People group profile · PG007224
The Kham Tibetans of China
The Kham Tibetans of China, numbering about 2,545,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic subgroup of Tibetans indigenous to the Kham region encompassing parts of the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Qinghai, and eastern Tibet.
They are an indigenous people in the Tibetan people cluster of the Tibetan Peoples. Their primary religion is Tibetan Buddhism, and they primarily speak Khams Tibetan.
Fast facts
- Country
- China
- Population
- 2,545,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Tibetan
- Primary language
- Khams Tibetan (khg)
- Primary religion
- Tibetan Buddhism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Also known as
- Bodpa
- Region
- Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Kham Tibetans 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 Kham Tibetans
- 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
Tibetan Buddhism · Buddhism
99% adherents
Primary language
Khams Tibetan · Sino-Tibetan family
90% speak Khams Tibetan
Gospel resources in Khams Tibetan
- Bible available, published 2020
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Khampa, Eastern)
Bibles
- New Tibetan Version (Modern Literary) · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Kham Tibetans
- 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.
Khampa, Eastern in other countries
The same people (ROP3 114136) is reported in 2 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kham Tibetans | Bhutan | 1,300 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Khamba | India | 500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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