Kyrgyzstan (MNN) — Kyrgyzstan’s ousted leader Askar Akayev announced that he has agreed to resign, ending weeks of political uncertainty in that Central Asian nation. The announcement clears the way for elections which are tentatively scheduled for June 26th.
However, there is some question as to what this could mean for freedom of religion and evangelism in this former Soviet nation. Slavic Gospel Association’s Joel Griffith says, “It remains to be seen how this will play out in the long term. Kyrgyzstan, of course, is a largely Muslim nation. But, evangelicals have been relatively free there to minister and proclaim the Gospel. So, as this new government comes into power in Kyrgyzstan, the ramifications of what this will have for religious freedom and evangelical churches remains to be seen.”
Christians haven’t gotten involved in politics. Griffith says they’re getting involved in another way. “The evangelical church leaders in these countries are unanimous in wanting this to be a matter of prayer for us in the west that the Lord would continue to hold the door open for them to minister.”
Griffith is asking Christians worldwide to pray, “that the churches there will continue to have the freedom that they’ve enjoyed thus far to be able to not only worship, but also evangelize.”
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