The term “Central Asia “most often refers to the five former Soviet Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. However, sometimes the borders of the region called Central Asia can be stretched to include such countries as Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Iran and the Xinjiang Autonomous region in North West China. The ancient Silk Road, the famous trade route that Marco Polo and multitudes of others traveled, crosses the region from Xian, China to Istanbul, Turkey. Although the region is now separated by national borders, most of the ethnic groups are Turkic, having similar languages and cultures. For example, the Uighurs (in North West China), Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, Azeri and Turks all speak Turkic based languages. However, the Tajik language is Persian based, similar to languages spoken in Iran and Afghanistan.

Following the fall of the Iron Curtain, a tremendous door for the Gospel was opened in Central Asia. In 1990 there were less than 2,000 believers from among the predominately Muslim peoples of the region. Today it is estimated that there are upwards of 80,000! Many congregations have been planted, pastors and leaders raised up. These assemblies are now sending their own people to other nations such as China, Turkey, Mongolia, Afghanistan and Iran. The amazing story of what transpired during the fifteen years following 1990 is one of the great stories of our time.

Yet, the window of freedom for the Gospel in Central Asia was short lived. Turkmenistan was the first country to expel foreign “workers” in the late 1990’s, followed by Uzbekistan. Church registration became difficult, if not impossible to obtain. Other restrictions became law in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Even Kazakhstan, which was known to be the most open of all the Central Asian countries, is drafting a law in 2011 which imposes much greater restrictions on believers. The followers of Jesus in many areas now risk arrest, interrogation, and fines when they meet together. Pastors have been falsely accused and sentenced to prison terms ranging from a few weeks to several years.

Today let’s join together in prayer for the believers in Central Asia according to Acts 4: 29-30, “Now, Lord, look on their threats and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”