Turco

The Turks descend from nomadic peoples of the Central Asian steppes. In the 11th century, the Seljuks defeated the Byzantines and opened Anatolia to Turkic migration, where they mixed with ancient peoples and adopted Islam as their faith.

From the 14th to the 20th century, the Ottoman Empire made the Turks the center of one of the largest empires in history. In 1923 the modern republic was born, replacing the caliphate with a secular state, but keeping Islam woven into national identity.

Most live in large cities like Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, amid modern neighborhoods and old traditions. Tea served in tulip shaped glasses marks every visit, and family honor guides major decisions, from marriage to business.

They are merchants, engineers, farmers and craftsmen. Social life revolves around the table: welcoming a guest well is a matter of honor, and no one leaves a Turkish home without eating.

Nearly all are Sunni Muslims, generally of the Hanafi school, though many live out their faith in a more cultural than practicing way, a result of a century of secular statehood.

In daily life, belief coexists with popular practices: the evil eye (nazar) against envy, amulets and visits to saints’ tombs. For most, being Turkish and being Muslim are one and the same.

The complete Bible exists in modern Turkish, in an accessible translation, with printed, digital and audio editions. The problem is not availability, it is distance: most Turks have never seen a Bible up close or known a Christian, and many believe it has been corrupted.

In this culture, leaving Islam is seen as betraying the nation: Christianity is viewed as a foreign religion and a threat to Turkish identity. Those who follow Jesus face pressure from family, loss of friendships and distrust at work. The local church is small and far from most inland cities.

The greatest need is an encounter: millions of Turks live their whole lives without hearing the gospel from someone who loves them. The few believers need community, solid discipleship and courage to remain among their own people.

After centuries of silence, there is today a church made up of Turks from a Muslim background, small but present in the major cities and growing. The Bible circulates legally, Christian content in Turkish reaches millions online, and many report having encountered Jesus through dreams.