Turkey

Turkey, when under the Ottoman Empire, was for centuries the guardian of the holy places of Islam. In the 20th century, the number of Christians in Turkey dropped significantly, and the influence of the Muslim faith is rising.

Religion: Muslim 99.64%, Christian 0.32%, and Jewish 0.04%

Ideological Influence: Secular state with Islamic influence

Head of State: President Ahmet Necdet Sezer

Persecution: The constitutional guarantee of religious freedom has not been fully upheld. Instances of discrimination and harassment of religious minorities are many, but there has been a distinct improvement since 2000. Many politicians, the police and the growing Islamist movement are hostile to anything Christian. The ancient churches survived until the beginning of the 20th century, but since then have been decimated by massacres (Armenians), severe persecution (Assyrians), and emigration (Greeks, etc.).

Missionary Opportunity: Turkey is the largest unreached nation in the world. The Christian population has declined from 22% to 0.32% since 1900. Few of the 66 million Muslims have ever heard the gospel. A Turkish Protestant Church was legally recognized recently, and there is increasing openness on the part of the authorities to recognize Turkey as a multicultural, multireligious country. Missionary work began in 1821. All expatriates have long lived under the threat of police harassment and expulsion from the country, but earlier expulsions were quashed and declared illegal in three court cases in 1992.

1 Thessalonians 3
7Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

God Bless!
~your sister in Christ~Erin