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Tunisia
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Overview:

Tunisia has a rich Christian history. It was the home of notable church fathers Tertullian and Cyprian as well as the Christian martyrs Perpetua and Felicity. The third Council of Carthage ratified the New Testament canon in Tunisia in A.D. 397. However, there are now few churches or Christians in Tunisia. Since the Arab Spring uprising, which began in Tunisia, the country has grown increasingly democratic; the Tunisian government became the first in North Africa to enact religious-freedom reforms. But even with a rich Christian history and increased religious freedom, the gospel is opposed by many Muslims and has been slow to take root in modern Tunisia.

Major Religion:

99 percent of Tunisians are Sunni Muslims. Less than one-half of 1 percent are Christians.

Persecutor:

Christian converts from Islam and Christians who share the gospel suffer persecution from their communities, family members and co-workers.

What It Means To Follow Christ In Tunisia:

Although the government has begun to implement certain religious-freedom reforms, change will take time in a Tunisian culture that has long been dominated by Islam. Churches function openly, and Christian converts from Islam are free to worship in them, but open evangelism remains illegal. And while it is illegal for families to persecute their family members who leave Islam, such persecution still happens, and local governments still harass Christians. In rural areas, more severe persecution continues, as Muslim families feel shamed by family members who leave Islam.

Access To Bibles:

Bibles were readily available in the past, but today access is limited and Bibles are now scarce. It is possible to distribute and ship small numbers of Bibles with official permission. Give Bibles

VOM Work:

VOM responds to persecution and provides training and resources for front-line workers. Give to VOM’s Global Ministry

Prayer Requests:

  • Pray that Bibles will become accessible to every believer.
  • Pray for the protection of Tunisian believers.
  • Pray for the unity and collaboration of Tunisian churches.
  • Pray for Christians who are isolated by distance from other Christians.
  • Pray for house churches throughout Tunisia.