Welcome to November! This month at General Baptist Ministries, we can’t wait to introduce another remarkable country: Türkiye. We are so excited to send English teachers to meet both a tangible and a spiritual need there.
Türkiye is a country of contrasts, lying at the crossroads between East and West, old and new, religious and secular. It is split between Europe and Asia and shares borders with eight other countries. Rather than becoming a confused jumble of everything around it, Turkish culture combines these elements into something recognizable and distinct. The transformation of the cuisine mirrors Türkiye’s cultural/political journey. Its roots are in the Ottoman Empire with heavy Mediterranean influence. When the culture accepted Islam, Arabic elements entered the cuisine, and when they began to Westernize after WWI, European flavors and techniques joined the mix.
When the Ottoman Empire dissolved after WWI, Türkiye was established “for the Turkish people.” But “Turkish” did not define a specific ethnic group. They embraced this new national identity so strongly that, for many, Turkishness superseded specific ethnicity—an expression of the collectivist culture. Turkish culture values fierce loyalty to family, friends, and the nation as a whole. However, this inward focus could never dampen their neighborly welcome and generous hospitality toward foreigners and friends alike.
In the 1920s, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk came to power with plans to modernize the country. He introduced Western ideas and removed religion from the political sphere (in name, at least). These reforms swung the pendulum far to the secular side. The deep roots of Islam in the country were suppressed temporarily, but such a significant history isn’t easily overruled. In recent years, the pendulum has begun to swing back toward religion. Islamic influence has been returning to politics, including religious instruction in the education system.
Today, Türkiye has an enormous Muslim majority, while less than 1% of the population even has access to the gospel. Less than 0.6% follow Christ, and that number is increasing at half of the global rate.
The Turkish people have a proud history of choosing their national identity and pursuing that reality with everything they’ve got. Imagine what would happen if such a people would choose to put their identity in Christ! We have a chance to get involved in giving them that option. Our partners are sending English teachers to bring educational opportunities and the hope of the gospel. We are excited to see what God will do in Türkiye. Would you like to join us?
Reach out to Mark Powell (VP of Global Missions) to find out more.