Lisbon, Portugal is a unique blend of old-world tradition and new philosophies that drive the spiritual climate toward a secular worldview.
Strategically located on the Iberian Peninsula at the southwestern tip of Europe and bordered only by Spain and the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal once maintained a powerful maritime economy and global influence. Portuguese explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries carried Roman Catholicism throughout the world, and, while religion has since been formally separated from the state, it maintains an important role in Portuguese culture and identity. Of the 93 percent of Portugal’s 10 million people identifying as Christian, 87 percent are Roman Catholic—at least in name—while only 3.5 percent are evangelical believers.
The Portuguese report a higher affiliation with belief in God than many of their European counterparts, and even though many Catholic congregants no longer attend mass regularly, many remain open to spiritual topics. The evangelical church has faced some opposition to gospel-centered teaching, and the need for believers to share Christ’s love through genuine relationships and dedicated investment is great.
ABWE missionaries in Portugal are committed to engaging their communities through church planting and creative avenues for evangelism. The team has planted seven churches that have transitioned to local leadership and is preparing to launch additional church plants in the greater Lisbon area. Team members also serve through community relationship building, hosting marriage classes, teaching English as a Second Language, and ministries to the deaf. Teammates trained in education teach at Greater Lisbon Christian Academy.
Pray for the people of Portugal to re-encounter the gospel and leverage their unique culture and geography to influence their region for Christ.
