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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
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