“The Czech Republic will know that there is no one besides the LORD!”
This is so that people from the east to the west may know that there is no one besides the LORD, for He alone is God.(Isaiah 45:6,NIV)
》 Country Profile
Continent | Europe
Population | 10.7 million
Area | 78,867㎢, Located in Central Europe.
Capital City | Prague (1.31 million)
People Groups | Total 38 groups, Czech 96.6%, Vietnamese 0.7%, Romani 0.6%, Ukrainian 0.5%, Slovak 0.3%, Polish 0.2%
Unreached People Groups | 6 (0.1% of the population)
Official Language(s) | Czech
Total Languages | 33
Bible Translations | Completed 28, New Testament 2, Partial 1
Religion | Christianity 26.8% (Protestant 1.8%, Catholic 20%), Non-religious 69.7%, Buddhist 0.4% Evangelical 0.7% (79,000 people)
》 About The Czech Republic
The Czech Republic prospered as the Kingdom of Bohemia but came under Austrian Habsburg rule during the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century. After World War I, it gained independence from Austria and formed Czechoslovakia with Slovakia. In 1939, it was annexed by Germany. It regained sovereignty in 1945 and became a Socialist Federal Republic in 1968, but the communist regime fell in 1989 during the Velvet Revolution, leading to a return to democracy and market economy. In 1993, the Velvet Separation peacefully split Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic is a parliamentary republic with President Petr Pavel elected in 2023 and Prime Minister Petr Fiala serving since 2021.
The Czech Republic has a thriving market economy with one of the highest GDP growth rates and lowest unemployment rates in the EU. However, its economy is highly export-dependent, making it vulnerable to changes in external demand. Exports make up about 80% of GDP, largely driven by the automotive sector. Tourism is also an important and growing industry. Long-term challenges include a rapidly aging population, shortage of skilled labor, an outdated education system, unsustainable pension and healthcare funding, and the need to shift from manufacturing to a more advanced, service-based, knowledge economy.
The Czech Republic’s GDP per capita is approximately $38,300.
》 Scripture Focus
| Isaiah 45:1-8(NIV) 1 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: 2 I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. 3 I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. 4 For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. 5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, 6 so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. 7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. 8 “You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the Lord, have created it. |
》 Prayer Points
1. The Czech Republic has gone through a long history of religious turmoil. Since the martyrdom of Jan Hus in 1415, Protestants have faced persecution for nearly 500 years. Although Protestantism inherited a rich faith legacy, it was pushed aside again by the expansion of Catholicism in Eastern Europe. Today, about 26.8% of the Czech population identify as Christian, with 20% Catholic and 1.8% Protestant. Catholicism has lost social influence due to traditionalism and materialism, and although there are Baptist and Pentecostal churches, many Czechs are skeptical of large religious institutions. However, a grassroots church planting movement led by the Evangelical Alliance is receiving a good response. Let us pray that the Czech church, like Cyrus chosen by God and Jan Hus who stood for truth, will be a faithful witness that honors only God.
2. In the past, foreign missionaries often worked more competitively than cooperatively. However, the Czech church today is coordinating and cooperating in mission work through the Evangelical Alliance and the Christian Mission Society. Evangelical and International Baptist seminaries are training pastors and leaders throughout the Czech Republic and Central Europe. Baptist, Reformed, Pentecostal, and TEE training programs are also being held nationwide. Let us pray that churches will be equipped with the gospel and prayer, be trained as disciples of the Lord, and that many believers will respond to the call to missions and go into Europe and the nations so that salvation and justice may grow.
3. Although only 0.1% of the Czech population is considered unreached people groups, about 70% of the population is non-religious and lives without knowing God. Crime, sexual immorality, drug addiction, depression, and suicide have become worse than during the communist era. Astrology, Hindu sects, and Christian cults have added to the spiritual confusion. Many foreigners, including Russian speakers, East and Southeast Asians, and refugees, are settling in the country. Let us pray that they will come to know that the Lord is the one true God, as He said: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I have girded you, though you have not known me.“
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