People group profile · PG006195
The Western Tharu of Nepal
The Western Tharu of Nepal, numbering about 473,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Nepal.
They are an indigenous people in the Nepali-Pahari people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Dangaura Tharu.
Fast facts
- Country
- Nepal
- Population
- 473,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Nepali-Pahari
- Primary language
- Dangaura Tharu (thl)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Lumbini province: Banke, Bardiya, Dang, and Kapilvastu districts; Sudur Pashchimanchal province: Kailali and Kanchanpur districts
Where they live
Gospel status
The Western Tharu 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 Western Tharu
- 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
Animism · Ethnoreligion
80% adherents
Primary language
Dangaura Tharu · Indo-European family
90% speak Dangaura Tharu
Gospel resources in Dangaura Tharu
- Bible available, published 2023
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- 2018 Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Western Tharu
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
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