People group profile · PG041724
The Chero of India
The Chero of India, numbering about 177,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a historically prominent cultivating community of east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar whose name derives from chera, meaning snake. The Chero once ruled a kingdom across the Gangetic plain and today practice settled agriculture.
They are an indigenous people in the South Asian Tribal people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Hinduism, and they primarily speak Sadri.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 177,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- South Asian Tribal
- Primary language
- Sadri (sck)
- Primary religion
- Folk Hinduism
- 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
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Uttar Pradesh: Mirzapur district; Bihar: Palamu, Ranchi, Bhojpur, and Champaran districts; also West Bengal: Jalpaiguri district
Where they live
Gospel status
The Chero 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 Chero
- 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
Folk Hinduism · Hinduism
80% adherents
Primary language
Sadri · Indo-European family
100% speak Sadri
Gospel resources in Sadri
- Bible available, published 2023
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- Indian Evangelical Mission · audio
- Indian Evangelical Mission · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Chero
- 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.
- 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.
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