People group profile · PG022787
The Balantak of Indonesia
The Balantak of Indonesia, numbering about 40,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Austronesian people of eastern Central Sulawesi's Banggai Regency in Indonesia, whose name means roughly our stronghold, historically governed by local chiefs within the Ternate Sultanate's trade network before Islam and Christianity spread after 1900.
They are an indigenous people in the Kaili-Tomini of Sulawesi people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Balantak.
Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 40,500
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Kaili-Tomini of Sulawesi
- Primary language
- Balantak (blz)
- 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
- Central Sulawesi province: Banggai regency, Balantak, Lamala, Luwuk, and Tinangkung Lamala sub-districts, at least 49 villages; Cape Talabu
Where they live
Gospel status
The Balantak 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 Balantak
- 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
70% adherents
Primary language
Balantak · Austronesian family
100% speak Balantak
Gospel resources in Balantak
- Bible available, published 2010
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Balantak)
Bibles
- Formal Balantak version, 2010 · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Balantak
- 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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