History
Malta is located in the Mediterranean Sea, just south of Sicily, and is
made up of five, small islands; the largest of these islands is Malta. It
was established as a Phoenician colony around 1,000 BC. Over the centuries,
Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Normans and French controlled the
islands. The English Navy drove French forces out of Malta in 1814 and it
became an official part of the British Empire. Malta was granted the right
to form a constitution and was made an independent nation in September 1964.
Malta has developed close political and economic ties to Libya, and visa
requirements are nonexistent. Malta formally joined the European Union in
2004.
Church
History
David Wulff, a Norwegian, was the first Pentecostal missionary to minister
in Malta. Arriving in 1971, he immediately began working. By 1973, a Pentecostal
assembly called Knisja Kristjana Evangelika (Christian Evangelical Church)
was established. However, most of the Pentecostals in this church were non-Maltese
and they eventually left for other countries. As a result, only six believers
remained. Discouraged, they stopped meeting. In 1981, a missionary-evangelist
named David Flanders arrived from England. He encouraged the Pentecostal
nationals to begin meeting again. The Fellowship steadily grew and eventually
joined the Assemblies of God.
The
Movement Today
Ninety-eight percent of Malta claims to be Roman Catholic, and Pentecostal
believers face much opposition. However, five Assemblies of God churches
regularly meet in Malta. These congregations are actively involved in community
evangelism. They distribute Christian literature and organize public outreaches
and worship services. Global University has established a national office
in Malta to disciple new converts and train national ministers and Christian
workers. Global also works closely with the national church to distribute
evangelism courses throughout the islands.
The Assemblies of God in Malta report the following statistics: three national
ministers, five churches and 200 members and adherents.
Additional
Facts About Malta
Capital:
Valleta
Area:
122 square miles
Population:
400,420
Ethnic Groups: Maltese (descendants of Carthaginians and
Phoenicians, with strong Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
Languages: Maltese and English (both official)
Agriculture:
Potatoes, cauliflower, melons and tomatoes
Industry: Tourism, electronics, construction, textiles
and food products |
