People group profile · PG022486
The Batak Toba of Indonesia
The Batak Toba of Indonesia, numbering about 3,255,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Austronesian people of North Sumatra's Lake Toba and Samosir Island whose legendary ancestors descended at the sacred mountain Pusuk Buhit, ruled by twelve priest-kings of the Sisingamangaraja dynasty, remaining outside colonial reach until 1890.
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 Toba.
Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 3,255,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Batak-Nias of Sumatra
- Primary language
- Batak Toba (bbc)
- Primary religion
- Protestantism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 5% or Greater but Less than 10%
- GSEC
- 5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Marginally Reached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- North Sumatra province: Asahan, Humbang Hasundutan, Labuhan Batu Utara, Samosir, Simalungan, south Tapanuli Tengah, Tapanuli Utara, and Toba Samosir regencies; Samosir island; east, south, and west of Lake Toba
Where they live
Gospel status
The Batak Toba are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 5% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Batak Toba
- 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 Toba · Austronesian family
76% speak Batak Toba
Gospel resources in Batak Toba
- Bible available, published 2002
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- Alkitab Batak Toba Formal (revised ed.) · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Batak Toba
- 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.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.