“In that day, Bosnia will be a blessing on the earth!”
In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth.(Isaiah 19:24,NIV)
》 Country Profile
Continent | Europe
Population | 3.2 million
Area | 51,197㎢, Located in the mountainous central part of the Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe.
Capital City | Sarajevo (340,000 people)
People Groups | Total 15 groups, Bosniaks 50.1%, Serbs 30.8%, Croats 15.4%, others 3.7%
Unreached People Groups | 3 groups (51.3% of the population)
Official Language(s) | Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian
Total Languages | 13
Bible Translations | Completed 10, New Testament 1, Partial 1
Religion | Christianity 39.9% (Protestant 0.04%, Orthodox 25%, Catholic 15%), Muslim 50%, Non-religious 9.4% Evangelical 0.3% (9,000 people)
》 About Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina was under Ottoman rule, then annexed by Austria in 1908. In 1914, the assassination of the Austrian crown prince in Sarajevo triggered World War I. In 1918, it became part of Yugoslavia. In 1946, northern Bosnia and southern Herzegovina were merged into the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1992, it declared independence, but cultural and religious divisions among Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs led to a civil war. The war caused about 100,000 deaths and over 1 million refugees. A peace agreement was signed in 1995 with international help, ending the war. The country was divided into the Muslim-Croat Federation and the Serb-led Republika Srpska, forming a “one country, two systems” model. The federal government has a three-member presidency, sharing power among ethnic groups. Ethnic tensions remain unresolved, and political division continues. The chairmanship of the Presidency is held on a rotating basis by three members, each serving an eight-month term within a four-year mandate. The current Presidency consists of the Serb member Željka Cvijanović, the Croat member Željko Komšić, and the Bosniak member Denis Bećirović.
Bosnia’s economy remains underdeveloped, with only limited market reforms. It depends heavily on exports of metals, energy, textiles, and furniture, as well as remittances and foreign aid. The government is highly decentralized, making it hard to coordinate economic policy or reform. Excessive bureaucracy and fragmented markets discourage foreign investment. Since 2016, the country has had an IMF loan program, but it has struggled to meet the reform benchmarks. Unemployment is still high and remains one of the country’s biggest challenges.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s GDP per capita is approximately $14,300.
》 Scripture Focus
| Isaiah 19:19–25(NIV) 19 In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the Lord at its border. 20 It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them. 21 So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the Lord. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them. 22 The Lord will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the Lord, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them. 23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. 24 In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. 25 The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.” |
》 Prayer Points
1. Toxic nationalism, lifeless religion, and ideology have driven the country into confusion and division. Bosnians are Muslim, Serbs are Orthodox, and Croats are Catholic. Religion is deeply tied to each group’s identity and culture. During the brutal civil war, Protestant missions began, but conversions remain difficult. Only evangelicals can effectively cross the ethnic barriers. Evangelicals, who make up about 0.3% of the population, are united under the Evangelical Alliance. As ethnic nationalism and traditional religions reject the gospel, let us pray that the small number of Protestant believers will boldly live out the gospel without shame. May the Lord hear the cry of this land, heal it, reveal Himself, and bring the nations back to God.
2. So far, foreign missions have mainly worked through NGOs and church support ministries. Pioneers, OM, Novi Most, and Team Expansion are among the major groups. To reach locals effectively, more missionaries are needed. Let us pray that God will send more missionaries to preach the Word directly and plant churches. Let us also pray that the few believers will become wholehearted worshipers and rise up as disciples of Jesus for the gospel and missions. On that day, may a temple for the Lord be built in the heart of this land, and may revival of the gospel and prayer spread across the nation.
3. During the four-year war, Bosnians suffered the greatest loss. More than 100,000 were killed by their Serb and Croat neighbors, and hundreds of thousands were forced to flee, scattering as refugees across Europe. Villages and cities were destroyed, residents were expelled, and organized looting and sexual violence left deep wounds of trauma and hatred. Bosnian Muslims remain among the least evangelized peoples in Europe, while radical Wahhabi groups from the Middle East are replacing moderates by funding mosque reconstruction. Orthodox Serbs, having endured centuries of Ottoman rule, feel abandoned by the international community. Catholic Croats are also difficult to reach with the gospel. The wounds dividing these three peoples can be healed only through the cross of Christ. Let us pray that God will bring salvation to the peoples He calls, “Bosnia, my people; Serbia, the work of my hands; and Croatia, my inheritance.” On that day, may they together become a blessing to the nations and a channel of healing and unity.
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