REACHING THE 98%

Our story began in 1904. During an all-night prayer gathering in what is now Estonia, a young man named Ganz Raud sensed God’s call to bring the gospel of Christ back to Europe. As he travelled to the United Kingdom and the United States to share about the spiritual need across the continent, the foundations of what would become ECMI were laid.

Today, more than 120 years later, ECMI has 160 missionary units serving in 25 European countries. Yet there is still no ECMI presence in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Given our origins and the significant spiritual opportunities across the region, this is a gap we long to see filled.

The Baltic nations regained independence in 1991 after more than 50 years of Soviet occupation. Today they are democratic nations shaped by a rich blend of Nordic, Germanic, and Slavic influences.

Although often viewed as secular societies, there are encouraging signs of openness to the gospel, especially in Estonia and Latvia, where evangelical communities are larger than in many other parts of Europe. Evangelical churches exist in the capital cities, but they remain rare outside the main urban centres.

There is much to celebrate in the Baltics, but there is also a great need for more gospel witness, discipleship, and church planting.

As ECMI looks to the future, we are praying for new opportunities, partnerships, and workers who will help bring the hope of Christ to the Baltic region. Please pray with us that God would open doors and continue writing new chapters in this part of Europe where the story of ECMI first began.