People group profile · PG022528
The Penesak of Indonesia
The Penesak of Indonesia, numbering about 31,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a South Sumatran Malay community of the Ogan Ilir and Muara Enim regions whose identity is expressed through the Penesak or Meranjat dialect, close ties to the Musi cultural sphere, and longstanding settlement in distinctive riverine enclaves.
They are an indigenous people in the Ogan of Sumatra people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Musi.
Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 31,500
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Ogan of Sumatra
- Primary language
- Musi (mui)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- 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 Penesak 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 No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Penesak
- 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
95% adherents
Primary language
Musi · Austronesian family
100% 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 Penesak
- 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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