“Iceland, put your trust in God and do not forget what He has done!“
Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.(Psalm 78:7,NIV)
》 Country Profile
Continent | Europe
Population | 390,000
Area | 103,000㎢, An island country located just south of the Arctic Circle in the northern Atlantic Ocean.
Capital City | Reykjavik (137,000 people)
People Groups | Total 12 groups, Icelandic 86%, Polish 6%, Lithuanian 1%, other 7%
Unreached People Groups | 2 (0.6% of the population)
Official Language(s) | Icelandic
Total Languages | 11
Bible Translations | Completed 10, New Testament 1
Religion | Christianity 90% (Protestant 81% – Icelandic Lutheran Church 62.3%, Catholic 4%), Non-religious 8.6% Evangelical 4.4% (15,000 people)
》 About Iceland
Iceland, which name means “land of ice,” is in fact a volcanic island formed by eruptions. It has many active volcanoes, and eruptions large and small continue to occur even today. In recent years, glaciers have been melting rapidly and disappearing due to climate change. Once uninhabited, the island was settled at the end of the 9th century by Norwegians and Irish Celts. In 930, Iceland established the world’s first parliament, boasting the oldest democratic tradition in the world. After maintaining independence for more than 300 years, it came under Norwegian rule in the mid 11th century and Danish rule from the late 14th century. It became a Danish dominion in 1918 and gained full independence as the Republic of Iceland in 1944. From 1783 to 1785, the eruption of the Laki craters killed about 20% of the population and 70% of the livestock. In 1875, the eruption of the Askja volcano devastated the economy and caused widespread famine, leading about 20% of the people to emigrate to Canada and the United States. Iceland was the first country in the world to fully legalize abortion in 1935, permitting it without restriction for any reason within 22 weeks of pregnancy. Prenatal screening for birth defects is widely used, and when a fetus is diagnosed with Down syndrome, most mothers choose abortion, so cases of Down syndrome are now extremely rare. Iceland was also one of the earliest countries in Northern Europe to legalize same sex marriage. As a parliamentary republic, the current president is Halla Tómasdóttir, who took office in August 2024, and since December 2024, Kristrún Frostadóttir has served as prime minister.
Iceland’s economy rebounded after a brief downturn during the 2008 financial crisis, achieving strong growth, low unemployment, and fair income distribution. It once depended on fishing, but tourism is now the top industry. The economy is also growing in sectors like software and biotechnology. Government priorities include financial stability, inflation control, reducing household debt, and economic diversification. Iceland’s GDP per capita is approximately $82,703.
》 Scripture Focus
| Psalm 78:1-4, 7-8(NIV) 1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— 3 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. 7 Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. 8 They would not be like their ancestors—a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him. |
》 Prayer Points
1. Iceland was originally a Catholic nation, but in the mid 16th century it came under Danish rule and Lutheranism was enforced as the state religion, becoming the dominant denomination. Sadly, today the number of people who identify themselves as Christians is declining. About 40.5% of those under the age of 25 are atheists, fewer than 10% attend church at least once a month, and 43% never attend at all. Increasingly, people are filling the place where God should dwell in their hearts with meditation, yoga, or transcendent ideas. Yet even in this spiritual desolation, we give thanks that a small number of evangelicals are uniting and growing together. Let us pray that the people of Iceland may remember the love of God who still calls them “My people,” and that the churches, with their long heritage of faith, may awaken, place their hope in God, and boldly proclaim the gospel of the cross.
2. There are almost no foreign missionaries in Iceland. Let us pray for workers to come, share the gospel, and help renew the church. The Pentecostal Church offers short-term discipleship training with World Horizons, and YWAM runs Christian community training. Some churches are seeing new believers through Alpha courses. A few Lutheran believers are being trained as leaders. Some young people have even been trained and sent overseas as missionaries. Let us pray that a new generation will fully believe in the cross, God’s great work, and live faithfully. May Iceland’s churches become holy messengers, sharing hope and life with their nation and the world.
3. In Iceland, religious and philosophical organizations can register and receive government support through the parish tax (sóknargjald) in proportion to their membership, which has allowed many groups to operate under the name of religion. Let us pray that this system, which influences the secularization of the nation, would be abolished and that the church would be separated from secular politics. About 6% of the population is Polish, and there are also other minorities such as Lithuanians. Let us pray that the gospel may be proclaimed to them so that they too may receive salvation. Each year, about 2.2 million tourists visit Reykjavík, the Golden Circle, the southern coast, glaciers and ice caves, and northern lights observation sites. Let us pray that every tourist who comes to this land may experience the grace of encountering the Creator God through its beautiful nature. May the churches near major tourist sites become centers of evangelism, proclaiming the gospel in many languages, so that all who hear of the marvelous works of the LORD may put their hope in God through the good news of salvation.
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