People group profile · PG048628
The Pontic Greeks of Turkiye
The Pontic Greeks of Turkiye, numbering about 5,100 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnic Greek people whose historic homeland was Pontus, the region along the southern coast of the Black Sea in what is now northeastern Türkiye. They developed a distinct culture, dialect, and identity while remaining part of the broader Greek world.
They are an indigenous people in the Greek people cluster of the Eurasian Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Pontic.
Fast facts
- Country
- Turkiye
- Population
- 5,100
- Affinity group
- Central Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Greek
- Primary language
- Pontic (pnt)
- Primary religion
- Sunni 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 Pontic Greeks 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 No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Pontic Greeks
- 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
Sunni Islam · Islam
95% adherents
Primary language
Pontic · Indo-European family
100% speak Pontic
Gospel resources in Pontic
- Bible not available
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Pontic Greeks
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
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