People group profile · PG000406
The Eritreans of the Netherlands
The Eritreans of the Netherlands, numbering about 15,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a culturally rich and historically significant Semitic-speaking group in northern Ethiopia and Eritrea, known for their Tigrinya language, Orthodox Christian traditions, and influential role in the region's history and culture.
They are a diaspora people in the Ethio-Semitic people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Tigrinya.
Fast facts
- Country
- Netherlands
- Population
- 15,500
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Ethio-Semitic
- Primary language
- Tigrinya (tir)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Europe, Europe
Where they live
Gospel status
The Eritreans are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Eritreans
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Sunni Islam · Islam
95% adherents
Primary language
Tigrinya · Afro-Asiatic family
100% speak Tigrinya
Gospel resources in Tigrinya
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- Magdalena (Tigrinya, Ethiopia)
- The Savior (Tigrinya, Eritrea)
Bibles
- 1991 Bible Society of Ethiopia · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Eritreans
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
Tigre in other countries
The same people (ROP3 110051) is reported in 2 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tigre | Eritrea | 927,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Eritreans | United Kingdom | 21,500 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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