Challenges for Prayer

1 Islam was brought by invading Arab armies in the 7th Century. The once-strong North African, and largely Berber, Church was blotted out

2 There are great expectations for change through the new King's efforts to encourage more democracy and improve the economy as well as the lot of the underprivileged

3 Praise God for a widespread and growing interest in the gospel, though every advance is contested by the enemy of souls

4 A Moroccan Church is emerging – but at great cost

a) Deep trust and fellowship to be established between believers so that they can meet together despite the risks

b) Grace, fortitude and deliverance from fear when pressured or harassed

c) Those discipling individual believers despite the climate of suspicion, fear and isolation and the lack of Scriptures and teaching materials

d) Provision of leadership and training opportunities for believers

e) An increase in the number of Christian marriages and families, which then provide the basis for strong, vibrant house churches

f) Official recognition of the existence of Moroccan believers

g) The planting of churches in every town and city

5 Specific unreached peoples:

a) The Berber peoples were nominally Christian until Islam came

b) The Maghreb Jews

c) The nomadic desert tribes of the south and east, who have little contact with the gospel

6 Missionary work, as such, is no longer openly permitted, and former mission centres were closed in the late 1960s

Geography

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Area 458,730 sq.km. North-west corner of Africa.

Population (2000) 28,220,843 +1.78%AGR

Capital Rabat 1,675,000.

Peoples

Arabic-speaking 65%; Berber (Imazighen) 34%; Other 1%.

Literacy officially 44% (actually nearer 30%). Official language Arabic. French and English widely used. All languages 11. Languages with Scriptures 2Bi 3NT 1por.

Economy

Agriculture, tourism and especially phosphate mining are important foreign exchange earners. HDI 0.582; 126^th/174. Public debt 54% of GNP. Income/person $1,260 (4% of USA).

Politics

Independent in 1956 from French and Spanish rule.

Religion

Sunni Islam is the state religion.

Churches in Morocco

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