Mongolia (officially called Mongol Uls), has been referred to by Mongols since ancient times as 'Blue Mongolia' because of the endless blue sky hanging over the rugged steppes. It is a landlocked country in the heart of eastern Asia between Russia and China. One of the oldest countries in the world and the fifth largest in Asia, its vastness is accentuated by its sparse population.

Current SIM Ministry

SIM serves Mongolia in partnership with the Joint Christian Services (JCS) community. JCS brings relief, development and technical expertise to Mongolia. Through their work, people can improve their own lives and the lives of others. Most JCS members are Christians motivated by the biblical words, Love God with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself. It is our hope that this love will flow through our work and life to Mongolians.

Most JCS participants are members of Mongolian churches and actively support many aspects of church life. They are involved in discipling individuals and small groups.

Christian radio programmes from outside originally opened the 'Mongolian door' to Christianity, but the churches that have subsequently been established are thoroughly Mongolian. Now an estimated 8,000 believers live and witness for Christ throughout the country.

SIM acknowledges a great need for Christians with marketable skills to live and work in Mongolia to assist in discipling and training church leaders.

Joint Christian Services

JCS International is a consortium of Christian organisations, with over 10 years' experience serving the people of Mongolia in mind body and spirit.

A group of mission agencies came together in the early 1990s to decide the best way forward for them to respond to God's calling their agencies to Mongolia. The eight founding members chose the consortium model JCS operates by today. Believing it is God's will, and responding to the prayers and fellowship of his people, JCS was constituted as an interdenominational body, with joint Mongolian and foreign participation by this group of Christian agencies in London on October 1, 1992.

Our international team of JCS represents about 20 nationalities, including Mongolian employees. Corporately, JCS is a member of the Mongolian Evangelical Alliance. JCS leadership serves on a number of boards in support of the development of the church and Christian community in Mongolia.

JCS has professional, qualified volunteers, ably supported in-country so they can work effectively. JCS operates a lean, but efficient, administration maximising resources for service to Mongolia.

Over the years, JCS has worked in many sectors including agriculture, education, health, and business development. JCS operates its projects through partnership with Mongolian government ministries, local government authorities, foreign government humanitarian agencies, not-for-profit NGOs and INGOs, and companies. JCS has provided professionals, facilitating their placement, to work in co-operation with Mongolian organisations, such as the National Children's Centre, The Mongolian Horticulture Society, The Mongolian Flour Producers Association, The Small and Medium Size Enterprise Federation, Mongolian Universities and Colleges, Bible/Mission Training Organisations, and The Mongolian Dairy Farmers Association. Geographically, JCS works in both urban centres and in countryside locations across Mongolia.

Our prayer is that people continue to join JCS to serve the people of Mongolia .

Scripture Availability

The Mongolian people have had a New Testament in their language since 1990 published by United Bible Societies. A complete translation, including the Old Testament and revisions to the New Testament, is in its final stages of checking by Wycliffe and UBS consultants and will be released shortly. The length of time taken to carefully complete this translation is 31 years.

The Mongolian Bible Translation Committee published a version of the New Testament in 1996 and the complete Bible in 2000.

Pray that Mongolian hearts would be prepared to read the Scripture in their own language and that the Holy Spirit would convict, encourage, and draw many people to Jesus Christ because of it.

History of Christianity

The Mongols are a very religious people. Genghis Khan said, 'We Mongols believe that there is but one God by whom we live and by whom we die.'

Around 1271, Kublai Khan sent an official request to the Pope stating, 'Send 100 teachers of the Christian faith able to clearly show that the law of Christ is best. If persuaded, I and all under my rule will become his followers.' At the same time, he invited Lamas from Tibet to evangelise Mongolia. Tibet sent monks, but political fighting in Europe distracted the Pope from sending missionaries, except a few Franciscan and Dominican illiterate monks who arrived 10 years after the invitation.

Tibetan Buddhism first became fashionable in the thirteenth century among the Mongolian aristocracy, and a second wave penetrated the general population during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Small groups of sharing Christians arrived in Mongolia in 1817 (London Missionary Society), but by 1924, missionaries had still not planted churches and were no longer allowed in the country.

Things changed in 1990 when Mongolia politically reopened to the global community. The church failed to respond in the thirteenth century and failed again at the turn of last century without planting a single church. But today, Mongolians respond to Christianity in positive ways as they see how the love and forgiveness of Jesus can transform their lives, families and communities.

About 40 churches in Mongolia are now registered with the government. According to a Hong Kong-based representative of the Southern Baptists — the Southern Baptist being the first denomination officially recognised by the Mongolian government — most church groups have now resumed evangelistic activities in the three main cities of Ulaanbaatar, Erdenet and Darhanwith.

Today, congregations exist in all 18 provinces with over 30 churches in Ulaanbaatar alone, and the Mongolian church is actively spreading. Our consortium is also committed to training church leaders.

Please pray for

• Christians everywhere to be concerned for the unreached millions in Mongolia who have never heard the name of Jesus, especially those who live nomadic lives in the remote countryside.
• the Lord to send Christians to Mongolia to see for themselves the spiritually needy people and to return to their home churches with a new zeal to pray, to support the ongoing work in Mongolia, and for some to consider serving in Mongolia.
• the Mongol believers to be able to share the Gospel with their families and friends.
• the students in Bible schools to become godly leaders and to model true biblical spirituality before other Mongols, in contrast to the anti-biblical aspects of the culture, such as acceptance of premarital intimacy, abortion, and alcoholism.
• the local churches to grow in quality and quantity, and for most churches to become financially indigenous.
• the local church members to be mature and learn to give their offerings and tithes to the Lord.
• the local pastors and church leaders to persevere in God’s service in the midst of difficulties, such as lack of financial support and lack of resources for the church.
• the missionaries and Christian workers serving in Mongolia to have effective ministries: meeting the practical and spiritual needs of the people, discipling and mentoring believers, and influencing churches to be mission-minded — reaching out to the lost within Mongolia and beyond.