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People group profile · PG022633

The Bengoi of Indonesia

The Bengoi of Indonesia, numbering about 550 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Indonesia.

They are an indigenous people in the Maluku-Central people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Ambonese Malay.

Pray for the BengoiPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Bengoi people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2025). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Bengoi

Fast facts

Country
Indonesia
Population
550
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Maluku-Central
Primary language
Ambonese Malay (abs)
Primary religion
Animism
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
Maluku province: Werinama and Bula districts, Balakeo, Benggoi, and Lesa villages; Seram island, north Seram Sea coast

Where they live

Gospel status

The Bengoi 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 Bengoi

  • 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

Animism · Ethnoreligion

78% adherents

Primary language

Ambonese Malay · Austronesian family

100% speak Ambonese Malay

Gospel resources in Ambonese Malay

  • Bible available, published 2022
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Bengoi

  1. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  2. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  3. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  4. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.

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