People group profile · PG007657
The Central Sama of the Philippines
The Central Sama of the Philippines, numbering about 143,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of the Philippines.
They are an indigenous people in the Filipino, Muslim people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Central Sama.
Fast facts
- Country
- Philippines
- Population
- 143,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Filipino, Muslim
- Primary language
- Central Sama (sml)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- 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
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Central Sama 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 Central Sama
- 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
Folk Islam · Islam
Primary language
Central Sama · Austronesian family
100% speak Central Sama
Gospel resources in Central Sama
- Bible available, published 2012
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- 2008, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Central Sama
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- 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.
Sama, Central in other countries
The same people (ROP3 101933) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Sama | Malaysia | 69,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.