People group profile · PG046643
The Northern Zaza of Turkiye
The Northern Zaza of Turkiye, numbering about 1,495,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethno-religious community of eastern Turkey. Zazas generally consider themselves Kurds and are often described as Zaza Kurds.
They are an indigenous people in the Kurd people cluster of the Persian-Median Peoples. Their primary religion is Shia Islam, and they primarily speak Kirmanjki (individual language).
Fast facts
- Country
- Turkiye
- Population
- 1,495,000
- Affinity group
- Central Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Kurd
- Primary language
- Kirmanjki (individual language) (kiu)
- Primary religion
- Shia 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
- Western Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Northern Zaza 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 Northern Zaza
- 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
Shia Islam · Islam
80% adherents
Primary language
Kirmanjki (individual language) · Indo-European family
60% speak Kirmanjki (individual language)
Gospel resources in Kirmanjki (individual language)
- Bible available, published 2023
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Dersim Zazaki)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Northern Zaza
- 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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