People group profile · PG022496
The Jambi of Indonesia
The Jambi of Indonesia, numbering about 1,410,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Malay community of central Sumatra whose identity was shaped by the historic Melayu kingdom of Jambi, the Batang Hari River basin, and longstanding interaction with neighboring Minangkabau and other Sumatran peoples.
They are an indigenous people in the Melayu of Sumatra people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Jambi Malay.
Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 1,410,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Melayu of Sumatra
- Primary language
- Jambi Malay (jax)
- 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
- Location
- Bengkulu province: small area south of Lake Dipatipan; Jambi province: widespread; Riau province: Indragiri Hulu and Indragiri Hilir regencies; South Sumatra province: northern border area; all on southeast West Sumatra province: Pessisir Selantan regenc
Where they live
Gospel status
The Jambi 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 Jambi
- 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
100% adherents
Primary language
Jambi Malay · Austronesian family
100% speak Jambi Malay
Gospel resources in Jambi Malay
- Bible available, published 2020
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories available
Films
- JESUS (Malay, Jambi)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Jambi
- 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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