Slovenia - World Outreach Church

Austria
Italy
Hungary
Slovenia
Ljubljana
Croatia
October 27
Gulf of
Venice
Adriatic Sea
Slovenia
Republic of Slovenia
Europe
The most prosperous of the former Yugoslav
republics. The transition to a market economy
was difficult but quite successful. Good
infrastructure, an educated workforce and an
important location between Western Europe
and the Balkans. Has adopted the Euro as
currency and moved from borrower to donor
status with the World Bank.
HDI Rank 29th/182. Public debt 23% of GDP.
Income/person $27,149 (57% of USA).
Dominated for centuries by Austria. Part of
Yugoslav Federation in 1918 until independence
in 1991. Masterfully negotiated from being part
of Yugoslavia into the EU (2004), and with a
minimum of violence and upheaval. The first
former Communist country to hold presidency
of the EU (2008). A parliamentary democracy
with a coalition government.
Area 20,256 sq km. Alpine state adjoining Italy,
Hungary, Croatia and Austria.
Population
2010
2,024,912
2020
2,053,200
2030
2,036,889
Ann Gr
0.24%
0.09%
-0.13%
Density
100/sq km
101/sq km
101/sq km
Capital Ljubljana 260,000. Urbanites 48%. Pop
under 15 yrs 14%. Life expectancy 78.2 yrs.
Slavic 94.5%. Slovene 90.2%; Serbo-Croatian 3.0%;
Bosniak 1.5%.
Other 5.5%. German/Austrian 2.3%; Hungarian 0.5%;
Italian(3) 0.6%.
Literacy 99.7%. Official languages Slovene,
Hungarian, Italian. All languages 10. Indigenous
languages 4.
Slovenia
Freedom of religion, with a traditional Catholic
culture that is rapidly giving way to secularism.
Religions
Christian
Non-religious
Muslim
Other
Baha’i
Jewish
Buddhist
Pop %
54.18
43.79
1.95
0.04
0.02
0.01
0.01
Population
1,097,097
886,709
39,486
810
405
202
202
Christians Denoms Pop % Affiliates
Protestant
6
1.07
22,000
Independent
5
0.06
1,000
Catholic
1
44.20 895,000
Orthodox
3
2.00
40,000
Marginal
2
0.15
3,000
Unaffiliated
7.88 160,000
October 27
Ann Gr
0.0%
0.5%
2.4%
6.2%
0.2%
0.2%
0.2%
Ann Gr
-0.7%
-1.4%
-0.7%
-0.7%
0.8%
8.8%
749
S
Churches
MegaBloc Congs Members Affiliates
Catholic Church
C
945 557,241 895,000
Orthodox Churches
O
5
25,312
40,500
Lutheran Church
P
31
7,720
19,300
Jehovah’s Witnesses
M
28
1,920
2,570
Old Catholic Ch
I
2
475
950
Pentecostal Church
P
13
569
950
Seventh-day Adventist P
13
530
775
Baptist Church
P
8
165
248
Other denominations[6]
12
497
799
Total Christians[18]
1,063 594,829 961,492
TransBloc
Evangelicals
Evangelicals
Renewalists
Charismatics
Pentecostals
Pop %
Population
Ann Gr
0.1
1,822
-0.2%
0.1
<0.1
2,370
950
0.5%
-1.4%
Challenges for Prayer
A long history of Catholic tradition is under threat. The three main Christian
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groups (Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran) are lacking in spiritual vitality. They are rapidly
declining into irrelevance while agnosticism, New Age and different forms of Eastern religious
beliefs are increasing, as is general spiritual apathy, even among those who notionally believe in
God. Pray for an awakening in the mainline churches that draws the many nominal Christians
into personal faith in Christ.
Evangelicals are few, underfunded and divided. There is an evangelical presence in
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only 28 out of 210 municipalities, so church planting teams are clearly needed. The tiny
evangelical population often reflects the divisive culture of the South Slavs – pray for unity and
the formation of an Evangelical Alliance. Of the few dozen fellowships, almost none are selffunding; most pastors rely on secular employment or external financial support, and there is little
teaching in churches on stewardship and giving. Pray for Slovene believers to rise to the
challenge of personal evangelism, to support their own pastors and even to send missionaries.
Vital Christian resources are in short supply. With the dearth of local fellowships,
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availability of quality materials in Slovene is vital for both discipleship and evangelism.
Pray for:
a) Christian literature. Very few Christian books have been capably translated into this
difficult language. Pray for more quality materials to be translated, and for Slovene authors
to be raised up.
b) The Slovenian Bible Society, as it works on newer and more accurate modern translations.
Pray also for insight on how to engage the general population with the Bible.
c) The new, modern translation of the works of Primoz Trubar, the Slovene Protestant
reformer who wrote the first books in Slovene (a language he helped to synthesize). He is
highly regarded, although few have read his works. Pray that the Catechism and others of his
books may lead many to a right understanding of God.
S
d) More means of engaging Slovenes with the gospel. EHC has blanketed the nation in the past
with Christian literature. There is a definite need for other media, including radio, Christian
bookshops, Christian magazines, newspapers and the like. Visions of Christian coffee shops,
radio stations and Slovene Christian websites abound; pray for these dreams to become reality.
Slovenia has had a Protestant witness since the Reformation, but there are still very
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few evangelical churches. Even these few lack teaching and leadership training, although
two informal Bible training schools operate with help from outside professors. Pray for the
following ministries:
a) Church planting. A number of ministries work in Slovenia. Pray for faithfulness, fruitfulness
and sensitivity on their part.
750
Slovenia
Operation World
b) Student work. IFES, CCCI and the Nazarenes are pioneering student witness in Ljubljana
and elsewhere. Josiah Venture works with middle school and high school students in a variety
of denominations and churches. CEF is training more Slovene leadership for its outreach to
children through clubs and camps.
c) Radio. Catholic radio is broadly listened to, and some local churches have programmes on
local radio, but there is no regular national evangelical presence on radio or TV, except for a
15-minute TWR shortwave broadcast.