The vast area called Central Asia is home for more than 100 million people. A large majority of Central Asians are Muslims though there are significant numbers of Russians, Ukrainians and Chinese. Many Muslims in the region do not practice Islam with zeal but the number of committed Muslims seems to be growing in the whole region. People are returning to their historic cultural and religious roots after many decades of atheistic communist domination.
Believers Came
In the 1990s hundreds of believers made their way to Central Asia in order to live there and proclaim the Gospel in the region. Thousands of people came to the Lord in the former Soviet Republics at that time. However, in recent years most governments in the region have started to persecute believers. The majority of foreign believers who sought to proclaim Christ have been expelled from one country after another.
New Laws - New Restrictions
In 2008 Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan voted laws which significantly restrain religious liberty. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan had already become very oppressive for individuals and whole communities of believers. The body of Christ in these countries will probably continue to suffer because proclaiming the Good News, changing religion, spiritual education for children, holding meetings and creating new communities have been made illegal or have been severely restricted. One believer who knows the region well says that “the young assemblies of believers which have developed in the last 20 years will suffer but they have deep roots. They will survive!” We still need to pray. Probably 90%+ of people in the region have never heard the Good News of the Kingdom.
| · Uzbekistan ~ 27.35 million
| · Turkmenistan ~ 5.2 million
| · Kyrgyzstan ~ 5.36 million
| · Tajikistan ~ 7.2 million
| · Kazakhstan ~ 15.35 million
| · Afghanistan ~ 32.75 million
| · Xinjiang Province, China ~ 19.6 million
Look up the following names of Central Asian cities on the web. You might be surprised by what you see: • Urumqi, • Tashkent, • Dushabe, • Bishkek, • Ashgabat, • Astana
Languages spoken in Central Asia:
Turkic languages:
Kazakh • Kyrgyz • Tatar • Turkmen • Uyghur • Uzbek
Iranian languages:
Baluchi • Bukhori • Dari • Kurdish • Pamiri • Pashto • Persian • Tajik
Other major languages:
Chinese • Mongolian • Russian • Tibetan
Prayer Points:
- Lord, you have said, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14) Lord, may you be proclaimed to all in the region (Matthew 24:14).
- Lord, strengthen your people, especially those in Central Asia (2 Corinthians 12:9).
- Many are in prison or will be in prison for their faith in the coming years (Hebrews 13:3; Acts 16:23-25).
- You might pray for all the language groups and cities represented in the lists on this page. May God guide you.
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I so appreciate this opportunity to learn more and pray specifics! Thank you!
I realize this is far from a "political" forum..but it came home to me again this weekend, as an Evangelical Christian (American born and raised) while staying in an Algerian Muslim home in Montreal.
We truly must pray for resolution or compromis of the "Israeli occupation' (as all Muslims call it ) of the West Bank if we desire to have good will and freedom for the Gospel in Central Asia and the Muslim world.
Every where we have traveled in the entire world, Muslims have told us that Palestine is THE issue causing strife between Christians and Muslims.
Yes, Hamas' solution is to extinquish Israel,
but most Muslims are not thinking this extreme way..
they are much more willing to compromise, and don't agree with Hamas..however...when they see the USA/Christian Nation (their understanding of USA) supporting Israel with military weapons..they cannot abide our presence in their countries trying to convert people to support the enemy.
Thank you for listening to "the other sides' perspective from a Christian mediator.
I wanna learn to love Muslims as Jesus showed He does...God bless Central Asia!
PERSECUTION IN CENTRAL ASIA
How wonderful they are… if we only would love them as human beings and not as Muslims, and perhaps not only as “objects” to be evangelized. Our love would open Heaven, allowing Holy Spirit to move mightily on their behalf, convincing them of sin. He can do it without any human intervention…
Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
I have relatives who have been to Central Asia. Pray for the believers, for the leaders, and for Jesus to be known throught this region!