Information About Spain

Usually when folks think of Spain, what comes to mind are bullfights, Don Quixote, flamenco dancers, and “la siesta.” To be sure, Spain is all this, but there is much more. Characterized by a wide range of climates, landscapes, cultures, and even nationalities, Spain is a very diverse place.

But, amidst all this diversity, can we not say that Spain is generally “Christian”? Is it not part of Western Europe, where the Reformation began? Or, is it not at least Roman Catholic, a country where people believe in God and have some knowledge of the Bible? NO! Spain is secular. Most Spaniards are concerned only with the “here and now,” and believe that man is self-sufficient with great potential to solve all his problems without any sort of supernatural intervention or revelation.

There are approximately 45 million people living in Spain. Only about 80,000 of the population are Evangelical church members (roughly 0.2% of the population). There are as many or more active Jehovah’s Witnesses in Spain as there are Evangelicals. Over a million Muslims now call Spain their home. The largest religious group is still the Roman Catholics, but the majority of them are nominal. Only about 3% of the population goes to mass on Sunday.

Signs of God’s faithfulness can be seen in the Spanish Evangelical community, in spite of its small size. Many local churches are currently experiencing growth. At the same time, challenges abound. One of the biggest obstacles to healthy local church ministries is a lack of resources to train up future leaders.

Please pray with us for the church in Spain.