People group profile · PG022535
The Semendo of Indonesia
The Semendo of Indonesia, numbering about 165,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Central Malay people of the South Sumatran highlands whose identity is distinguished by the matrilineal Tunggu Tubang inheritance system and longstanding settlement in the fertile coffee- and rice-growing uplands of the Barisan region.
They are an indigenous people in the Pasemah of Sumatra people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Central Malay.
Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 165,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Pasemah of Sumatra
- Primary language
- Central Malay (pse)
- 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: central Bukit Barisan highlands west to Indian Ocean along Bengkulu coast; Lampung province; South Sumatra province: Lematang and Ogan river valleys
Where they live
Gospel status
The Semendo 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 Semendo
- 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
Central Malay · Austronesian family
100% speak Central Malay
Gospel resources in Central Malay
- Bible available, published 1995
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- 1995 Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Semendo
- 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.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
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