People group profile · PG015294
The Betsileo of Madagascar
The Betsileo of Madagascar, numbering about 5,410,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a highland people of Madagascar's Fianarantsoa province whose name, meaning the many invincible ones, honors King Besilau's 1670s victory over a Sakalava-Menabe invasion, later conquered by the expanding Merina kingdom.
They are an indigenous people in the Malagasy people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Plateau Malagasy.
Fast facts
- Country
- Madagascar
- Population
- 5,410,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Malagasy
- Primary language
- Plateau Malagasy (plt)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 10% or Greater but Less than 15%
- GSEC
- 10% or Greater Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Moderately Reached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Betsileo 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 Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Betsileo
- 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
Primary language
Plateau Malagasy · Austronesian family
100% speak Plateau Malagasy
Gospel resources in Plateau Malagasy
- Bible available, published 2011
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- Dikanteny Iombonana Eto Madagasikara · video
- Interconfessional Version · audio, text
- Protestant version 1985 based on Malagasy Protestant Bible 1965 · audio, text
- Revised Protestant Version · audio
- Roman Catholic Version 2010 based on text Malagasy Catholic Bible 2003 · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Betsileo
- 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.
- 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.
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