SAT-7 UK Advent Prayer Day 13

Algeria

COUNTRY PROFILE

Christianity flourished

here between the fifth

and seventh centuries but

gradually disappeared

after the Arab invasions.

Since independence in 1962

a new church was born,

chiefly among the Berber

or Amazigh people. Until recently, several

thousand new believers were baptised every

year. Although the Algerian constitution

guarantees freedom of worship, non-Muslims

can meet only in buildings licensed for this

purpose. Despite many applications, the

government licensing commission has yet to

issue a single church licence.

•Since November 2017, the Algerian authorities

have conducted a campaign that has forcibly closed

17 Protestant churches and ordered several others to

cease activities.

•Over the same period, at least twelve Christians

have been convicted on faith-related charges,

including blasphemy and proselytism. They have

received prison sentences of between six months and

five years.

•In 2012 SAT-7 began recording services from

Algerian churches and continues to air these

along with a variety of programmes that feature

testimonies, teaching, children’s ministry and worship

videos.

DECEMBER 13

AUTHORITIES

The Algerian authorities’ campaign against

the Protestant church, which began in 2017,

continues unabated. As well as closing churches,

the government is also targeting individual

Christians. Men have been arrested for preaching

outside church buildings and others for handing

out Bibles. Pray for an end to this troubling and

dangerous tension between the authorities and

the Algerian Church. Ask for God’s intervention

and that he would find a way to speak even in the

silence.