Somalia: The Extreme Dangers of Following Jesus

Somalia: The Extreme Dangers of Following Jesus
(An Interview with a Somali Christian Leader)

As there are no church buildings in this Muslim-majority nation where it's extremely dangerous to be a Christian, the total number of secret believers remains unknown. Because Islam is a critical part of Somalia’s national identity, Christian converts are likely to be harassed, intimidated, injured, or possibly even killed, by militant members of their family or community. If discovered, followers of Jesus are also at risk of attack by those in allegiance to the al-Shabab terrorist group. Yet, in spite of all these dangers, there are more Somali believers today than ever before.

In this episode of Closer to the Fire, host Greg Musselman is joined by “Jacob,” a Somali Christian leader who is working to equip and train Christians living both inside and outside of this East African nation. Due to security concerns, the identity of this faithful VOMC ministry partner has been concealed for the podcast interview.

Date: November 2021
Length: 41:00
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada
To learn more about the persecution of Christians in Somalia, visit our country report.

Somalia Information

Country Information
Population
12,693,796 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Somali (85), Bantu and other non-Somali (15)

Religion (%)
Islam (99.9), ethnic religions (0.1)

Leader
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (2022)

Government type
Federal parliamentary republic

Legal system
Mixed legal system of civil law, Islamic law, and customary law (referred to as Xeer)

Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Somalia
Please join us in praying for our ministry partners who are effectively reaching Somalians through the multiple radio broadcasts, specifically asking God to further strengthen and equip them so they can continue with their vital outreach work. Also, pray that the hearts of those yearning to learn more about the Lord will be greatly encouraged through the broadcast messages. May these spiritual seekers be shielded from all harm, while their lives are being radically transformed by the ongoing work of His Holy Spirit.