“Iraq, preach that Jesus is the Son of God!”
At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.(Acts 9:20,NIV)
》 Country Profile
Continent | Middle East
Population | 40.46 million
Area | 438,317㎢, located at the junction of the Arabian Peninsula and Asia Minor in Southwest Asia.
Capital City | Baghdad (7.51 million)
People Groups | Total 35 groups – Arabs 67.8%, Kurds 20%, Turkmen 5.9%, Yazidis 1.4%
Unreached People Groups | 25 groups (98% of the population)
Official Language(s) | Arabic, Kurdish
Total Languages | 31
Bible Translations | Complete 13, New Testament 5, Portions 7
Religion | Christianity 1.6% (Protestant 0.1%, Orthodox 0.64%), Islam 95.5%, Ethnic religion 1.4%, Others 1.3%
Evangelicals | 0.4% (160,000 people)
》 About Iraq
Iraq was under Ottoman rule from 1638 until World War I. Afterward, it became a British colony and gained independence as a kingdom in 1932. In 1958, a military coup established a republic, leading to a long period of military dictatorship that lasted until 2003. The final dictator was Saddam Hussein. Feeling threatened by Iran’s growing power, he invaded Iran in 1980—taking advantage of the post-revolution chaos—to pursue regional dominance, resulting in an eight-year war (1980–1988). In 1990, he invaded Kuwait, sparking the Gulf War. Iraq was defeated by UN forces and remained under international sanctions until 2003. Iraq is a parliamentary republic, but it remains deeply divided by sectarian (Shia and Sunni), ethnic (Arab, Kurdish, and other minorities), and political (pro-U.S., pro-Iran, and centrist) alignments. As of 2022, Abdel Latif Rashid serves a four-year term as president, and Mohamed Al-Sudani is the current prime minister.
Iraq’s economy was severely damaged by the Gulf War, UN sanctions, and the 2003 Iraq War. Most industries were destroyed, leaving only the oil and agriculture sectors. Iraq has the third-largest crude oil reserves in the world, after Saudi Arabia and Iran. However, since 2014, the economy has slowed due to the rise of ISIS and a drop in global oil prices, which exposed the risks of over reliance on oil. Other challenges include widespread corruption, outdated infrastructure, poor public services, shortage of skilled workers, and obsolete business laws, all of which hinder economic growth. Youth unemployment exceeds 25%, and 23% of the population lives below the poverty line, with conditions worsening after COVID-19. Iraq’s GDP per capita is approximately $9,300
》 Scripture Focus
| Acts 9:1-5, 18-21(NIV) 1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” |
》 Prayer Points
1. Nineveh (near Mosul) in northern Iraq once repented after hearing the warning of the prophet Jonah in the Old Testament and accepted Christianity in the first century AD. Until 2003, under Sunni leader Saddam Hussein, Christians were treated with tolerance, and the Christian population reached 1.5 million. Today, however, only around 320,000 remain in Nineveh and the Kurdish region. Nearly half of these are Orthodox Christians, including members of the Eastern Assyrian Church and the Syriac Orthodox Church, while about 160,000 are evangelicals.
Let us thank the Lord for sustaining the church and growing the evangelical community even through years of persecution and war. Christians face threats and violence from government officials, tribal leaders, and extended family members, and are subjected to illegal seizure of property, kidnappings, and killings by Islamic extremists such as Shiite militias and ISIS. Let us pray that the church, the body of Christ, will have the courage and faith to boldly proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God in the midst of persecution.
2. Many converts from Islam have encountered the Lord through evangelism, radio broadcasts, dreams, and visions. Even some former extremists have come to faith. Most of these converts are Arabs and Kurds from northern Iraq, now scattered across other countries. The Kurds were nearly exterminated under Hussein’s regime and lost territory to government forces. Many young Kurds are turning away from Islam, creating an unprecedented opportunity to share the gospel. These youth are curious about Christian worship and fellowship and are eager to be invited to church gatherings. This region also offers ministry opportunities through outreach to Syrian and Yazidi refugees, as well as through local universities, businesses, and personal ventures. Let us pray that Iraqis will come to see and believe in Jesus Christ through the church and step out from the darkness of Islam and war into the light of the gospel.
3. The gospel needs to reach many ethnic groups in Iraq. These include the majority Shia Arabs and the Sunni Arabs striving for political power. The Najdi Bedouin, numbering around 1.75 million, live semi-nomadic lives and have long suffered poverty and marginalization, making them difficult to reach with the gospel. Other groups that have rarely heard the gospel include the Turkmen, Yazidis, Domari, Mandaeans, and Marsi Arabs. These minority groups have endured horrible suffering, including massacres and slavery under ISIS.
Let us pray that the spiritual blindness of these groups will be lifted and that God will grant them the grace to recognize their need for salvation. May they receive the gospel and become channels of blessing who proclaim the eternal kingdom of God, not with misguided zeal born of falsehood, but with faith in truth.
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