People group profile · PG022416
The Gbessi of Benin
The Gbessi of Benin, numbering about 146,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Benin, Atlantic Province, Kpomasse, Alada, and Tori-Bossito Subprefectures, individual and mixed villages; Mono Province, Bopa Subprefecture along Lake Aheme.
They are an indigenous people in the Other Sub-Saharan African people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Gbesi Gbe.
Fast facts
- Country
- Benin
- Population
- 146,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Other Sub-Saharan African
- Primary language
- Gbesi Gbe (gbs)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- 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
- Western Africa, Africa
- Location
- Atlantic province: Kpomasse, Alada, and Tori-Bossito Subprefectures, individual and mixed villages; Mono Province, Bopa Subprefecture along Lake Aheme
Where they live
Gospel status
The Gbessi 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 Gbessi
- 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
Animism · Ethnoreligion
95% adherents
Primary language
Gbesi Gbe · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Gbesi Gbe
Gospel resources in Gbesi Gbe
- Bible not available
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Gbessi
- 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.
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