GCM Announcement: "Israel Is Not Our Enemy" Chants Emerge in Iran as Syria Tensions Rise, Global Catalytic Ministries Issues Urgent Call to Prayer
MCKINNEY, Texas, Jan. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- It has been a demanding day for disciples of Jesus serving in Iran and Syria. Over the last 48 hours, Global Catalytic Ministries (GCM) has received field reports indicating increased street unrest, heightened surveillance risk, localized curfews, and sporadic gunfire in areas where believers and their families are sheltering. For security reasons, GCM is withholding personal names and specific locations.
Field update: Iran
An Iranian Disciple reports that demonstrations have expanded and shifted from economic frustration to direct political demands:
"People begin to come to the street… against the government." - Vahid
He described chants that reject the regime's standard narrative:
"They are saying that Israel is not our enemy. You are the enemy."
He emphasized that public defiance is occurring under extensive monitoring:
"We are worried because they have a lot of cameras in the street… they recording."
He warned that when protests slow, enforcement often turns targeted:
"They start to go to people's house and bring them out… taking them to the prison and executing them."
He added that even on a holiday, the posture of authorities remains hard:
"Their heart is so solid… like a rock."
Field update: Syria
GCM Disciples inside Syria report rising instability since the terror attack and death of two US soldiers and a translator, including violent incidents, demonstrations, and curfews in multiple areas. One coordinator summarized the past two days plainly:
"Been an intense two days." - Mark
The team reports a lethal attack on a religious site in central Syria:
"Bombing… yesterday, many killed."
They also report demonstrations and unrest in coastal communities, with curfews restricting movement:
"They are under a curfew."
A local believer sheltering with children reported deteriorating street conditions:
"She has supplies in her home… but there has been lots of unrest in streets."
Overnight, the same partner shared evidence of nearby hostilities:
"Recorded sounds of gunfire… outside in her neighborhood."
Despite conditions, small gatherings of believers continue discreetly:
"Having church with a group tonight."
The priority is protecting families and local leaders while sustaining the ministry of prayer, Scripture, worship, and disciple-making in the midst of war and chaos. This is a perfect environment for the Lord to do glorious things.
What this could mean in the next 30–90 days
GCM's region-wide assessment dated 30 December 2025 describes the Middle East as "fragmented instability," driven by internal regime pressures in Iran and Syria, economic stress, and overlapping deterrence postures. It notes "no indicators of imminent region-wide conflict," but warns miscalculation risks remain high and the most likely path is "protracted low-to-medium intensity friction." For believers, that means tighter surveillance and selective repression in Iran, more localized violence and curfews in Syria, and rapid shifts across the region that require constant discernment and secure contingency pathways.
Israel and the future promise of God
GCM's 2026 expansion in Israel is being pursued alongside this field pressure because GCM believes the Lord is writing a larger story across Israel and the nations. GCM anchors this hope in God's promises, including Isaiah 19 (historic enemies reconciled in worship of the Lord) and Isaiah 66 (the nations gathered to see His glory). In that context, reports from Iran of people shouting, "Israel is not our enemy," underscore that long-standing narratives can fracture and that the gospel can advance in unexpected openings, even amid instability.
Pray with us
GCM asks believers worldwide to pray:
- For Jesus to be exalted in Iran, Syria, and Israel, steadfast faith and clear witness.
- For protection and wisdom for families, leaders, and communications under surveillance and curfew.
- For strength to suffer well, endurance, peace, and unity in underground fellowships.
- For love and forgiveness toward enemies, reflecting Christ in word and action.
- For gospel breakthrough, households encountering Jesus and communities transformed.
About Global Catalytic Ministries
GCM is a U.S. 501(c)(3) serving the underground church through indigenous-led, security-conscious disciple-making in the most persecuted and unreached places, including Israel and the broader Middle East. GCM prioritizes long-term presence through training, support, infrastructure development, and crisis-response pathways designed for volatile environments.
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Mike Patino
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SOURCE Global Catalytic Ministries
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