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Total Number of Evangelicals

Cultural Bridges to UPGs

Regional Access to UPGs

Religious Freedom

Prosperity

Current Sending Abroad

Mobilization Potential

Custom Mobilization Potential

Number of Evangelicals

Cultural Bridges

Strategic Access

Religious Freedoms

Current Sending

This infographic provides a visual score for seven data points ranked on a 0 to 100 scale. Faded icons show scores for other countries on the mobilization index. See below for actual scores and country-specific insights.

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Colombia is Ripe to Take the Gospel Abroad

Three-fold Church Growth in 70 years

Home to 3.5 million evangelicals, Colombia is a predominantly Christian nation. Roughly 94% of its population identifies as Christian and 7% as Evangelical. [[1]] &nbsp;
The evangelical church in Colombia has seen much growth in the past years, as it increases in size at an annual rate of 6%, almost tripling the average global rate of 2.6%. [[2]] Membership in Colombia's evangelical churches is estimated to have increased more than three times since 1950. [[3]] Praise God for such church growth in Colombia!

Colombia Culturally Bridged with Islam

With an average Median Cultural Distance of 19.1, Colombia shares a moderate number of cultural similarities with the 30 UPG nations on our list. Ethiopia (7) and Egypt (9) are Columbia's closest cultural neighbors. Morocco and Nigeria are the next nearest cultural neighbors but are not within 10 median points of cultural distance. Of Colombia's most immediate cultural neighbors, most are majority Muslim or have a significant Muslim population. Colombia has a great connection with the Islamic world, as their cultures have many shared cultural values. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Colombia scores very low in Individualism on the Geert Hofstede Cultural Values Index. [[4]] This means that the country is predominantly group and community-focused rather than individual-centered, much like the rest of Latin American countries. Both Colombian culture and Islamic culture prioritize the community's needs over that of the individual. &nbsp;Colombians, much like other Latin American missionaries, are uniquely positioned to build cultural bridges with the hundreds of millions of Muslims in need of the gospel! These cultural bridges could lead to opportunities to build gospel-focused relationships.

Colombia's Low Access could be a Challenge for Mobilization

With unreached populations of 50,000 in-country and 814,000 regionally, Colombia scores low in the Strategic Access index. While there are still unreached tribes in the region and a small number of unreached within the borders, the Colombian church has little regional access to the unreached. This means that for the average Colombian evangelical to have a meaningful relationship with an unreached individual, he or she would most likely need to leave the country for locations with greater access. Low Strategic Access could be a challenge for mission mobilization efforts that seek to raise up both awareness and passion for the unreached.

Low Restrictions, but Not Without Social Hostilities

According to Pew Research, Colombia has low levels of religious restrictions and social hostilities when compared to the 60 countries on the Mobilization Index. [[5]] Only 14 countries on the index have fewer restrictions than Colombia. With a combined score of 2.0, the nation has virtually no governmental restrictions and relatively low social hostilities against religious expression or practice.&nbsp;
Mission Mobilization and other Christians ministries are free to promote and carry out their work as they see fit. The Colombian constitution states that there is no official religion of the state and that individuals have freedom of worship and practice. [[6]] This is great news for Colombian evangelicals, as they have the freedom to worship, meet, mobilize, and raise support without fear of governmental persecution.&nbsp;
On the other hand, the last few years have seen increasing reports of illegally armed groups persecuting religious leaders and various religious groups. Some religious leaders were also heavily involved in Colombian politics, which means that these reports can be hard to label as religious persecution or political persecution. [[6]] Regardless, the Colombian evangelical church should act in wisdom as they worship and raise up missionaries, as social hostilities are prevalent.

Low Safety Could Pose a Barrier to Mobilization

With a ranking of 81, Colombia scores moderately on the Legatum Prosperity Index when compared to other Mobilization Index countries. Compared to the other twenty-two Central and South American countries on the Index, Colombia ranks 12th in prosperity. [[7]]
Colombia ranks highest in Natural Environment and Health and lowest in Safety and Security. This low score in safety could be a deterrent to mobilization efforts, as missionaries could be hesitant to launch to Colombia due to safety concerns.&nbsp;
Overall, prosperity in Colombia has stayed relatively stagnant for the past ten years. While there have only been slight growth in prosperity, it is still good news that the country's economy has remained stable and consistent, not fluctuating with highs and lows or significantly dropping in prosperity. This is important and great news for the Colombian church as they navigate how to raise up missionaries, raise support, and launch them to the unreached. Understanding the condition of the economy and what to expect financially is a great asset when it comes to financially preparing to go overseas. &nbsp; Ask that the Father would make known to the Colombian church the most strategic ways to use their gifts for the furthering of God's kingdom to the unreached.

Small Sending with Room to Increase

Colombia currently sends an approximate number of 180 missionaries in-country and another 160 out of the country.&nbsp;
One prayer goal of the Mobilization Index is to see 0.1%, or 1 in every 1,000, of a nation&rsquo;s evangelical church mobilized for missions to the unreached. That means that with 160 missionaries going abroad, only 0.00004% of the Colombian evangelical church has been mobilized to the unreached. Imagine what it could look like to see 3,500 or more Colombians going to places such as the Arab world where the gospel is hardly known! Pray that the Lord would double or triple that sending number so that Colombian evangelicals could be part of the next worldwide missions movement!

High Potential to be Mobilized to the Unreached

The Colombian church is well positioned for sending to the unreached. If just 0.1% of evangelicals were to be mobilized to go to the unreached, the Lord&rsquo;s harvest would see 3,500 new Colombian missionaries raised up! Coupled with their cultural similarities to many UPG nations, Colombians could have a monumental impact on getting the gospel to the unreached. Their physical distance from UPG nations, however, could make mobilization that focuses on the unreached more difficult.&nbsp;
When considering the religious freedom in Colombia, its cultural connections with the Arab world, and its prosperity score, we rank its mobilization potential as High.&nbsp;
Ask that the Lord would make known to the Colombian church how they can best be used in reaching the world with the good news of Jesus Christ!

Obstacles:
<ul>
<li>Growing narco-terrorism and the influx of more than 2 million Venezuelan refugees have fled violent conflicts between competing factions.</li>
<li>Columbia is geographically far from most large populations of unreached people groups. Missionaries will have to travel significant distances to have access to large groups of unreached people.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Opportunities:
<ul>
<li>Colombia is a religiously free nation, which will allow churches and ministries to build firm and lasting foundations that can launch a sustainable missions movement without fear of persecution.</li>
<li>The cultural similarities between Colombia and the Muslim world offer a certain level of ease that will accompany Colombian missionaries as they make His name known among the unreached.</li>
</ul>

Prayer:
<ul>
<li>Pray that the Colombian church would raise up and send out 1 in 1,000 believers from their country, which would result in 3,500 new cross-cultural laborers!</li>
<li>Ask that the Lord would give a mindset of support and sending to the Colombian church, that they might find joy in giving to and sending out their members to the mission field.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Praises:
<ul>
<li>Praise God for the growth within the Colombian Evangelical Church, as it is three times the world average!</li>
<li>Praise the Lord that the government allows the free practice of religion, so that the church can raise up and send out missionaries without hiding!</li>
</ul>

PEW religious restriction numbers Myanmar

Colombia Constitutional religious freedom

Official Country Name:The Republic of Colombia

Population:50,339,000

Region:Latin America

Government:Unitary Republic

Official Languages:Spanish

Religious Demographics:Christian ±94%, Evangelical ±7%, Ethnoreligious ±2%, Non-religious ±2%

Colombia