Country Briefing: TÜRKIYE
Türkiye, a nation bridging East and West, was once the heart of early Christianity and is home to many foundational moments in the Church’s story – from the journeys of the Apostle Paul to the Council of Nicaea. Yet today, Christianity is often misunderstood and marginalised among Turks. This briefing explores Türkiye’s Christian heritage, its complex modern landscape, and the impact of SAT-7 TÜRK – a Christian television channel that this year celebrates a decade of boldly sharing the love of Christ with Turkish-speakers on Türkiye’s national satellite.
THE TÜRKIYE BRIEFING: Türkiye’s forgotten faith finds a voice
HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY
Türkiye, known in antiquity as Asia Minor, holds a significant place in Christian heritage as a cradle of the early Church. Many pivotal events in Christian history occurred here, including the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul, who preached in cities like Ephesus, Antioch, and Iconium. The region was home to several of the seven churches addressed in the Book of Revelation. Early Church councils, including the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, were held in what is now modern-day Türkiye, shaping foundational Christian doctrines. This year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which will be marked on SAT-7’s Turkish channel with programmes highlighting the country’s often-forgotten Christian heritage.
Once occupied by the Byzantines and later by the Mongols, it was the vast Ottoman Empire, formed within Türkiye in the thirteenth century, that made the country a global power, remaining so until its defeat by Allied forces in World War I. In 1923, a group of military cadres led by future President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk resisted Allied authority and formed the Republic of Türkiye. A long history of mainly secularist rule ended in 2002 with the election of the conservative Justice and Development Party (AK). Recep Tayyip Erdogan has led the country for over 20 years, first as prime minister from 2003 and then as directly elected president since 2014. His government has survived several crises including a failed coup in 2016 and, more recently, protests and riots in response to the arrest of the Istanbul mayor, Ekrem Imamglu.
Sitting on multiple fault lines, Türkiye lies within a highly seismic region. As a result, Türkiye is often subject to significant earthquakes. In February 2023, a series of earthquakes killed over 55,000 people in Türkiye and Syria, in the worst earthquakes the region has seen in 20 years. In more recent months, Türkiye was once again affected by strong tremors which hit the country’s largest city, Istanbul, home to SAT-7’s Turkish studio. SAT-7 TÜRK’s staff in the city shared how the more than 50 aftershocks continued to cause damage and uncertainty, as people were forced seek shelter outside in unseasonably low temperatures for fear of buildings collapsing.
CHRISTIANITY IN TÜRKIYE
Despite Türkiye’s ancient Christian heritage, today Christianity is widely seen as a foreign import. While the majority of the country identify as Sunni Muslim, there are small minority groups of Jews, Yazidis, Baha’is, and atheists, as well as Christians, who make up less than 1 per cent of the population.
In Türkiye, some Christian groups are officially recognised, but establishing a centre of Christian worship can be a challenging process. In 2023, the first new Church to be built in the country for 100 years, since the founding of the present-day Republic in 1923, opened its doors, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in attendance at the ceremony. The secular state officially protects religious freedom, but in practice Christians face restrictions on owning property, training leaders, and obtaining visas for foreign workers, as well as societal opposition and discrimination.
It is in this context that SAT-7’s dedicated Turkish channel, SAT-7 TÜRK, broadcasts the good news of Jesus to the people of Türkiye and many more Turkish-speakers across Europe and Central Asia. It is the first and only Christian channel to be allowed to broadcast on the government-regulated satellite Türksat, which has an audience of 50 million in Türkiye, as well as viewers in Europe and Central Asia. The channel airs 24/7, with programmes for children, youth, and women shown regularly alongside live broadcasts and teaching programmes that support local Christians.
Sharing the purpose of the channel, Ümit Teymur, SAT-7 TÜRK’s Executive Director, said: “We work to be the voice of Christians in Türkiye, to correct misconceptions about Christianity with love and truth and to show the love of Christ to those who do not yet know Him. Although this path is sometimes full of uncertainties and trials, we walk on water every day, because we move forward not in our own strength but in our faith in Christ.”
We walk on water every day” – Ümit Teymur, SAT-7 TÜRK’s Executive Director
LIFE CHANGING DISCOVERIES OF JESUS
For Turkish people seeking Jesus, it can be difficult to build an accurate understanding of the Christian faith, find spiritual encouragement, and connect with a vibrant church. We recently heard from SAT-7 TÜRK viewer Ercan*, who overcame the odds to find Jesus and community in Türkiye. “I have been researching about Christianity for many years,” Ercan told a member of our Viewer Support team. “While researching, I came across SAT-7 TÜRK and started to watch your programmes… SAT-7 TÜRK and the Encouragement Hour programme have changed my life. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, and I still happily attend church. These things are not easy in our country.”
Building relationships off-screen and listening to what people need is extremely important to the SAT-7 TÜRK team. Homemade presenter Şemsa Deniz Bakır explained how a different approach is opening new opportunities to support viewers. “We wanted to work differently… we’re not just producing and broadcasting what we want, but listening to what our viewers need,” she said. “When we respond to what our viewers are asking for, we open up opportunities to share the Gospel with them.”
This new approach is being well received by viewers of all ages, who are now interacting with programmes much more. “An established audience has been watching for years,” shared Şemsa, “But we are now seeing new viewers engage more… and we now receive at least 100 comments per day.”
TEN YEARS OF GROWTH AND GRACE
2025 marks SAT-7 TÜRK’s 10th anniversary on Türkiye’s national satellite. Executive Director Ümit Teymur, who first joined SAT-7 12 years ago as a presenter, shared with us how the ministry has grown in the last 10 years and what his hopes are for the next decade. “Over time SAT-7 TÜRK’s programme diversity has increased, and [our] technical capacity has strengthened. But the most important aspect has been the spiritual growth, our relationships with Christian communities have deepened, and our inter-church collaboration has also strengthened.”
Initially, Ümit didn’t think a Christian TV channel would be possible in Türkiye, but once he was invited to get involved he couldn’t contain his excitement. “I thought of what God could do through this ministry, and I wanted to get involved immediately,” he shared. “Over my 12 years with SAT-7 TÜRK, we have experienced God’s faithfulness and grace many times, and we have seen how God is able to do ‘immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine’” (Ephesians 3:20).
Ümit also shared, how, alongside experiencing God’s faithfulness, the team has also faced a variety of difficulties. “We encountered technical impossibilities, limited human resources and misunderstandings of Christianity… People found it strange to have a Christian TV channel in Türkiye. But we did not give up, because we wholeheartedly believe that this service is carried out not by human hands but by God’s call.”
When he looks ahead to the next decade, Ümit shared his team’s greatest hope: “Our hope and prayer is that SAT-7 TÜRK will continue to represent the Christian faith in Türkiye in an accurate, loving and understandable way. Our greatest desire is for people to overcome prejudices about Christianity and get to know who Christ is.” But they don’t want to stop there. “We also want to reach out more to viewers who do not have a church, to ensure that no Christian feels isolated or forgotten. We want the unity among different churches to keep growing and for this channel to be a platform for all Christian communities. Our goal is to provide a media service that carries hope, spreads love and deepens faith.”
Give thanks for the ministry of SAT-7 TÜRK and the team that works behind the scenes to make their broadcasts possible; pray that the Lord will encourage the team as they work to challenge misconceptions, support their viewers and share the Gospel. Please pray that viewers will continue to come to know Christ and find fellowship through SAT-7 TÜRK.
Please Pray:
- For a Turkish Church that is well-connected, united, full of love, and standing firm in Jesus.
- For wisdom and safety in Türkiye in the wake of the earthquakes and protests.
- For the team at SAT-7 TÜRK, that they may be encouraged and supported as they work to represent the Christian faith in Türkiye in an accurate, loving and understandable way.
- Give thanks for SAT-7 TÜRK and pray that viewers will continue to be encouraged and supported, so that they may grow in faith and fellowship.
You might notice that we spell ‘Turkey’ as ‘Türkiye’. In 2022, the UN accepted the country’s request for its name to be internationally recognised as Türkiye. As an international broadcaster, and one that has a presence in the country, SAT-7 has decided to adopt this change.