IRANIAN UNDERGROUND HOUSE CHURCHES "IUHC"

After publishing his first book, Becoming Joshua in 2022, Joshua shared his journey of faith, persecution, and survival. In 2026, he released his second book, Seven Colors of Heaven, continuing the story through true accounts that reveal the lives of Iranian underground believers and the cost of following Jesus. Now, Joshua is working to bring both books together in a feature film. Joshua explains:

“Shortly after publishing Becoming Joshua in 2022, I held an art exhibition based on the book to express what words alone could not. Through my drawings, I wanted people to see what many Iranian converts from Islam to Christianity experience—persecution, rejection, trauma, and hope. But in my heart, I knew the story was not finished. I began speaking with friends in Hollywood who work in filmmaking, as well as producers, writers, and others with experience in the film industry. Those conversations led me to write and publish my second book, Seven Colors of Heaven, to provide a deeper and more complete account of the journey. Today, I believe these two books belong together as one story on the screen.”

Joshua has begun discussions with filmmakers in both the United States and the United Kingdom about adapting the books into a motion picture. He adds: “This is not simply my story. It is the story of hundreds of leaders in Iran’s underground house churches. Some have been killed because of their faith. Others remain imprisoned. Their courage deserves to be remembered, and their voices deserve to be heard.” The goal of the film is not only to tell Joshua’s personal journey but also to shine a light on the resilience, sacrifice, and faith of countless Iranian believers whose stories have never been told.

Through literature, art, and now film, Joshua hopes to bring these voices to audiences around the world, inspiring compassion, understanding, and action for those who continue to suffer for their faith.

August 05, 2026 by Joshua.

The events shown in this video should be a wake-up call for churches throughout Michigan and across America.

For years, many believers have warned that if the Church withdraws from its communities, others will naturally fill the vacuum. Rather than engaging their cities through discipleship, service, and faithful witness, too many churches have become comfortable, inward-looking, and more concerned with maintaining their institutions than transforming their neighborhoods. This is not simply a political issue—it is a spiritual one. When pastors become more concerned about protecting positions, salaries, or reputations than shepherding their communities, the Church loses its influence. A church that remains silent while its community changes around it should ask itself whether it has faithfully fulfilled Christ’s calling to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” My criticism is directed at Christian leadership, not at Muslims. I have many Muslim friends whom I love and respect. Every person deserves dignity and the freedom to practice their faith. People who immigrate to the United States should also have the opportunity to participate in society while respecting the nation’s laws, constitutional freedoms, and the rights of others.

My challenge is to the Church.

The United States has freedoms that many believers around the world can only dream of. Churches have access to Bibles, seminaries, Christian schools, financial resources, and the freedom to preach publicly. Yet in many places, churches are shrinking while their influence within their own communities continues to decline. Meanwhile, believers in Iran’s underground house churches worship without church buildings, without public freedom, and often without access to Christian resources. Many have endured imprisonment, persecution, and the loss of loved ones because of their faith. Their courage should inspire us to ask whether we are making full use of the freedoms we have been given.

The question is not whether we can criticize the world. The question is whether the Church is faithfully living out the Gospel. Faithfulness is measured not only by what we believe, but by how we love our neighbors, make disciples, serve our communities, and bear witness to Christ. If this message causes us to examine our own churches and ask how we can better serve our communities with humility, courage, and love, then it has accomplished its purpose.

“Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” — James 2:17

Millions of Iranians, both inside Iran and throughout the diaspora, have been declaring to the world that the Islamic Republic does not represent them or their identity.

Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979, many Iranians have opposed the government’s religious and political system. Over the past four decades, countless people have faced imprisonment, persecution, and death because of their political views, religious beliefs, or participation in protests. Many Iranians believe the government has used Islam as a tool of political control rather than allowing genuine religious freedom.

Today, many Iranians are publicly affirming their Persian identity and rejecting the idea that the Islamic Republic speaks on behalf of the Iranian people. Campaigns and demonstrations have carried messages such as:

“I am Persian. We are not represented by the Islamic Republic.”

For many, this is not a rejection of individual Muslims, but a rejection of a political system that has ruled in the name of Islam while denying fundamental freedoms.

One Iranian activist expressed this conviction by saying:

“The problem is not ordinary people who practice their faith. The problem is a government that has used religion to justify oppression, violence, and the denial of human dignity.”

Iran is also witnessing significant religious change. Despite severe restrictions on religious freedom and the risks associated with conversion, many Iranians continue to explore Christianity and other beliefs. Numerous Christian ministries and researchers have reported sustained growth in the number of Iranians choosing to follow Jesus, often through underground house churches.

At Go and Do, we stand with the people of Iran in their pursuit of freedom, human dignity, and the right to follow their conscience without fear. We pray for a future in which every Iranian can worship freely, speak openly, and live without persecution.

In January 2026, millions of Iranians reportedly took to the streets to protest against the Islamic Republic, demanding freedom and an end to the country’s current system of government.

According to reports received through our network, the government’s security forces responded with extreme violence. Many protesters were killed or injured during the demonstrations, including members of the Iranian Underground House Church (IUHC). Our network reports that 2,167 IUHC members lost their lives, and more than 3,800 were injured, including leaders connected with the Go and Do ministry.

Many families waited weeks or even months before the bodies of their loved ones were returned. Reports received by our ministry also described severe mistreatment of some victims, adding to the grief and trauma experienced by their families.

For nearly 47 years, many Iranians have viewed the Islamic Republic as a government imposed through repression rather than one that represents the will of the Iranian people. Many continue to seek a future marked by freedom, justice, and respect for human dignity.

At Go and Do, we mourn with those who have lost loved ones, pray for those who continue to suffer, and stand alongside the people of Iran as they pursue freedom, peace, and the ability to live according to their conscience.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” — Matthew 5:9