Liberia
June 19th

“Liberia, Sing to the Lord a new song!”

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.(Psalm 96:1,NIV)

》 Country Profile

Continent | Africa
Population | 5.35 million
Area | 111,369㎢ Located on the Atlantic coast of western central Africa.
Capital City |Monrovia (1.67 million people)
People Groups | Total 39 groups, Kpelle 16.7%, Bassa 14%, Kru 7.5%, Ma’an 6.6%, Loma 5.8%, Dan 5.2%, Kissi 4%, Krahn 3.9%, Vai 3.7%, Gola 3.4%
People Groups Unreached | 5 groups (11.4% of population)
Official Language(s) | English
Total Languages | 37
Bible Translations | Completed 11, New Testament 12, Partial 6
Religion | Christianity 40% (Protestant 14%, Catholic 14%), Ethnic religions 42.5%, Islam 16.2% Evangelicals 11.7% (620,000 people)

》 About Liberia

Liberia was known as the Pepper Coast by Europeans in the 15th century. In 1821, freed slaves, primarily from the southern United States, immigrated with the support of the American Colonization Society and established the country. In 1847, under U.S. sponsorship, Liberia officially gained independence, becoming Africa’s first republic and was named Liberia (“Land of the Free”). In 1980, a coup led by Samuel K. Doe seized control of the government. Doe, a member of the Krahn ethnic group, carried out mass killings of descendants of freed African American slaves and members of the Gio ethnic group after coming to power. In 1989, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), an anti-government group, demanded Doe’s resignation, sparking a civil war. Charles Taylor, a descendant of freed slaves from the United States, united non-Krahn ethnic groups and launched a rebellion, leading to ongoing cycles of revenge among 28 different tribes. The civil war resulted in 250,000 deaths and forced one million people to flee. In the 1997 presidential election, Charles Taylor, who had led the seven-year civil war, was elected president. His authoritarian rule led to a second civil war in 1999. In 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became Africa’s first female president and was awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in expanding basic education and establishing peace. Liberia remains a presidential republic, with Joseph Boakai serving a six-year term as president since 2024.

Liberia’s economy is heavily dependent on foreign aid and remittances, making it one of the world’s poorest countries. Despite its abundant natural resources—including water, minerals, forests, and fertile agricultural land—poverty remains widespread. Agriculture accounts for 70% of the country’s industry, with major exports including iron ore, rubber, diamonds, and gold. The second-largest source of income comes from operating a ship registry. However, the economy has been severely weakened by two civil wars and the Ebola outbreak, with unemployment reaching as high as 75%.
Liberia ’s GDP per capita is approximately $1,400

》 Scripture Focus

》 Prayer Points

1. Liberia has deep-rooted traditional religious rites and ceremonies. Although Christianity was naturally introduced into African traditional religions when freed slaves from the United States came to the country, the influence of evil forces such as tribal secret religious groups, fetishism, and Freemasonry is widespread. As a result, although tribal religions account for 42% of the population and Christianity accounts for 40%, most of the people are under the influence of tribal religions. Evangelicals make up 11.7% of the population, approximately 610,000, a decrease of 3% from 10 years ago. Many churches are ignorant and deeply immersed in materialism and syncretism due to a lack of biblical teachings. Many churches were disbanded, and leaders were exiled or killed when the country was in chaos during the long civil war. Training for pastors and lay leaders was also suspended during the civil war but was gradually reorganized and reopened later. Leadership training and Bible education are being conducted at Bible schools and seminaries such as the International Center Point Foundation, the International Development Association, the Liberia Christian Education Foundation, the Baptist Theological Seminary, and the African Bible College.
Let us pray that the pastors and leaders of the churches will not compromise with tribal religions and prosperity gospels but will be firmly established by the gospel of the cross. Let us pray that the churches will become a channel of new life that spreads salvation every day in Liberia, which is still groaning in the wounds of civil war.

2. Foreign missionaries worked for a long time to spread the gospel and establish churches among the tribes in the interior of Liberia, but they suffered from illness and language diversity. When the civil war broke out, and they had no choice but to leave. After the civil war, almost no missionaries returned. Even so, international organizations such as World Relief, Tearfund, and World Vision International (WVI) are helping Liberia by providing support for poverty, illiteracy, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases such as AIDS and Ebola, public sanitation facilities, low education levels, and job training. Fifty thousand children died during the civil war, and 15,000 survivors who participated as child soldiers were unable to lead normal lives, with more than 30% of them attempting suicide at least once. During the war, girls were turned into sex slaves, and after the war, they were sexually abused by peacekeeping forces, international relief forces, and teachers. There are thousands of orphans who do not know their fathers due to sexual slavery and rape by rebels and peacekeepers, and they live in extreme poverty along with the disgrace of society.
Let us pray that international organizations, foreign missionaries, and the church in this country will share the pain and sorrow of the people and proclaim the cross of Jesus Christ among the people and His miraculous deeds among all people.

3. The Muslim Mandingo people had close ties with the government during the civil war but were attacked by the Mano and Gio people, which led to ethnic and religious conflict between the tribes. At that time, more than 1,000 Islamic temples were destroyed, and since then, other Islamic countries have supported missionary work by covering the cost of temple restoration. As a result, Muslims now make up over 16% of the total population. The Reformed Church World Mission (CRWM), International SIM Mission, and others are providing comprehensive services such as medical care to the Muslim Mandingo people (100,000), Vai people (190,000), Gola people (180,000), and Maninka people (120,000). In Liberia, Muslims can openly hear the gospel and respond. In the inland jungle areas, there are a small number of Christians among the Ma’an (340,000), Bandi (150,000), Dan (270,000), Kissi (southern, 200,000), and Krahn (western, 100,000) who are deeply immersed in the tribal religion of animism.
Let us pray that the churches and missionaries in this land will boldly preach the gospel of the cross to the unreached people groups, informing them that all the gods of the nations are idols. Let us pray that many churches will be established in each tribe, so that they can praise the honor, majesty, power, and beauty of God with new songs in His sanctuary.

》 Urgent prayer requests around the world need your prayer!