SIM Benin-Togo

Our Benin-Togo workers serve as a single team operating in both countriesThe team is focussed on evangelism in communities where there is little or no Christian witness.

Nomadic herdsman with cattle, Togo. Brendertogo, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Key Ministries

  • Discipling new believers
    We long to see a vibrant Christ-centred, contextualised church planted among an influential, but gospel-resistant people group in Togo. 
  • Training church leaders
    We desire to train and equip church leaders such as pastors, missionaries, evangelists, elders and lay personnel for church planting and mission. This involves support of formal theological education and the running of seminars and conferences to help upskill workers. 
  • Healthy people and mission
    We want our workers and local partners to flourish in a diverse range of settings through the provision of appropriate care and services. This involves providing spiritual, emotional and practical support for our members and, alongside our partners, investing in training and institutional systems and structures.
  • Muslim outreach
    Our vision is to see a Christ-centred, contextual church planted among an influential, but gospel-resistant people group in Benin. A small team is involved in friendship evangelism, Bible translation and sports ministry with a focus on equipping and working alongside an established national church.
  • Next generation
    We long to see Benin’s children and young people have a personal encounter with Jesus and learn to walk with Him. This involves training and mentoring church leaders and members to run kids’ clubs and other compassionate ministries. Also reaching out to school and university students and mentoring Christian school teachers and leaders.
  • Hope for Life
    Our hope is that people living with HIV and their families might experience new life in Christ, good physical health and healthy relationships free from stigma. This involves supporting medical treatment, increasing HIV awareness through education and testing, enabling volunteers and holistic care.
People walking in front of houses in Togo. Erik Kristensen, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
People walking in front of houses in Togo. Erik Kristensen, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Spiritual Landscape in Togo

Freedom of religion is respected and reflected in the country’s rich diversity of beliefs and practices. Beliefs include traditional African religions that emphasise the worship of spirits and deities, Christianity and Islam.

The majority of Christians are Catholic, but this category also includes Jehovah Witnesses, Celestial Church of Christ and many other indigenous groups.

Many churches have large numbers of children in attendance given over half the population is under 18 years. Syncretism, or the blending of beliefs is common, with Benin also known as the birthplace of Voodoo.

The growth of Islam and the deep roots of animism are a huge challenge for the Christian gospel.

Communities Where Christ is Least Known

Our Muslim neighbours

Centuries ago, Islam was introduced to Benin through traders and migrants from the north. It has been significantly embraced by a number of ethnic groups in the north of the country, but smaller populations also exist in the south. Islamic practices and traditions are observed and major festivals recognised as public holidays.

People living with HIV

In Benin, these people are often treated unfairly or publicly shunned, with women disproportionately impacted because they often depend on others for support. Traditional belief in the spirit world is also strong, influencing what people believe about health and sickness.

Children and young people

More than half the population of Benin is under the age of 18. Access to education is improving, but quality remains a concern with relatively low literacy rates. Other challenges include child labour, gender disparity and poverty-related factors. Each child is made in God’s image.

Traditional religion communities

Communities practicing traditional religions and Islamic groups in northern Togo remain largely unreached. The gospel also faces resistance in certain cultural strongholds where animism and syncretism dominate.

Contact SIM Benin-Togo

Email: Connect@sim.org

Please pray

  • For he children of Benin and Togo to encounter Jesus as they see him embodied in the workers they meet
  • For our new workers among the Muslim Weno people, that they would persevere in language and culture learning, and in discerning the ministry strategies needed for effective outreach
  • For the gospel to advance in other majority Muslim villages and cities across Benin and Togo
  • For more SIM Benin Togo workers to support outreach activities
  • For Togolese Christians to develop love and a burden for reaching their unbelieving neighbours
  • For communities of Christ-followers to be established within least-reached people groups, specifically the Met, the Tchamba, the Bago, the Koussountou, the Fulani and the Lokpa
  • For funding for a farming and disciple-making project to assist new Met believers; wisdom during the start of the project
  • For maturity in church planting, disciple making, mission outreach and leadership training for ECWA-Togo churches
  • For the planning of leadership development initiatives for pastors, elders and mission workers, with particular attention to ECWA’s Bible Institute. 

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