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Transcaucasia

Major Religions

Orthodox Christian, Ethnic Religions, Muslim

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SEND’s Ministry

South of towering Mt Elbrus*, hidden valleys, austere peaks, and pristine highlands have been home to communities tucked into a relatively small, but significant, borderland. This land, known as “Transcaucasia,” consists of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. It marks the end of Europe and the beginning of West Asia.

For centuries, successive waves of peoples migrating across Eurasia settled in tiny valleys, along riverbanks, and on windswept hillsides. In some places, they mingled with even older, more established communities. In other cases, these new ethnic communities remained isolated. The settling of Transcaucasia this way created a greater variety of distinctive languages than in any other area of similar size in the world.

This ethnic and cultural diversity in Transcaucasia has largely been preserved by the very geographic isolation that created it. SEND Eurasia’s vision is to see God grow communities of culturally relevant, Jesus followers in each distinct people group in this diminutive, yet multi-faceted region.

Because Transcaucasia is the newest ministry area in SEND Eurasia, we started with prayer, asking the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest fields of Transcaucasia. As we have prayed, we have also strategically begun to deploy experienced workers to this least-reached region. This last year SEND workers have been praying, surveying, and now engaging the unreached in one of the region’s most multi-cultural, urban centers. We are in the beginning stages of working in God’s harvest fields in Transcaucasia. Yet even in our exploration, relationship building, and initial ministry engagement, our new team in Transcaucasia remains as committed as ever to mobilizing God’s people, and engaging the unreached to establish healthy, culturally relevant, reproducing churches.

We invite you to join us in making a lasting impact for Christ in the Transcaucasia Area. Pioneer with us as we find meaningful pathways into communities and into gospel-focused relationships. The harvest is plentiful. Will you consider serving with us in the harvest fields of this amazing region?

*5,642 meters, or 18,500 feet high, making Mt. Elbrus Russia’s tallest mountain

Spiritual Climate

The Transcaucasia Area is largely unreached with the gospel. Among the majority peoples, small numbers are true followers of Jesus Christ. Orthodox Christians in the region share their countries with almost 60 other ethnic-minority people groups. And while there is one predominant Muslim ethnic group in the region, they also share their communities with another 40 ethnic minority peoples within their borders. Most of these people groups are unreached with the gospel.

As a nexus buffer zone between eastern and western civilizations, Transcaucasia’s people are a mixture of both eastern and western cultures. In the 20^th century, the three countries which currently make up this area were each absorbed as separate republics under the Soviet Union. But even before the rise of the Soviet Era, clashes for resources and ideology were a continual feature of this gateway region between the mountains. One Transcaucasian country has been conquered some 40 times due to its strategic location. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, various renewed conflicts and wars have plagued the region.

While Orthodox Christianity has predominated in much of Transcaucasia since the 4^th century*, they have also been surrounded by Muslim societies for much of that time. In the present-day context, Orthodox Christians here consider it traitorous to reject their Orthodox faith to become Catholic, Protestant, or any other religion. The same inseparable link between culture and religious faith can also be found in the surrounding Muslim communities.

There is no shortage of unreached places and peoples in these three countries, or in the larger area surrounding Transcaucasia. For that reason, SEND considers Transcaucasia an incredibly strategic place to serve in God’s harvest fields.

*Armenia traces its Christian roots back to the Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus

Team Goals

Keep learning and understanding the local context.
Explore engagements of other unreached people groups.
Give focused attention to language/cultural learning.
Deepen partnerships with national leaders and explore ministry opportunities together with them.
Look for ways to collaborate with other ministries focused on training local believers and international short-term interns.
Engage students on university campuses.
Investigate ways to use English, community development, education, and business to provide value-added service to local communities.

Life in Transcaucasia

Transcaucasian history is rich. The peoples are diverse. The landscape is breathtaking. These countries have deep roots—historically, culturally, and religiously—to which many hold tight. Among others, there are aspirations for greater European integration and western norms. The majority live in growing, populous cities, but diverse peoples are also still scattered throughout small, unchanging villages. In Transcaucasia, old meets new; tradition meets modernity every day. Those who break from cultural and historical norms may be met with opposition, or perhaps embraced. But woven throughout, warm hospitality remains a deeply-held value. Patient relationship-building and deepening trust is key.

Weekly rhythms for our workers here are investigative and relational. On any given day, our Transcaucasian team moves out into the community, learning the culture and language, something SEND highly values and prioritizes for our workers. Every week, these workers meet with believers from tiny local churches, partnering with them in their outreach endeavors. In every weekly connection, SEND’s Transcaucasia team seeks to learn and grow in their understanding of local needs and opportunities.

The team also hopes to deepen engagement in discipleship ministry with local and international young people, to see youth live on mission with Jesus, and grow to become more global in their understanding of His church. Beyond making connections in small faith communities, our Transcaucasia team also regularly explores, networks, and seeks viable ways to begin work among the least-reached of these countries. Teaching English, community development, education, training, and starting kingdom businesses are all avenues to reach people with the gospel. The team is currently building pathways into these strategic ministry avenues so that, in all that we do, our workers can both tell Jesus’ story and love people in His name, as effectively as possible.

Join the Team

God can use a wide variety of gifts, talents, and experiences in Transcaucasia’s diverse context. As you explore joining SEND Transcaucasia, here are some areas to consider: