People profile

The approximate 8 million Jordanian Arabs include both Jordanians as well as Palestinians who fled to Jordan after the Arab-Israeli wars of 1948, 1967 and 2024. Jordanian Arabs are kind and friendly, ready to help anyone in need. Hospitality is central to Jordanian culture. Bordered by Syria, Israel, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, Jordanians live in a tough neighbourhood. Because of their deep expressions of hospitality, Jordanians have received wave after wave of refugees from neighboring countries for decades. For example, Jordan hosts at least 1.3 million Syrian refugees, at a cost of $2.4 billion per year.

Most Jordanian Arabs are Sunni Muslim (97%), but there are about 2% Arab Christians in Jordan. They are Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic, and Protestant (0.2% Evangelical).

Jordanian Christians are provided religious freedom as long as their activities remain within the walls of their churches and institutions. The government is happy for Christians to reach out to Syrian refugees – which they are bold in doing – but ministry among poor Jordanian Muslims would be dangerous.

Strategic prayer

  • Internet and broadcast ministries are fruitful means of evangelism and follow up. Pray that these means would be developed and used more effectively.
  • The Jordanian Evangelical Theological Seminary, located in Amman, prepares God’s people for work throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Pray for continued freedom to operate.
  • Pray for outreach to Syrian and Palestinian refugees.
  • Muslims and Christians work together and live in the same neighborhoods. Pray for boldness for Jordanian Christians to also reach out, at high risk, to their Muslim neighbours.