Indonesia

Partner with Local Missionaries in Indonesia

Located in the 10/40 Window

Earning the honor of Southeast Asia’s largest economy, Indonesia is also the world’s largest country comprised only of islands. A vast archipelago between the Indian and Pacific oceans, Indonesia is made up of 13,466 islands—922 of which are permanently inhabited. The majority of the islands are coastal lowlands, though the largest islands—Java, Sumatra, Borneo, New Guinea, and Sulawesi—have some interior mountains. Indonesia is the most heavily forested region on earth after the Amazon.

Indonesia’s incredible diversity comes from its 300 distinct native ethnic groups. Though Indonesian is the country’s official language, most citizens speak other languages. More than 700 languages are used in Indonesia.

With the fourth largest population on earth, the country is the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world. More than 87 percent of the population is Muslim, with the majority being Sunni Muslim. An aggressive mosque-building program, fueled by petrol dollars, is part of the Islamic vision of an Indonesia free from Christians. Believers face high levels of persecution from radical Muslims, who are pushing Sharia-inspired laws in more and more communities.

Christianity has sustained continued growth throughout the past 50 years, especially among animist people, but nearly 100 million people remain unreached.

Indigenous missionaries face high levels of persecution and need assistance to help cover their living expenses as they persevere to share the gospel with unreached people groups. Bibles are needed for the 13 million believers in the 80-percent Muslim country, along with biblical training for Indonesian pastors. Among Indonesia’s Christian population is a strong need for biblical leadership and teaching. Many indigenous churches have no discipleship program. Biblical illiteracy is an enormous problem, which has allowed syncretism into the Church.

Motorbikes are needed for local translators, who create gospel recordings in native languages, and indigenous missionaries who follow up with villagers after they listen to the recordings. The availability of Scripture and gospel teaching in the heart languages of Indonesia’s tribal population will greatly benefit the growth and maturity of the Church.

Other needs include funding to help local missionaries and pastors start small businesses, which enable them to be self-sustaining and provide them with many opportunities to engage with people in their communities. More than 1,000 people have been reached with the gospel through these small businesses. Assistance is also needed for an indigenous ministry to continue its compassionate food distribution program, which feeds several hundred malnourished children in poor areas.

Sources: Joshua Project, CIA World Factbook, Operation World

269 million

Population

3.18%

Evangelical Population:

789

People Groups:

235

Unreached People Groups:

How to Pray for Indonesia

Pray for the more than 200 people groups in Indonesia that are still unreached with the gospel; ask the Lord for open doors and divine connections, that witnesses for Christ would soon be established in each of these groups.
Pray for wisdom and resources for indigenous missionaries as they share the gospel in strategic and creative ways.
Pray that the Lord would break the stronghold of Islam in Indonesia and open people’s eyes to the truth of Jesus Christ.

More stories from Indonesia

Help Disciple Christ-Followers in Indonesia

Almost every day, local missionaries conduct evening discipleship ministries in various places. During this time, believers study Christianity together to deepen their faith, focusing on topics such as Christmas and Easter, as well as other relevant issues through Christian booklets that the ministry prints for distribution and study purposes. "Our ministry is printing Bible lessons, distribution around Indonesia, seminars, training with various topics, and discipleship through small groups," the ministry leader said. Your donations of $25 or $50 help support evangelism and discipleship such as this.

Support Evangelism and Discipleship in Indonesia

New Christians learned to share their testimonies and pray in house churches spread across several villages, with local Christian workers using MP3 players to convey Bible passages to those who cannot read. Workers identified a “person of peace” in each village who helped them make contact with other people; one such “person of peace” shared his Bible with a friend who read passages and put his faith in Christ. “He brings the Bible in his handbag everywhere he goes,” the ministry leader said. “He uses it to evangelize people.” Workers need donations to carry out such evangelism and discipleship. Pray the Lord would strengthen and inspire local missionaries.

Help Send Salvation Message in Indonesia

A female church planter who led an impoverished mother to Christ began working alongside her in the fields so the work would get done earlier, creating time for Bible study and prayer. They prayed for the woman’s husband, who had long suffered mental illness, and he was healed and also received Christ. They were among the more than 670 people who were saved over a six-month period. Workers need donations for such gospel outreach. Pray against the efforts of the adversary to impede the spread of the message of eternal life.

Help Power Gospel Proclamation in Indonesia

A native Christian worker who pastors various home churches recently had the opportunity to share the gospel at a worship gathering that a curious newcomer visited. “He wants to come again and again to see and hear more teaching,” the ministry leader said. “Now the pastor has a dual focus – discipling the church and evangelizing new people who come.” Other home churches also have received visitors who accepted Christ. “The Holy Spirit really works and brings many people to Jesus for salvation,” the leader said. Workers need donations of $60 or $120 to share the gospel and disciple new Christians. Pray that new faith will prove bountiful in lifelong fruitfulness.

Help Plant Churches in Indonesia

A native ministry has 151 church planters sharing the gospel throughout the country, and over the course of six months they planted 34 house churches. Including people who heard about Christ through social media, workers shared the message of salvation with 15,800 people. Among those coming to Christ was a drug addict who had habitually robbed to support his habit; a church planter led him to Christ, and the former addict has now led two people to saving faith. He and the local missionary have started a small home fellowship. Donations are sought for such gospel work. Pray new Christians will come to know the fullness of Christ’s deity.

Help Workers Plant Churches in Indonesia

A secret Christian who has long been an influential Hindu priest has asked a native Christian worker to disciple him; he wants to learn more about how to follow Christ as he considers whether to make a public declaration of his faith. In villages where there were once only Hindus, people learned that some residents had stopped stealing and other wrongdoing because they put their faith in Christ. Over the course of six months, native workers led more than 20 people to Christ as they planted three house churches. Donations are sought for native missionaries to reach their own people with the gospel. Pray that transformed lives will draw more people to Christ.