Ethiopia
Overview
The gospel was first brought to Ethiopia in the first century, but many Ethiopian Christians still face persecution today. In southern Ethiopia, political unrest and the rise of Wahhabism, an extreme branch of Islam, among the Oromo people have resulted in a wave of attacks against Christians across the region. Eastern Ethiopia has one of the largest Somali populations in the world, and Christians there are persecuted by both their communities and their families. In northern Ethiopia, militants among the Ethiopian Orthodox Church persecute evangelical believers. Several majority-Muslim tribal groups throughout Ethiopia also persecute Christians. Freedom of religion is guaranteed under Ethiopian law, and the national government generally works to protect the rights of Christians. But recent political unrest has created opportunities for large attacks on Christians and churches throughout the country. Still, evangelical churches in Ethiopia continue to plant new churches and send missionaries to difficult areas. In November 2020, a civil war broke out in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, causing immense suffering and greatly affecting churches and pastors in the minority evangelical area.
Major Religions
59 percent of Ethiopians are Christians (42 percent Orthodox and 17 percent evangelical). Islam is growing, and Muslims now compose nearly 40 percent of the population.
Persecutor
Believers in the south and east face persecution, especially those who leave Islam to follow Jesus. Some believers living in the north are persecuted by militants among the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
What it Means to Follow Christ
Most Christians worship freely and openly. However, evangelicals are sometimes pressured to join traditional churches, and Christian converts from Islam face violence and even death threats in Muslim-majority areas.
Access to Bibles
Bibles are printed, sold and distributed in Ethiopia with no restrictions. However, in many rural areas believers can be severely persecuted for owning a Bible.
VOM Work
VOM helps rebuild destroyed churches and believers’ homes, helps care for widows of martyrs, provides Bibles to believers in persecuted areas, supports local church evangelism efforts and equips pastors in difficult regions.