Something extraordinary is happening across the Muslim world. It’s not making mainstream headlines, but missionaries, researchers, and church leaders are calling it one of the most significant spiritual movements in modern history.
Millions of Muslims are converting to Christianity.
From the underground house churches of Iran to the mountains of Algeria, from the refugee camps of Europe to the suburbs of London and Los Angeles, former Muslims are encountering Jesus Christ and making the most dangerous decision of their lives—to follow Him.
The Numbers Are Staggering
Researcher David Garrison spent years documenting this phenomenon for his groundbreaking book A Wind in the House of Islam. His conclusion? Between 2 and 7 million Muslims have converted to Christianity in the past two decades alone. Garrison calls it “the greatest turning of Muslims to Christ in history.”
Other estimates run even higher. A report from Duane Alexander Miller and Patrick Johnstone estimated 10 million Muslim-background baptisms occurred in 2010 alone. In a televised interview on Al-Jazeera, prominent Muslim leader Sheikh Ahmad Al Qataani warned that 6 million Muslims convert to Christianity every year in Africa alone—a figure that has alarmed Islamic authorities across the continent.
While exact numbers are difficult to verify due to the secretive nature of many conversions, one thing is clear: something unprecedented is happening. And experts believe 2026 could see even greater growth.
Iran: The Fastest-Growing Church in the World
Perhaps nowhere is this movement more dramatic than Iran.
In 1979, when the Islamic Revolution established the Islamic Republic, there were approximately 500 known Christian converts from Islam in the entire country. Today, estimates range from 800,000 to 3 million believers.
Operation World—the respected missions research organization—now identifies Iran as having the fastest-growing evangelical movement in the world.
“What if I told you Islam is dead?” one underground Iranian pastor asked in the documentary Sheep Among Wolves. “What if I told you the mosques are empty inside Iran? What if I told you no one follows Islam inside of Iran? What if I told you the best evangelist for Jesus was the Ayatollah Khomeini?”
It’s a stunning reversal. The very regime designed to enforce Islamic law has inadvertently driven millions toward Christ.
Even Iranian government officials have acknowledged the trend. Iran’s Minister of Intelligence, Mahmoud Alavi, has summoned converts to ask why they’re converting, admitting that “conversions are happening right under our eyes.” Islamic seminary leaders have expressed alarm that young people are becoming Christians even in Qom—the country’s epicenter for Islamic studies.
Afghanistan: Faith Under Fire
Afghanistan may be the most dangerous place on earth to be a Christian. Under Taliban rule, converting from Islam is punishable by death. There are no public churches. Bibles are illegal.
Yet the church is growing.
In 2001, there were just 17 known Christians in Afghanistan. Today, estimates range from 10,000 to 20,000 believers meeting in underground house churches across the country.
“It’s more dangerous than ever to be a Christian in Afghanistan, yet people are still coming to Christ,” reports Jamie Dean of Radical. “The Spirit just moves.”
One Afghan underground church leader shared: “In Afghanistan people are really tired of Islam. People of all nations, religions, and ethnicities are confused, and they are looking for a better way to be saved. A large number believe in Christ every day.”
These believers meet in small groups of 10-15 people, arriving one by one at private homes to avoid detection. Discovery can mean imprisonment, torture, or death. Yet they persist.
Africa: Where 6 Million Convert Each Year
Across Africa, the movement is even more explosive.
Sudan has seen over 5 million conversions since the early 1990s, despite a radical Islamic regime and ongoing genocide that has killed more than 200,000 people. Seminaries are being held in caves to train pastors for the massive influx of new believers.
“People have seen real Islam, and they want Jesus instead,” one Sudanese evangelical leader explained.
Algeria is home to the largest congregation of Christian converts from Islam anywhere in the world. Christianity there is growing at 8% annually—more than triple the global evangelical growth rate of 2.6%. A 2015 study estimated 380,000 Muslim-background Christians in the country, most concentrated among the Kabyle Berber people.
Morocco has seen similar growth, with estimates of 25,000 to 45,000 native Moroccan converts—many baptized secretly in local churches.
Dreams and Visions: How Jesus Is Appearing to Muslims
One of the most remarkable aspects of this movement is how many conversions begin with supernatural encounters.
According to Mission Frontiers magazine, approximately 25% of Muslims who convert to Christianity report that their journey began with a dream or vision of Jesus.
The accounts are strikingly similar across cultures and continents. Muslims describe seeing a figure clothed in brilliant white, radiating peace and love. Often, He speaks directly to them. Sometimes He gives specific instructions—a Bible verse to look up, a person to contact, a church to visit.
“It would be accurate to say that Muslims are responding to Jesus in levels we have never seen, not in 1,400 years!” reported Dick Brogden, an Assemblies of God missionary.
These encounters frequently occur during times of personal crisis or spiritual searching. And they happen in places where traditional evangelism is impossible—where no missionaries can go, no Bibles are available, and no churches exist.
In Gaza, over 200 Muslims reportedly had dreams and visions of Jesus—many on the same night. When they discovered they weren’t alone, they sought out Christian pastors and gave their lives to Christ.
Why Are Muslims Leaving Islam?
Several factors are driving this historic shift:
Disillusionment with extremism. In regions plagued by religious violence, many Muslims have grown disillusioned with the brutality carried out in Islam’s name. The terrorism of groups like ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Boko Haram has caused many to question their faith.
A desire for a personal relationship with God. Islam emphasizes submission, laws, and obedience. Many converts describe finding freedom and peace in Christianity’s message of grace. As one Iranian convert put it: “In Christianity, I don’t have to earn God’s love—it’s given freely through Jesus.”
The treatment of women. Female converts frequently cite Islam’s treatment of women as a catalyst. One Algerian woman who became a pastor explained that Islam made her feel valued only for her physical body. “Having embraced Christianity, she began to feel as a dignified human being.”
Supernatural encounters. Dreams and visions continue to play a significant role, particularly in closed countries where the gospel cannot be openly preached.
The Movement Reaches the West
This isn’t just happening in the Middle East and Africa. Significant numbers of Muslims are converting to Christianity in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
A Pew Research Center study found that conversion has a negative impact on Muslim population growth in Europe, with roughly 160,000 more people leaving Islam than converting to it between 2010 and 2016.
Muslim refugees settling in European countries are converting in unprecedented numbers. Churches in Germany, Sweden, and the UK report growing congregations of former Muslims. Some converts initially fled persecution; others encountered Christ for the first time after arriving in the West.
In the United States, 22% of those who leave Islam become Christians, according to Pew Research. While most ex-Muslims become religiously unaffiliated, the number embracing Christianity remains significant.
The UK is seeing similar trends. A 2015 study estimated 25,000 believers from Muslim backgrounds in Britain, most affiliated with evangelical or Pentecostal communities.
Yet many of these Western converts live in fear. Even in democratic societies, they face pressure from family members and community members. Some hide their baptism, avoid churches near their homes, or pretend to have no faith at all.
The Cost of Conversion
For Muslims who convert to Christianity, the cost can be unimaginably high.
In many Muslim-majority countries, apostasy—leaving Islam—is punishable by death under Sharia law. Even where the death penalty isn’t legally enforced, converts face imprisonment, torture, loss of employment, and family rejection.
Many are disowned by their parents. Some receive death threats. Others are killed by family members seeking to preserve “honor.”
An Afghan believer named Khada watched her husband Ehsan disappear on his way to an underground Bible study. Two days later, his body was found. He lost his life for his faith.
Yet the persecution doesn’t stop the movement. If anything, it accelerates it.
“The light of the Gospel shines the brightest in the darkest of nations,” writes Transform Iran. “When Jesus appears to these once-staunch Muslims in dreams or visions, completely transforming their belief systems, they face social ostracization and persecution through imprisonment, violence and death for their new faith—realities they readily embrace in order to boldly follow Jesus.”
What This Means for the Church
The growth of Christianity among former Muslims carries profound implications for the global church.
First, it demonstrates that no nation or people group is beyond God’s reach. The Islamic Republic of Iran—designed to enforce Islam and eliminate Christianity—has instead become home to the world’s fastest-growing evangelical church.
Second, it challenges Western Christians to support their persecuted brothers and sisters. These believers need prayer, resources, discipleship materials, and safe passage when their lives are threatened.
Third, it reminds us of the power of supernatural encounter. In places where missionaries cannot go and Bibles are banned, Jesus Himself is appearing to Muslims and calling them to follow Him.
As one Iranian believer put it: “If we remain faithful to our calling, our conviction is that it is possible to see the nation transformed within our lifetime. Because Iran is a strategic gateway nation, the growing church in Iran will impact Muslim nations across the Islamic world.”
A Movement That Cannot Be Stopped
The Islamic Republic of Iran doesn’t recognize its Christian converts. The Taliban claims there are no Christians in Afghanistan. Algerian authorities have closed churches and imprisoned pastors. Yet the movement continues.
In the past decade alone, more Muslims have come to Christ than in the previous 14 centuries combined.
House churches multiply. Underground networks expand. Dreams and visions continue. And every year, millions more Muslims encounter the One who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
No government decree can stop what God is doing. No persecution can quench what the Spirit has ignited.
And if current trends continue, 2026 may indeed be the biggest year yet.
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.” — Revelation 7:9 (ESV)
FAQ
How many Muslims convert to Christianity each year? Estimates vary widely due to the secretive nature of many conversions. Conservative estimates suggest 2-7 million Muslims have converted to Christianity in the past two decades, while some sources claim 6 million or more convert annually in Africa alone. Exact figures are difficult to verify because many converts hide their faith to avoid persecution.
Which country has the fastest-growing Christian church among Muslims? Iran is widely recognized as having the fastest-growing evangelical movement in the world. From approximately 500 known Christian converts in 1979, the country now has an estimated 800,000 to 3 million believers, despite severe persecution under the Islamic Republic.
Why are so many Muslims converting to Christianity? Common reasons include disillusionment with religious extremism and violence, a desire for a personal relationship with God, the appeal of Christianity’s message of grace versus works-based salvation, and supernatural experiences such as dreams and visions of Jesus Christ.
Do Muslims really see Jesus in dreams? Yes, this is a well-documented phenomenon. According to Mission Frontiers magazine, approximately 25% of Muslims who convert to Christianity report their journey began with a dream or vision of Jesus. These accounts are remarkably consistent across different cultures and continents.
Is it dangerous for Muslims to convert to Christianity? Extremely dangerous in many countries. Under Sharia law in some Muslim-majority nations, apostasy (leaving Islam) is punishable by death. Even where not legally enforced, converts often face imprisonment, torture, family rejection, honor killings, and social ostracism.
How can a Muslim convert to Christianity? Becoming a Christian is not about rituals or paperwork—it’s about placing your faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible says: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Simply pray to God, acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again, and ask Him to forgive you and be the Lord of your life. That’s it. Many new believers then seek out a Bible, connect with other Christians (even secretly if necessary), and are baptized when it’s safe to do so.
How many Muslim converts to Christianity are in the United States? According to Pew Research, 22% of American-born Muslims who leave Islam become Christians, while 55% become religiously unaffiliated. The U.S. has one of the highest “accession” rates into Islam among countries surveyed, but also sees significant movement out of Islam to Christianity.
Are Muslims converting to Christianity in Europe? Yes. A Pew Research study found that between 2010 and 2016, roughly 160,000 more people left Islam than converted to it in Europe. Many Muslim refugees have converted to Christianity after arriving in European countries, and churches in Germany, Sweden, and the UK report growing congregations of former Muslims.
What is the underground church movement in Iran? The underground church in Iran consists of small house churches that meet secretly to avoid government persecution. Believers gather in groups of 10-15 people in private homes, with Christian satellite TV networks, online Bible studies, and smuggled Bibles supporting their growth. This movement has grown from a few hundred believers to potentially millions.
How is Christianity growing in Afghanistan under Taliban rule? Despite the Taliban’s claim that no Christians exist in Afghanistan, estimates suggest 10,000-20,000 believers meet in underground house churches. Growth occurs primarily through word of mouth, dreams and visions, and online Christian resources. Conversion remains punishable by death.
What percentage of Christian converts from Islam report dreams or visions of Jesus? Approximately 25% of Muslims who convert to Christianity report that a dream or vision of Jesus played a role in their conversion, according to research published in Mission Frontiers magazine.