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Former Iranian Refugees Now Ministering to Ukrainian Families in Austria

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2 months ago

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Faith Facts

  • Iranian Christians who fled persecution in their homeland are now serving Ukrainian refugee families displaced by war in Austria
  • The Pohlgasse Church of Christ in Vienna conducts services in Farsi for believers from Iran and Afghanistan who converted from Islam despite facing persecution
  • Ukrainian refugees receiving ministry from Iranian Christians say the compassion crosses all boundaries when people are united in love and faith

POYSDORF, AUSTRIA — Bags stuffed with candy. Foil-wrapped crepes filled with chicken salad. Children’s Bibles full of colorful illustrations.

Members of a Church of Christ in Vienna pack them all into their cars on a Saturday morning. They drive about an hour north from Austria’s capital to reach this village near the Czech border.

The Christian caravan pulls up to Poysdorfer Hof, a hotel for refugees, and unloads. Inside, a small group of children, most of them Ukrainian, waits eagerly as the church members set up a table of snacks, plastic cups of juice and a coffee bar for the parents.

“I remember what they must feel like,” says Ibrahim, who made the drive from Vienna with his mother, Esmat. So do the other church members, all but one of whom are from Iran.

Eight years ago, Ibrahim was a refugee, too. His father had met a group of Christians while visiting the Middle Eastern nation of Kuwait. His family began worshiping with an underground church in Iran — and caught the attention of the Gasht-e Ershad, the country’s much-feared morality police. Ibrahim fled to Vienna and found the Pohlgasse Church of Christ, which baptized him. Other Iranians followed, though many of their families stayed behind.

Ibrahim is part of a wave of refugees from the Middle East who transformed the Pohlgasse church in the mid-2010s. The Vienna congregation now has a Sunday morning service in Farsi, Iran’s national language, for Christians from Iran and Afghanistan. The church also has an afternoon service in German and English, attended mostly by immigrants from Africa.

Add Ukrainians to the mix. The first wave came to Austria after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began four years ago. More Ukrainians followed as Russia’s drone and missile attacks intensified.

Now, both Ukraine and Iran endure daily bombings, and both peoples worry about their loved ones back home. The ongoing conflicts have created humanitarian crises in both regions.

Ibrahim prays for an end to the conflicts. He also thanks God for his new life in Austria, where he works in information technology — and for the opportunity to help fellow refugees.

After years of receiving aid from people of faith, serving the Ukrainians “feels really good,” says Parvin, another Iranian Christian.

“When we support each other, differences don’t matter. In these moments, we are just people helping people, and that’s what matters most.”

‘This Way We Have Hope’

In the hotel’s meeting room, the small group of children quickly becomes a standing-room-only crowd. The Pohlgasse church members come to Poysdorf regularly, and the numbers grow with each visit.

The kids closest to the table put down their snacks and grab copies of a Ukrainian-language children’s Bible produced by Eastern European Mission. They chatter gleefully with each other as they turn the pages. Next time, the church members will have to bring more.

Three Ukrainian women lead a chorus of children in traditional songs, welcoming spring and celebrating Easter. Then Reggy Hiller, the only non-Iranian from the Pohlgasse church, talks about Jesus’ resurrection, the Great Commission and baptism — while doing her best to remember all of the children’s names.

Hiller, the daughter of missionaries Bob and Ruth Hare, is a longtime member and mission worker with the Pohlgasse church. She recently married an Iranian refugee, a musician and guitar instructor who was baptized in 2023.

“Is it good that Jesus was resurrected?” Hiller asks the children.

“Yes! Because otherwise we would just stay dead, and that would be sad. But this way we have hope. We get to see each other again and stay with Jesus. We get to sing a lot up there, too!”

Sasha, 17, and her mother, Alesia, squeeze onto a wooden bench in the corner of the room. They’re from Mykolaiv, a port city and shipbuilding hub in southern Ukraine that’s endured heavy attacks since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. Sasha’s sister is still in Ukraine. When asked if she’s OK, Sasha says, “Not always. It’s so hard.”

As for the Christians who came to serve them, “I think the Iran people are good, actually,” Sasha says.

“They come here to find a better life, so I understand them.”

Sophia Semeniuk, 20, also grew up in Mykolaiv. She was studying in Germany when the invasion began and remembers crying bitterly when she learned of it. Now she’s taking online courses and earning degrees in psychology and counseling. One day she hopes to return to Ukraine and help the countless people traumatized by the conflict.

“I think it’s good,” she says of the Iranian Christians’ care for the Ukrainians, “and I think that Ukrainians can also be of help to the Iranians.”

She looks forward to the day when she can return the favor, reaching out to Iranians affected by war. When asked if she’s found a church home in Poysdorf, she says no.

“I’m believing in God, but I believe that God is in your heart. God doesn’t have a place because he’s everywhere.”

Dimitri Godunow is on his way to do laundry when he sees the crowd in the hotel’s lobby. He grabs a snack and visits with the Iranian Christians.

On his phone, he pulls up a photo of a charred black apartment building. It once was his home in Kostiantynivka, a city in the predominantly Russian-speaking Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, now on the frontlines of the war.

“This is a completely new life here,” says Godunow, who was an attorney in Ukraine. As the brutal conflict pushed him westward, he encountered suspicion from fellow Ukrainians because of his region’s ties to Russia. And many of the men who leave Ukraine are regarded as traitors by those who remain and join the Ukrainian army, he adds.

But there’s a sense of camaraderie among refugees that crosses geographic barriers, he says. He’s become friends with a Russian family from the republic of Chechnya, which endured more than a decade of bloody conflict in the 1990s and 2000s.

Receiving support from Iranian Christians might have seemed far-fetched a few years ago, but not now.

“For me, this is totally normal,” Godunow says.

“It’s from the heart. There are (no longer) any lines between religions and nationalities. I don’t want to make harm for anybody. I’m open to everybody — Iranians, Indians, Chinese, Americans — if we’re united in love.”

Back amid the crowd of children, Sasha uses the English she knows to translate for her mother, Alesia, who’s eager to show off a tattoo she got a couple of weeks ago. She rolls up her left sleeve as her daughter rolls her eyes. Scrolled across her forearm, in cursive English, are words that seem to sum up the past four years for Ukraine, “Only God knows why.”

What inspired Alisha to have those words immortalized in her flesh? With a teenage smirk, Sasha says, “Only God knows why.”

Laborers Needed

After handing out the chicken salad crepes, the Iranian Christians pack up. Four girls, each holding an orange rose, crowd around Hiller’s car to tell her goodbye. She remembers two of their names — Marina and Adrina.

As Ibrahim drives Hiller and his mother back to Vienna, he reflects on their Ukrainian neighbors, speaking in German as Hiller translates.

“I’m pleasantly surprised by how nice they are,” he says.

“Once you have a friend in them, you always have a friend.”

Hiller, 75, would love to see a Church of Christ planted in Poysdorf. But her schedule is full. That’s also true for Gerhard Krassnig, minister for the Pohlgasse church. As Hiller and the Iranian Christians return to Vienna, Krassnig is headed to Salzburg, near the German border, to visit a Church of Christ there. Missionaries Bill and Marie-Claire McDonough worked with the congregation and studied the Bible with Iranian refugees in western Austria. But the couple recently returned to the U.S.

“The harvest is plentiful,” Hiller says, quoting Jesus’ words to his disciples in Matthew 9:37.

But the laborers — be they Austrian, American, Iranian or Ukrainian — are few, at least for now.

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Faith

Skillet Makes History With Unprecedented Streaming Milestone

Published

3 hours ago

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June 24, 2026

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Faith Facts

  • Skillet’s “Monster” becomes the first Christian song to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify
  • The groundbreaking rock band fronted by John Cooper continues to bridge faith and mainstream success
  • A new tour announcement signals the band’s ongoing mission to reach audiences with their Christian message

Christian rock band Skillet has achieved a historic milestone that underscores the enduring power of faith-based music in today’s cultural landscape. Their hit song “Monster” has become the first Christian song ever to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify, marking a significant victory for Christian artists in the mainstream music industry.

The achievement demonstrates that music grounded in Christian values can compete at the highest levels of popular culture. Fronted by outspoken Christian leader John Cooper, Skillet has never compromised their faith message while building one of the most successful careers in rock music.

This remarkable streaming milestone comes as the band announces plans for a new tour, signaling their continued commitment to spreading the Gospel through powerful music. For more than two decades, Skillet has maintained their witness while achieving mainstream success that many secular artists would envy.

“Monster,” released as part of Skillet’s transformative work, has resonated with millions of listeners worldwide. The song’s themes of spiritual struggle and redemption speak to universal human experiences while pointing toward Christian hope and salvation.

Cooper has been a vocal advocate for Christian values both on and off stage, consistently using his platform to defend traditional beliefs and encourage believers to stand firm in their faith. His leadership has made Skillet more than just a band—they’ve become a ministry reaching people who might never step foot in a church.

The billion-stream achievement arrives at a crucial time when Christian artists are increasingly making their mark in mainstream culture. It proves that believers don’t have to hide their faith to reach wide audiences, and that excellence in craft combined with unwavering conviction can break through cultural barriers.

As Skillet prepares for their upcoming tour, fans can expect the same powerful blend of musical excellence and faith-centered messaging that has defined the band’s career. This milestone serves as an encouragement to Christian artists everywhere that faithfulness and success are not mutually exclusive.

The band’s achievement also represents a broader victory for families seeking positive entertainment options that align with their values. In an entertainment landscape often hostile to Christian beliefs, Skillet stands as proof that faith-based content can thrive when delivered with authenticity and excellence.

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Texas Lawmaker’s Shocking Confession About Faith Resurfaces

Published

5 hours ago

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June 24, 2026

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Faith Facts

  • Texas Democratic state Rep. James Talarico stated in a 2021 interview that he “hates Christianity” despite identifying as a Christian
  • The interview was conducted with a transgender-identifying theologian and has recently resurfaced
  • Talarico’s statement raises serious questions about his understanding of Christian faith and values

A troubling interview from 2021 featuring Democratic Texas state Representative James Talarico has resurfaced, revealing statements that have shocked many Christians across the nation. In the interview, Talarico made the startling claim that he “hates Christianity” while simultaneously identifying himself as a Christian.

The interview was conducted with a transgender-identifying theologian, adding another layer of concern for traditional Christian conservatives. Such statements from an elected official raise significant questions about the authenticity of his faith claims and his understanding of core Christian teachings.

For many believers, Christianity is not merely a cultural identity or political label, but a deeply held faith rooted in Scripture, tradition, and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The idea of simultaneously claiming to be Christian while professing hatred for Christianity appears contradictory to fundamental Christian principles of love for the Church, the body of Christ.

This resurfaced interview comes at a time when religious freedom and traditional values face increasing challenges in public life. Christians are called to speak truth in love and stand firm in their convictions, making such statements from public officials particularly concerning to voters who prioritize faith-based leadership.

The emergence of this video serves as a reminder for Christian voters to carefully examine the stated beliefs and past statements of elected officials who claim to share their values. Authentic Christian faith should be reflected in both word and deed, upholding the teachings of Scripture rather than opposing them.

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Faith

Your Church May Not Survive What’s Coming Next

Published

7 hours ago

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June 24, 2026

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Faith Facts

  • AI is fundamentally transforming ministry capacity beyond simple search tools, creating an existential challenge for unprepared churches and Christian organizations
  • Donor engagement is already shifting toward ministries that leverage AI technology, potentially leaving traditional organizations behind
  • Christian leaders who fail to adapt to AI-driven ministry may face organizational collapse as donor dollars flow to more technologically equipped ministries

American churches and Christian ministries stand at a crossroads that many leaders have yet to recognize. The rise of artificial intelligence represents far more than a technological upgrade—it’s a fundamental shift in how ministries can reach souls, steward resources, and fulfill the Great Commission. Yet countless organizations remain unprepared for what’s already here.

AI is not simply a better search engine or a novelty tool for writing emails. It functions as a force multiplier for organizational capacity, enabling even small ministries to accomplish work that previously required large staffs and substantial budgets. The technology amplifies human effort in ways that transform what’s possible for kingdom work.

The real crisis facing unprepared ministries isn’t about keeping up with trends—it’s about survival. Christian donors, particularly younger generations raised in a digital world, increasingly expect the organizations they support to demonstrate wise stewardship through technological competence. They want to see their dollars maximized for gospel impact, not spent on inefficient processes that AI could streamline.

Ministries already leveraging AI are reaching new types of donors in ways traditional organizations cannot match. These forward-thinking groups can personalize outreach, respond instantly to inquiries, analyze giving patterns to improve stewardship, and communicate their mission with unprecedented clarity and reach. The donor dollar is indeed at stake, and it’s flowing toward organizations that demonstrate both spiritual faithfulness and practical wisdom.

The stakes extend beyond fundraising. Churches and ministries that fail to adapt face something more serious than falling behind—they risk erasure. As AI-equipped organizations expand their capacity to serve, disciple, and evangelize, those clinging to outdated methods may find themselves increasingly irrelevant in a rapidly changing landscape.

This isn’t a call to abandon biblical principles or chase every technological fad. Rather, it’s a recognition that faithfulness requires wisdom—and wisdom means using the tools God has allowed humanity to develop for maximum kingdom impact. The printing press revolutionized Bible distribution; radio and television expanded evangelistic reach; the internet created global connections. AI represents the next frontier.

Christian leaders must understand that embracing AI doesn’t mean replacing human ministry or diminishing the power of personal relationships. It means equipping God’s people to do more with the resources entrusted to them. It means reaching people who might never walk through a church door but will engage through digital channels. It means stewarding donor contributions with excellence that honors both the giver and the God we serve.

The window for preparation is closing. Ministries that wait too long may find the gap unbridgeable, their capacity permanently diminished compared to organizations that moved decisively. The question facing every Christian leader is simple: Will you steward the opportunities of this moment, or will you watch from the sidelines as others advance the gospel with tools you refused to embrace?

This is not fear-mongering—it’s a sober assessment of the reality facing American Christianity. The Great Commission remains unchanged, but the tools available to fulfill it have expanded dramatically. Wise stewards will recognize this moment for what it is: an opportunity to multiply ministry impact in ways previous generations could only imagine.

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