Kazakhstan

Partner with Local Missionaries in Kazakhstan

Located in the 10/40 Window

Kazakhstan is the largest country in Central Asia with land area the size of Western Europe. Its vast plains and plateaus are sparsely populated; over half the population lives in urban areas. Kazakhstan’s population is young—roughly half is under the age of 30 and more than a quarter is under 15.

Like many former Soviet Union countries in Central Asia, Kazakhstan returned to Islam after independence. However, it retained more Russian influence than other countries, and Russian is still its official language. Just over half the country is nominally Muslim, and Russian Orthodoxy is also prominent. Their secular government views most other forms of Christianity, including evangelical Protestantism, as “nontraditional” and restricts religious practice. Christians, from Muslim backgrounds especially, also face persecution from their families and communities.

Located in a large urban center, a ministry has great influence in their city through sports, which are popular in their region. The ministry builds relationships with students, inviting them to church, reading the Bible with them, and giving them Bibles of their own. The ministry’s leaders also mentor students to find their callings and professions in life. They help them enroll in universities, sponsor portions of their tuition, and help them find jobs.

In addition to sports outreach, the ministry shares the gospel by extending practical loving care to orphans and children from poor or broken homes. This includes food, school supplies, medical assistance when needed, and multi-day field trips to the mountains. Kazakh culture values hospitality, and the ministry invites each person they work with to their homes. “By visiting people and helping them, we talk about God and influence them,” the ministry’s leader said.

The ministry provides people with study Bibles and cares for orphans and children in need.

Sources: CIA World Factbook, Joshua Project, U.S. Department of State, Open Doors, Encyclopedia Britannica

19.5 million

Population

1.67%

Evangelical Population:

People Groups:

Unreached People Groups:

How to Pray for Kazakhstan

Pray that God would open hearts to the gospel and that new believers would grow deep roots in Christ.
Pray for wisdom as the ministry seeks to share the gospel throughout their region.
The ministry asks for prayer for protection as Islam gains influence, especially among young men.

More stories from Kazakhstan

Help Believers Learn to Share Their Faith in Kazakhstan

A young woman who gave her life to Christ last year is discipled weekly by a local missionary. She is one example of a young adult whose life has been changed by the constant presence of missionaries in her life. Every week, these missionaries meet with young adults to disciple and train them how to share the gospel. “They want to share the good news with others but do not know how,” the ministry leader said. “We actively share with them, as Jesus did, our experience and all the tools we know.” Your donations support such discipleship work.

Encourage People to Come to Jesus in Kazakhstan

A local ministry uses sports such as soccer to build relationships with young people from non-believing homes and, ultimately, share the gospel with them. "Through sports, we find people and we communicate with them," the ministry leader said. "If we see that the heart is open and the person is reaching out, we begin to communicate closer and continue with the gospel. Then, we start reading the Bible together and getting to know God." Your donations of $30 or $60 support outreach to children.

Minister To Vulnerable Young People in Kazakhstan

Christian workers use a sports ministry to build relationships with local young people, many of whom are orphans being raised by relatives. “We try to become trustees for them, take responsibility to help them find their calling, profession, and find their place in life,” the ministry leader said. Through sports, workers develop friendships with these young men and women, which opens opportunities to share Christ. Their outreach is desperately needed as Islam grows in influence, particularly among the demographic they serve. Donations of $25 or $50 help workers with such evangelism and discipleship. Pray that the Holy Spirit would move among the young people in this region.

Extend Grace To The Lost in Kazakhstan

“Often, people are quickly ignited by God,” a ministry leader said. “But without having a root, they quickly go out.” The leader’s wisdom serves as the foundation for his ministry’s work. When he and his wife began a new family group with two other families, they understood they must be firmly rooted in their own faith to best serve one of the families, who are unbelievers. Each week the group meets together to read and discuss the Bible, and the leaders pray that Christ will open the hearts of the unbelieving family to His salvation. Your donations support evangelistic outreach such as this. Pray that the richness of Scripture will encourage unbelievers to follow Jesus.

Transform Lives With The Salvation Story in Kazakhstan

A teenager who recently became a believer traveled with native missionaries to a sports conference during which she was able to fellowship with other young believers like herself. But during the trip, her parents pressured her with negative conversations and told her the missionaries were crazy. The girl and the missionaries began to pray for her parents, and when she reunited with them, she was amazed by how kind and encouraging they were to her. “Thank God that He softened their hearts,” the ministry leader said. Donations of $25 or $50 support evangelism and discipleship. Pray the Lord’s protection over new believers in families and places hostile to the gospel.

Tell of the Power of Jesus’ Love in Kazakhstan

Pray the Lord will open the hearts of the lost to hear the gospel message. During a six-month period, local missionaries personally witnessed to people through gatherings at coffee shops, visits to new friends’ homes, or during outings in town. “If we see an open heart, we tell our testimony and we invite you to personal meetings where we conduct discipleship,” the ministry leader said. “We give the Bible and teach how to study it, and we read it together and discuss questions.” Your donations support missionaries in their evangelism efforts.