One of the poorest regions of the former Yugoslavia, the mountainous, landlocked nation of Macedonia is dependent on agriculture and has high unemployment. Located just north of Greece, modern day Macedonia has received Roman, Byzantine, Turkish, and Bulgarian influences. The national identity of Macedonia is strongly tied to both religion and language. The population is made up of the majority Macedonians as well as large Albanian, Romani, and Turkic groups.As the former Yugoslavia broke apart in 1991, the new nation of Macedonia suffered from a lack of infrastructure and a Greek economic embargo, which hindered growth until 1996. More recently, Macedonia has failed to attract much foreign investment, create many jobs, or adequately address the high unemployment. With little prospect in their own homeland, many youth leave to make their future elsewhere. Greece has strongly contested the name “Macedonia”, which it sees as making claims on its own territory with the same name. Conflict between ethnic Albanians and Macedonians broke out in 2001, causing NATO forces to enter the region and leading the Macedonian congress to grant greater rights to the Albanian minority.

Macedonia is 66% Christian and 31% Muslim, with the majority of the Christian population belonging to the Macedonian Orthodox Church. Many Churches remain empty, and few of the Macedonian people incorporate faith into their daily lives. Yet at the same time, the protestant and evangelical populations are growing. The evangelical church in Macedonia is one the fastest growing in Europe and is reaching across the many boundaries that exist in the Macedonian society to minister to others. With the nation traditionally Orthodox, it can be difficult for new religious groups to become established. However, there is a growing focus on oneness in Christ, which includes pastors’ prayer networks and citywide worship events.