People group profile · PG001232
The Limbu of Bhutan
The Limbu of Bhutan, numbering about 4,600 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous ethnolinguistic people of eastern Nepal, with related communities in India's Sikkim, Darjeeling region of West Bengal, Assam, and parts of Bhutan. They are one of the major Kirati peoples of the eastern Himalayas.
They are an indigenous people in the South Himalayan people cluster of the Himalayan Peoples. Their primary religion is Kirati, and they primarily speak Limbu.
Fast facts
- Country
- Bhutan
- Population
- 4,600
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- South Himalayan
- Primary language
- Limbu (lif)
- Primary religion
- Kirati
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Trongsa district: 3 enclaves west of Mangde river; Wangdue Phodrang district: Adha, Jangji, Rukha, Thrumzur, and Wangling villages; dialects separated by the Black mountains
Where they live
Gospel status
The Limbu 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 Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Limbu
- 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
Gospel resources in Limbu
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Limbu)
Bibles
- ILLA and WBT · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Limbu
- 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.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
Limbu in other countries
The same people (ROP3 105776) is reported in 2 other countries.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.