People group profile · PG022484
The Batak Karo of Indonesia
The Batak Karo of Indonesia, numbering about 922,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Indonesia (Sumatra), central and north, west and northwest of Lake Toba.
They are an indigenous people in the Batak-Nias of Sumatra people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Batak Karo.

Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 922,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Batak-Nias of Sumatra
- Primary language
- Batak Karo (btx)
- Primary religion
- Protestantism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5%
- GSEC
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Marginally Reached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Aceh province: Aceh Tenggara regency, at the border; North Sumatra province: Dairi, Deli Serdang, Karo, and Langkat regencies; Tapanuli Tengah regency, south small border area
Where they live
Gospel status
The Batak Karo are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Batak Karo
- 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
Primary language
Batak Karo · Austronesian family
76% speak Batak Karo
Gospel resources in Batak Karo
- Bible available, published 2003
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Batak Karo)
Bibles
- Today's Karo Version, 1987 · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Batak Karo
- 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.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
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