Christian communities in Central Asia may sometimes appear to have greater religious freedom, but believers can still face serious consequences when they openly share their faith, according to David Durance of TeachBeyond.
Durance said that while travelling in the region, he met Christians who were experiencing more than pressure or discrimination. Some had been cut off from their wider communities because of their faith.
In some cases, believers who shared the Gospel with people they did not know were reported to police. Durance said that some were then arrested within a day and imprisoned.
“The headline looks okay. ‘Hey, there might be even more freedom,’ but the undercurrent is so very difficult,” Durance said.
Restrictions also affect how Christian parents can teach their children about their faith. In some parts of Central Asia, sharing the Christian message with children can be prohibited unless religious instruction is provided by an authorised and licensed official.
Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have strict regulations concerning religious teaching to people under 18. These restrictions mean Christian children may not be permitted to attend church alongside their parents, while they can encounter teaching about the dominant religion in public spaces.
TeachBeyond continues to use education as a way to serve communities despite these restrictions. Durance said that providing high-quality education, often including English-language teaching, can create opportunities to enter communities where Christian workers otherwise have very limited access.
“If we do education really well, often it includes some level of English education. Suddenly doors that are jam-shut or slammed on us start opening,” he said.
Working in the region requires flexibility because government policies can change quickly, Durance explained. Ministries therefore often plan their work in periods of six to 12 months, allowing them to respond to sudden changes.
“I would call it nimble mission,” he said.
Despite the difficulties, Durance said there are also encouraging signs. He has heard accounts of entire families experiencing significant changes after becoming part of Christian educational environments.
TeachBeyond has recently received permission to open several Christian schools in the region. The opportunity has also created a challenge: finding enough suitably qualified Christian teachers when Christians make up less than one per cent of the population in these nations.
Durance said prayer remains the greatest request from believers in the region. Rather than asking primarily for more resources or workers, Christians are asking others to pray that they will receive favour, that opportunities will open and that they will remain faithful.
“If we can have people praying for the believing community, they’re desperate for that. It’s the number one request,” Durance said.
He added that believers are asking for prayer that God would give them favour, open doors and help them remain faithful to the opportunities available to them.
Based on reporting by Mission Network News.
