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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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A Nation Poised to Spread Hope to East Africa

3 Million Evangelicals with Access to Millions More

The nation of Burundi is home to approximately 3,308,965 evangelicals, making up 27% of the total population. [[1]] With a growth rate of 3.8% annually, the Burundian evangelical church is growing at a rate faster than the global average of 2.6%. [[2]]&nbsp;
Christianity was introduced to Burundi during English rule in the 16th century. Later, Protestantism was introduced under German rule and rapidly expanded in the early 1800s. Praise God for the work he has done in Burundi and how the evangelical community has grown!&nbsp;
Though Burundi is predominantly Christian, the evangelical church has access to hundreds of millions of unreached within their region of Eastern Africa! Ask that the Lord would raise up Burundian evangelicals that are burdened for the hearts of the unreached and take His good news to their neighbors.

No Data on Cultural Bridges

Burundi is not ranked on the Geert Hofstede cultural value index, therefore we have no score to offer.

Regional Access to Millions of UPGs

Burundian evangelicals have access to nearly 19,000 UPGs in-country and about 76.2 million UPGs regionally. [[1]] This ranks the nation as having moderate strategic access to the unreached. However, there are still thousands of unreached people within their borders, which make up a significant portion of the population! This is a great opportunity for evangelicals to learn about, love, and serve the unreached without leaving their hometown!&nbsp;
Burundi's location in Eastern Africa also gives it ample advantage to reach the approximate 317 million Muslims in the northeastern corner of the continent that other countries in Africa are not privileged with. With relatively little travel, Burundian evangelicals can have meaningful relationships with the millions of Muslims just a country or two away. Pray that God would show the evangelical church their strategic position in his divine plan to reach all of Muslim-dominated West Africa and every tribe, tongue, and nation beyond that.

Great Freedoms Offer Great Missional Opportunities

According to Pew Research, Burundi is ranked low in terms of religious freedoms, with a score of 2.8. [[3]] The nation's constitution states that it is secular and prohibits all forms of religious intolerance, including the political preaching of violence against other religious or political parties. However, in recent years there have been increasing reports of young girls being excluded from religious schools or institutions for wearing a hijab. [[1]] However, the ambassador of Burundi has recently encouraged all religious leaders to participate in interfaith dialogues that promote health, understanding, and community between varying religious groups.&nbsp;
Burundi scores a 3.2 in governmental restrictions and a 2 in social hostilities, meaning that evangelicals are more likely to experience confrontation by the government or legal persecution than they are to experience shunning, familial guilt, or communal pressure for their religious choices. It is worth noting that most of the religious restrictions are probably directed toward Muslims than evangelicals. This low score in religious restrictions is great news for mobilization efforts, as believers publically raise up go-ers, find support, and launch to the unreached without much fear of persecution or violence.&nbsp;
Pray that the Lord would use this gift for His glory and show the Burundian church how to execute mission efforts in their current environment most effectively.

Low Economic Property Could a Barrier to Mobilization

With a ranking of 157 out of 167, Burundi scores extremely low in overall prosperity on the Legatum Prosperity Index, especially when compared to the other countries on the Mobilization Index and other countries in the Sub-Saharan African region. The country holds the eighth lowest rank on the entire index and the region of Sub-Saharan Africa. Two of the country's highest-scoring categories are natural environment and enterprise conditions. Their lowest scores are in economic quality and living conditions. [[4]]&nbsp;
The nation's overall prosperity has been consistent over the past decade, as it has not fluctuated more than two positions in the last ten years. This extremely low prosperity poses a barrier to mission mobilization efforts in the future when looking to launch to Burundi, as well as those trying to launch from the country to the unreached.&nbsp;
The high percentage of people living in poor living conditions, low safety and security, and weak education are all major factors to keep in mind as we prayerfully consider how to mobilize the Burundian church most effectively.

Small Sending Hindered from Low Prosperity

The Burundian evangelical church is currently sending 600 in the country and nine abroad.
A prayer goal of the Mobilization Index is to see 0.1% of a country's evangelicals mobilized to the unreached. With nine sent abroad, the country currently sends about .000002% of its evangelical population to the unreached. If this prayer goal were to happen, the nation world would see an increase of roughly 3,308 evangelicals sent out to the unreached. Pray that the Lord of the harvest would raise up workers to go out into the ready harvest!&nbsp;
Much of a nation's lack of sending could be tied to the nation's low economic prosperity. Even if the hearts of Burundi evangelicals are turned to the unreached, the nation's lack of economic structures, safety, and stability can pose huge barriers to launching missionaries. Pray that the church would look to the providence of God alone, trusting that He provides the means to send those who are willing to go in His timing.&nbsp;

Moderate Mobilization Potential

If 0.1%, or 1 in 1000, Burundian evangelicals were mobilized, the nation could send out over 3,300 more missionaries to the unreached! There is a phenomenal opportunity for their evangelicals to take the gospel to UPGs in their own country, as well as the millions in their region and all other countries throughout East Africa.&nbsp;
With financial burdens and high percentages of poverty, Burundi's generosity score ranks low at 9%. [[5]] A sense of selfless generosity could be extremely beneficial in increasing the number of missionaries and mobilizers sent to the unreached, but it is difficult to attain in a nation stricken by poverty.&nbsp;
38% of the Burundi population is under the age of 15. [[1]] This offers a great opportunity for the discipleship of the younger generation within the local churches, as this younger generation could grow to lead a world mission-sending movement! As nearly half of the country is under 15 years old, the nation would greatly benefit from children and family mobilization, as there is great potential to mobilize these young believers to reach the millions of UPGs within their region. Pray that the Lord would raise up leaders and mobilizers for and out of the younger generation of their church! &nbsp;
When we consider Burundi's regional access to the unreached, their religious freedom, prosperity, and sending, we rank their mobilization potential at moderate.

Obstacles:
<ul>
<li>Burundi sends extremely small numbers out of their country, which is a result of a lacking sending mindset.</li>
<li>A great challenge and barrier to future mobilization in Burundi is extreme poverty and lack of education and safety. These are big challenges for the church in sending missionaries and establishing bases of support.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Opportunities:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>The Burundian church has access to millions of unreached Muslims in their region and in the greater Eastern Africa area. Praise God for the opportunity to meet unreached within their own region and area!</li>
<li>Thanks to its religiously free nation, the Burundi church has the opportunity to raise support, practice kingdom giving, and increase its sending and reach the 0.1% prayer goal!</li>
</ul>

Prayer:
<ul>
<li>Ask the Lord that Burundian evangelicals would be burdened to take the gospel to the unreached, and would see their strategic role in the great commission and sending out .1% of their numbers!</li>
<li>Pray that the church's sending efforts would not be hindered by low prosperity or a lack of generosity.</li>
</ul>
Praises:
<ul>
<li>Praise God for the healthy relationships that exist between varying religious groups in the country. Though tensions and hostilities exist, many different church communities act in humility and harmony with one another, bringing opportunities to sow seeds of the peace of Christ.</li>
<li>Praise God for the cultural similarities that Burundi shares with the unreached Arab world, and the 317 million unreached Muslims that live in the East side of Africa.</li>
</ul>

PEW religious restriction numbers Myanmar

Official Country Name:Republic of Burundi

Population:11,531,000

Region:East and Southern Africa

Government:Presidential Representative Democratic Republic

Official Languages:Rundi

Religious Demographics:Christian ±90%, Evangelical ±27%, Muslim ±3%, Ethnoreligious ±2%

Burundi