GOSPEL OPPORTUNITIES IN TIMES OF CONFLICT
By Alex Pettett World Witness Executive Director
Persecution in the New Testament was a primary means by which God scattered the church among the nations. In a similar way, wars that
collapse political boundaries and disperse peoples into diaspora communities have, at times, created unexpected openings for the spread of the Gospel. Scripture makes clear that God ordains all things—even war—to accomplish His purposes for His people. As Romans 8:28 reminds us, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” History offers sobering examples of this pattern.
In the 19th century, Britain began demanding better import and export rights to sell opium in China, while China resisted. This conflict led to the Opium Wars, which forced China to sign a treaty opening its ports to British trade and allowing Christians to reside, own property, and evangelize in these port cities. This shift created new opportunities for mission work, leading to the opening of churches, schools, and hospitals and paving the way for Bible translation.
The dissolution of the Ottoman Empire after World War I equally created opportunities for missionaries to enter new areas of Asia with the Gospel. Then, during World War II, the displacement of tens of millions across Europe and Asia spurred a surge in Christian relief efforts, leading to greater religious openness and the formation of new churches in Germany, Japan, and Korea.
This pattern is not limited to the past. Even today, we may be witnessing another moment of conflict that could open an unexpected door for the Gospel to advance. In February 2026, the U.S. launched attacks on Iran in an effort to disrupt its ability to build a nuclear weapon and to halt its missile program. Much conflict continues.
Rev. Tat Stewart, a Persian evangelist and World Witness volunteer missionary, reminds us that this conflict may people. He noted that many Iranians have welcomed the war in hopes that it may lead to regime change. If the Iranian regime falls, all the Western “isms” stand ready to overwhelm Iran with commercialism, secularism, and liberalism. Tat shared that much of the evangelism groundwork has already been done, but we will have a narrow window of opportunity to be among the first to begin new efforts in discipleship, biblical teaching, and healthy church growth.
To that end, at our last board meeting, World Witness presented a motion to prepare five missionary units over the next three years for Persian- and Arabic- speaking ministries. At present, we have no identified candidates for this effort, and there is no guarantee that the regime will fall within that timeframe. Even so, we can begin to pray in faith that the Lord will open the door and move several families to respond. Please working all things together for good for His Church.
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