The World Evangelical Alliance has joined the Evangelical Churches Alliance to build the planned worship center for Christians living near the capital of the Middle Eastern country.
The project that will provide space for up to 10,000 worshippers is being built on land leased free of charge from the government. The center’s construction must be completed in five years.
Most of Qatar’s population of 2.7 million is made up of expatriates (88%). Around 15% of the population identify as Christians, representing primarily a diverse mix of Asian, African, European and North and South American foreign workers.
As a Muslim-majority nation, Qatar enforces strict rules on religious activities. While it permits expats belonging to registered faith groups to worship among themselves, evangelism is forbidden, and Muslims may not convert to any other religion.
For decades, churches made up of Evangelical expats have worshiped in private homes and rented spaces but did not have the right to build churches. Now they received permission from the Qatari government along with leased land to build a worship complex that could become home to all the churches affiliated with the government-recognized Evangelical Alliance..
Plans for the space include a worship center, a bookstore, a coffee shop and spaces for weddings and events to generate revenue.