Van, a city with a large Kurdish population nestled in the easternmost part of Türkiye, holds a unique geographical position that makes it a crucial gateway between Türkiye, Iran, and Azerbaijan. This strategic location, coupled with its historical significance, presents a unique opportunity for the church in Van to play a vital role in sharing the Gospel with Kurds, Iranians and Azerbaijanis.
Van’s Unique History and Location
Van is an ancient city, with proof of people living there going as far back as 5000 BC. It has been part of the Urartian, Persian, Armenian, Roman and Turkic Empires. It has had the likes of Xerxes and Alexander the Great conquer it and been the focal point for many wars.
This history has created a unique environment where people from different backgrounds come together and interact. Van’s proximity to the Iranian and Azerbaijani borders means that people from these countries regularly travel to Van. This accessibility is crucial for ministry efforts, as it allows for easier travel and communication with ministry groups and partners.
The Strategic Role of the Church in Van
The church in Van, by virtue of its location, is uniquely positioned to reach out to Kurds, Turks, Iranians and Azerbaijanis with the Gospel. The church utilises media and technology to reach Iranians and Azerbaijanis with the Gospel. This includes creating online content in Farsi and Azerbaijani.
In 2024, we equipped and trained 14 Van church young adults members from 5 different locations in media production and social media outreach. The training was highly successful and the trainees have now completed their initial six-month development period. Through online coaching, we helped them choose target audiences and develop outreach strategies. Their ability to leverage various media will expand the church’s reach and strengthen its connection with the community.
“We’ve just set up new social media pages, and I was so shaky when I received the first direct message from a seeker. It was nerve-wracking and exciting!” Hana
Prayer Points:
- Pray that the videos and social media they produce would reach the right people and transform countless lives.
- For the safety of these teams, as they all come from non-Christian backgrounds and are working in a tense region in Türkiye.
- That these teams would remain hungry to learn and that we would be able to keep equipping them with the best media training for their needs.
- Pray that they would continue to have passion, creativity and vision for reaching out to their communities.
“I never thought that I could do all of that creating and distribute media myself and be that powerful, but thanks to the training and support of MEM I’m doing it.” Aras
Thank you for joining with us in prayer for Van, Türkiye and these media teams reaching people with the Gospel.
