Iranian Christians and converts in British churches
Ask around in Anglican, Baptist, Pentecostal and independent churches in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow or Newcastle and you will often hear of a Persian-speaking group: a Farsi Bible study on a weeknight, a fellowship that meets after the main service, a row of Iranian believers at the morning service. Some were Christians before they left Iran, often in house churches that met in secret. Others first came to church through a friend, a language café or a drop-in, and came to faith here.
Many work hard at their English. But a sermon is not the same as a shop or a doctor's appointment. Teaching about grace, baptism or the Trinity is exactly where a new believer needs their own language, and Persian is the language in which many of them first read the Bible.
Afghans and Dari
Afghan newcomers often speak Dari, which is closely related to Iranian Persian and written in the same script. ChurchTranslate has no separate Dari option, but Persian (Farsi) is available and many Dari speakers follow it well. Accent and some vocabulary differ from what they speak at home, so ask an Afghan member what they think after the first service rather than assuming. Pashto is not available.
Privacy and safety
For some Iranian and Afghan visitors, being seen at church carries real risk, for themselves or for family back home. Listening needs no account, no name and no app: they scan the QR code and the page opens in the browser. No audio recordings are stored. Only if they ask for the transcript by e-mail do they enter an address, and it is deleted after 30 days. Never press the QR code on anyone, and do not photograph or film people while they listen. The privacy guide explains what is processed and where.
How listeners use it
- 01Scan
From the screen or a card on the seat. The listening page opens in the phone's browser.
- 02Choose فارسی
Persian captions appear in Persian script, read from right to left.
- 03Listen or read
With an earbud in, they hear the Persian voice a few seconds behind the preacher. Those learning English can show the original text alongside.
What to expect
The translation is into standard Persian. It follows the argument of a sermon and the prayers well. Bible names and church terms are the hardest part: Persian Bible translations and church traditions do not always agree on words, and the automatic translation may choose a term that sounds unfamiliar. ChurchTranslate keeps a terminology list per language to correct known terms, but it is not perfect. For baptism preparation, a membership interview or pastoral care, a Persian-speaking member or interpreter is still the better choice; see interpreter or AI translation.
A Farsi fellowship of its own
If your Persian-speaking group holds its own meeting in Farsi, it can run a broadcast too: set Persian as the speaker language and switch on English, so that British friends, spouses and the minister can follow what is said. It is a simple way to keep a language group connected to the rest of the church.
Cost
A 90-minute service into Persian uses 90 credits, regardless of how many people listen. Persian only uses credits while someone is listening to it. See the pricing.