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Is Ecuador Evangelized?



To answer that question, we shall turn to an email sent by a missionary with EBM in Riobamba :

In regards to the concept that Ecuador is pretty well evangelized, allow me the following comments.

1) The statistics published by an organization called the Confraternidad Evangelica del Ecuador (a liberal conglomeration of all beliefs in Ecuador that has representation before the government) states that Ecuador has the lowest percentage of evangelicals than any other Latin American country. They say that 5% of the population is evangelical. Now that is in the very broad sense of the word. It include all sects and denominations - anything non-Catholic. If the truth be known about true salvation, then the percentage would be more like 2% or less. If that be the case then all the other Latin American countries should be pretty well evangelized also.



2) I would have to question what "evangelized" means to those who say this. Are they talking about genuine conversions based on an understanding of their lost condition before a Holy God and their utter hopelessness to save themselves and thereby must rely on the sacirfice of Christ alone to save them? I seriously doubt that this is what they mean by evangelized because these type of people are few in this country. If they are referring to people who have simply heard the plan of salvation, then perhaps their assessment is more correct. HCJB radio has been here a long time and there are groups such as Campus Crusade who make a point of open air meetings in every neighborhood. I would say that most of the Ecuadorians have probably heard a salvation message as a result of these things. However, it hasn't been extremely effective evangelism. 98% of Ecuadorians, although they may have heard a message, have no idea what so ever what the true gift of salvation is and how to make it part of their lives. I can hardly agree that there is no more need for serious evangelism. The method or approach is the key and results is the key here.



3) Take for example Riobamba, the city we investigated and live in. The city has 140,000 people. There are a host of cults and false religions that each have their churches. There are also many "evangelical" groups that exist in the city, to the count of 35 to 40 churches. In investigating these groups and numbers in them, it would be exaggerated to say that the total would reach 5000 people. These groups are so far off on their doctrine that in my opinon most of these are not even saved in a Biblical sense. There may be 1000 or so and some I have talked to say way less that are truly saved. So, you have a population of 140,000 and maybe 1000 who could be considered evangelized. That is just our city. It could be repeated all over the country. In our province alone there is no one that preaches the gospel message soundly with good results. There are small towns all over this province with no real, true gospel witness. One of our believers who knows the province well states that there is no one anywhere who truly teaches and preaches the truth of salvation. .



There is the Quichua Indian element in this province and others which is said to be different than the non Quichua population. There are statistics that say 15 to 20% of them are evangelicals. Even that number adds into the number stated previously. However in my opinion and experience once again I have to say, are all these Indians truly evangelized? The answer, truly, is no. A major portion of these people have no idea what it means to be saved. They have little or no knowledge of anything to do with the Bible. Not all, because there are some very sharp and wonderful believers among them, but not most of them. In our city which is in the heart of this Quichua church growth, there are no fundamental Bible believing and teaching churches.