Algerian Church Continues to Grow

The Church in Algeria has steadily been growing for years. Now a landmark has been reached – four new local churches joined the network of the official Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA).

This brings the total number of official churches in Algeria to 43, and enables these churches to operate more freely, as well as being recognised officially by the government as religious institutions.

One of the churches is the Aït Ziki church, which started six years ago when a group of Christians from the community started prayer meetings in their homes. Since then, the number of believers attending the church has increased to 140.

Another church that entered the national EPA network of churches is located in Aït Ouacif. Up until 2007, a congregation met freely in this region, but the group of believers dispersed after the police forced them to shut down. This was a direct effect of a national law adopted in 2006, that forbids churches to evangelise Muslims.

Since 2011, the situation has improved and the 800-1,000 Christians in the region have been organising worship services in private houses, and are hoping they can rent a larger building for worship soon.

Reports of harassment and persecution against Algerian Christians by radical Islamic movements are ongoing, but, despite this, the churches in Algeria continue to grow, This is especially so in the Kabylia-region, where reports of 150 baptisms in one year highlight this positive development.

• Give thanks for the growth of the Church in Algeria, even in the face of growing harassment.
• Pray for the Muslim Background Believers who make up the majority of the Church in Algeria. Pray for good discipleship, strong faith and for their witness to families and communities.
• Pray for protection for Algeria’s Christians, and for the spread of the Gospel across the whole of North Africa.

Matthew 16 vs 18: “And I tell you … on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Source: https://www.opendoorsusa.org/newsroom