Pray for Jordan

As a land once marked with the footsteps of such men as Abraham, Job, Moses, and Jesus Christ, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is rich with Biblical history. As a result, Christians consider areas of Jordan to be holy, although only two percent of the population identify themselves as followers of Christ. Muslims and Jews also believe in Jordan’s divine landscape, making the nation a crossroads of the Holy Lands. Without the prevalence of oil found in most other Middle Eastern countries, the nation relies on tourism and foreign aid in order to offset a high budget deficit, and Jordan’s economy is the smallest in the Middle East.

Formerly known as the Transjordan, the nation has been ruled by a constitutional monarchy since 1952. This is exercised by a legal and judicial system using a mixture of civil law and Islamic religious law. The king uses the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers to implement his executive power. The government relies heavily on foreign aid as a result of lacking natural resources, including water. Poverty and unemployment remain issues as well.

Jordan is categorized as a restricted nation, where Christians are persecuted or oppressed as a result of government policy, and a staggering 14 of the 21 people groups in Jordan have not heard the Gospel. While Islam serves as the official religion, the constitution allows for religious freedom as long as Islamic law and public morality are not violated. Though legally protected, many new followers of Christ are pressured by the Muslim society and emigrate. This results in fewer people remaining to bear witness to the transforming power of the Gospel. While the churches within Jordan generally have good relations with each other, only about ten percent of house churches have meaningful relationships with Muslims. Media ministry is proving to be effective in this nation, specifically Christian satellite TV and radio broadcasts. Pray for the unreached to hear the Good News and be equipped to effectively minister to those around them.