How Does the CITA Ministry Spread the Gospel in Ethiopia?

The Ukrainian team of the international ministry “Christ is the Answer” (CITA) began collaborating with local ministers in Ethiopia by launching a media department in the country’s capital, Addis Ababa, in the summer of 2021.

In March 2022, CITA established its first daughter church, Christ is the Answer, along with a missionary center in the same location.

Three Years of Gospel Outreach in the Horn of Africa

By the end of 2024, 66 students have completed the Bible course at the CITA missionary center, with 40 graduates traveling across Ethiopia to establish 22 churches.

In partnership with local churches, ten large-scale crusades have been conducted in ten cities, including Muslim-majority areas.

Local ministers actively use CITA’s evangelism tools—newspapers, calendars, tents, and eye clinics—to spread the Gospel.

Media Department in Addis Ababa

In the summer of 2021, Ukrainian missionaries established a media center branch staffed by three employees.

The local media team is responsible for filming crusades, video editing, managing CITA’s social media presence, animation and graphic design, and producing evangelistic newspapers and calendars.

The media department has launched YouTube and Telegram channels and an Amharic-language Facebook page. These platforms feature sermons from Pastor Taras Sen, CITA’s director, along with quotes from various ministers, Bible verses, testimonies, and animated videos.

In early fall 2024, CITA in Ethiopia signed an agreement with the Christian TV channel GMM to broadcast programs in Amharic. Now, every week in the evening, local residents hear about Christ through television.

CITA Missionary School

In the fall of 2022, CITA launched a missionary school in Addis Ababa.

After three months of study, the fourth graduation ceremony took place in October this year. Every quarter, the missionary center enrolls a new group of 12-14 students for training.

Students study topics such as “New Testament Survey,” “Introduction to Church Planting,” “God’s Vision and Mission,” “Church Multiplication,” “Discipleship,” “Hermeneutics,” “Christian Leadership,” “Mission and Evangelism,” “Demonology,” “Marriage and Family,” and other pastoral ministry subjects.

According to Taras Sen, students in Ethiopia often fervently pray for Ukraine.

During his visits to Ethiopia, the director of CITA visits the missionary center and the daughter church in Addis Ababa, where he holds services, meets with missionary school graduates, conducts baptisms for new believers from different regions where CITA churches are established, and preaches at Sunday services.

CITA Churches in Ethiopia

In March 2022, following an evangelistic crusade, CITA established a daughter church under the same name.

Today, with the efforts of 40 local CITA missionaries, 22 churches have been planted in regions such as Oromia, Gambela, and Benishangul-Gumuz.

In the summer of 2023, in the predominantly Muslim city of Ziway Batu in Oromia, a CITA missionary school graduate, Mihretu, began preaching the Gospel and distributing Amharic-language “Christ is the Answer” newspapers. As a result, a new church community was formed.

Beyond worship services, the churches focus on pastoral care and evangelism. Some also conduct eye clinics, children’s ministries, family meetings, and charitable outreach events.

CITA Evangelism Tools

For street evangelism—including tent ministries and crusades—CITA publishes evangelistic newspapers in three languages: Amharic, Oromo, and Gumuz.

In the fall of 2024, the first edition of an evangelistic newspaper in the Gumuz language was printed for the Gambela region in western Ethiopia.

Since 2022, Christian calendars in Amharic and Oromo have been printed annually for free distribution among the population.

According to CITA’s director, printed materials are a powerful evangelistic tool in Ethiopia, where 70-80% of the population lacks internet access. Physical media remain highly relevant.

Eye Clinics as a Ministry Tool

CITA first used eye clinics for evangelism in Ukraine ten years ago. These clinics have proven especially effective in Islamic regions like Ethiopia, where they open doors for Gospel outreach.

Many people, including Muslims, seek medical assistance at these eye clinics held in various Ethiopian cities.

According to CITA missionaries, in one Muslim-majority city, local authorities allowed Christian ministry to continue after an eye clinic was held. Eventually, churches were planted there.

Senior minister Erubal Mulatu from the CITA missionary center in Addis Ababa shared that at one eye clinic, two families accepted Christ and later attended Sunday services.

Tent Evangelism in Addis Ababa

A tent ministry in Addis Ababa offers spiritual counseling, prayer, Christian newspapers, and CITA calendars to anyone interested.

Crusades in Ethiopia

Over 3.5 years, CITA and local ministers have conducted ten large-scale evangelistic crusades across Ethiopia.

The tenth crusade was held in Boditi, following previous events in Chuko, Harar, Dire Dawa, Shone, Sodo, Dilla, Hosanna, Durame, and Shinshicho.

The Ukrainian and Ethiopian teams meticulously prepare for each crusade with fasting, prayer, outreach, invitations, and stadium preparation.

Tens of thousands of people hear the Gospel. Many accept Christ, experience physical and emotional healing, and are freed from spiritual oppression.

During these events, Taras Sen conducts conferences and family meetings for local pastors.

At pastoral seminars, he emphasizes the responsibilities of a pastor and the challenges of ministry, stressing that a pastor’s primary duty is to care for the church.

Family meetings, set in a warm and romantic atmosphere, focus on building strong marriages and restoring broken relationships.

During crusades, missionaries distribute food packages to needy families and widows in the event cities and visit local hospitals.

CITA Ministry Press Center.