People group profile · PG022523
The Nias of Indonesia
The Nias of Indonesia, numbering about 1,195,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a dialect of Nias (nia), a language of Indonesia (Sumatra), off west coast of Sumatra, Nias and Batu islands.
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 Nias.
Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 1,195,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Batak-Nias of Sumatra
- Primary language
- Nias (nia)
- Primary religion
- Protestantism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 10% or Greater but Less than 15%
- GSEC
- 10% or Greater Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Moderately Reached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- North Sumatra province: Batu, Nias and Mursala islands. Alasa, Sirombu and Mandrehe (Northwest dialect); Gomo, and south in Teluk Dalam and Batu islands (Central dialect)
Where they live
Gospel status
The Nias are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Nias
- 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
Nias · Austronesian family
100% speak Nias
Gospel resources in Nias
- Bible available, published 2006
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Nias)
Bibles
- Today's Nias Version, 2006 · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Nias
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
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