An Iranian woman at the ruins of Persepolis, Iran. – IMB photo

TEHRAN, Iran (BP) – Can conditions get any worse for Iranian Christians? Can conditions get any better? Iranian evangelist Hormoz Shariat told Baptist Press the dichotomy kicks him in the gut every year.

Shariat, founder of Iran Alive Ministries, has preached Christ to Iranians by satellite and trained church planters there for more than two decades, documenting more than 120,000 salvations amid Iran’s Islamic regime’s intense persecution of Christians and other religious minorities.

Two weeks after the U.S. killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an escalating war, Shariat believes the biblical prophecy of Jeremiah 49:34-39 is being fulfilled. He sees in Iran modern-day Elam, whose leaders God promises to destroy before establishing His throne. [Read more…]

Events listing now live for 2026 annual meeting

ORLANDO (BP) – A list of sessions, fellowships, breakouts, ancillary events and more at this year’s SBC Annual Meeting is now available at sbcannualmeeting.net.

The list is organized by date as well as by event type, and many entries contain links for registration or more information.

“While the annual meeting and pastors’ conference are the main events every year, there are so many other events for messengers to enjoy this year in Orlando,” said Jonathan Howe, vice president for convention administration with the SBC Executive Committee. “From the micro-conferences to seminary lunches to movie screenings, you can easily fill your time with events that will both enrich and entertain you.” [Read more…]

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CARACAS, Venezuela (BP) – Religious persecution and human rights violations continue in Venezuela under a firmly entrenched authoritarian regime, CSW reported March 9 as captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores await trial in the U.S.

The Maduro regime under the Socialist Union of Venezuela Party has persecuted Christians there for more than a decade, religious freedom defenders have said.

“With or without Maduro at the helm, the Socialist Union of Venezuela Party remains responsible for widespread human rights violations, including the persecution of religious leaders, the consistent repression of independent civil society, and even the massacre and forced displacement of indigenous groups,” Anna Strang, CSW director of advocacy and Americas team leader, said in releasing the new report. said in releasing the report. “The international community must ensure that any discussions of Venezuela’s uncertain future set benchmarks for the measurable improvements in the protection of freedom of religion or belief, as well as for religious and humanitarian actors, and indigenous peoples and their spiritual rights.” [Read more…]

NASHVILLE (BP) – The U.S. military’s strikes against Iran are morally justified, says a Southern Baptist ethicist and former Department of Defense official.

“Is there a sufficient just cause to warrant the action taken? I think there is, although it is a bit complex,” said Daniel Heimbach, senior research professor of Christian ethics at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for the George H.W. Bush administration. The strikes are “warranted by a 47-year war with Iran, not of our choice, that has been perpetrated by them. You can characterize the attack last week as an effort to end it.”

An Iranian graduate student at Mississippi College (MC) called the American soldiers fighting in his country “brothers forever” because of their efforts to help the Iranian people. Hamid Tabrizi, who arrived in America last year to study at MC’s Center for Counterterrorism Studies, said he witnessed the Iranian regime murder peaceful demonstrators and torture Christians. [Read more…]