Discover
The identity of the nation
Georgia is an ancient nation in the South Caucasus, located between Europe and Asia, between the towering mountains of the Greater Caucasus and the Black Sea coast. With about 3.7 million inhabitants and its capital in Tbilisi, it is a country of strong identity, its own language with a unique alphabet, and a Christian history dating back to the early fourth century.
In the year 337, still under King Mirian III, Georgia became one of the first nations in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion. The Georgian Orthodox Church became so intertwined with national identity that being Georgian and being Orthodox came to be seen as one and the same. Today about four in five Georgians identify as Orthodox Christians, and the faith shapes festivals, the calendar, architecture, and the sense of belonging.
This historic Christianity, however, is largely cultural and identity based. Many Georgians honor the church and the saints without a living knowledge of Scripture or a personal relationship with Christ. Devotion to traditions, icons, and rituals coexists with little reading of the Bible. Evangelical communities exist, but they are small and sometimes viewed with suspicion, as something foreign to the Georgian soul.
Alongside the Orthodox majority live significant minorities: Muslim Azeris in the southeast, Armenians in the south, and the Muslim Adjarians of the southwest. There are also mountain peoples, such as the Svans, whose language and culture, little touched by the gospel, remain distant from a faith that is truly understood. These are fields of prayer and service within a land of Christian tradition.
Georgia is a resilient nation, marked by centuries of invasions, Soviet rule, and recent conflicts within its territories. There is a hunger for freedom, dignity, and a future. Where historic faith finds depth and the Word is understood, there is fertile ground for a spiritual renewal that can also reach the minorities still without access to the gospel.
- Ancient tribes inhabit the Caucasus; the kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia emerge.
- 337 Under King Mirian III, Georgia adopts Christianity as its official religion.
- 1089-1213 Golden Age under David IV the Builder and Queen Tamar: cultural and territorial peak.
- 13th-18th centuries Invasions by Mongols, Persians, and Ottomans; the kingdom fragments.
- 1801 Eastern Georgia is annexed by the Russian Empire.
- 1918 Proclamation of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, independent and recognized.
- 1921 The Red Army invades and Georgia is incorporated into the Soviet Union.
- 1991 On April 9, Georgia declares its independence from the USSR.
- 2008 War with Russia over South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
- Today Orthodox majority republic, oriented toward the West, with minorities still without access to the gospel.
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Georgianofficial, Kartvelian language with its own alphabet, spoken by the majority
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Russianwidely understood, a legacy of the Soviet period
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Azerbaijanispoken by the Azeri minority in the southeast of the country
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Armenianspoken by the Armenian minority in the south
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Svan and MingrelianKartvelian languages of the mountains, without a full translation of the Bible
Georgia occupies the South Caucasus, on the border between Eastern Europe and Western Asia. The Greater Caucasus Mountains form the northern border with Russia, while to the west the country opens onto the Black Sea. Between the mountain ranges and the coast, the plains of Colchis hold fertile valleys, and to the east drier landscapes and ancient vineyards predominate.
Major cities
- TbilisiCapital and largest city, about a third of the population
- BatumiPort and seaside resort on the Black Sea, subtropical climate
- KutaisiOne of the oldest cities in the world, in the west of the country
- RustaviIndustrial hub near the capital
- MtskhetaFormer capital and spiritual center of Georgian Orthodoxy
Climate and temperature
Khachapuri
Bread filled with cheese; the Adjarian version comes boat shaped with egg and butter.
Khinkali
Dumplings filled with meat and broth, eaten by hand.
Qvevri wine
Wine fermented in buried clay amphorae, a method recognized by UNESCO.
Mtsvadi
Meat skewers grilled over vine coals.
Churchkhela
Walnuts dipped in concentrated grape juice, candle shaped.
Lobio
Seasoned bean stew, served with cornbread.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Sacred hospitality
The guest is seen as a gift from God; welcoming well is a matter of honor.
The supra and the tamada
Feasts filled with toasts led by a toastmaster, the tamada.
Wine as identity
Ancient birthplace of wine, with a tradition of fermenting in clay amphorae.
Faith and nation intertwined
Being Georgian and being Orthodox blend together in the people's identity.
Pride in the language
Their own language and alphabet are a source of deep national pride.
Polyphonic singing
Georgian choral polyphony is a cultural heritage recognized worldwide.
- Refusing food or drink at a supra Hospitality is taken seriously; refusing can offend the host.
- Treating Georgia as part of Russia It is a sovereign nation, with its own language and history; the confusion is hurtful.
- Ignoring the weight of the Orthodox Church Historic faith is central; disregarding it closes doors and hearts.
- Dressing inappropriately in churches Monasteries and temples require modesty and respect upon entering.
- Speaking carelessly about Abkhazia and South Ossetia These are painful topics tied to conflict and territorial loss.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
Many honor Orthodoxy as tradition, without knowing the Scriptures or Christ personally.
National identity tied to the church can exclude minorities and turn faith into ethnicity.
Evangelical communities are seen as foreign, making witness difficult.
Piety centers on outward forms, with little living reading of the Word.
Azeris and Adjarians live on the margins, rarely reached by the gospel.
Svans and other groups remain distant from a faith understood in their own language.
Wars and lost territories have left trauma, displaced people, and resentment.
Emigration in search of work weakens families and communities.
High consumption wounds homes and creates dependency.
Distrust in institutions undermines collective hope.
Georgia is a majority Orthodox Christian country, and Christians do not face open persecution from the state. The level of pressure is considered low, and religious freedom is generally respected by law.
The tension falls mainly on Christians who do not belong to the Georgian Orthodox Church. Evangelicals, Protestants, and other Christian minorities may face social suspicion, difficulties registering places of worship, and the perception that their faith is foreign to national identity. Religious nationalism, which equates being Georgian with being Orthodox, fuels this cultural pressure.
Among Muslim minorities, such as Azeris and Adjarians, those who decide to follow Christ often suffer rejection from their own family and community. For these converts, the cost of believing is high, even though it comes not from the government but from their closest circle.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
Although a majority Orthodox Christian country, Georgia is home to peoples still without meaningful access to the gospel. Muslim minorities, especially the Azeris of the southeast and the Adjarians of the southwest, remain largely unreached, as do mountain peoples such as the Svans, whose language has no full translation of the Scriptures. Among the Orthodox majority, the challenge is a cultural faith without depth in the Word. Reaching these minorities depends largely on the awakening and sending out of the Georgian church itself.
- 288K Unreached 7,7%
- 6K Minimally reached 0,2%
- 3.4M Superficially reached 92%
- 6K Partially reached 0,2%
- 0 Significantly reached 0%
- 12 Unreached 44,4%
- 1 Minimally reached 3,7%
- 13 Superficially reached 48,1%
- 1 Partially reached 3,7%
- 0 Significantly reached 0%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Ghunzib Frontier
Azeri do norte
Meskhetian Turks Frontier
Kist
Abecaz Frontier
Judeu georgiano
Laz lazuri
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Every nation carries a redemptive purpose. Marks that seem woven into the identity God desires to restore:
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
lower than in Western Europe
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Learn the Georgian alphabet: the script is unique and helps you get around; Russian still opens doors.
- English is spoken by young people in the cities, but little in rural areas.
- The currency is the lari (GEL); cards work in urban centers, but bring cash outside them.
- Respect modesty when visiting monasteries and Orthodox churches.
- Hospitality is genuine: accept invitations to the supra, but know your limits with the wine.
- Transportation between cities is cheap; marshrutkas (vans) connect nearly the whole country.
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.