People group profile · PG024541
The Azerbaijani of Turkiye
The Azerbaijani of Turkiye, numbering about 557,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Azerbaijani-speaking Turkic diaspora community whose identity is rooted in shared language, cultural heritage, and historical connections to Azerbaijan.
They are a diaspora people in the Azerbaijani people cluster of the Turkic Peoples. Their primary religion is Shia Islam, and they primarily speak South Azerbaijani.
Fast facts
- Country
- Turkiye
- Population
- 557,000
- Affinity group
- Central Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Azerbaijani
- Primary language
- South Azerbaijani (azb)
- Primary religion
- Shia Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Azerbaijani are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Azerbaijani
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Shia Islam · Islam
99% adherents
Primary language
South Azerbaijani · Turkic family
100% speak South Azerbaijani
Gospel resources in South Azerbaijani
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- 2009 Elam Ministries · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Azerbaijani
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
Azerbaijani, Southern in other countries
The same people (ROP3 100677) is reported in 2 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Azeri | Iran | 17,550,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| South Azeri | Canada | 2,800 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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