People group profile · PG022525
The Palembang of Indonesia
The Palembang of Indonesia, numbering about 4,120,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Malay people of South Sumatra whose identity emerged from the historic Palembang and Srivijaya heartlands, reflecting centuries of interaction among indigenous, Arab, Chinese, and other regional communities along the Musi River.
They are an indigenous people in the Musi of Sumatra people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Musi.
Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 4,120,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Musi of Sumatra
- Primary language
- Musi (mui)
- 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
- South Sumatra province: widespread in northern 2 thirds of province from Musi river upstream to Bukit Barisan mountains, downstream to coastal swamplands; Lampung province: northeast; border areas in Jambi and Bengkulu provinces
Where they live
Gospel status
The Palembang 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 Palembang
- 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
99% adherents
Primary language
Musi · Austronesian family
90% speak Musi
Gospel resources in Musi
- Bible available, published 2019
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Palembang)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Palembang
- 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.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
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