The West African nation of Togo is a nation with the distinction of being a French-speaking country that was once a German colony. The people of Togo have benefited from a 'Green Revolution' launched in 1977, which has made the country nearly self-sufficient in basic foods except in times of drought.

Current SIM Ministry

SIM’s work began among the Muslim Kotokoli people 15 years ago, starting with Kotokoli radio outreach, for which SIM continues to take responsibility. A cell group for Muslim background believers is in the early stage of development. Missionaries also use chronological Bible teaching, a reading room, audio cassettes, correspondence courses, literacy primers, and friendship evangelism as means of outreach. SIM missionaries enjoy an excellent partnership relationship with missionaries from other agencies with common goals, and have been solicited to provide training in Muslim evangelism based on their experience.

SIM Togo missionaries also work with the EEIT, which was first established among the Lokpa people by tribal relatives of the SIM-related church (UEEB) in neighbouring Benin. These small village churches seek to provide further training for their pastors and leaders, while continuing with their own vision of planting more churches among the largely Muslim Lokpa people and other unreached groups in Togo. The EEIT, as part of their Vision 2008, has already started new church planting initiatives to two other neighbouring Muslim people groups as well as several neighbouring Lokpa villages. In addition, three Nigerian missionary couples with the Evangelical Missionary Society (EMS), the missionary arm of the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) in Nigeria, work together with the EEIT churches and SIM missionaries in Togo.

SIM missionaries enjoy an excellent partnership relationship with missionaries from other agencies with common goals. SIM Togo missionaries also work with the EEIT, which was established among the Lokpa people by relatives of the SIM-related church in neighbouring Benin (UEEB).

SIM's Partner Church

In 1995 seven Lokpa churches founded the EEIT, which represents SIM work in Togo. As of January 2003, the EEIT had nine organised churches and six developing ones.

Unreached People Groups

Togo and Benin have the highest percentage of unevangelised traditionalists in Africa. Only 15 of Togo's people groups have evangelical congregations within their cultures. Twenty-five unreached people groups exist in Togo with no known congregations, comprising 21% of the country's population.

History of Christianity

As a result of the Catholic anti-slavery movement in the 1830s, a German Catholic mission station was established in Togo. It remained in place after the French takeover.

Between 1960 and 1985 the Church in Togo — consisting primarily of Eglise Evangélique and Methodists — experienced little growth. Newer evangelical groups such as Assemblies of God, Southern Baptist Convention, Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, and Missouri Synod Lutherans have begun to grow. Since the government's anti-Christian stance of the 1970s has moderated, churches and missions enjoy more freedom than previously.

Presently about 170 Protestant mission centres affiliated with European and American societies have entered Togo, with 230 personnel. The largest evangelical missions are Wycliffe Bible Translators, Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, Assemblies of God, Ministry of Jesus, and Youth With A Mission.

Please pray for

• defeat of the entrenched powers of darkness (idolatry, secret societies, Islam) by the truth of the Gospel.
• an openness among the largely Muslim Kotokoli, Lokpa, Bago, and Fulani people groups.
• efforts to follow up the Kotokoli radio broadcasts; they have been having a tremendous response.
• maturity in the EEIT churches in the areas of discipleship, leadership training, church planting, and mission outreach.
• more missionaries, both indigenous and foreign, for Togo.
• Christians throughout the country to develop a love and burden for their Muslim neighbours.follow up the Kotokoli radio broadcasts; they have been having a tremendous response. maturity in the EEIT churches in the areas of discipleship, leadership training, church planting, and mission outreach.
• more missionaries, both indigenous and foreign, for Togo.
• Christians throughout the country to develop a love and burden for their Muslim neighbours.