Greece

December 2008 riots have swept Greece pointing to severe tensions and strains below the surface of Greek society. Evangelicals are few, socially marginalized and mainly concentrated in the Athens, Thessaloniki and Katerini areas. Pray for believers that they might have courage to witness in the current troubled climate and that there might be greater growth, vision and unity. Pray also for justice and righteousness to prevail between the authorities and Greek people.

[edit] Religion

Greece was the first European country to ever hear the gospel – when Paul made his second missionary journey (Acts 16:10). Although Greece is a ‘Christian’ country in name – pray that people will have an opportunity to respond to Jesus personally.

Greece remains one of Europe's least evangelized countries with somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 evangelical Christians. The small WEC team are working with one of the local churches in the biblical town of Thessaloniki where they are seeing ongoing growth. Please pray that God will raise up Greeks to take on the leadership roles in the church.

The Orthodox Church was a focal rallying point in the dark years of Turkish and German occupations. Orthodoxy became part of the Greek identity, so that to be Greek is to be Orthodox, and made Greeks often xenophobic. All other expressions of Christianity are seen as a threat to the state and the culture. Greeks have a high regard for Orthodox institutions but are little involved in church activities. There is a godly, committed minority with a personal faith, but the great majority are in ignorance of the message of the gospel and are most unreceptive to any non-Orthodox witness. Pray for the breaking down of prejudice, blindness and fear and for biblical renewal in Orthodoxy. The gospel preached by Evangelicals is considered foreign and heretical. Nevertheless, there is a place for Christian workers today although workers have to face visa restrictions, a high degree of cultural adaptation and encounter strong nationalism.

Hellenic Missionary Union is using the boat Morning Star for outreach in the Greek islands. See also Mission Ships.