Though Christians around the world may be in isolation, a digital church in Iran is providing fellowship and teaching for believers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the closure of physical church services, congregations and churches around the world are meeting online to teach, train, counsel, and connect Christians while in lockdown.

One virtual church in Iran, Heart4Iran, launched long before worries of the pandemic were on the horizon, reports Mission Network News.

Mike Ansari from Heart4Iran says the group launched the church online in October 2019.

"The conditions in Iran do not afford us the healthy and thriving church model that we are used to in the West," Ansari says.

y Thursday.

Beyond sermons, a message of hope is the priority for Mohabat Virtual Church. As Iran is the epicenter of the coronavirus in the Middle East, the church is fully staffed with people to preach, deal with technical issues, and connect one-on-one with congregation members.

"These are individuals that all come from a Muslim background, understanding their own people," says Ansar. "They’re available through our call center. Every single individual, every single phone call, every single chat is important to us. Is important to the kingdom.

"We try to engage them and pray with them. And let them know that they are not alone in their journey."