Turkey

Our Strategy to Reach the Nation

Our Foursquare church in Turkey has become the largest Evangelical church in that country. Ihsan Ozbek, who pastors the Foursquare congregation in Ankara, is leading our church-planting efforts in Turkey. His leadership team has planted six new churches and proclaiming the name of Jesus in this largely Muslim nation.

Turkey is among very few Muslim nations in this region with a secular government and limited religious freedom. This makes Turkey a very strategic place for training and discipling believers from more militant Muslim nations around her. At the same time Turkey, as is true across the region, is seeing increased opposition from radical Muslims. In 2007 the Foursquare church in Turkey suffered the tragic martyrdom of three of its church leaders.

The Need In Turkey

Turkey is experiencing some very difficult economic times and would like to join the European Union. Many of the young people at our Turkish churches are without jobs. The churches are in need of believers with entrepreneurial methods that can create employment opportunities for church members.

Join Us In Prayer

Intercede for the evangelization of Turkey, as less than 0.5 percent of the nation is Christian, and of that number only 3,000 are Protestant and a few hundred being evangelical.
Pray for health and protection for Pastor Ihsan and his team, as there are many who oppose the work.
Pray for Kurtulus (pronounced coor-too-loosh, meaning "salvation") Foursquare church in Ankara, asking for grace in the eyes of government officials; for boldness and courage to continue preaching the Gospel; for wisdom in pursuing official recognition for buildings and assemblies. Pray for a larger facility for the church.
Pray for growth and maturity in the new churches being pioneered. The Kurtulus church is in the process of planting several other churches in various parts of Turkey.
Pray for a training base where we have an unprecedented opportunity to disciple and train Muslim Background Believers from the surrounding Muslim nations.
Pray for a couple recently sent out from the church of Turkey to plant a church in a closed Muslim country.