People group profile · PG018266
The Southern Sama of Malaysia
The Southern Sama of Malaysia, numbering about 500,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic subgroup of the Sama, an Austronesian ethnic group indigenous to the Sulu Archipelago islands within the Mindanao region of the Philippines.
They are a diaspora people in the Filipino, Muslim people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Southern Sama.
Fast facts
- Country
- Malaysia
- Population
- 500,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Filipino, Muslim
- Primary language
- Southern Sama (ssb)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- 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
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Southern 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 Southern 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
Sunni Islam · Islam
99% adherents
Primary language
Southern Sama · Austronesian family
50% speak Southern Sama
Gospel resources in Southern Sama
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- Magdalena (Sama, Southern)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Southern Sama
- 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.
Sama, Southern in other countries
The same people (ROP3 109515) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Sama | Philippines | 215,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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