Kazakhstan
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LIFE & LIBERTY |
Contents |
[edit] Geography
[edit] Location
[edit] Climate
[edit] Natural Resources
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Peoples
- Kazakh (7,9 million)
- Uzbek (0,4 million)
- Tatar (0,3 million)
- Uyghur (0,3 million)
- Russia (5,6 million)
- Ukraina (0,9 million)
- German (0,4 million)
- Korea (0,1 million)
- 100+ other peoples
[edit] Language
- Imagine trying to learn Kazakh (or Russian for that matter) when many locals switch between the two languages without warning, often mid-sentence. Pray for patience and perseverance for our new workers. And don’t forget the frustration this sometimes provides for old-timers as well!
[edit] Provinces
[edit] Life
- Alcoholism is an enormous problem in the whole former Soviet Union. One team plans to set up alcohol support groups this year (2008), aiming to help both believers and non-believers.
[edit] Economy
[edit] Government
[edit] Religion
[edit] Islam
- Kazakhs have been nominally Sunni Muslims since 1043, but theirs is a folk Islam strongly influenced by animistic practices. An Islamist movement is being fuelled by Muslim missionaries and money from Iran, Turkey and Arab countries. There were 60 mosques in 1991; nine years later there were 5,000.
- Ramadan 2008: Before independence in 1991 it was almost unheard of that Kazakhs would take part of fasting, but now it is becoming trendy for Kazakhs, especially the young, to fast during Ramadan (2 September - 1 October 2008). Pray that believers will be able to use this as a conversation starter to share the Good News.
[edit] Buddhism
[edit] Christianity
- Christianity is still viewed as the religion of the Russian oppressors. Pray that long-held prejudices and spiritual bondages might be broken and religious tyranny avoided.
[edit] History
[edit] Churches
- The Church among Kazakhs is young but alive and growing. Kazakhstan needs more people with more passion doing more church planting in more places. Why? Kazakh believers grew from almost zero at independence in 1991 to an estimated 5000 by the year 2000 and about 10,000 by the year 2007 in over 40 congregations. Since then church growth has been slow. Most of the believers are in a few larger cities. So we need church planting to reach this vast country. May the Christian Church continue to grow among young people. Usually, the smaller the town, the greater the opposition.
- Pray for unity among all believers in Kazakhstan: between Kazakhs and Russians, between different denominations, between various church leaders, church planters and pastors. May each take their part in building God's kingdom - be that sowing, watering or reaping, rather than trying to build a monument to themselves.
[edit] Church and State Relations
- Although the constitution guarantees religious freedom, in practice the amount of hassle depends on local officials. However, in recent months, some pastors have faced difficulties which seem to have come from central government. This is a worrying trend. Pray for continued freedom, and that all civil servants that they would rule with wisdom and justice.
- A new religious law is being considered which would impose great restrictions if passed. Anyone, local or foreigner, would need a licence to share the Gospel and children could not attend meetings without notarised permission of both parents. Pray that it will not become law.
- The new restrictive religious law (which would make it necessary for all Churches to re-register, and place many restrictions on meetings) is due for its second reading in the lower house of parliament during the autumn session. Pray that it will be thrown out as unconstitutional.
[edit] Mission and Evangelization
- Many humanitarian and holistic mission opportunities in this troubled land.
- There are 24-hour prayer houses which are rising up and intercessors come together for praying.
- Despite harassment, the number of Kazakh evangelical believers has been growing since the fall of Communism in 1991 and they hope to plant hundreds more churches over the next 10 years. These churches will need trained pastor-teachers. The Almaty Bible Institute has a strategic part to play but faces some major challenges, mainly due to a shortage of financial resources.
- Pressure from the authorities has increased in recent months, and the pastor of one large Church is facing an on-going court case. Pray that despite their threats, God would grant new boldness to witness, and confirm his word with signs following.
[edit] Broadcasting
[edit] Councils and Networks
[edit] Future Trends
[edit] For More Reading
