Discover
The identity of the nation
The Marshall Islands form one of the most remote and lowest-lying countries on the planet: an archipelago of coral atolls scattered across the North Pacific Ocean, in Micronesia. Living there means facing, every day, the closeness of the sea, which surrounds every village and every lagoon. It is also one of the most Christian nations in the world: nearly the entire population identifies with the Christian faith, the fruit of evangelization work that began back in the 19th century.
The first Protestant missionaries arrived at Ebon Atoll in 1857, coming from Boston, and within a few decades the gospel had spread to virtually every inhabited atoll. Today the church stands at the center of community life: nearly every village is organized around a congregation, and Sunday worship gathers almost the entire population, who set the day aside for rest and family.
Despite the nearly universal Christian presence, the greatest challenge is not reach but the depth of faith. Many families live out religion as part of their cultural identity, without this always resulting in genuine personal transformation. The multiplication of churches sometimes generates more rivalry than unity, and in some congregations members report feeling pressured to make heavy financial contributions, under threat of exclusion from the community. Mass migration to the United States, made easier by the compact of free association between the two countries, also empties entire villages and separates families.
There is also a historical wound that marks the faith of the people: between 1946 and 1958, the United States conducted dozens of nuclear tests on atolls in the Marshall Islands, displacing entire communities and leaving marks on health and land that persist to this day. Added to this, rising sea levels threaten to shrink the territory in the coming decades, raising profound questions for the church about hope, justice, and the future of the nation itself.
It is in this setting that the Marshallese church is called to mature: to deepen discipleship beyond inherited tradition, care for families fragmented by migration, reach small groups still on the margins, such as the islands’ deaf community, and be a voice of hope and care for creation in the face of the climate crisis that threatens the very ground on which they live.
- The first Marshallese arrive on the islands thousands of years ago, navigating long distances with stick charts (called mattang) and knowledge of the stars and waves.
- 1529 Spanish navigator Álvaro de Saavedra makes the first recorded European contact with the islands.
- 1788 British captains John Marshall and Thomas Gilbert explore the archipelago, which comes to bear the Marshall name.
- 1857 Protestant missionaries from Boston arrive at Ebon Atoll and begin evangelizing the islands.
- 1885 Germany establishes a trade protectorate over the islands.
- 1914 Japan takes control of the islands during World War I and later administers them as a mandate.
- 1944 United States forces retake the atolls of Kwajalein and Enewetak from the Japanese.
- 1946-1958 The United States conducts dozens of nuclear tests on the atolls of Bikini and Enewetak, leaving marks that persist to this day.
- 1979 A new constitution takes effect, and the country gains internal self-government.
- 1986 The Compact of Free Association with the United States takes effect, and the country becomes independent.
- 1991 The Marshall Islands join the United Nations.
- Today An independent island nation, majority Christian, facing the threat of rising sea levels.
-
Marshallesemajority native language, from the Oceanic language family, spoken by about 98% of the population
-
Englishofficial language alongside Marshallese, used in government, commerce, and education
-
Japanese and Tagalogspoken by small communities of Japanese and Filipino immigrants
The Marshall Islands form an archipelago of 29 coral atolls and 5 isolated islands in the North Pacific Ocean, in Micronesia. The land totals just over 180 km², spread across an immense expanse of sea, organized into two parallel chains: Ratak to the east and Ralik to the west. No point in the country rises more than a few meters above sea level.
Major cities
- MajuroCapital and largest city, seat of government and commerce
- EbeyeOne of the most densely populated areas in the world, on Kwajalein Atoll
- JaluitFormer colonial administrative center, on the atoll that lends its name to the former capital
- BikiniAtoll used for US nuclear tests in the 1940s and 1950s, now nearly uninhabited
- EnewetakAnother atoll used for nuclear tests, still under environmental restrictions
- ArnoAtoll near Majuro, known for traditional fishing and canoe building
- LikiepOne of the few atolls with natural elevation, with a heritage of old coconut plantations
Climate and temperature
Bwiro
Fermented breadfruit paste, wrapped in leaves and baked; one of the country's most traditional dishes.
Coconut
Present in almost every dish, used as milk, cream, and water for cooking and seasoning.
Grilled fish
Fresh fish, such as tuna, seasoned with soy sauce and lime and grilled over coals.
Coconut crab
A large crab that feeds on coconut, steamed with a coconut-based sauce.
Pandanus juice
Local fruit cooked down into a sweet syrup, mixed with coconut cream.
Macadamia pie
A coconut and macadamia nut sweet, a common dessert on special occasions.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Matrilineal clans (bwij)
Land and identity pass through the maternal line; clans organize much of social life and decisions about land.
Respect for chiefs (iroij)
The traditional hierarchy of chiefs still carries weight in decisions about land and community.
Church as the center of community
Sunday worship gathers nearly the whole village and shapes the rhythm of the week.
Ancestral customs (manit)
Respect for the traditions of the ancestors guides much of social behavior.
Navigator heritage
The ancient Marshallese crossed the ocean without instruments, guided by stick charts (mattang) and by reading the waves and stars.
Hospitality and sharing
Sharing food and resources with the community is a central value, even when there is little.
Life tied to the sea
Much of the people's food, transport, and identity comes from the ocean and the lagoons.
Sunday as a sacred day
Many commercial and leisure activities stop on Sunday, set aside for church and family.
- Making noise or working on Sunday It is the Lord's day, set aside for worship and rest with family.
- Dressing immodestly Short or low-cut clothing is seen as disrespectful, especially outside the capital.
- Treating the nuclear legacy lightly The United States' nuclear tests left deep wounds; the subject calls for sensitivity.
- Expressing pity over climate change The people prefer to be seen as resilient and active, not as helpless victims.
- Speaking carelessly about land Land rights come from ancient family lineages and are a sensitive subject.
- Refusing offered food Accepting what is offered, even if little, is a sign of respect for hospitality.
- Rushing relationships Building trust takes time; community decisions are rarely made in haste.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
Faith is part of cultural identity, but does not always lead to genuine personal transformation.
Some leaders demand heavy contributions from members under threat of exclusion from the church.
The multiplication of denominations sometimes creates competition rather than unity.
Mass migration to the United States separates families and empties entire communities.
Fear of losing the land to the sea erodes the people's hope and identity.
Decades of foreign financial aid feed a mindset of dependency.
Alcohol abuse affects families and community health, especially among the young.
Fear of the community's judgment often weighs more heavily than personal conviction.
Inheritance conflicts between ancient clans create lasting family divisions.
Consumer goods from abroad fuel the desire for status and possessions.
In the Marshall Islands there is broad religious freedom guaranteed by the constitution, and the overwhelming majority of the population is Christian, so there is no persecution of the kind faced by Christians in other countries. The pressure that does exist is mostly internal to the church itself: in some congregations, members report feeling coerced into making heavy financial contributions, under threat of exclusion from the community if they cannot pay.
Those who suffer some form of social exclusion are religious minorities: small groups of Muslims, Baha’is, and Jehovah’s Witnesses report prejudice, mockery, and distrust from neighbors for not following the predominant Christian faith. Even so, this occurs in the social and cultural sphere, not as legal or violent persecution.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
The Marshall Islands have only six ethnic groups, and the Marshallese, the vast majority of the population, have already been deeply reached by the gospel since the 19th century. Even so, two groups remain without significant reach: the small resident Japanese community and the islands' deaf community, which faces communication barriers and almost no access to the gospel in sign language. Together, these two groups make up just over 1% of the population, a reminder that even in a majority-Christian nation there is always someone still on the margins of the gospel.
- 500 Unreached 1,5%
- 0 Minimally reached 0%
- 0 Superficially reached 0%
- 0 Partially reached 0%
- 33K Significantly reached 98,5%
- 2 Unreached 33,3%
- 0 Minimally reached 0%
- 0 Superficially reached 0%
- 0 Partially reached 0%
- 4 Significantly reached 66,7%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Japonês
Deaf Frontier
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
almost everything is imported, which weighs on the budget
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Currency: the US dollar is used throughout the country, which makes payments easier.
- Limited connectivity: internet is expensive and unstable outside Majuro; download maps and content offline.
- Inter-atoll transport: small planes and boats connect the islands, with schedules that change frequently.
- Set aside Sunday for rest and worship, as the whole local community does.
- Modest clothing is well regarded, especially outside the capital.
- Bring sunscreen and insect repellent; the sun and heat are strong year round.
- Learn a few words in Marshallese; the gesture is highly valued, even though English is widely spoken.
- Treat the water before drinking it on the more remote atolls.
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.