PRAY FOR ALBANIA

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:45-46

Albania is located in Southeastern Europe. Its landscape ranges from snow-capped mountains to the hot and sunny coasts of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Tirana is its capital and largest city. In the aftermath of World War II, the country initially became a satellite state of the Soviet Union. In 1946 it became a one-party communist state. After the communist defeat in 1992, Albania immediately embarked on a process of westernization. In 2009, it gained active membership in NATO and became an official candidate to join the European Union in 2014. The most common religion in Albania is Sunni Islam and the second-most-common is Christianity (Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant) and there are also many irreligious people. Evangelical Christians are a small minority.

Country Stats

Capital City: Tirana
Government: Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Republic
Major People Groups: Albanians 96.4%, Greeks 1%, other 2.6% (2023 Census)
Population: 2,402,113 (2023 Census)
Religion: 54.5% Islam, 33.7% Christianity, 0.6% Evangelical, 11.9% Non-Religious (Joshua Project)
In 1967 the former Communist government declared Albania to be the world's first “atheist state”. Believers faced harsh punishments and many clergymen were killed. The devastation of the atheistic Communist regime of Albania was so complete that only 13 or 16 Evangelical believers were alive when Albania regained freedom in 1991. But God resurrected the Evangelical Church in Albania to the point that today there are churches in every corner of Albania, with about 200 Evangelical churches of all kinds of denominations. 

How to Pray

  • Pray for the Lord to expand His harvest among the Albanians.
  • Pray for a deep spiritual hunger amid the spiritual apathy.
  • Pray for open doors so that Muslims may hear the Gospel.
  • Pray for God to grant born-again Albanian Christians boldness to share their faith.
  • Pray that the Lord would use the RiverLakes missions team to bear spiritual fruit for His glory when they visit this summer.

Prayer Resources

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