CEE A Snapshot
The region's 25 countries stretch across 12 time zones. It covers one-fourth of the world's land surface, and its approximately 400 million inhabitants make up hundreds of people groups, each boasting its own language and culture.
This is Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
Many countries within the region claim high rates of suicide, drug addiction and alcoholism. AIDS is increasing, while abortion is the preferred method of birth control. The populations of Russia and other CEE countries are declining due to these wretched conditions--people are dying, while many more emigrate in hopes of escaping bleak futures.
In the midst of these despairing conditions, the most hopeless reality is that less than one percent of the people in this massive area have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This prevailing lack of knowing the Savior seems to stain the regional psyche with gray.
That is why the region adopted the slogan, "Hope for every heart, a church-planting movement for every people." The goal is 122 church-planting movements by 2010. A church-planting movement is a rapid and multiplicative increase of indigenous churches planting churches within a given people group or population segment.
Already visible indications show that this "spreading wildfire" sort of approach to missions can work. As of the end of 2007, 91 teams consisting of 447 IMB missionaries and partners were actively serving on the field. The latest records on church-planting efforts indicate 70 percent of the missionary teams are involved in the first stage of a church-planting movement, 13 percent are active in the second stage and two teams are involved in the third.
Other glimpses at how God is working:
Roma (Gypsies) are traveling to other CEE countries to share the Gospel with members of their people group through a ministry called Far and Away Romany Missions (F.A.R.M.). Similarly, IMB missionaries are partnering with Moldovan, Romanian and Ukrainian Baptists to help them send their own missionaries to other countries.
An outreach in South Europe is seeing Muslim refugees accept Christ and return to their home countries with the goal of telling friends and family members about what it means to have new life through Jesus.
IMB workers are partnering with Udmurt believers in Russia to host "Open Church" events where hundreds receive small food packs and hear the Gospel. Many attendees have publicly decided to begin a relationship with Jesus, while more are choosing to participate in follow-up BIble studies.
A church-planting movement is well underway in Lithuania, as nationals are allowing Christ to change their lives and sharing His love and truth with their friends and family members.
Czech hearts are softening to God's truth after years of searching for post-communism freedom in false religions. Through English classes and Bible studies missionaries are participating in conversations that previously would not have occurred unless a long-term relationship existed between the individuals.
In short, we are:
25 countries
264 people groups or cities
234 unreached people groups or cities
40 mega (more than 1 million in population) and major cities
25,246 evangelical churches
1.7 million evangelical Christians
99.5 percent lost
What are you doing to impact the lost of CEE? Let us help you make a difference--join us in our task to bring "hope to every heart, a church-planting movement to every people."