The Chaldeans of Iraq

The Chaldeans of Iraq, numbering approximately 67,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Iraq and can also be known as Alqosh, Southern Assyrian. They are an Indigenous people, in the Assyrian / Aramaic people cluster of the Arab World affinity bloc. Their primary religion is Christianity - Eastern Orthodox. They primarily speak Chaldean Neo-Aramaic.

Chaldeans in Iraq photo
Photo courtesy of Joshua Project. Photo Source: Christopher Younan

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: North Africa and Middle East Peoples
Country: Iraq
People Cluster: Assyrian / Aramaic
Primary Language(s): Chaldean Neo-Aramaic (cld)
Primary Religion(s): Christianity - Eastern Orthodox
Population: 67,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Unengaged and Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Active CP Activity
People Group ID: PG011707

Pray for the Chaldeans of Iraq

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Christianity - Eastern Orthodox
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

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Christianity - Eastern Or… Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Chaldean Neo-Aramaic
Language Family: Afro-Asiatic

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Chaldean Neo-Aramaic Speakers

Media Resources in Chaldean Neo-Aramaic:

Films:

Bible Resources in Chaldean Neo-Aramaic:

Or check out the Chaldean Neo-Aramaic bible resources at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

Next steps for the Chaldeans

The Chaldeans are Unengaged and Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations among which there are no known efforts focused on establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Begin signifcant prayer and fasting for this group
Send cross-cultural teams to discover and research this people group
Begin gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group

Next steps for the Chaldeans

The Chaldeans are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

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

Next steps for the Chaldeans

The Chaldeans are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Chaldeans of Iraq

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
readGenesis 3:15

Pray that those without Christ will hear the words of Genesis 1-3 in their own language, and desire to know their Creator and His provision of salvation.

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
readRomans 1:19-20

Pray that God will use His creation – the “things that have been made” – to spark a fresh and passionate curiosity among them to draw near to the Maker and that, as they seek Him, He will make a way for them to hear the gospel and receive it with joy.

For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.
readPsalm 47:2

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will exalt the Lord, recognizing His reign over the nations and His sovereignty over all things.

Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.
readActs 17:29

Pray that God will send out laborers to tell people of the one true God and, as the good news is shared, bring about repentance and belief as they turn from idols and follow Jesus.

Chaldean (ROP3 - 101983) reported in the following countries:

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