People group profile · PG022861
The Selayar of Indonesia
The Selayar of Indonesia, numbering about 174,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an island people of South Sulawesi's Selayar archipelago in Indonesia, closely related to the Makassar, whose pre-Islamic trading kingdom drew merchants from China, the Philippines, and Thailand and was later fought over for its cotton textiles.
They are an indigenous people in the Bugi-Makassar of Sulawesi people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Selayar.
Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 174,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Bugi-Makassar of Sulawesi
- Primary language
- Selayar (sly)
- 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
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- South Sulawesi province: Selayar island
Where they live
Gospel status
The Selayar 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 Selayar
- 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
97% adherents
Primary language
Selayar · Austronesian family
100% speak Selayar
Gospel resources in Selayar
- Bible available, published 2012
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Selayar)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Selayar
- 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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