1 Reformation according to Al-Afghani
4.2 Critique on ruling clerics by Ali Shariati
4.3 Contemporary critics of clerical rule
4.4 Impact of the revolution
4.5 Conclusion

vii
Chapter five – Transcendental arguments
5.1 Transcendentally open minded
5.2 Appealing to dreams and miracles
5.3 Conclusion
Chapter six - Persian archetypical feelings adapted by Iranian Christians
6.1 Islam out of focus
6.2 A Christian revolution in the centre of the world
6.3 King Cyrus the ancient hero
6.4 Persian Language and poetry
6.5 Conclusion
Chapter seven – Parallels in religions
7.1 Shi‟ism and Christianity
7.2 Sufism and Christianity
7.3 Conclusion
Chapter eight - Political motivation to convert
8.1 The asylum procedure in the Netherlands
8.2 Asylum policy on Iranian Christians and converts
8.3 The present situation of Christians in Iran
8.4 Genuine of political conversions
8.5 Public awareness
8.6 Politics
8.7 Conclusion
Conclusion
Literature
Internet
Interviews

1
Chapter one
Stories of conversion
In order to hear from those who actually converted, I have interviewed 14 Iranian converts to
Christianity living in the Netherlands.
The dangers of this method of qualitative research are the subjective stories the participants
can tell. They might make up narratives they think the church wishes to hear. Also these
narratives in most cases change, due to the obtained knowledge over time about Christianity.
Initial and later experiences can intertwine and lead to post-constructed narratives.14
Another
remark that limits this research, is the amount of participants to the interviews. The fourteen
interviewees do not provide a representative outcome but will provide a first exploration in
this field of study in the Netherlands.
The focus of the interviews lies on the pull factors towards Christianity which have been of
influence in their conversion processes and the push factors which explain the reasons why
the interviewees left Islam. These factors lead to my ultimate question in the interviews in
which I want to know the reason(s) why they converted out of Islam, into Christianity.
I choose the participants randomly and started in the reception centre for asylum seekers in
Leiden with three different participants. One of them introduced me to other converted friends
of her living in Amsterdam. Also I approached a family living in Leiden that had left the
reception centre. In a later period during this research I visited the Dutch mission organization
Gospel and Muslim foundation in Amersfoort and via this organization I established contact
with Dutch and Iranian churches who organize services in Farsi and Dutch. My contact
persons in these churches assisted me in finding converts willing to talk about their
experiences.
Eight of the interviews I conducted in Dutch, in two interviews the interviewees and me
communicated in English and in four cases I made use of a translator. During two of theses
last four interviews I asked an Iranian inhabitant of the reception centre I worked to act as an
English Farsi translator. In the two other cases an Iranian church member was appointed by
my contact person of the Iranian Kores Church who translated Farsi into Dutch and via versa.
In the interviews conducted in English, the people also spoke limited Dutch and in the
interviews conducted with assistance of a translator, the interviewees spoke some Dutch and
English at well.
I interviewed Iranians in churches in Haarlem, Amersfoort and Apeldoorn and experienced no
hindrance but open cooperation from these churches and converts. I conducted the interviews
between January 2009 and May 2010. Some of the interviews were finished in 45 minutes
while others took the whole evening.
1.1 Composition of the target group
Ten of the interviewees are men and four are women. Of all 31.667 Iranians in the
Netherlands, about 55 percent of them are men. The participation of women in these
interviews does not reflect their representation in Dutch society.15
The ages of the
interviewees range from 25 till 48 years old. This means the younger and middle age Iranians
are mostly represented. These ages are representative for national demographic numbers of
Iranian asylum seekers living in the Netherlands. About 80 percent of the Iranians living in
the Netherlands are in their forties or younger.16
Most of the interviewed asylum seekers come
14
Anne Sofie Roald, New Muslims in the European Context, The Experience of Scandinavian Converts (Leiden & Boston: Brill, 2004), 107.
15
http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/publication/?DM=SLNL&PA=37325&D1=a&D2=0-4,136,151,214,231&D3=0&D4=0&D5=96&D6=a,!0-
8&VW=T (accessed at May 11, 2010).
16
Thomas Hessels, Iraniërs in Nederland, 54-55. These demographic numbers apply for all groups of asylum seekers see
http://www.coa.nl/NED/website/page.asp?menuid=101 (accessed at May 25, 2010).

2
from the middle and upper stratus of Iranian society and are well educated.17
Seven of them
studied or are still studying at university level. Three of them finished vocational education
and four finished their secondary school. Two of these last four interviewees are women who
were housewives in Iran. The other two men were a shopkeeper and a constructor. The three
man who finished a vocational education had leading or specialized jobs within a company.
Besides two young Iranians, the others who studied had a variety of jobs in Iran, like a nurse,
municipal building planner and customs officer.
Like in Iran, the Persian ethnic background is dominant in this target group.18
Four
participants say they are from ethnic origin like Arab, Azeri, Talysh and Khorasan. Two
interviewees state they are from mixed ethnic background as Persian Kurdish and Persian
Azeri.
1.2 Practicing religions
The interviewees all were Shi‟i Muslims in Iran before they converted to Christianity. I
wanted to find out their initial levels of practicing Islam. Did the interviewees go to the
mosque, prayed five (or three) times a day? Did they read the Koran? These, and other
questions were guidelines to investigate the correlation of practicing the former faith and the
participation with the new religion. To investigate the levels of practicing I asked the
interviewees: In what sense were you a practising Muslim and are you a practising
Christian?‖
Half of the interviewees claim they never felt a Muslim. They say they were Muslims only by
birth but not by heart. In fact the Iranian government considers 98 percent of the Iranians to
be Muslim. In the introduction I mention 40 percent of the Iranians applying asylum in the
Netherlands state they are not religious. This is in line with evidence that today Iranians in
Iran tend to be more sceptical towards religion and have a stronger tendency towards
secularism than most other Middle Eastern countries.19
It was also predicted by Persian
Islamic scholar Abdolkarim Soroush as a consequence of the 1979 Revolution which made
the clerics the rulers of Iran. The secularism according to Soroush was caused by “the
compromises and hypocrisy of politics and the government.”20
These former non-practising
Muslims who participated were nominal believers. They were Muslims on the outside and had
affiliation with Islam only as far as communal rituals were concerned, or not at all.21
All of
them claim they were only registered as but never felt like Muslims. From these self
proclaimed non-practising Muslims, most of them became more involved in the Christian
church and averagely started to be moderately practising Christians.
The other half of the interviewees were professing Islam on different levels, ranging from
moderately practising to very actively practising. Generally speaking, most of them have
maintained a same level of practising Christianity as they did within Islam. A new faith can be
attractive to a convert, when there are possibilities, based on the character of the convert, he
can continue the rate of involvement and connection as was done with the old faith.22
One of
the interviewees says she felt a devout Muslim and feels like a Christian missionary now, who
tries to invite other Iranians to come to church. Another interviewee states he used to ask a lot
of questions about Islam because he wanted to know all about his faith. He says he now
evangelises and claims he introduced six people to church.
17
Kathryn Spellman, Religion and Nation, 183: Spellman states the same about the Iranians who fled to Britain.
18
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html (accessed at May 3, 2010).
19
Michael Axworthy, Iran, 335.
20
Ibid., 322.
21
Abdullah Saeed, Freedom of Religion, 172.
22
Gé Speelman, Continuity and Discontinuity in Conversion Stories (Leiden: Brill, Exchange, Volume 35, Part 3), 305 – 306.

3
1.3 Duration conversion process
In order to describe the whole conversion process I asked the interviewees about their ages
when they got their first interest in Christianity and how long it took them to actually convert.
By converting I mean the day they were baptized.
The interviewees converted in a variety of ages ranging from 21 to 44 years.23
The average
time between the first interest in Christianity and the actual conversions is a little over 2,5
years. The individual conversion processes however strongly vary, from four months till
seven years.24
The reasons of the duration between the time of initial interest and actual
conversion vary as well. The majority of the interviewees say they needed time to study and
comprehend Christianity. In most cases they participated in bible classes organized by the
various churches. The most of these interviewees converted in a gradual process in which they
gained more knowledge about Christianity step-by-step. Four of the interviewees explicitly
state they needed time of persuasion to overcome a big hurdle of resistance to change religion.
One of them says: “you do not just leave Islam after 25 years and change to Christianity like
taking another cookie”.
1.4 Churches of conversion
In the next phase of the interview I asked the Iranians to which churches they converted and
about their motives for choosing these churches. I wanted to find out how the interviewees got
into actual contact with the churches they converted to. Beside I wanted to explore the role of
the churches in inviting the Iranian Muslims into their churches. Finally I was interested into
which kind of churches the Iranians converted and how they were baptized there.
Five interviewees were baptized by the pastor of the Iranian Kores Church25
in Apeldoorn.
Four were baptized in the evangelical Sion Church26
in the Hague and five in various
evangelical churches.
The Kores Church is an Iranian Church which most Iranians have at one point during their
stay in the Netherlands visited. The services in Farsi and Dutch, are visited by an average
audience of 100 people. It is an important social gathering as well for Iranians in this country.
The church members offer a lot of assistance to Iranians in need, like those who face
problems concerning the asylum procedure or those who are in prison. The pastor of this
church knows many of the Iranians in the Netherlands and claims he has baptized 1000
Iranians in church and 80 in prison.27
One of the interviewees was baptised in prison by him.
Another interviewee was baptized at home since the church did not have a church building yet
and one was baptized in a church he does not know by name, the baptism was however
organized by the Kores church. One woman wanted to be baptized in a church in Epe which
she regularly visited, but it took her too long for she could only be baptized on holidays over
there. The church advised to go to the Kores church where she could be baptized quicker
which she did. The Kores Church is very actively trying to invite Iranians to Christianity in
order to baptize them and is mobile and creative in this process.
Because roughly half of the interviews took place in the western part of the Netherlands,
relatively a lot of the interviewees (four) were baptized in The Hague. Beside the popularity
of the Kores Church for the mentioned reasons, nine interviewees converted in regional
churches. Almost all of them went to these churches because other Iranians mentioned the
church to them and because these churches provide services in Farsi. As one of the
23
Ali Köse, A Study of Native British Converts (London and New York: Kegan Paul International: 1996), 47. In Köse‟s findings the majority
of the converts were between 23 and 45 years; Larry Poston, Islamic Da’ wah in the West, Muslim Missionary Activity and the Dynamics of
Conversion to Islam (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992), 168. In this research Poston concludes the majority of the
converts within Christianity to Islam is adolescent and about 30 years.
24
Larry Poston, 168. Poston concludes this process takes about an average of 3 years.
25
http://www.persian-church-cyrus.com/ (accessed at January 21, 2009).
26
http://www.siondenhaag.nl/ (accessed at January 21, 2009).
27
Interview with the pastor of the Kores Church conducted at April 19, 2010.

4
interviewees says about the Sion Church: “Many Iranians in the region go to this church
because once a month a service in Farsi is organized, that is why I went there and got
baptized in this church.”
Two of the interviewees mention the assistance the members of these churches gave,
especially during the problems at the time of their asylum procedure. One convert to the
Martus Church in Amersfoort28
explains, he used to be moved around in the Netherlands a lot,
living in different reception centres for asylum seekers. Iranian and Dutch members of this
church helped him a lot he says. Their assistance made him stay with this church as he claims.
Three interviewees say the leisure activities the local churches organize are an important
binding agent. For many of them this was a way to get out of the reception centre and to do
something completely different. Usually these activities were followed by bible classes. All
the interviewees who were baptized in a local church mention the bible classes.
One interviewee was baptized twice. First in Tehran by the pastor of the Kores Church via
telephone, assisted by his sister who was present in the bathroom in Tehran. She converted
again in the Netherlands to the Redeemed Christian Church29
and was baptized in a river in
Arnhem. An African woman she met in a safety house introduced her to this church.
The pastor of the Kores church considers his church to be a „new protestant‟ church and can
be categorized as evangelical.30
Taken this into consideration, all the Iranians converted to an
evangelical or reformed church belonging to the Protestant denomination. Although I started
these interviews by randomly seeking different candidates which I did later again, I might
have conducted these interviewees in „Protestant Lane‟. However, I found little evidence in
literature and on the internet about Roman Catholic missionary undertakings in the
Netherlands.
1.5 Pull factors to Christianity
One of the key questions during the interviews was why these Iranians were attracted to
Christianity. I asked them about the main factor(s) why they developed their interest in this
new faith. With pull factors I mean those factors which arose the serious interest in
Christianity. These factors precede the actual conversion. I categorized the main pull factors
of Christianity according to these fourteen interviewees. Most of them have mentioned more
than one factor that ignited their interest in Christianity.
Except for one interviewee all the converts mention either the love of God or the closeness of
God they did not feel in Islam. Seven interviewees state they feel the love of God, like the
incarnation love between God and Jesus, the Father and the Son. These interviewees feel this
analogous love. Six interviewees mention the closeness God. They feel a close bond with God
like being his son or daughter. One of them says she can be like a daughter of God, as Jesus is
his son. The converts speaks about and points out verse John 1:18 from the New Testament
and explains that she believes this verse means that everybody can be a child of God. Another
interviewee explains to her Christianity is a religion of the heart. She explains she experiences
Jesus as a living God who gives love. With this experience, she says, she can give love to
others.
Seven interviewees mention the alleged freedom of practise of religion as one of the pull
factors to Christianity. They state they feel more freedom in the way they can profess
Christianity than they could within Islam. The main examples given, are the alleged freedoms
to read the Bible in a language they understand (instead of the prescribed Arabic version of
the Koran which they do not understand) and ways of how to pray or talk to God. One of the
interviewees explains: “The contact with God within Christianity is individually. If somebody
28
http://www.martuskerk.nl/ (accessed at January 21, 2009).
29
http://www.rccg.org/ (accessed at January 21, 2009).
30
Koen Folkerts, De Iraanse kerken in Nederland, De problematiek omtrent de doop en andere problemen (Amsterdam: Azusa Theologische
Hogeschool, 2009), 28.

5
contacts God in a different way than somebody else, than that is another interpretation which
is allowed.” To another interviewee the possibility to talk to God in a way she wants to, in a
language she wants to is very important, instead of making the prescribed salat, the Muslim
prayer three times a day(!) like the Shi‟i Muslims in Iran do, thus says she.
All the interviewees have lived or still are living in reception centres for asylum seekers. Five
of them mention experiences with helpful Christians in their times of insecurity and the
absence of other help. One interviewee experienced in the constant moving between reception
centres Christians helped well. When in deep crisis of living as an illegal in the Netherlands
she went to the church and the mosque an asked for help. She concludes “In the mosque they
told me they could not help me but the people from church offered me shelter”. Another
interviewed converts tells he admires the strength and persistence of Jesus Christ and the
Christians in Iran and around the world. The non-violence, the love and the peace of God he
experienced, arose his interest in Christianity.
To three of the newly converts a forgiving God has been a main pull factor towards
Christianity. God forgives them while being alive, they state. They will not be judged after
they die, as they claim happens in Islam. One convert states: “God forgives people already
while they are alive instead of when they are death, as within Islam”. He says he can now
forgive al those whom he wished dead before.
According to two interviewees God really listens and helps or cures them in a miraculous
cure. One of them claims he witnessed the voice of Jesus as his Lord in a miraculous event in
which he was cured. This might of God, as well as the supposed liberty Christians have in
asking questions about their faith are his most important motives that pulled him towards
Christianity.
Two interviewees, one man and one woman converted because their partner did so before
them. One saw a positive change within the partner, the other just did so on request and did
not mind.
One interviewee experiences Christianity as the right guidance for him to arrange his life, he
illustrates: ―The Bible is the truth and gives all the answers, like a teacher does.‖
1.6 Push factors of Islam
As opposed to the former question I asked the Iranians about push factors that made them
leave Islam. Again, the most interviewees do not mention one but more factors that pushed
them away from Islam.
Ten interviewees say they experienced violence in Iran and therefore associate Islam with
violence. Five of them say they witnessed public executions, conducted by the state in Iran.
In Iran one of them claims he witnessed the stoning of a woman who was allegedly found
guilty of adultery. Sentences in the name of Islam like this can not be justified, he says.
Another interviewee tells a long story of the history of Persia and says the Muslims who
conquered his country violently by the sword, wiped away pre-Islamic Zoroastrian and
Persian roots of his religion and culture. He sees Muhammad as the messenger of the Devil.31
To eight of the interviewees the prescriptions in Islam felt as chains around their bodies. To
most of them prescriptions on what to wear, how to pray, praying times and the obligation to
read the Koran in Arabic, lead to violence, intolerance and discrimination. One of them
summed up this shared dislike of Islam as follows: “The strong prescription of the sharia
makes Muslims liars and cheaters, like I was”.
In the view of four of the interviewees women have an inexcusable inferior position in Iran
and within Islam. When visiting the Koran lessons in Iran one interviewee heard women are
inferior to the men. She was astounded and could not believe it and repulsed the idea. Another
31
Kathryn Spellman, Religion and Nation,188; similar testimony.

6
interviewee mentions the supposed inferior position of girls in Islam and tells in the early days
of Islam baby girls were killed because the parents wanted to have boys.
Four interviewees deny Islam as a true religion. Two interviewees claim they do not believe
Muhammad is a prophet of God and two more state they believe the Koran is a corruption of
the Bible.
Perceived intolerance in the name of Islam is a push factor according to three newly converts.
They explain they never were Muslims but that Iranians have to live as Muslims without
having a choice to live another life.
Three interviewees believe Islam is a religion of men, not of God. They explain in their view
Shi‟i Islam is a religion that believes in men like Muhammad, Ali and Husayn instead of one
God.
Islam does not give answers to the questions in live and is far away from mankind and only
gets into close contact with man after death, according to two interviewees.
The fact Muslims do not believe Jesus is the son of God is a push factor of Islam according to
one interviewee.
One interviewee experiences Islam as a materialistic religion, which is very negative in his
view. He mentions the virgins and milk and honey in Paradise.
1.7 Main motives to convert
My final question at every interview was: “What were your main motives or motive, to
convert to Christianity?” Although this question resembles the question about the pull factors
towards Christianity, the answers are somewhat differing and in some cases similar. The
question about the pull factors of ChristianityI included to explore which elements of the
Christian faith attracted the interviewees enough to develop a serious curiosity in Christianity.
With this last question I want determine which were the final key elements which led to the
actual conversion. This means some of the interviewees than already had years of knowledge
and experiences about and with Christianity behind them. By asking this last question I forced
the interviewees to narrow the whole conversion process down.
Eight interviewees suffered crises on psychological, physical, political, economical and
asylum procedural levels.32
During these crises they experienced miraculous events, got help
from Christians, were called by God or for practical reasons joined the new faith. Crises are
the overarching factors to many converts, according to these interviews. To one interviewee
the conversion was purely socially motivated. The many problems in his life led to his
conversion. He had (severe) physical and political problems (Iran). The asylum procedure was
insecure and led to tensions within the family. “A man can not handle all that by himself”, so
he says. He needed the support of others around him. Christianity provided him that help, he
says. Another interviewee explains before he got his residence permit he had a lot of problems
in the Netherlands and was an illegal refugee. He was offered help by Dutch and Iranian
Christians.They helped him without asking anything in return, he says. They gave him love
and company, as a result of which he did not feel afraid anymore.
Six of these Iranian converts explain how they were cured from diseases, or were called by
Jesus or God in dreams.33
One of the converts says he suffered from bone cancer. An Iranian
pastor came to visit him. During this visit he allegedly heard the voice of the pastor and God
combined. He states they both received the same message that he would be cured. This
Iranian man, who studied at university and is a nurse now, claims he got cured of the cancer.
He says the healing made him convert. Healing was also the key experience in the actual
conversion to Christianity to another interviewee. She says she suffered heart problems,
nervous brake downs and a lot of stress. The insecurity in the Netherlands was to blame. She
32
Kathryn Spellman, Religion and Nation, 182.
33
Ibid., 182.

7
prayed for recovery and had a dream she could not interpret about a white bird. The pastor of
the Kores church told her she was visited by the Holy Spirit. From that moment on she did not
suffer the mentioned problems anymore.
In five interviews the people told me they were fed up with their perceived violence in Islam
and needed a new start. They say they just had to choose a new path in life to lead them. A
gradual process in studying Christianity led to their conversions.34
The proselytising efforts by
missionaries were very important in these conversions because they provided these Iranians
with a new religion which the potential converts took. Important in this sense is the
dominance of Christianity in the Netherlands. Adapting to this majority religion is a coping
strategy of these people in crisis. One interviewee says he is fed up with Islam for, as he
believes, violence is connected to Islam. He illustrates: “Everywhere where there is war, there
are Muslims.” For him the most important reason for conversion was the alleged peaceful
nature of Christianity. “In Islam if do bad things you go to hell and if you are a non believer,
or a murtadd, you will be killed”. He concludes: “In a forgiving religion as Christianity these
will not happen.”.
Three interviewees witnessed a positive change within their partner and one interviewee just
followed her partner‟s choice to change religion. Except for one interviewee (who baptized
again later) they did not merely converted because the partner did so.35
They can be called
cultural converts, or converts who after having gained knowledge by their partner, being
triggered by them, went on to learn more about Christianity by themselves. For neither of
them this was the only reason of conversion they mentioned. In one case the man in question
was afraid to lose contact with his children if he did not convert.
1.6 Conclusion
The outcome of the interviews I categorized in three groups which I could further investgate;
The vital role of the Dutch mission, receptiveness to Christianity because of disappointment
in revolution and transcendental arguments.
An aiding role of the Dutch mission was the helpfulness of Christians in times of crisis of
these Iranians in the Netherlands. Also partners who already converted and brought the
converts in a later stage to church where of influence. They were asked by the churches to
take bring them to church where they eventually were educated in Christianity.
On a theological level the missionaries explained the following features of Christianity that
were of vital influence in the conversion process of the interviewees: The supposed closeness
of God, the notion of a forgiving God, the idea Christianity offers the right guidance to life,
the notion Islam is allegedly a religion of men not of God and the denial of Islam as the true
religion opposed to the truthfulness of Christianity.
The disappointment in Islam is attached to the Iranian situation in virtually all cases. Reasons
of leaving Islam falling in this category include the alleged violence, inferior position of
women and intolerance within Islam. These criticism of Islam is a consequence of the Iranian
revolution of 1979.
One factor that stands on itself are the mentioned miraculous events, although the
missionaries can play a role in this factor as well, as will be discussed later.
34
Ali Köse, A Study of Native British Converts, 51: Köse reports 33% of his studied target group converted because of cognitive, existential,
or religious concerns and 24% on emotional matters.
35
Anne Sofie Roald, New Muslims in the European Context, 98.

8
Chapter two
Conversion theories
Professor of psychology and religion Lewis R. Rambo has developed a seven stage model in
which he describes the religious conversion process in general.36
Each stage has its own
characteristics and can be seen as a particular element or period during that process of change.
I find the model very suitable to picture the Dutch situation concerning the converted Iranians.
A conversion process is a process of change over time, as also has been shown by the
outcome of the results of the interviews. In this chapter the theory will be combined with
these outcomes.
2.1 Context
The starting point of the model, the context is a accumulation of everything that has brought a
person to where they are now. Examples are their upbringing, their educational background,
their work, their social network and the cultural trends around them. Their previous religious
training and experience. Their mental health and social skills. Their core values.
Two remarks made by Lewis Rambo are important. Firstly, when cultures collapse as is the
case with asylum seekers who will face totally different living conditions, culture and habits,
it initiates a process in which the core myths, rituals and symbols break down and are
reconstituted, giving people a revitalized vision of themselves in order to cope with the
changed situation.37
This situation occurs to the Iranian asylum seekers as well and it happens relatively quickly.
To live in a new society, the revitalization of themselves and their world view can be a coping
strategy. In this case Iranians will integrate in a (culturally determined) Christian country. To
a number of them religious conversion is a way to realize an adaptation to the new phase in
their lives. Needless to say, the opposite also takes place. Some people when detached from
their home society, resist to the new country and its culture and want to preserve their culture,
religion and their way of life. This is the conservative and sometimes fundamentalist way.38
Secondly, the Dutch cultural context is that of a pluralistic society wherein many religions and
world views are available and not many things are taken for granted.39
The majority of the
Iranians in the Netherlands is well educated, as most of the interviewees are. They have
developed the ability to be critical to what is known and open to what is new and will explore
the latter. A number Iranians in the Netherlands, like the interviewees, are capable of being
critical about Islam and open minded towards other religions like Christianity.
2.2 Crisis
Religious, political, psychological and cultural or any other form of crisis usually precede
conversions.40
Most people are looking for a way out of the crisis, to get rid of the discomfort
and stress. This can lead to a quest. In times of crisis asylum seekers in the Netherlands can
develop an interest in the religion of the majority group as a coping strategy.41
A majority of the interviewees reported crises preceded their conversion. These crises arose
due to the uncertainty of building up a safe future in the Netherlands. The possibility of being
expelled from the Netherlands and been sent back to Iran always hung above their necks like
the sword of Damocles. Often this leads to tensions inside families. Some Iranians
36
Lewis Rambo, Understanding Religious Conversion, 16 – 17.
37
Ibid., 23.
38
Anne Sofie Roald, New Muslims in the European Context, 95.
39
Lewis Rambo, Understanding Religious Conversions, 29.
40
Ibid., 44.
41
Anne Sofie Roald, 95.

9
experienced religious crises. To them Islam did not provide enough support in these difficult
times. As a consequence they could not justify Islam anymore and lost interest in it. The
interviewees came into contact with Christianity because of its advocates. Dutch Christians or
Iranian converts provided them with knowledge about Christianity. Nobody converted
overnight, but almost all of the interviewees did so after a gradual process of learning more
about and getting used to the new faith.42
Whenever people are in crisis, (economically) dependent and detached from communal and
familial support systems, conversion becomes an option.43
Especially Protestant movements
have provided and continue to provide a support for Iranian asylum seekers dealing with
social change and cultural transition. They offer a new religion to them that assists and cares
from them.44
2.3 Quest
Quest is a process of building meaning and it is an ongoing process, which greatly intensifies
during times of crises, when the search becomes compelling.45
There are many ways to gather
information like reading, broadcast media, internet, visits to houses of worship, talking with
friends of different religions. People seek in different modes, they are active, receptive,
rejecting, apathetic or passive in their search, so in their whole conversion process. All these
modes are present amongst the interviewees. However the active mode prevails in which I
mean they took the effort to learn more about the new faith, some of them studied for years.
Especially the „new media‟ like internet and satellite prove to be safe and popular sources for
well educated Iranians to search for more knowledge about Christianity.
2.4 Encounter
In the Netherlands a structured missionary organization is created to invite Muslims in the
Netherlands to Christianity. All of the interviewees, except I 7,46
were approached by
advocates from different Christian churches or organizations. Either church members,
representatives from mission organizations or Iranian converted friends, encouraged by their
churches, established the first contact between the Iranians and various churches. These
advocates usually provided the interviewees with their first knowledge about Christianity.
Many Christians who encounter the Iranian potential converts are aware of the fact that
Iranians are used to the velayat-e faqih principle or the guardianship of the jurisprudence.47
This is a Shi‟i princple in which a faqih, an Islamic jurist, has the authority and power to
interpret and explain the holy texts of the Koran and hadith. In this view authoritative
interpretation, idjtihad, is needed to understand their meanings. This can only be done by the
gifted scientists amongst the Islamic scholars, the modjtaheds. Each Shi‟i in this line of
reasoning must have a marja-e taqlid, a living religious role model. In the hierarchy of the
modjtaheds these men are hojjatoleslam , ayatollah or grand ayatollah, men with mounting
knowledge about Islam.48
To the Iranians the missionary or Christian representative is the
face of the new religion. “Iranians are like natural disciples and want to learn from
authorities. That is why many of them favour the way Jesus educated his disciples”, tells the
American minister of an Iranian church in Washington.49
In the view of Iranian potential
converts, the Christian missionary in the Netherlands should be a trustworthy, loyal, learned,
42
Larry Poston, Islamic Da’ wah, 172.
43
Kathryn Spellman, Religion and Nation,155.
44
Ibid., 149.
45
46
I 7 was approached by a non Christian friend who advised him to go to church. There he got the knowledge about Christianity by the
church members.
47
Michael Axworthy, Iran, 313.
48
Ibid., 203 – 204.
49
Tat Stewart, Hart voor Iraniërs, 3.

10
experienced and charismatic person and lead an exemplary live. The advocate who fits this
description can narrow the gap between the Iranians and the new faith and count on loyal and
curious pupils. These pupils can be educated to such a level that they will be able to explain
Christianity to other fellow countryman. As discussed above, many Interviewees were invited
to come to church by fellow Iranians who had already converted.50
2.5 Interaction
This stage is very closely related to the stage of the advocate who establishes the contact
between the potential convert and the church. In this stage the seeker learns more about the
new religion, its teachings, life-style and the expectations of the group. The potential converts
are provided with opportunities to become more fully incorporated into the religious group.
The Christian churches and organizations who are active in missionary work are organizing
these activities. The seeker will spend some period as a guest or a participant observer,
perhaps attending services, learning the customs and getting to know the people of the church
community. Structured introductory classes are offered for adults who are considering
conversion. The potential convert decides in this stage to convert or not, or is in one way or
another persuaded to convert.51
Usually an advocate of a church or mission organization, often accompanied by an Iranian
convert, visits a reception centre for asylum seekers. They invite asylum seekers to come to
church for a meeting, a service or a leisure activity. Usually, in a later stadium religious
activities like bible studies will be offered. It is a great challenge to the mission workers to
establish relations with potential converts from Iran that are based on trust. Many Iranians
have great difficulties in trusting other people. The repressive Iranian regime planted
suspicion in most of the Iranians hearts because in Iran people are watching with suspicion
towards others. Many Iranians faced the dangers of people reporting those they did not like to
the officials and claim they offended Islam.52
2.6 Commitment
According to Lewis Rambo all means of the change process come to and end in this stage.
The actual conversion takes place. In all cases this was achieved by the baptism ritual. This
ritual originates from the Old Testament but in the New Testament John the Baptist is
mentioned as being the person to whom converts to Christianity went to. They were baptized
so that their sins would be forgiven. John insisted on changes of heart. In this way, by being
baptized, the converts can achieve truthfulness in the forgiveness of the sins.53
Baptism can be
described as a process of being born again, the old self dies and a new self is created. It can be
viewed and experienced as a deconstruction of the past and a reconstruction of the future.
Many converts report they feel that their burden of sins was literally lifted from their body.54
The interviewees reported these experiences as well. They were all baptized. Some felt the
weight of sins fall from their bodies. One interviewee said she entered a life where immaterial
things are more important than the previous alleged Islamic material persuasions. Others
claimed they were much more optimistic about their future lives and mankind in general than
after being baptized. Some mention they were also baptized with the Holy Ghost.55
This
50
Tat Stewart, 3; Takken H.J. and N.M. Tramper (eds.), Vreemde gasten, Dromen en wonderen in het contact van christenen en moslims
(Zoetermeer: Uitgeverij Boekencentrum, 2002), 58. Many of the interviewees were invited to come to church by other Iranians, friends they
knew or who were attached to a church community. Some of the interviewees followed this request and invited other Iranians to come to
church.
51
52
Tat Stewart, Hart voor Iraniers, 2.
53
Prof. Dr. W.H. Gispen, Bijbelse Encyclopedie (Kampen: Uitgeverij Kok, 2000), 223.
54
Lewis Rambo, 116.
55
W.H. Gispen, 223 – 224. Jesus was baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire. After the descent of the Holy Ghost a complete baptism in the
name of „The Word‟, God, could take place.

11
spiritual baptism made the whole conversion ritual complete to them, a real change was
achieved.
The five most common elements within this stage56
, according to Lewis Rambo, are now
described shortly.
Decision making
In the Bible many examples of dramatic decisions that affect a person‟s destiny, are found.
Lewis Rambo mentions the paradigmatic call from God to mankind to make the right
decisions.57
Decision making is therefore a major theme in evangelical theology. Alternatives
are evaluated in this stage. The interviewees decided to make a major decision. Converts do
not only change their religion, which in itself is a rare process for Iranians in Iran, but also
they choose a new life. This new life can turn out to be completely different or can be a
merging of old and new ways of life. The results of this stage will be visible in the last of the
seven stages, consequences.
Rituals
The transition process is sealed by the conversion, baptism in this case. This ritual in
Christianity means the converts declares the old life to be dead and the new life to be born.
Other rituals can be a different way of clothing like not wearing veils anymore or diet like
being able to eat pork or drink alcohol. All the interviewees underwent this ritual and thus
committed themselves to Christianity. The ritual provided them consolidation in the new
religious group.
Surrender
This is the inner process of change and the turning point away from the old life and the
beginning of a new life.58
In Christianity this means major Muslim doctrines have to be
abandoned for new ones which contrast Islam. The clearest example is the divinity of Jesus
within Christianity that contrasts the Muslim belief that Jesus was only a human prophet.
According to most converts this is the hardest achievement. Some of the interviewees needed
a lot of time of studying and experiencing the new faith to really be able to submit to it. For
others it was for various reasons relatively easier. They were either practising Islam on a low
level before making the step to convert easier or they were already religious and used to be
submitted to God and concentrated on the similarities between Islam and Christianity.
Testimony manifested in language transformation and biographical reconstruction
Conversion means adoption of a new rhetoric or language system as well. Learning to give
one‟s testimony of conversion is often an integral part of the conversion process itself. These
testimonies can serve as a demonstration of the convert his language transformation and
biographical reconstruction. In all the interviews I conducted it was obvious the interviewees
were indeed practicing this part of the process.59
I noticed some of them were wrestling with
the new jargon. Also some were somewhat shy to speak out loudly; they wanted to explain the
new values, convictions and goals as clearly as possible. Others were more extravert and in a
more fanatical way explained the new religion and the impact this made on their lives. It is
common at a baptism ceremony to give a testimonial of the whole process of changing
religion until that time. I witnessed these testimonies at a baptism ceremony in Haarlem. Also
on many Christian websites, anonymous testimonies are included.
56
Lewis Rambo, 124 – 141.
57
Deuteronomy 30: 15 – 20.
58
59
When I asked the the potential interviewees for there cooperation they usually were very enthusiastic and during the interviews they talked
a lot about their experiences, they were eager to explain to me.

12
Motivational reformulation
People change over time, so do their motives. Change is the essence of conversion. There is
not one simple and single motive, instead, they may be multiple, complex, and quite often
malleable. To lay out this map in the case of Iranian converts in the Netherlands is the
purpose of this research. The narratives concerning the push factors seemed more unaltered
since the interviewees most probably dealt with a difficult situation in Iran for a longer period.
The narratives concerning the push factors to Christianity seemed more post-constructed in
nature. The convert gained more knowledge about Christianity after the conversion and was
in this later stage better capable of creating a suitable story in which practical motives and
Christian doctrines fit.60
I conclude that in most cases the original motives were more
prompted by worldly rewards but at present the motives of all interviewees are more religious
of tone.
2.7 Consequences
The most interviewees claim to be more positive and state they can handle pressure situations
much better since they converted. The importance of material rewards like a residence permit,
a house, money, have made way to the importance of immaterial goods such as peace at heart
or love. The married converts notice positive changes with their partners. At the same time
most of them lost contact with relatives who can not understand the decision the converts
have made. Most of these relatives live in Iran. A few interviewees who have relatives in
other countries than Iran, state some of these relatives have converted to Christianity as well.
2.8 Conclusions
The theory of Lewis Rambo fits the process the Iranian interviewees have undergone in their
religious conversion. Each stage can be translated to the mentioned experiences by them. Two
of Lewis Rambo his conclusions are that the conversion process mostly covers a longer period
of time and human experiences as conversion are determined by the dialectic between human
experience and the person‟s environment.
Based on the interviews it is my opinion the conversion of the Iranians concentrates around
the crisis they are in. This situation makes them receptive to adopt a new religion. However,
most interviewees do not converts overnight but need al long(er) period of time to study
Christianity and trust the church and its members. The undertaken actions made by Dutch
advocates of Christianity are most vital to invite the potential Iranian converts to Christianity,
to baptise them and to keep them connected to the church.
60
Gé Speelman, Continuity and Discontinuity, 305 – 306. This observation can be applied to Speelman‟s three stages model, derived from
Lewis Rambo. She maps out three stages: The old faith, also dealt by in the interview (context), the interim period (crisis and quest) and the
new faith (encounters and advocates, commitments and consequences). The narratives are determined by the character of the convert, these
can for example be more miraculous or rational in tone.

13
Chapter three
The vital role of the Dutch mission
The importance and the order to execute missionary work is written in the Gospel of Matthew
28:19.61
Jesus ordered his disciples to evangelize and baptize the people of the world.62
Until the Second World War, international missionary work emphasized Christian dogmas
which are most antagonistic to Muslim dogmas. Examples are the doctrines of incarnation,
trinity and crucifixion. In this traditional approach Muslims were (and some still are)
convinced by Christians who feel religiously superior, to change religion on a rational level.
The Muslims then have to understand the inaccuracy of Islam in general and the Koran in
special. In this reasoning the Muslims are seen as believers in a rational and intellectual
way.63
This strategy proved to be less effective. Missionaries started to realize Islam has
elements of strength, vitality and truth, that it is a rich and strong religion and that the notion
of God as omnipresent and omnipotent is greatly to be admired. Missions started raising up
leaders and workers from among the native population, with the de-emphasis on the role of
foreign missionaries. The (foreign) missionaries started to study Islam more deeply to be able
to understand the nature of Islam better, but also to avoid offending the Muslims they were
working with. A pioneer in this approach was missionary Temple Gairdner (1873 – 1928)
who lived and worked in Cairo for 31 years. He had a profound knowledge of Arabic and
Islam and discussed theological matter with Muslims on an equal basis.64
In this approach the
words written down in Matthew 7:1 – 265
were obeyed. Gairdner did not judge Islam so that
Muslims did not judge him. Translated into the new mission approach, this means Christians
should not offend Islam, its culture and world view, for they would invite Muslims to do the
same with Christianity.66
The missionaries started to realize they had to establish actual relationships with the people
they wanted to convert. To achieve this goal they had to practise a lot of patience, hope and
love.67
The evangelical churches decided they needed to be indigenous. This method of
„contextualization‟ was designed because for too long a Muslim who choose to be a Christian
was forced to give up not only his religion but his culture as well.68
The mission in the Netherlands to convert Iranian Muslims is relatively new. Most missionary
workers of various organizations and churches, follow the new approach. The Dutch
Christians who are actively proselytising Iranians usually establish some sort of relationship
with the potential converts. Also the Christians have nowadays more background information
available about Iran, Shi‟ism, mission techniques and more. In the interviews it became clear
to me, the role of the Dutch mission in the conversion of the interviewees is of vital
importance.
3.1 Mission in the Netherlands
Most Iranians who come to the Netherlands are asylum seekers. They usually live in reception
centres for asylum seekers which are situated throughout the country. The Netherlands have
become a country of mission interest with the large numbers of arrivals from all over the
61
New Bible translation: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28&version=NIV (accessed at May 16, 2010).
62
Jane I. Smith, Christian Missionary Views of Islam in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Century (Journal: Islam and Christian – Muslim
relations, 1998), 368.
63
H.J. Takken, Vreemde gasten, 50 – 53.
64
Jane I. Smith, Christian Missionary views, 362 – 364; Colin Chapman, Kruis en Halve Maan, 21, 63 and 199.
65
66
Colin Chapman, Kruis en Halve Maan, 171.
67
H.J Takken 50 – 53; Colin Chapman, 21.
68
Jane I. Smith, 266.

14
world with different religions.69
Many of them are approached in these centres by Christians
who provide emotional assistance and sometimes material support.70
These advocates
introduce Christianity to the Iranians. After a period of caring and offering various activities,
they start giving more information about Christianity to the interested Iranians. Evangelical
Churches are cooperating together and are assisted by mission organizations. The latter
organizations are well organized and possess a lot of knowledge about Islam and the way to
approach Muslims. They are in my opinion the specimen between the Dutch churches and of
the whole mission structure. Their missionaries possess a lot of intellectual knowledge about
Iranians and their backgrounds. Some even speak Farsi. When they approach Iranians, they
are usually assisted by Iranian converts. They will try to earn the trust of the Iranians and use
different kinds of techniques to narrow the gap between the Dutch Christians and the Iranian
Muslims. Common features between Islam and Christianity are being discussed first, saving
the differences and difficulties for later. The vast majority of the interviewees mentioned they
were approached by Christian Iranians accompanied by Dutch church members or
missionaries.
The churches and mission organizations described in the next sections do not provide a
complete Dutch overview. They do however offer a picture on how the missionary activities
in the Netherlands are organized.
3.2 Evangelical churches
All the interviewees converted either to an Evangelical (Pentecostal) or Iranian church. Dr.
Kathryn Spellman explains Pentecostalism provides a solid support enclave for those who are
confronted with a transitional period in their live such as migration or rapid changing social
and economic transformations.71
Whenever a collapse of the old world takes place,
Pentecostalism stresses the role of the Holy Spirit and offers supposedly gifts such as
prophecy, healing and speaking in the tongue of men and angels.72
Scores of Evangelical churches can be found in the Netherlands that organize activities for
Iranian asylum seekers. These include leisure activities for adults, youth or children, bible
study classes and services especially organized for the Iranians. These local churches
cooperate with Iranian groups and on a loose basis. In these efforts they are assisted by the
mission organizations. To overcome high cultural and linguistic hurdles to Iranian converts or
potential converts, many of these churches work together with Iranian leaders to organize
Farsi and Dutch combined services. The baptism ceremony I visited in the evangelical Shelter
Church in Haarlem cooperates with Iranians. The Martus Church in Amersfoort where I
visited a bilingual service cooperates in a similar way. The Iranian Kores Church cooperates
this way by using the church building of the Eben Haezer Church in Apeldoorn.73
Guest
speakers of the Dutch churches are invited to tell about their missionary work at the services
in the Kores church. The Dutch members of the evangelical churches are invited to join the
Iranian services, in order to bridge the gap between the new foreign convert and the native
Dutch Christians. Cultural and linguistic boundaries have to be broken, a difficult process as
an official of the missionary Gospel and Muslim foundation said.
A clarifying example is the differing perception of baptism. In the interviews with the
missionary official and professor Jongeneel74
it became clear to me, the established churches
strive cautiousness about baptising people who are not truly believers. I also spoke with
church members who claim the indigenous „Iranian churches‟ in the Netherlands baptise too
69
According to most people I interviewed who work for Christian organizations. A missionary guest speaker declared the same at a service
on the 14th
of April 2010 in the Kores Church.
70
71
72
Ibid., 154.
73
http://www.ebenhaezerkerk.nl/index.html (accessed at May 17, 2010).
74
Interviews conducted at March 26, 2009.

15
quickly in order to expand their community. After baptizing they leave the converts to
themselves without further assistance, say these members. These new converts need to be
taken care for or they will lose their new found faith, said these Christians. The established
churches emphasize religious education. This education is considered important within the
Dutch Iranian Church as well. However the pastor of the Kores Church explicitly stated he is
not concerned with the motives of Iranian converts. He believes God will judge and no matter
whether the motives of a converts were at first not genuine, eventually he will come to
Christianity.75
3.3 Iranian churches
The mission activities of the Iranian churches in the Netherlands usually focus on Persian
speakers who have been badly affected by various socio-economic and political situations and
have migrated or fled and are in need of both financial and social support.76
This support can
be attractive to asylum seekers whose lives are also in turmoil and are longing for a message
that will help them make sense of it all. Many are separated from their families and are facing
psychological or marriage problems. All of them struggle to cope with a foreign culture and
often live in sober conditions with little money.
Some Iranian Christians created a certain distance from the doctrinal debates within
Christianity like the incarnation and trinity doctrines, which could be confusing to the new
converts. They are more concerned in building a community of Iranian believers who repent,
become baptized (in the Holy Spirit) and worship Jesus Christ.77
But, also the established
churches do not want to confuse the newly converts with complicated theological debates.
Iranian Churches or other Christian Iranian communities in the Netherlands were founded like
Desert Stream78
, The Kores Church and The Iranian Church in the Netherlands. The latter two
will described below.
3.3.1 Kores Church
In the Netherlands the Persian Kores Church, named after ancient Persian King Cyrus, was
established in 2003. The church is difficult to define as the pastor does not want to either. The
reason is the church keeps some distance of the doctrinal debates, organize their own services
and have a audience which consists mostly of asylum seekers. When confronted with the
question, he refers to the church as „new protestant‟.79
It is the largest Iranian church in the
Netherlands which many Iranians are familiar with. All the Iranians I spoke to, knew of the
church and almost all of them have visited services there. The majority of the visitors of the
services are residents from receptions centres for asylum seekers. The church is led by an
energetic and charismatic pastor who is devoted to his work. All the interviewees I spoke to
and visited the church, spoke of him and his importance to them. He cares for the people and
is a great help to them, is what they say. The interviewees mention his importance to the
conversion of Iranians in the Netherlands.
The vision of the Korus Church80
focuses first on the mission command in Matthew 28:19-20.
The main objective is to share the gospel with Farsi speakers and to teach them how they can
spread the right information about the gospels and invite others to come to church. In their
deeds the church is inspired by the King Cyrus. He is seen by the community as a leader who
was chosen by God to rebuild and to return freedom to the people and to restore
monotheism.81
The church focuses specifically on Iranian asylum seekers, refugees and
75
Interview conducted at April 4, 2010.
76
77
Ibid., 173.
78
http://dsm.us.churchinsight.com – Desert Stream Ministries (accessed at May 17, 2010).
79
Koen Folkerts, De Iraanse kerken in Nederland, 28.
80
Ibid., 28 – 29.
81
King Cyrus his importance to Christian Iranians will be discussed more in chapter seven.

16
people in distress (people in prison). The community offers practical help, people in prisons
and reception centres are visited regularly. The community of the church but especially the
pastor assists Iranians with psychological problems which are usually a consequence of their
flight from Iran and the uncertain asylum procedure which often takes a long time. People
who do not have a residence, for example those Iranians whose asylum procedures has ended
and are declared as unwanted aliens in the Netherlands, can be supported by providing
temporarily housing facilities to them (which is illegal).
The structure of the services the church offers is more loose than those of the established
churches. The church has an approachable character. People can come and go whenever they
feel like it, as well during the service. By being easy accessible the church want to offer their
audience a safe environment. Evangelism is accomplished by the inclusion of acquaintances
and with the retrieval of people in their difficulties like in reception centres and prisons.
3.3.2 The Iranian Church in the Netherlands
The Iranian Church in the Netherlands, in Dutch Iraanse Kerk in Nederland is situated in
Almere and has sister churches in Groningen and Blerick. It was established five years ago
with the assistance of churches in Iran and other countries. The IKN has a similar goal as the
Kores church as they want to introduce Christianity to all Farsi speaking people in the
Netherlands.82
They want to prepare the Iranian Christians in the Netherlands to spread
Christianity amongst the Iranians and in Iran. They believe the political climate will change in
Iran so the Iranians can return and spread the Christian word in their motherland. They
organize weekly services in Farsi, bible studies, conferences and seminars.
3.4 Mission organizations
In this section I describe three important mission organizations whose members are really the
key figures in the whole mission structure in the Netherlands. The first organization acts to
my view most decisive in approaching Iranians, the second organization provides the most
intellectual information which can be used in proselytising activities and the last organization
brings the subject under the attention of a large (Christian) audience.
3.4.1 Gave Foundation
This ecumenical foundation strives to link (local) churches with Muslim asylum seekers. The
foundation forms a part of the international network „Refugee Highway partnership‟. Gave
fulfils a threefold task. Firstly they preach the gospel and want to invite all Muslims in their
own language to Christianity. Secondly Gave welcomes refugees in the church. “An asylum
seeker is often filled with feelings of uncertainty and loneliness. The Christian church in
particular can offer the warmth of a community that cares for the widow, orphan and alien —
a community that offers the comfort an asylum seeker needs”.83
Thirdly, they want to meet the
practical needs of asylum seekers.
Gave is well aware of the uncertain situation of asylum seekers in the Netherlands and their
practical, spiritual and pastoral needs.84
Therefore the church offers a host of possibilities to
help in this way, ranging from donating second-hand clothes to teaching language skills. They
can offer housing to illegal refugees who officially have to leave the country.
Gave assists churches in starting up their own activities amongst asylum seekers and setting
up well defined working structures. The organization is well organized and has a lot of
expertise and provide intensive assistance, facilities and activities to help Christians and
82
http://www.iranianchurch.nl/ - Iranian Church in the Netherlands (accessed at March 5, 2010).
83
http://www.gave.nl/gave/information (accessed at January 14, 2010).
84
See Lewis Rambo chapter six.

17
churches in their missionary works in the Netherlands.85
Regionally orientated Gave teams
offer churches courses and materials for working among asylum seekers.
The organization has created language teams as well, which focus on a specific group of
asylum seekers. Currently, a Farsi speaking team organizes activities like bible studies, cell
groups and conferences. The Gave website itself can be read in Farsi as well.
Gave encourages churches to build contacts with the asylum seekers in their own area. This is
considered the front line work. When the contacts intensify, it often becomes evident asylum
seekers have a need for meeting people within their own cultural boundaries.86
That is the
reason why Gave started secondary support activities which are intended for specific groups
of asylum seekers. For example: cell groups, conferences, English language courses, bible
education and praise evenings.
In June 2009 I visited the baptism of three Iranians in an evangelical church in Haarlem called
„Shelter‟.87
The Shelter offers services especially for Iranians in cooperation with Desert
Stream. In this special baptism service, music and singing was an important element of all
activities that day. The atmosphere was exhilarating and joyfully. The soon-to-be-converts
were tense. Just before the three converts got baptized, they shared their testimonies with the
churchgoers. They all declared their love for Christ. During this afternoon session the
situation in Iran was projected on a big screen as well. The Dutch pastor who led the baptism
in Farsi, is working for the Gave foundation. The Iranian pastor declared Jesus was present in
the church and that they were all in direct conversation with him. At the end of the day many
small groups of Iranians and Dutchman, under the guidance of the Gave pastor formed small
circles and held each others shoulder and prayed together.88
Some more of their activities includes multicultural youth camps and children camps. The
helpdesk offers answers to all kinds of questions. Some examples of questions are: ―An
asylum seeker moved to another part of The Netherlands; do you know a church that can
contact him?‖ and “Where can I buy Bible study materials in Farsi?”
Gave provides an electronic newsletter and self organising activities. They provide a free
downloadable extensive brochure, in Dutch Werkvormenmap with information of over 50
activities which can be organized by private Christians. Special attention is being paid to the
preparations, execution, after care, changes and dangers of the described activities. The
brochure offers a lot of practical and realistic information. For example, it warns the
organizers about cultural differences and the unwillingness of Dutch church members to
establish contacts with the asylum seekers.89
Advices are given how to address Muslims and
invite them to Christianity. Muslims are familiar with old testamentic persons also mentioned
in the Koran. People like Abraham, Moses and Jesus, not as the son of God but as prophet, are
good references. From this starting point the importance of Jesus his sacrifice can be
explained, is the Gave idea.90
The code of conduct of the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) is
explained in the brochure as well. The COA practices a neutral religious policy. Voluntarily
workers have to sign a contract in which they agree with the COA code of conduct. Gave
states, a Christian volunteer who works in an reception centre has to chose to be either a
volunteer worker or to fill in his contacts in an explicit Christian way. A volunteer worker is
quoted: I enjoy giving Dutch lessons… Officially I am not allowed to speak about religion but
85
http://www.gave.nl/gave/information (accessed at January 14, 2010).
86
See Lewis Rambo chapter six.
87
http://www.shelter-haarlem.nl (accessed at January 26, 2010).
88
Kathryn Spellman, Religion and Nation, 175 – 177. In her description of a Sunday service of an English Iranian Church, Spellman
mentions a lot of parallels with the baptism service I witnessed.
89
http://www.gave.nl/gave/download/downloads/werkvormenmaptweededruk.pdf (Gave, Werkvormenmap; accessed at January 14, 2010).
90
Gave, Werkvormenmap, 2.6.

18
I have a lot of space (in doing my voluntary work - my editing). Various refugees come with
us to church‖.91
Gave is searching for new volunteers to work for them. A romantic picture in which friendly
and hospitable exotic refugees invite them for dinner is described as the starting point of
mission activities. On the other side the foundation gives a realistic view of the hard live in
the reception centres and how to deal with that. 92
3.4.2 Gospel and Muslims foundation
The Gospel and Muslims foundation, in Dutch stichting Evangelie en Moslims (E&M),
conducts missionary work among the Muslims residing in the Netherlands. E&M is financed
and supported by the major Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. The foundation wants to
cooperate with individual Christians, local churches and other Christian mission
organizations. In the missionary activities, concerning asylum seekers and refugees, E&M
cooperates with the Gave Foundation.93
The activities of the foundation are fourfoldly divided:94
E&M prepares Christians in having respectful encounters with Muslims and on that basis
inviting Muslims to Christianity. In order to achieve this goal the foundation publishes books
about meeting Muslims, it organizes courses and is present in relevant meetings and various
media.
E&M supports Christian communities in their missionary work in a multi-religious society. It
publishes working materials for Christian communities to use in their preaching, youth work
and catechesis. The foundation organizes theme meetings on the subject and supports
missionary committees from local churches.
E&M cooperates in building bridges with Dutch Muslims. It acts in networks of as many as
possible churches and mission organizations. In this set of contacts E&M shares experiences,
working materials and lecture in order to motivate Christians and churches to bring the gospel
to the Dutch Muslims. The foundation for example publishes Bibles and Christian lecture in
various languages, like Farsi and Arabic. The foundation also assists local missionary work by
sending staff members to Christian communities, to start up.
E&M encourages new Christians coming from Islam to follow Jesus, to persist in the new
faith and to become a full-fledged member of a local Christian community. Members of E&M
visit the newly converts, pray and read the Bible with them. They bring the converts into
contact with local churches where they can get pastoral and diaconal attention. It brings
various converts together and finds suitable Christian education for them. Finally, E&M
brings converts into contact with interested Muslims. Especially among Iranians they find lot
of converts who want to invite fellow country men to come to church.
3.4.3 Open Doors
Open Doors is an international organization which is working in about 50 countries and has
offices in 25 countries, in the Netherlands the country where it was established as well. The
organization supports suppressed and threatened Christians around the globe. It does so by
praying for all those Christians and it provides Bibles and literature and organizes media,
leadership and socio-economic development trainings and intercessory prayer. Open Doors
prepares Christians in threatened or unstable areas to face persecution and suffering.
Furthermore the organization educates and mobilizes Christians living in the „free world‟ to
identify with threatened and persecuted Christians and be actively involved in assisting them.
The underlying vision of the organization is derived from their interpretation of 1 Corinthians
91
Gave, Werkvormenmap, 10.2.
92
http://www.gave.nl/gave/wat_kunt_u_doen/asielzoekerswerk/algemeen (accessed at January 14, 2010).
93
http://www.evangelie-moslims.nl/ (accessed at January 20, 2010).
94
Policy of E&M, 2009 – 2013 - http://www.evangelie-moslims.nl/ (accessed at January 20, 2010).

19
12:26: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part
rejoices with it.‖95
Open Doors believes when one member suffers, all members suffer with it.
All doors are open and God enables „His Body‟ to go into all the world and preach the
Gospel.96
In the Netherlands they provide Christians or interested parties with information about
suppressed Christians around the world. In their brochure that is published each two months a
lot of attention is given to the Iranian Christians.97
3.5 Missionary approach
In the new approach, missionaries have to comprehend Shi‟i Islam and the background of the
potential convert. A lot of literature about Islam is available nowadays to achieve this. Next to
the „regular‟ literature about Islam, a lot of works made by Christians for Christians have been
published and spread. A good example is Colin Chapman‟s, Cross and Halve Moon, the
challenge of Islam (in Dutch: Kruis en Halve Maan, de uitdaging van Islam). Both Gave and
E&M are making use of this book. Chapman worked as a missionary in Lebanon and Egypt
and is lector in Islamic Studies. In this book Chapman describes Islam extensively and
comprehendible for Christians. A lot of attention is paid to the history and spread of Islam and
the different sects, the law schools, Sufism and popular belief. The work is fairly subjective
but describes opportunities to get entrances to meet Muslims and talk about Christianity.
Chapman for example thinks the mountain preaches by Jesus, the gospels of Matthew and
Luke are good starting points in the meetings with Muslims. Chapman advises against using
the gospel of Mark as that gospel starts with mentioning Jesus as the son of God. This notion
is a big hurdle to overcome for Muslims.98
The common features are the first to be discussed
in the new mission approach.
3.5.1 Common features
In an interview with an official of E&M, he explained the importance to share the common
goods of Christianity and Islam. In his opinion, the pride of the Iranians is a big challenge.
They are generally speaking proud of their long history and do not want to betray their
heritage. Even if they were not practising Muslims, they will not betray this background.
Missionaries approach the Iranians by stating the fundamental similarities between the two
faiths. Both agree about the uniqueness of God and the belief God creates, is one, rules,
reveals, loves, judges and forgives.99
Iranians do not want to hear a foreigner saying that their
way of living was wrong. In the first interaction only limited time should be spent on
discussion but rather on experiencing the new faith. The new believer has to feel the warmth
of the internal bound and love inside the church communities.100
In the churches the
interviewees were assisted by helpful members. After a while they were offered to participate
in bible studies.
The potential Iranian converts must have the feeling a certain continuity exists before and
after the conversion. They already had knowledge about God but Christianity gave them new
insights, like the Christian supposed closeness to God and intimate way of praying to God.
However, it is important the converts feel as if they are still worshipping the same God. To
uphold this belief missionaries use Koran verse 3:64 in which Muhammad according to them
95
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12&version=NIV (accessed at May 26, 2010).
96
http://sb.od.org/index.php?supp_page=statement&supp_lang=en&PHPSESSID=c7743df198a9f6031e82f87c2bd77551 (accessed May 15,
2010).
97
Open Doors (brochure), 412, Iraanse Christenjongeren breken met de regels, mei/juni, 2010.
98
Colin Chapman, Kruis en Halve Maan, 173.
99
H.J. Takken, Vreemde gasten, 36; Colin Chapman, 204.
100
Tat Stewart, Hart voor Iraniërs, 4.

20
never believed the „People of the Book‟, the Jews and Christians, ever worshipped another
God:101
“Say: "O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship
none but Allah. that we associate no partners with him; that we erect not, from among
ourselves, Lords and patrons other than Allah." If then they turn back, say ye: "Bear witness
that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah’s Will).”102
Although Christians claim the Muslim representation of God and Jesus is imperfect, distorted
and null beyond all words to express, these common views provide the opportunity for the
missionary to share the Christian beliefs with the Iranians, thus the Christians.103
3.5.2 Diverging roads104
In a later stage the Iranian whose interest in Christianity has been aroused has to know the
most essential differences between Islam and Christianity.
He will learn that he can know God as he revealed himself in Jesus. Within Islam God can not
be known, but only his will, according to Christianity. Within the Christian faith, more
emphasize is laid upon the presence of God who can be called „father‟ for example. The
closeness of God, as Christians picture, was a major pull factor of Christianity to the
interviewees.
The missionaries will explain the potential convert the Bible can be read in any language.
Translations are welcomed in order to get the message as clear to as much people as possible.
Within Islam the translation of the Koran, Gods Word, is disapproved by many ulama.
Because it was revealed in Arabic, it should be read in that language. Some interviewees said
they do not know much about Islam because of the Arabic Koran. They do not speak Arabic
and do not want to, they stated.
Muslims believe they are slaves and servants of God and are faced with a distant God, say the
Christian missionaries, who believe man is created according to Gods image. As the majority
of the interviewees said, the felt closeness of God is very important to them and was of great
influence for them to convert. In times of crises a close God who listens and helps is of major
benefit, is their shared belief. Most of the interviewed Iranians mentioned the intimate contact
they established with God as a reason of their conversions. One of the strategies of the
proselytizers is to fill the needs of the potential converts in their problematic situation. A close
friend, a relationship can be very important for asylum seekers in need.105
Many of the
interviewees stated they felt a great distance to God when they were Muslims. Christian
missionaries explain the Koran teaches men are slaves and servants of God. In the New
Testament, according to their view, men have the possibilities to become sons and daughters
of God. Jesus shocked his contemporaries by naming God Abba, like the informal „father‟ or
„dad‟. In Matthew 6:9 Jesus states the disciples have these same rights, they can call God „our
Father‟ as well.106
Churches and their members want to offer a safe and warm environment.
The next step for their advocates is to show that also God is easy to reach. They argue that it
is possible to speak with him or pray to him whenever you like in any language you lik. This
seem a successful approach to reach potential converts, thus creating the unique situation in
which a conversion can take place.
Muslims can not be sure about their redemption until Judgement Day, tell the missionaries.
Christians who believe Jesus took away their sins by dying on the cross, do not have to fear
101
Colin Chapman, 214 – 215.
102
Koran translation: http://www.harunyahya.com/Quran_translation/Quran_translation3.php (accessed at May 26, 2010).
103
Jane I. Smith, Christian Missionary Views, 361; Colin Chapman, 21.
104
Colin Chapman, Kruis en Halve Maan, 228 – 250.
105
Lewis Rambo, Understanding Religious Conversions, 108 – 113.
106
Colin Chapman, 182.

21
this day, they are sure about salvation. For people in distress, like the interviewees, this can be
a big support.
Muhammad was both a prophet and a politician. Christianity teaches, Jesus was only a
prophet. He only taught the Kingdom of God will be established on earth. Most interviewees
experienced the violence in Iran as part of Islam. Analogue to the days of Muhammad, who
ruled and fought wars, Iran is ruled violently by clerics, claim the missionaries.
The New Testament offers verses for ex-Muslims to denounce their former religion, as some
of the interviewees say they did. The most popular verses in this context are Matthew 24:23 –
27: “At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not
believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and
miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.
So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the
inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the
west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.107
Muhammad and Islam can be denounced by interpreting these verses in the mission his way.
According to the mission interpretation Muhammad can be considered to have been a
reformer who fought paganism in Mecca and tried to unify the Arabian tribes.
3.6 Mission by media
In the pre-modern Islamic period, Muslims in a particular area often functioned under the
authority of a common system sharing a legal as well as a theological school of thought.
Especially amongst the Iranians in the Diapsora, this is not the case anymore. The frequent
movement through migration, the communications boom and consequent wide circulation of
printed and electronic material on religion, altered this homogeneity, even within the same
locality.108
Many of the international Iranian churches and Iranian organized umbrella organizations have
designed Farsi English websites. All Dutch churches have websites too. The websites of the
international Iranian churches usually outline their doctrinal commitment, interviews with
pastors, stories of persecutions against Christians, bible translations, Christian videos and
DVD‟s, books on sale by mail order, the lyrics of songs and prayers and theological
explanations. As well they outline an updated listing of their local activities and in many cases
postings of their church members‟ testimonies.109
The websites include a lot of news coverage
of the situation in Iran. Not only the situation of Christians in Iran is covered, but the situation
of the country as a whole. Especially after the 2009 presidential elections a lot of the news
concern the tense situation in Iran.
Some of the better known English speaking international Christian Iranian websites include:
http://www.farsinet.com/, http://www.iranaliveministries.org/, http://www.aiministries.org/
and http://www.elam.com/. On Farsinet a list of Iranian churches in fourteen European
countries, 22 states in America, two countries in the Middle East and South Korea, Australia,
New Zealand and Canada is included.110
The so-called new media are out of boundaries nowadays and can be reached by a large
global audience. The Iranians are no exception to the developments of the last decennium.
The use of internet and satellite TV has increased on a massive scale. Iranian Christians have
like all other religions seen the use of this medium and are using the latest media as mission
tools. The Iranians that have come to the Netherlands are usually well educated (and familiar
with these new media) and have therefore easy access to these media111
which brings them
107
108
109
Kathryn Spellman, Religion and Nation,191.
110
http://www.farsinet.com/icc/ (accessed at May 17, 2010).
111
Eva Patricia Rakel, Continuïteit en Verandering (Amsterdam: Zem Zem, Vol. 4, No, 3, 2008), 46.

22
within close reach of Christianity. The Iranian churches are well aware of the influx of new,
well educated and open minded Iranians in the Netherlands (and many other western
countries) and offer a lot of information about Christianity and Iran on their websites. As
discussed, newly arrived Iranians in the Netherlands will most probably meet (Iranian)
Christians and will have the opportunity, if they are interested, to search on the internet and
gather information about Christianity. In Iran this was possible to a certain level but the
Iranian government is monitoring the internet carefully and shutting websites down frequently
and sentencing people to prison for violating the „public moral‟ and publishing anti-Islam and
anti-revolutionary articles.112
Since 2001 satellite broadcasting stations haven been beaming in Christian programmes. Up
to 80 percent of the Iranians living in Iran have access to satellite television nowadays
although it is prohibited by Iranian law to receive these television stations and to sell or own
satellite discs.113
This makes the Christian Iranian television stations, to those with curiosity to
this faith, very effective in reaching the Muslim Iranians within or outside of Iran.114
Stations
like SAT-7 Pars TV, Kelisa TV, Nejat TV, International Antioch Ministries and Mohabat TV,
Iranian Christian Television Channel, claim scores of viewers and Iranians who contact them
with questions about Christianity.115
In the rooms and houses of the Iranians I visited the
television was on constantly. In these programmes a lot of biblical movies and music
programmes were shown and Christian authorities interviewed.
The increasing contact of all these millions of Iranians and 31.000 in the Netherlands with
others around the world is realised by internet and satellite television. To all the Iranians who
are residing outside of Iran (as well as within the country) like in the Netherlands, it is easy to
gain information of almost all world views. Christianity has as well embraced the new media
and multi-lingual (Iranian) Christian websites can be found easily. With a satellite disc, the
same search on different television stations can be done by interested Iranians. In this sense
internet and satellite television are important missionary tools of influence in the conversion
process.116
3.7 Conclusion
With the influx of many newcomers to the Netherlands in the last two decennia, the
Netherlands became a country of mission interest itself. Large numbers of Muslims started to
arrive in a country where churches became emptier and from where missionaries were and
still are worldwide dispatched to do their proselytizing work.
Especially the asylum seekers and refugees are a vulnerable group who need assistance.
Iranians in the Netherlands are living in an insecure situation, mostly because of the unknown
outcome of their asylum procedure which means an insecure future but also because of the
emigration itself, id est leaving everything behind in Iran, like relatives, friends, school,
culture and more.
This crisis situation which many Iranians find themselves in, makes them receptive of
Christianity, the dominant religion in the Netherlands. The same can be said about other
asylum seeker groups, however there is no evidence (in conversion studies, literature, my
observations and interviews with church members) they are in terms of percentage converting
of a large scale. The question whether a conversion process commences depends on the
advocates of Christianity. The role of the Dutch mission in the Netherlands is very vital to
canalize the insecurity and religious receptiveness of the Iranians into Christian‟s waters.
112
Algemeen ambtsbericht Iran, 2010 , 31 – 32 (official country announcement made by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs) -
http://www.minbuza.nl/dsresource?objectid=buzabeheer:186750&type=org (accessed at June 8, 2010).
113
Ibid., 32 – 33.
114
http://www.nejattv.org/tbn.php - Christian Iranian satellite television (accessed at May 15, 2010).
115
Bradley, Iran and Christianity, 178 – 179, http://www.farsinet.com/radio_tv/ and http://www.nejattv.org/tbn.php (both websites accessed
at March 15, 2010).
116

Becoming christian, backgrounds and motives of Iranians in the Netherlands leaving Islam

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