Pray for Mongolia
(Info from Operation World, 7th ed.)
Population 2.7 million. Christians 1.7%. Evangelical Christians 1.2%.
Largest Religion Buddhist.
Fastest Growing Religion Christian.
• Christianity in Mongolia is a reality for the first time in modern history! Perhaps only 4 Mongolian believers existed in 1989, but by 2010 over 40,000 believers worshipped in hundreds of churches and groups around the country! The Church is less than one generation old, but it already sends missionaries to unreached areas, runs national ministries, and develops its own Mongolian-style worship music.
• The difficult economic situation deeply affects every area of life (employment, education, children’s well-being, others). A few became rich in the new market economy, but many struggle in deep poverty. Economic difficulties led to increased social problems such as crime, alcoholism, prostitution, and homelessness in the cities. Most mission agencies work in health, relief, education, or literature programmes. These opportunities demonstrate Christ’s compassionate love.
• Mongolia’s traditional religions (Lamaistic Buddhism, shamanism) became popular again after Communism ended (1990). Traditional superstitions and even occult practices have a strong hold on most people’s lives. Young Mongolians often consult shamans for health, finance, and relationship issues. Pray for complete freedom and changed lives through the Lord Jesus.
• Discipleship and church leadership. Most Christian ministry is based in Ulaanbaatar, so rural churches especially have little support or teaching. A TEE programme that serves the faraway congregations may be the Mongolian Church’s greatest need! Blue Sky Aviation (Mission Aviation Fellowship) helps address the needs for evangelism, training, and humanitarian work throughout the vast rural countryside.
• The less evangelized. Pray for foreign workers to truly learn and adapt to Mongolian culture, and for all believers to work in unity.
• Nomads find their traditional life difficult to maintain. Pray for ministries that demonstrate the gospel to them, and a church model that suits their mobile lifestyle.
• Kazakhs are a majority in the far west. A few are Christian, but most are Muslim. Muslim missionaries seek to bring them back to Islam.
• Among the ethnic minorities, the Chinese and Russian communities have a few believers, but little outreach goes to the Kalmyk, Tuvan, and Evenki peoples.