People group profile · PG011554
The Bench of Ethiopia
The Bench of Ethiopia, numbering about 583,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Northern Omotic-speaking agricultural people indigenous to southwestern Ethiopia whose culture is rooted in the Bench Maji highlands, whose language is Bench (Bencnon), and whose contemporary religious landscape is predominantly Protestant Christian.
They are an indigenous people in the Omotic people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Bench.
Fast facts
- Country
- Ethiopia
- Population
- 583,000
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Omotic
- Primary language
- Bench (bcq)
- Primary religion
- Protestantism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 50% or Greater but Less than 75%
- GSEC
- 10% or Greater Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Significantly Reached People Group
- Also known as
- Benc, Gimira
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Mizan Teferi area
Where they live
Gospel status
The Bench are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Bench
- Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
- Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
- Send out laborers from this people to the nations
Primary religion
Protestantism · Christianity
65% adherents
Primary language
Bench · Ta-Ne-Omotic family
70% speak Bench
Gospel resources in Bench
- Bible available, published 2023
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- 1990 Bible Society of Ethiopia · audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Bench
- 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.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
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