After the Nation of Israel, Ethiopia is one of the oldest nations where the Gospel has been preached. However, because of the rise of ISLAM in the 6th century the country became an Island surrounded by Islamic nations. But within the country, Coptic Orthodoxy spread and is the main religion today. It is estimated that forty percent of the population is Orthodox Christians. Geographically the people in the northern and central parts of the country are mainly orthodox while the south remained animistic till the end of the 19th century when Protestant missionaries started to evangelize Ethiopia. Revival also exploded in the 1960s through indigenous evangelicals in many parts of the country. Today, the Kale Hiwet, the Mekane Yesus, Mulu Wongel, and the Messerete Kristos churches are examples of the fruits of both missionary and indigenous evangelical works.

In 1974 military coup overthrew Emperor Haileselassie, and the government became indoctrinated with communism. They began persecuting evangelical believers, closing churches, imprisoning and torturing Christians throughout the country. Following this sever persecution and murder (Stalinist Red Terror), young people, Christians and non-Christians began to emigrate out of the country to the Sudan, Kenya, Djibouti, and from there to the United States and Canada.

Following this mass emigration, many Ethiopians began to come to Canada particularly since 1985. One of the amazing situations about Ethiopians is that they establish Bible study groups, Christian Fellowships, or a Church wherever they are before they do anything else. Today we have more than ten established churches and many fellowships throughout Canada, and one of them, and may be the largest Church is the Ethiopian Evangelical Church in Toronto.

There used to be three Churches in Toronto namely Ethiopian Evangelical Church, Bethlehem Evangelical Church, and Full Gospel Church. They were located in different parts of the City. However, after much prayer and arrangements, the three congregations came to Unity and became one since January 1999. This was a magnificent step in a time when division and animosities are broadly seen in many places.