Stretching across Central Asia, the Turkic nations of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan, together with their neighbour Tajikistan, are home to millions of people bound by shared language, culture, and a deep Islamic heritage.
Once the centre of a brilliant renaissance (750–1250 AD), this region shaped the world through its advances in science, poetry, medicine, and philosophy. Yet over the centuries, it has suffered invasion, plague, and repression. The empires of Russia and the Soviet Union left deep scars, and today most of these countries remain under authoritarian rule—where free speech is stifled, corruption is common, and the people long for truth and hope.
Pre 1991, there were almost no known local followers of Christ. But God has been quietly at work. Today, in every one of these nations, small but courageous communities of believers are taking root—often just a few thousand people, yet shining brightly in a spiritually dark environment.
These believers face immense pressure. Police raids, arrests, fines, and beatings are not uncommon. Homes are bugged, churches infiltrated, and converts from Islam often suffer rejection from family and friends. Still, the church endures—its members filled with a deep love for Jesus and a determination to live out the gospel.
Let us thank God for these precious brothers and sisters—for their courage, their faith, and their endurance.
Pray that:
The Holy Spirit will strengthen the Church across the Turkic world.
Believers will be seen as a force for good—bringing compassion, honesty, and hope to their communities.
Governments will open the door to greater freedom of faith and witness.
That God will raise up new leaders who govern with justice and mercy.
May the light of Christ continue to shine in the heart of Central Asia—until every nation, tongue, and tribe in the Turkic world has heard and believed the good news of Jesus.
#PrayForCentralAsia #FaithInHardPlaces #UnreachedPeoples #HopeInChrist
