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Tunisia
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 1 percent are Christians.
Persecutor
Christian converts from Islam and Christians who share the gospel suffer persecution from their communities, family members and coworkers.
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. Some 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
Pray for Tunisia
- Pray that Tunisian Christians will be comforted when they are rejected and treated poorly because of their faith.
- Pray for Tunisians who have been rejected by their families after converting to Islam. Ask the Lord to strengthen them.
- Church leaders have asked for more female front-line workers to reach women in Tunisia. Ask the Lord for more workers.
- Thank God for pastors and front-line workers who are discipling new Christians. Pray that they will have wisdom.
- Pray for Christian converts in Tunisia who must hide their faith from their families for fear of retribution.
