AZERBAIJAN, SOUTHWEST ASIA

Population: 8,303,512

Chief of State: President Ilham Aliyev

Head of Government: Prime Minister Artur Rasizade

Christians: 3.3%

Evangelical Christians: 0.1%

Dominant Religion: Shia Islam

Persecution Ranking: 24th

The government of Azerbaijan has passed several laws intended to restrict religious freedom. Voice of the Martyr reports, “The government and state-controlled media encourage people to return to Islam, their ‘ancestral faith.’”

This is a very poor nation. According to “Operation World,” it is also spiritually poor – with most of the cities and towns having never been evangelized.

PRAISE:

Although the government requires churches to register in order to be legal (and often turns down registration applications), the Body of Christ in Azerbaijan continues to grow. In 1991 there were an estimated 40 Christians. Today, “Operation World” puts the number at between 3,000 and 6,000.

PRAYER:

Pray for the great freedom of religion in this former Soviet republic.

Pray for restrictive laws to be abolished. (Psalm 32:10)

Pray for the Muslim people to hear and respond to the Gospel, putting their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (Romans 5:8)

Plead the Kingdom of God to come to Azerbaijan in great power, spreading throughout Southwest Asia. (I Corinthians 4:20)