“I will build the ruined city of Oman!”
and I will bring my people Israel back from exile. They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.(Amos 9:14,NIV)
》 Country Profile
Continent | Middle East
Population | 3.76 million
Area | 309,500㎢, located in the southeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE
Capital City | Muscat (1.62 million people)
People Groups | Total 35 groups: Omanis 42.5%, Gulf Arabs 16%, Baloch 11.8%, Malaysians 4.5%, Bengalis 4%, Dhofaris 2.6%, Filipinos 1.9%
Unreached People Groups | 27 groups (90.6% of the population)
Official Language(s) | Arabic
Total Languages | 32
Bible Translations | Completed 16, New Testament 2, Partial 5
Religion | Islam 90.8%, Christianity 2.9% (Protestant 0.3%, Catholic 1.7%), Hinduism 4.7%, Buddhism 0.5%, Evangelicals 0.7% (approx. 25,000 people)
》 About Oman
Oman was a powerful maritime empire in the 16th century, extending its influence across the Persian Gulf, East Africa, and parts of Pakistan. From the 17th century, it came under Portuguese and later British influence, becoming a British protectorate in 1891. Oman gained independence from Britain in 1951. In 1970, Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said ascended the throne, launching modernization initiatives and adopting a pro-Western foreign policy. Oman has maintained a moderate and independent foreign policy, working to build good relationships with neighboring countries while avoiding external conflicts. In response to nationwide protests in 2011, the government implemented limited democratic reforms, including decentralizing some authority and holding the first municipal elections in 2012 to increase local participation. However, Oman remains an absolute monarchy, with the sultan holding most of the power. After ruling for 50 years, Sultan Qaboos passed away in 2020. His cousin, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, succeeded him as the new sultan. Oman is an Islamic state where the Ibadi sect is the dominant branch of Islam. While relatively tolerant of non-Muslims compared to other Islamic countries, Oman strictly upholds Islamic principles and prohibits missionary activities and religious conversion.
Oman’s economy is heavily reliant on oil and gas. The sharp drop in global oil prices in 2016 led to a significant fiscal deficit. Faced with prolonged low oil prices and ongoing budget shortfalls, Oman has been working to diversify its economy. Its national development strategy focuses on five priority sectors: manufacturing, transportation, tourism, fisheries, and mining.
Oman’s GDP per capita is approximately $ 27,192.
》 Scripture Focus
| Amos 9:11-15(NIV) 11 “In that day I will restore David’s fallen shelter—I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins—and will rebuild it as it used to be, 12 so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name,” declares the LORD, who will do these things. 13 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills, 14 and I will bring my people Israel back from exile. They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God. |
》 Prayer Points
1. According to an American missionary who has served in Oman for over 30 years, young people are increasingly responding to the gospel. Though there are no churches that meet publicly, some converts now gather in secret to worship. Historically, Oman did have a local church—an Omani church representative even attended the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in 1974. However, government persecution eventually scattered the church, leaving behind only a remnant of believers who continue their faith in secrecy. Since the new sultan took power in 2020, laws and regulations have been further tightened to prevent conversions to Christianity, and censorship of anything seen as anti-Islamic remains in effect. Christians make up about 2.8% of the population in Oman, and there are roughly 25,000 evangelical believers, most of whom are foreigners. Worship for foreign Christians is officially allowed at four designated religious sites—two in Muscat and one each in Sohar and Salalah—where diverse nationalities gather. Although it remains illegal to evangelize or convert Omani citizens, we give thanks that some Muslims are slowly coming to faith in Jesus. Let us pray that the gospel of the cross will be proclaimed to all people in Oman. May the Lord raise up the fallen tent of David, restore its ruins as in days of old, and bring about a people called by the name of Jesus Christ, claiming all nations as His inheritance.
2. Oman is the heartland of the conservative Ibadi branch of Islam, which rejects both radical Islamism and communism, and is cautious toward religious sectarianism. Although Ibadis are a minority within Islam and are known to be polite and gentle, they have cultivated a mindset that is closed off to other religions. Additionally, Oman has strong elements of folk Islam mixed with pre-Islamic animism. A prominent example is the widespread belief in “jinn” (spirits), which leads many to seek out shamans and spiritual healers for black magic or traditional remedies. Let us pray that Omanis, who fear not only Islamic doctrine but also the unseen forces they believe influence their daily lives, would hear the gospel and be saved by faith. May their spiritually desolate hearts become temples of God, living according to His word. Let us also pray that the Lord would provide for the security, visas, and finances of missionaries and foreign churches so they may be effective channels of the gospel to the Omani people.
3. Over 90% of Oman’s population belongs to unreached people groups, including native Omanis, Gulf Arabs, the Mahra and Jibali peoples of the Dhofar region, the Baluch along the eastern coast, rural villagers, and Swahili speakers. Through four Bible resource centers run by the Bible Society, Scriptures are being distributed. The Children’s Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) and several mission organizations are also working to bring the gospel to children. In addition, Christian radio broadcasts, the internet, and mobile technology are being used to share the gospel effectively. There are also growing opportunities for Omani students studying abroad to hear about Jesus. Let us pray that God will open doors to reach the unreached, the next generation, and Omani students with the gospel, and raise up more laborers for the harvest. May a gospel-rooted Omani church be planted deeply in the land so that it will not be uprooted again, and may Oman become a sending nation, carrying the gospel throughout the Middle East and to the nations.
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