click to enlarge GEOGRAPHYArea 1 , 919 , 317 sq . km . The Republic ' s 17 , 000 islands ( 4 , 000 inhabited ) stretch 6 , 400 km of land over 9 . 5 million sq . km of the Indian / Pacific Oceans , with 23 provinces , 2 special regions and the capital district . PopulationAnn . Gr . Density 2000212 , 991 , 926 + 1 . 44 % 111 per sq . km . 2010239 , 026 , 778 + 1 . 09 % 125 per sq . km . 2025274 , 627 , 097 + 0 . 84 % 143 per sq . km . The world ' s 4 th most populous nation . Population density varies from Java ' s 951 people / sq . km to West Papua ' s ( formerly lrian Jaya ) 5 / sq . km . Capital Jakarta 12 . 2 mill . Other major cities : Surabaya 2 . 85 m ; Bandung 2 . 8 m ; Medan 2 . 05 m ; Palembang 1 . 5 m ; Semarang 1 . 48 m ; Makassar ( Ujung Pandang ) 1 . 23 m ; Tanjungkarang 1 , 025 , 000 . Urbanites 39 %. PEOPLESMajor peoples – using preferred Indonesian spelling . See under regions below for more detail . Indo - Malay 94 %. Jawa 90 mill . ; Sunda 35 m ; Madura 3 . 5 m ; Minangkabau 7 . 5 m ; Batak 6 . 5 m ; Banjar 5 m ; Bali 3 . 9 m ; Bugi 3 . 8 m ; Aceh 3 m ; Dayak 2 . 9 m ; Makassar 2 . 2 m ; Deli 2 m ; Riau 2 m ; Sasak 2 m ; Toraja 1 . 3 m . Chinese 4 %. Many are becoming integrated into the Indonesian majority . only 20 % still consistently use Chinese dialects . Scattered throughout the nation . Mainly urban . Papua peoples 1 . 2 %. In West Timor , Alor , Halmahera and Papua . Other 0 . 8 %. Arab , Indian , European , mixed race . Literacy 83 . 8 %; rising steadily . Official language Indonesian ( Bahasa Indonesia ) . Its increasing use is both unifying the nation and lessening the importance of smaller languages to the younger generation . All languages 726 ; 18 spoken by more than one million speakers ; 247 spoken in Papua . Languages with Scriptures 20 Bi 38 NT 77 por . ECONOMYIncreasingly diversified economy based on oil , gas , forest products , agriculture and textiles , with large reserves of many minerals . Steady economic improvement of 30 years came to a stunning halt in the Asian economic crisis which began in 1997 . The large devaluation of the local currency led to inflation and a reduction in living standards . In 1996 11 % of the population lived below the poverty line , but by 2000 it was 48 %. Economic recovery is hampered by endemic corruption , the continuing strength of anti - democratic forces , the spread of sectarian ( largely Islamist ) violence and lack of bank and debt restructuring . These hold back the inflow of international aid and finance . Environmental damage has been immense with widespread deforestation in Sumatra , Kalimantan and elsewhere . Inflation was reduced to 5 % by 2000 . HDI 0 . 681 ; 105 th / 174 . Public debt ( 2000 ) 99 % of GNP . Income / person $ 450 ( 1 . 4 % of USA ) . POLITICSColonial rule by Portuguese ( 1511 - 1605 ) , Dutch ( 1605 - 1942 , 1945 - 9 ) , British ( 1807 - 1815 ) and Japanese ( 1942 - 45 ) . The populist President Sukarno ruled for 22 years until deposed by General Suharto after the abortive Communist coup in 1965 . President Suharto sought to bring economic growth while crushing political dissent . The economic crisis in 1997 was the spark that led to Suharto ' s downfall , following large demonstrations against the corruption and nepotism of the regime . The transition to a popularly elected government in 1999 has been traumatic . The government has been strongly opposed by an alliance of powerful extremists in both the military and Islamic parties . Both groups manipulate ethnic and religious differences to protect or strengthen their economic and political power base and discredit the democratic movement . The appalling human rights record of the government and army threatens Indonesia with possible disintegration . There are strong secessionist movements ; the most serious being in Aceh ( Sumatra ) where thousands have perished in 10 years of bitter fighting ; and East Timor ( Timor Lorosae ) where independence and then devastation resulted in 1999 . RELIGIONMonotheism and communal peace are the basis for the stated government ideology of Pancasila . All citizens must choose one of five religions : Islam , Hinduism , Buddhism or Christianity ( Protestant or Catholic ) . The numerical and political strength of Islam has been increasingly exercised since 1990 to give it preferential treatment , limit Christian expansion , and reduce Christian influence in public life . There are , therefore , some restrictions imposed on evangelism and many Christians seek to avoid antagonizing the Muslim majority . Persecution index 28 th in the world . ReligionsPopulation % AdherentsAnn . Gr . Muslim 80 . 30171 , 032 , 517 + 1 . 3 % Christian 16 . 0034 , 078 , 708 + 2 . 0 % Hindu 1 . 904 , 046 , 847 + 1 . 4 % Traditional ethnic 1 . 002 , 129 , 919 + 1 . 4 % Chinese 0 . 501 , 064 , 960 - 0 . 5 % Buddhist 0 . 30638 , 976 + 1 . 4 % Religious statistics are a sensitive political issue . Official and unofficial figures often differ widely . Muslims are officially 87 %, but actually far less . Approximately 30 % of Indonesian Muslims are ' high identity and high practice ' Muslims . Another 35 % are considered ' high identity but low practice ' with the remaining 35 % considered ' low identity and low practice ' Muslims . Many in this latter group , though enumerated as Muslims in census figures , would either be followers of the Jawa mystical religion , Kebatinan , which predates Islam , or animists who have ( to a greater or lesser extent ) accepted some of the outward aspects of Islam . Islam is strongest in Sumatra , West and East Java , and in many coastal areas in the east of the country . Animism is not officially recognized by the government but is strong among some peoples in Papua , Sumba and inland Sumatra , Kalimantan , Sulawesi , etc . The folk Islam followed by many Indonesian Muslims is strongly influenced by animism . Nation - wide it is a dominant spiritual force . ChristiansDenom . Affil . %, 000 Ann . Gr . Protestant 2307 . 0515 , 021 + 3 . 0 % Independent 211 . 583 , 358 + 1 . 9 % Anglican 10 . 003 + 0 . 6 % Catholic 12 . 725 , 800 + 1 . 4 % Marginal 100 . 11236 + 1 . 8 % Unaffiliated 4 . 549 , 661 n . a . ChurchesMegaBlocCong . M embersAffiliatesCatholicC 8 , 0003 , 200 , 0005 , 800 , 000 HKPB – Batak ( Luth ) P 2 , 4001 , 350 , 0002 , 700 , 000 GPdI ( Pentecostal ) I 1 , 700850 , 0001 , 420 , 000 GMIT – W Timor ( Ref ) P 1 , 500700 , 000850 , 000 GBI – Bethel ( CoG ) P 1 , 320380 , 000700 , 000 GMIM – Minahasa ( Ref ) P 700256 , 000640 , 000 GBI – Jakarta ( Ref ) P 2 , 800280 , 000630 , 000 GKI – I - J ( Ref ) P 1 , 100300 , 000600 , 000 GKII – ( CMA ) P 2 , 206193 , 010560 , 689 Assoc of Chr FoundationsI 1 , 588270 , 000550 , 000 GPIB – W Indon ( Ref ) P 223190 , 000500 , 000 GPM – Maluku ( Ref ) P 796317 , 467453 , 978 Toraja Church ( Ref ) P 710200 , 000400 , 000 BNKP – Nias ( Luth ) P 578160 , 000360 , 000 HKI – Sumatra ( Luth ) I 630133 , 000350 , 000 GIdI ( Evangelical ) P 675180 , 000350 , 000 Pentecostal Ch of GodI 187140 , 000310 , 800 Seventh - day AdventistP 1 , 089173 , 128289 , 124 GKE – Kalimantan ( Ref ) P 960104 , 000260 , 000 GKPI – N . Sumatra ( Luth ) P 940171 , 544255 , 601 GB – TabernacleI 667100 , 000250 , 000 GBKP – Karo Batak ( Ref ) P 646100 , 000250 , 000 GKJ – Java ( Ref ) P 250132 , 000220 , 000 GKPS – Simalungun ( Luth ) P 50086 , 000190 , 417 S . A . GKI – Jakarta ( Ref ) [ 4 ] P 17080 , 000190 , 000 GKST – Sulawesi ( Ref ) P 36060 , 000180 , 000 GKS – Sumba ( Ref ) P 7568 , 000180 , 000 Baptist Chs of IP 83282 , 229160 , 000 GUP ( Pentecostal ) P 32772 , 000160 , 000 GKJW – East Java ( Ref ) P 11897 , 442153 , 000 Assemblies of GodP 1 , 20060 , 000150 , 000 GMIH – Halmahera ( Ref ) P 32857 , 342150 , 000 PGGB – I J ( Baptist ) P 20674 , 581150 , 000 GMIST – Sanghir - T ( Ref ) P 35580 , 000130 , 000 GBIS – Full GospelI 44063 , 000105 , 000 Ev Alliance – Ir . Jaya [ 2 ] P 35045 , 00085 , 000 GTdI CoG ProphecyP 20012 , 19082 , 000 GMI – ( Methodist ) P 23539 , 50079 , 000 GITJ – Java ( Ref ) P 7447 , 00069 , 000 Gereja Kristen RahmaniP 27825 , 00050 , 000 Other denoms [ 220 ] 10 , 0511 , 641 , 233 , 454 , 099 Total Christians [ 264 ] 47 , 76412 , 570 , 66324 , 417 , 708 Trans - bloc Groupingspop . %, 000 Ann . Gr . Evangelical 4 . 08 , 583 + 4 . 0 % Charismatic 2 . 75 , 835 + 1 . 9 % Pentecostal 2 . 45 , 043 + 1 . 6 % Missionaries from Indonesia P , I , A an est . 3 , 000 of which over 70 are in 22 foreign countries . Expatriates in Indonesia P , I , A an est . 1 , 000 + in over 100 agencies . click for legend Answers to PrayerPraise God for the thrilling growth of the Church over the past 40 years . During this period , Evangelicals have grown from 1 . 3 mill . ( 1 . 3 % of the population ) to 11 . 5 m ( 5 . 4 %). Specific details : 1 The Communist coup of 1965 and its bloody aftermath , in which maybe 500 , 000 Communist sympathizers perished , also led other sympathizers to become Christians . 2 Fierce Muslim reprisals on the Communists offended many – especially in Java . Many nominal Muslims turned to Christ . 3 The harsh extremism of Islamists has repelled many moderate Muslims and the legalisms of Islam , such as forbidding the eating of pork , has made Christianity more attractive to animists . 4 The government mandate that each citizen adhere to one of five recognized religions impelled many animists to consider the claims of the gospel . 5 The lives of committed Christians and their vibrant witness has made an impact on a society influenced by the power of the occult . 6 Outpourings of the Holy Spirit brought revival in the 1960 s in West Timor , in the ' 70 s in East and Central Java , and in the ' 80 s and ' 90 s in some major cities . 7 Great people movements to Christ have occurred in many animistic peoples , among three of the 8 Jawa sub - groups and also among Indonesians of Chinese descent . Over 50 % of the latter are now Christian . 8 The multiplication of evangelistic prayer meetings has been accompanied by the rapid growth of Pentecostal and charismatic denominations and fellowships . 9 Rising levels of persecution in the 1990 s has fuelled greater unity among Christians , the growth of a National Prayer Movement and commitment to cross - cultural outreach in Indonesia and beyond . Challenges for Prayer 1 The democratic government elected in 1999 faces a daunting task . Its first years were characterized by vacillation and powerlessness in the face of extremist demands from the minority Islamists and manipulation by the powerful old guard of the former regime . Pray that the President , Vice President and the government may be courageous , decisive and fair in bringing betterment to the whole nation . The old culture of corruption , cronyism and nepotism must be rooted out and the serious economic and regional issues addressed . 2 A spiritual conflict rages for Indonesia . Ancient and powerful occult powers seek to deny the power of the gospel , while modern Muslim stratagems to eliminate the influence of Christians have the ultimate goal of removing the presence of the gospel . Pray specifically for the binding of these powers and for continued growth of the Church in the midst of intense opposition and growing persecution . 3 The creeping Islamization of Indonesia is eroding the long - prevailing communal tolerance and religious freedom . The former regime began to actively promote this process during the 1990 s . Muslims were favoured in appointments in government , military and academic institutions . A massive mosque - building programme , together with transmigration of Muslims to Christian - majority areas was undertaken . Christians have become marginalized , increasingly persecuted and restricted in church meetings and evangelism . The Islamists ' stated aim is the complete elimination of Christianity in the country . There has been an orchestrated Islamic jihad against Christians – with over 600 churches destroyed by mobs . Some Christian - majority areas , such as Timor Lorosae ( East Timor ) and Ambon , have been subjected to outright military attacks and killings . Pray for : a ) The frustration of these plans discrediting of Muslim extremism and a re - examination by many Muslims of their own religion in the light of Scripture . Pray that Muslims may seek true relationship with God through Christ . b ) The nation ' s leaders , that they not bow to Muslim extremist pressure , which could polarize the nation with disastrous results . c ) Christians to respond with tact , love and also firmness , and in all ways commend the gospel . Pray that fear of witnessing might be replaced by courage to share about Jesus . d ) Heartfelt repentance among all Christians for the ways they have damaged their witness by attitudes and actions of enmity and reprisals towards Muslims . e ) The 65 + million nominal and syncretistic Muslims , that their eyes be opened to the truth in Jesus , and come to Him . 4 The enemy ' s counter - attack within the Church is no less severe . While praising God for Christian growth , pray also for the overcoming of these weaknesses : a ) Too much sensational publicity which exalts man or the miraculous ( as with the revival in West Timor ) or which provokes the attention of those who would oppose the ongoing work of the Spirit . b ) Too few teachers and disciplers for those seeking the Lord . Many traditional churches cannot adequately disciple new believers , and new seekers often do no more than increase the population of nominal Christians . c ) The growth of error . Inadequate teaching has led to a multiplicity of errors , growth of liberal theologies , syncretistic Christianity loaded with occultism and animistic thought patterns and the controversy over ' prosperity ' theology in some charismatic city churches . d ) Nominalism which has blighted the Church in areas that have been Christian for centuries : Manado in North Sulawesi , North Sumatra , West Timor and Maluku . Many denominations are spiritually lifeless and riddled with carnality , internal politics , divisions and active practice of indigenous occultism . These bodies need renewal and revival with many having a true conversion experience . 5 The need for spiritual leaders of maturity in the churches has never been greater . The pastor has heightened importance in Indonesian church life because the majority of Christians follow the Reformed and Lutheran traditions from the Netherlands and Germany . These strongly differentiate between clergy and laity . Yet rapid growth of the Church has far outstripped the supply of full - time workers . Pray for : a ) The development of effective lay leadership . only a third of Reformed / Lutheran congregations have a pastor . Trained lay leadership is therefore essential . b ) Continuing training and discipleship for church leaders in general and pastors in particular . Many pastors have had inadequate training and need to be retrained and fired with new zeal . Some even need to be born of the Spirit . c ) Effective teaching and discipling in primary and secondary level Bible schools in many parts of the country . Many of these are evangelical and often provide pastors for rural congregations . d ) The 40 degree - level seminaries , about half being influenced by liberal theology . Pray for evangelical faculty members . Pray also for the writing and publishing of more evangelical theological works in Indonesian . Pray for an increase in the number of evangelical pastors in the large and influential regional Lutheran and Reformed churches . e ) The 18 evangelical seminaries relating to the Asian Theological Association . All are bulging with students and potential . Pray for an outflow of life through graduates from these institutions to old and new churches and to the mission fields of Indonesia and beyond . f ) The spiritual quality and commitment of current pastors and spiritual leaders to be high . This is even more vital than discipling and recruiting new pastors and spiritual leaders . Pray especially that current developing leaders might have a willingness to go to the harder areas of the country for Jesus ' sake . 6 A vision for the evangelization of Indonesia has grown as the opposition has increased . A conference in Jakarta in 1988 united ecumenical , Pentecostal and evangelical Protestants in a common vision . From 1996 onwards national and regional consultations have focused on unreached Indonesian peoples . About 130 million individuals in over 300 peoples are in this category . Excellent research was done by the National Research Network and there has been a significant increase in Indonesian agencies placing workers among these peoples . Pray that Christians may fully use present freedoms to tactfully but boldly reach out to them . Pray for the attainment of these visions : a ) A viable witnessing church for every people group in the country . Indonesia contains 130 people groups larger than 10 , 000 people which have a Christian population of under 1 %. There are another 200 + unreached people groups of less than 10 , 000 people . Pray that the Indonesian Church may take the lead as expatriate workers partner with them . b ) A church in every village . Of the 76 , 000 villages in the country , 50 , 000 are without a church . c ) A unified Indonesian prayer movement , with a prayer group in every neighbourhood linked into prayer networks in every city and province . 7 Development of a missionary vision . The history and background of Indonesian Christianity is unique . Indonesians are able to make a significant contribution to world evangelization . Pray for : a ) Churches to be gripped by the challenge of hundreds of unreached peoples in their own country and in other lands of Asia and Africa . The financial and manpower resources are there . b ) The sending out of Christians – individuals , teams and communities – as migrants to unevangelized areas ; going out with a vision for church planting . Christians will need to be set free from tribalism , denominationalism and local loyalties . c ) Indonesian missionary agencies are increasing in number . Many are denominationally based . Most are involved in evangelistic and church - planting ministries within Indonesia , and a few have workers outside the country . Some Indonesians are also serving with international missions ( YWAM , OM , OMF / CCM , CLC , WEC and others ) . 8 The Transmigration Scheme is one of the world ' s largest planned resettlements of people ever organized . Vast areas of virgin territory in Sumatra , Kalimantan , Sulawesi and Papua have been opened up for migrants from overpopulated Java and Bali . Over 8 million were relocated between 1969 and 1998 . These new settlements have been hard on the newcomers ; with harsh conditions , poor soils and inefficient financing and communications . Yet among these migrants there is an openness to the gospel , and Christian groups have thrived despite the preferential selection of Muslims . Pray that these Christians may be lights for the Lord in areas never before evangelized – especially Sumatra and Sulawesi . There are also large numbers of migrants to the cities . Urban areas are rapidly becoming multi - cultural centres where people are more open to the gospel . 9 Young people are a vital mission field . Present ministry in churches and by interdenominational agencies are inadequate . Pray for : a ) Students in universities . They number 1 . 5 million in over 800 universities and colleges . There are a further 1 . 8 million in tertiary and teacher training colleges . It is estimated that 30 % of faculty and students are Christian . A number of specialized agencies have extensive ministry on campuses ( Navigators , IFES , CCCI and others ) . Yet many campuses still lack an organized Christian witness . A new feature is a growing number of Islamic universities . A significant minority of Indonesians study overseas – pray that they may be reached in other lands . b ) School children . In primary education there are 26 million and in secondary over l 0 million students . CEF has 28 full - time workers among children and teaching others in ministry to them . 10 The work of missions has been blessed of God despite the obstacles of geography , bureaucracy and the spirit world . Praise God for the fruitful ministry of Dutch and German missions before World War II and many other international missions since then . Stand with these brothers and sisters in the battle for : a ) Visas . Tightening of restrictions on the entry , residence and ministry of missionaries is making entry more difficult . Pray that those the Lord wants in the country may obtain visas . b ) Innovative ministry alternatives for those seeking to live out a committed Christian life and witness in Indonesia – as business professionals , teachers , students , etc . Pray for effective cooperation among those focused on incarnating the gospel among unreached peoples . Pray also for the calling of new workers from within and outside Indonesia . c ) Missionaries who are serving in animistic areas of West Kalimantan and Papua , where the young churches are developing to maturity . Church / mission relationships are an area that must be covered in prayer . d ) The great lack of missionaries in Sumatra , Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi to be filled . Pray that no island may remain unserved by national or international gospel workers . e ) The wide variety of international mission organizations working in Indonesia . Major ministries include teaching , theological training , assisting in the training of Indonesian missionaries , development work and supporting Indonesian media ministries such as literature and radio . Pray for more Asian missionaries to come to Indonesia . 11 Supportive ministries : a ) Bible translation . The Bible Society and other groups are involved in over 100 translation projects across the country . The rapid reduction in expatriate visas has severely hampered the progress on many translations . Pray for their speedy completion . Pray also for the Indonesian Bible translation agency , Kartidaya , and for the calling of many Indonesian translators . NTM have a number of translator teams in the country . Indonesia is one of the major unmet Bible translation challenges in the world today , despite the increasing use of Indonesian , having 155 languages with a definite need and a further 360 with a possible need . b ) Literature . There is an insatiable appetite for good Christian literature , but too little is widely available at a price people can afford . Transportation costs can equal the cost of production . Numerous Indonesian organizations and international missions have extensive printing and publishing ministries . Most are primarily focused on providing books and other resources for Christians and churches . Some are focused on outreach and evangelistic follow - up . The economic crisis since 1997 has severely affected these ministries . Pray for the provision of literature to meet the need , especially that which is locally written – indigenous authors are few . Too often the materials are merely translations of English books which are less appropriate to the Indonesian situation . c ) Missionary flying . This is a boon to Christian workers in this huge , rugged island nation , but it is costly and dangerous . Indonesia is MAF - US ' s greatest global effort with 28 aircraft ( including 4 float planes and one helicopter ) operating from 11 bases throughout the islands . In some areas of Kalimantan , Sulawesi and Papua missionary work would be impossible without it . NTM , WT and SdAs also have flying programmes . Pray for the staff and for safety of the planes . Pray also for efforts made to fulfil government requirements in training Indonesian pilots . d ) The use of traditional art forms , such as Wayang shadow puppets . This is a powerful but little - used means of communicating the gospel . e ) The JESUS film was completed in Indonesian and a further 20 languages by 2000 . Another 90 language versions are in preparation . Pray for the liberty to show the film all over the country , and pray for film teams – their safety , travel , effective links with local churches and good follow - through . f ) Practical ministries . Development programmes , preventative medical programmes and literacy all provide opportunities for sharing the gospel ( WVI and World Relief Commission ) . g ) Christian radio . There is continuing development of local language broadcasting in Java , Sumatra and Sulawesi . Pray especially for programmes that are being produced for less - reached peoples on these islands . There are Christian programmes in Indonesian that are broadcast on the national network . International broadcasters transmit 75 hrs / wk in Indonesian ( TWR , FEBC ) , and 4 hrs / wk in 15 other languages , most with few Christians . At least 10 languages with over 1 million speakers have no broadcasts . Funding and personnel for appropriate follow - up with listeners who respond is a crucial need . h ) Audio ministry . Over 440 languages and dialects are now recorded ; the goal of GRN is 560 . The widespread use of Indonesian has made many insensitive to the need for the gospel in the heart language of the people – pray for better use of this medium . Click on map to enlargeThe Islands of IndonesiaEach major island or island archipelago is so unique and complex that some of the more significant are handled separately – from west to east . The map on the previous page will help locate them . SUMATRA GEOGRAPHYArea 473 , 000 sq . km . The world ' s 5 th largest island . A vast potential storehouse of minerals and agricultural produce ; but much is untamed jungle , swamp and volcanic mountains , with poor surface communications . Population 40 , 477 , 000 in seven provinces : Bengkulu ; Jambi ; Lampung ; Riau ; Bangka - Belitung ; North , South and West Sumatra ; and the special autonomous district of Aceh . People / sq . km . : 85 . PEOPLESMajor peoples : Aceh , Batak , Minangkabau , Deli , Riau , Lampung and many Melayu ( Malay ) sub - groups . RELIGIONOfficial figures ( 1985 ) : Muslim 85 . 9 %; Christian 10 . 7 % ( Protestant 9 . 2 %, Catholic 1 . 5 %); Buddhist 2 . 2 %; Hindu 0 . 5 %; Other ( including animist ) 0 . 7 %. Challenges for Prayer 1 Sumatra is the largest unevangelized island on earth . Most of its peoples are staunchly Muslim . If it were a nation , only 9 other nations would have more unreached peoples . Sumatra is the home of 52 known unreached people groups consisting of 25 million people . Of the 52 , 48 have no indigenous churches and 34 of them have no known gospel workers . 2 Christians are strong among formerly animist peoples – the only areas where the Dutch colonial administration allowed mission work . These are : a ) Bataks speaking seven languages and totalling 6 . 5 million . The Toba , Dairi , Karo and Simalungun are probably 75 % Christian – Lutherans , Methodists , Reformed and Pentecostals , with some residual animism . Most of the Angkola and Mandailing are Muslim with only a small minority of Christians . The Batak are a dynamic people who have migrated all over Indonesia and who are prominent in the armed forces , police and in business , yet their ethnic pride and strong adherence to old customs combines with frequent enmity with Sumatran Muslim peoples to hinder Bataks ' effectiveness as cross - cultural witnesses . b ) The Nias ( 530 , 000 ) and Mentawai ( 55 , 000 ) living on islands off Sumatra ' s west coast . Nearly all are Lutherans , but sadly nominalism and animistic practices are widespread . Some Muslim groups are actively involved in seeking to convert them . A new and more intelligible Bible translation is being prepared for publication in Nias . Pray for a new obedience to its contents . c ) The Chinese , mostly in the cities and industrial areas with large numbers of professing Christians ; although many still follow traditional religions and Buddhism . There is much Christian activity and evangelism being done within these communities by younger and more vigorous denominations and agencies . Pray that these Christians may be revived and break out of their ethnic cocoons to become effective witnesses to the non - Christian peoples around them . 3 The Muslim majority has had little exposure to the gospel . There were never more than a few dozen foreign missionaries committed to reach them ( WEC , IMF , Methodists , Baptists ) , but few remain . Some recent and encouraging progress has been made in the number of Indonesian and international Christians living among these groups , who have a heart to reach out in love and witness . 4 The unreached : a ) The 3 million Aceh people of northern Sumatra are strongly Muslim and have been influential in spreading Islam to other Indonesian peoples . There are less than 50 Aceh believers with most living outside the area . The New Testament was published in 1992 . Unrest and violence associated with an independence movement has plagued the province for over 300 years . b ) The less strongly Muslim peoples of North Sumatra . There are very few , if any , Christians among the Tamiang ( 900 , 000 ) , Gayo ( 200 , 000 ) and Simeulue ( 130 , 000 ) , but more among the Angkola and Mandailing Batak . There is only a limited outreach to these peoples . c ) The Minangkabau of West Sumatra ( 7 . 5 m ) and related groups such as the Rejang ( 500 , 000 ) and Kerinci ( 400 , 000 ) . The Minangkabau are one of the best educated and most successful groups in Indonesia . Their matrilineal inheritance pattern has led to many migrating throughout the country – especially the men . There may be only 200 Christians ( mostly in Java ) . The NT was legally published with permission from the national government in 1997 but all known copies were promptly confiscated and burned by West Sumatran authorities . d ) The Malay - related peoples of Eastern and Southern Sumatra , including the Deli ( 2 m ) , Melayu Riau ( 2 m ) , and Jambi ( 800 , 000 ) . There are few Christians , and though not many are reaching out to them , there has been a recent increase in outreach . e ) The Muslim peoples of Central and South Sumatra , all of whom are without a congregation of believers . There is an increasing outreach to the Batin ( 70 , 000 ) , Bengkulu ( 50 , 000 ) , Enim ( 70 , 000 ) , Kaur ( 50 , 000 ) , Lematang ( 150 , 000 ) , Lembak ( 160 , 000 ) , Ogan ( 300 , 000 ) and Semendo ( 105 , 000 ) ; but , as yet , there are no more than a handful of Christians . f ) The peoples of Lampung in the south . The indigenous peoples are increasingly marginalized and oppressed by newcomers from both Sumatra and Java . No churches are known among the indigenous Komering ( 800 , 000 ) , Lampung Abung ( 500 , 000 ) , Lampung Peminggir ( 500 , 000 ) or Lampung Pubian ( 410 , 000 ) . There are churches among the many Java transmigrants in the area , and some ministry among the Komering . JAVA GEOGRAPHYArea 132 , 200 sq . km . Fertile , volcanic soil . Several active volcanoes . Population 125 , 414 , 000 ; 60 % of Indonesia ' s population . People / sq . km . 948 . Economically , culturally and politically dominant in Indonesia . PEOPLESMajor peoples : Jawa , Sunda , Madura . RELIGIONOrthodox Sunni Muslim approximately 52 %; statistical / animistic Muslim 40 %; Christian 4 % ( Protestant 2 . 6 %, Catholic 1 . 4 %); Buddhist 0 . 8 %; Hindu 0 . 2 %. Challenges for Prayer 1 Praise God for the receptivity to the gospel of the Jawa people and Indonesians of Chinese descent . In spite of economic woes , socio - political upheaval , military oppression , and religious persecution , the church on Java has continued to grow in excess of 5 % a year since 1992 . Approximately 45 % of the Chinese descent Indonesians and 4 % of the Jawa profess to be Christian . Pray that no effort of the enemy may hinder a continued harvest . 2 There is much spiritual and numerical growth in the churches among the urban Jawa and Indonesians of Chinese descent . In many non - urban areas , however , Christians worship and witness with increasing risk . Syncretism among the Jawa and materialism among the Indonesians of Chinese descent are perennial snares . Many persecuted Ambon Christians have fled to Java . They , together with Minahasa , Batak , Dayak , Toraja , Maluku and Timor Christians , find refuge in the megacities of Bandung , Jakarta , Semarang and Surabaya . Pray that the heightened pressures from Muslim extremists will create a greater commitment to the Lord and increase the spread of the gospel to unreached peoples throughout the islands . 3 As never before , traditional Protestant , Evangelical and Pentecostal churches have united in prayer , mutual support and information - sharing throughout the cities of Java . A spiritual , moral and missions awakening has occurred in numerous urban churches , many of which hold services in temporary facilities . The cell church movement is rapidly expanding in most urban areas . This is a time of harvest ! Pray for greater momentum in reaching out to the largely unevangelized small towns and rural villages . 4 Jakarta and Surabaya are key cities for the evangelization of Indonesia . Almost every ethnic group has a presence there . The capital of Jakarta is now over 13 % Christian , with over 1 , 000 registered churches and thousands of cell groups . A spiritual movement in Jakarta and Surabaya is having a spiritual impact on the whole country . 5 The major unreached people groups , however , have been tragically resistant and neglected : a ) The unreached Jawa ethnic sub - groups with less than 1 % Christians include : Banten ( 500 , 000 ) , concentrated in the northwestern part of the island ; Banyumasan ( 6 . 6 m ) , located along the south central coast ; Osing ( 350 , 000 ) , living on the extreme eastern tip ; Pasisir Kulon ( 2 . 5 m ) and Pasisir Lor ( 19 m ) populating the north central coastline . All of these are staunchly Muslim , with very small numbers of believers , despite the significant response to the gospel and millions of Jawa believers in the other three Jawa sub - groups . b ) The 35 million Sunda live in West Java . They profess Islam , but are highly influenced by underlying animism and traditional Sunda beliefs . Christian Sunda number about 12 , 000 , but some are nominal and culturally isolated from the Muslim majority . The largest Christian body of believers , the Pasundan Church , was began many years ago as primarily Sunda ; but now is a mixture of ethnic groups , and historically has been focused on co - existence rather than outreach . There is a dearth of workers , suitable literature and adequate airing of radio programmes . Pray that the increasing interest in the gospel may result in an abundant harvest . c ) The Madura are concentrated in East Java , although Madura food peddlers are found throughout Indonesia . In the province of East Java , Madura peoples live both on Java and on two smaller adjacent islands just to the north : Madura and Bawean . They are a needy cluster of people which has rejected the few serious attempts to bring them the good news . They are comprised of the Bawean ( 60 , 000 ) ; the Madura ( 13 . 5 m ) and the Pendalunga ( 6 . 5 m ) – the latter being the offspring of Jawa - Madura intermarriages since 1671 . The Madura peoples have a reputation for anger and violence . Pray that Christians may overcome their fear and hatred to embody Christ ' s love to them . d ) � The Jawa Tengger people living on the slopes of Mt . Bromo in East Java continue to resist Islamic inroads . Instead they are experiencing a Hindu resurgence through cooperative efforts with Balinese Hindu religious workers . However , several Tengger Christian groups have emerged in the area . Over the last 15 years an embryonic Tengger church and leadership has developed . Pray for its long - term viability . BALI GEOGRAPHYArea 5 , 632 . 86 sq . km . Fertile , volcanic soil . Several active volcanoes . Population 3 , 165 , 000 . People / sq . km . 561 . PEOPLESMajor peoples : Bali . RELIGIONHindu 92 . 7 %; Muslim 5 . 6 %; Christian 0 . 9 % ( Protestant 0 . 5 %, Catholic 0 . 4 %); Buddhist 0 . 8 %. Challenges for Prayer 1 A unique blend of Hinduism dominates the spiritual landscape of Bali . One million Bali people live on the neighbouring islands of Sumatra , Sulawesi and Lombok . These Bali migrants tend to be more open to the gospel . There are 49 , 000 Hindu temples on Bali . Protestant churches number about 85 , Catholic churches 33 . City churches tend to have 50 % Bali members . The Bali need the liberating power of the gospel . 2 Bali Christians are few . The cost of discipleship is high , and converts to Christ often face ostracism , persecution and financial loss when they break with their family ' s and community ' s way of life . Pray for the witness of Christians , which has great impact in leading others to make a decision . 3 Effective cooperation in ministry among Bali believers is a need . 4 The Bali Bible was published in 1990 . Its use is limited because most do not understand its ' high caste ' language . The JESUS film is also in this language . Pray for effective communication of God ' s Word to all Bali peoples . Both TWR and FEBC broadcast in Bali . WEST LESSER SUNDA ISLANDS ( NUSA TENGGARA BARAT ) GEOGRAPHYArea 20 , 177 sq . km . The islands of Lombok and Sumbawa . Population 3 , 086 , 000 . People / sq . km . 197 . PEOPLESMajor peoples : Sasak , Sumbawa , Bima . RELIGIONMuslim 96 %; Hindu 3 . 3 %; Buddhist 0 . 5 %; Christian 0 . 2 % ( Protestant 0 . 1 %, Catholic 0 . 1 %). Challenges for Prayer 1 These staunchly Muslim islands are some of the least evangelized in Indonesia . The 20 , 000 Protestants are mainly immigrant peoples in the towns ( Jawa , Timor , Chinese Indonesians ) . Riots in Lombok in January 2000 drove most of these few Christians off the island . Most of the church buildings were totally destroyed , as were many homes of believers . 2 Unreached peoples : a ) Despite ongoing efforts for the past 10 + years to reach them , the three major indigenous people groups remain unreached . They are : the Muslim Sasak ( 2 m ) on Lombok ; the Sumbawa ( 400 , 000 ) and Bima ( 600 , 000 ) on Sumbawa Island . There are only 20 known believers among the Sasak , 100 among the Bima and 20 among the Sumbawa . All three groups are strongly Muslim , but still adhere to animistic beliefs . b ) The Hindu Bali people – 100 , 000 on Lombok . 3 Two small churches , founded by CMA in the 1940 s in the area of Bima , have approximately 100 believers but struggle to survive , as many young people convert to Islam in order to get married . 4 Scriptures are being translated into the Sasak and Bima languages . EAST LESSER SUNDA ISLANDS ( NUSA TENGGARA TIMOR ) GEOGRAPHYArea 47 , 876 sq . km . The islands of Sumba , Flores , Lomblin , Alor and West Timor . Population 3 , 908 , 000 . People / sq . km . 80 . PEOPLESMajor peoples : Timor , Manggarai , Solar , Lio , Rote , Sikka , Sumba . RELIGIONChristian 82 . 8 % ( Catholic 51 . 2 %, Protestant 31 . 6 %); Muslim 8 . 5 %; Hindu 0 . 2 %; Traditional ethnic 8 . 5 %. Challenges for Prayer 1 Flores is 90 % Catholic but is steeped in pagan and idolatrous rituals sometimes involving snake worship . Born - again Christians are very few , and largely Timor people . No language of Flores has any Scriptures . The Manggarai ( 500 , 000 ) , Lamaholot - Solar ( 300 , 000 ) ; Ende - Lio ( 230 , 000 ) , Sikka ( 180 , 000 ) ; and Ngada ( 70 , 000 ) need to be evangelized in their own cultural settings and languages . Muslim minorities among the Solor ( 140 , 000 ) and Manggarai ( 30 , 000 ) are totally unreached . 2 Sumba , an island long known for its animism and resistance to the gospel , saw a movement of the Spirit in the late 1980 s , with Protestants doubling from 75 , 000 to 160 , 000 in five years . Pray that this movement may impact all seven language groups on the island . 3 West Timor : a ) There was a great outpouring of the Spirit in 1965 - 8 which resulted in renewal within the Church and thousands of conversions from occultism and Islam . About 20 % of the Timor were converted . Timor Christians serve the Lord as missionaries on four continents . b ) The wide - scale killing and destruction which followed East Timor ' s ( Timor Lorosae ) vote to become independent of Indonesia resulted in a number of refugee camps holding thousands of destitute people in West Timor . Several Christian groups , both from churches in Timor and from other parts of Indonesia , have attempted to minister physically and spiritually in the camps . Violence and intimidation continue at the hands of the militia who ruined East Timor in 1999 . Pray for an end to the suffering , freedom to return home and salvation for these refugees . c ) Sawu people on Sawu Island and West Timor ( 100 , 000 ) are 80 % animist in practice ; the rest being nominally Christian , but few have a personal faith . Black magic is widespread . d ) The Ambenu Timor and Belu Tetun in West Timor are largely nominal Catholics and few are Evangelicals . 4 The lack of Scriptures for the languages of the two Lesser Sunda Provinces is a major reason for nominalism , unchallenged witchcraft , and lack of progress for the gospel . only three of the 65 languages have a NT , though work is in progress in 10 of them . A major prayer request is for an adequate survey of translation needs and provision of translation teams for those languages requiring a New Testament . KALIMANTAN GEOGRAPHYArea 539 , 000 sq . km . The Indonesian three - quarters of the island of Borneo ; shared with Malaysia . An island of tropical rain forest and rivers , but few roads . Population 11 , 473 , 000 in four provinces – West , Central , East and South Kalimantan . People / sq . km . 21 . PEOPLESMajor peoples : Malay , Dayak , Banjar . RELIGIONMuslim 72 . 8 %; Christian 19 . 3 % ( Catholic 9 . 8 %, Protestant 9 . 5 %); Traditional ethnic 3 . 5 %; Hindu 2 . 5 ; Buddhist 1 . 9 %. Challenges for Prayer 1 The indigenous Dayak peoples number 3 . l million and speak a range of nearly 80 languages and numerous dialects . Church growth has been high , with large people movements into the churches ; but often without a clear break from the spirit world . a ) The CMA work in East Kalimantan has resulted in a strong church among the Kenyah and Kayan peoples as well as outreach to other ethnic groups . b ) In Central Kalimantan , many of the 410 , 000 Ngaju , 105 , 000 M ' anyan , and 100 , 000 Dohoi are linked with the Reformed Church , founded through the work of the Rhenish and Basel Missions . Sadly , few are evangelical in theology . c ) West Kalimantan has been a major field for CMA , CBI , WT , Go Ye Fellowship , WEC and NTM . Growing churches have emerged , and over 30 % of the population is Christian . Some Dayak sub - groups , such as the Iban in the interior , have been more difficult to win ; and many of the Dayak who profess Christianity need a personal encounter with Jesus . 2 Leadership training is a major need for the churches , but illiteracy , poverty , difficulties in travel and lack of indigenous Scriptures have all slowed development . There are a number of Bible schools . Pray for churches to mature and have a vision for outreach . 3 The unreached : a ) The large Banjar Malay population of 5 million along the eastern and southern coasts , and up the rivers , is strongly Muslim . In recent years , a few individuals , churches and groups have begun to pray for and reach out to them , but only a handful have believed . These believers have suffered such intense persecution , nearly all now live in hiding . Pray for whole families to come to Christ and also to remain as witnesses in their communities . b ) Transmigrants , who number over 1 million . These are Jawa ( nominally Muslim ) , Bali ( Hindu ) , Bugis and Madura ( strongly Muslim ) . They live in transmigrant settlements and oil - boom towns in the east . only among the Jawa are there growing churches , but they have little vision for outreach to other groups . In the late 1990 s , Dayak resentment of the high - handedness of Madura transmigrants in West Kalimantan boiled over into violence with hundreds of massacres and thousands of Madura becoming refugees . Pray that local nominal Christians may overcome their anger , as well as the cultural and religious barriers , and reach out in love to transmigrant groups . c ) The animist peoples of the interior present a challenge . The complexities of reaching isolated tribal groups are immense – survey work is hard and living conditions difficult . Pray for more pioneers willing to reach out to these hard - to - access but receptive peoples . d ) The Chinese - descent Indonesians , > 25 % of the population in West Kalimantan , have proved less responsive to the gospel than elsewhere , though many are nominally Christian . Pray for the witness of Chinese Christians and churches on the coast , in Pontianak and up the Kapuas River . SULAWESI GEOGRAPHYArea 191 , 800 sq . km . A large , orchid - shaped mountainous island , 1 , 300 km from north to south . Also many satellite islands . Formerly called Celebes . Population 15 , 020 , 000 in four provinces – Central , North , South and Southeast Sulawesi . People / sq . km . 78 . PEOPLESMajor peoples : Bugi , Makassar , Minahasa , Gorontalo , Toraja , Sanghir . RELIGIONMuslim 75 . 3 %; Christian 16 . 4 % ( Protestant 16 %, Catholic 0 . 4 %); Traditional ethnic 6 %; Hindu 2 %; Buddhist 0 . 3 %. Challenges for Prayer 1 Sulawesi is a patchwork of ethnic groups and of varied response to the missionary religions of Islam and Christianity . Generally , nearly all the coastal peoples are Muslim . Christians are a majority on the two north - eastern peninsulas and in the central highlands . The main Christian ethnic groups are : a ) The seven Minahasa peoples of Manado ( 850 , 000 ) who are located on the north - east tip of Sulawesi . They have been Protestant for over 300 years . They are among the wealthiest and best - educated peoples of Indonesia , but materialism , nominalism , poor church attendance and occultism are rife . There is little concern for the evangelization of the Muslim and animist majority of the island . b ) The Sanghir and Talaud islanders ( 210 , 000 ) to the north of Manado . c ) The Toraja ( 1 . 6 million with eight languages and 30 dialects ) are mostly adherents of one of the four Reformed Churches . Few have a personal experience with the Lord . Tradition , especially a morbid preoccupation with death , still grips many . All these peoples need revival . Pray also for lasting fruit through the ministry of younger evangelical , Pentecostal and charismatic denominations and agencies . 2 Less - reached peoples are numerous , but in most of the larger groups there are small Christian minorities . Pray specifically for : a ) The Bugis ( 3 . 8 m ) and Makassar ( 2 . 2 m ) of South Sulawesi with colonies all around the coast . Trading is their major occupation . By Indonesian standards Islam is more orthodox among them . There are about 3 , 000 Bugi and 500 Makassar Christians , the latter being one of the few significant orthodox Muslim groups responding in any numbers to the gospel at the current time . b ) The Muslim Gorontalo ( 1 m ) , numerous smaller Muslim - animist peoples scattered around the north , and the Bungku - Mori Toraja of the southeast , where animistic practices are more prevalent . There are small churches indigenous to these peoples , but response is slow and many areas are untouched . 3 Bible translation is an enormous unfinished task . Researchers spent years surveying the complex linguistic situation and are participating in most of the ongoing 18 NT translation projects , together with Indonesian translators . Pray that nothing may hinder the publication of these NTs . There are only four indigenous languages with a Bible and 16 with a NT . There are 28 languages with a definite unmet need for translators and a further 83 which will possibly need their own translations . 4 Pray for peace and calm in Central Sulawesi following violent confrontations between religions . Pray that the translation and church planting projects there may continue . MALUKU GEOGRAPHYArea 77 , 871 sq . km . A medley of over 1 , 000 small islands scattered over Indonesia ' s eastern seas . Two provinces : Maluku , North Maluku . Population 3 , 168 , 000 . People / sq . km . 40 . There are PEOPLES 128 1 anguage groups . RELIGIONMuslim 59 %; Christian 40 . 5 % ( Protestant 35 . 3 %, Catholic 5 . 2 %); Hindu 0 . 14 %; Buddhist 0 . 05 %; Other 0 . 4 %. Challenges for Prayer 1 A terrible period of violence followed by ' ethnic cleansing ' of Christians by Muslims has afflicted these islands . In the 1990 s tension developed between the growing Muslim communities and indigenous Christians . Propaganda , lies and subterfuge from outside Maluku provoked an eruption of violence and warfare along religious and ethnic lines . A tragic cycle of revenge led to both Muslim and some Christian atrocities . Enormous destruction of property resulted , including over 400 churches and some mosques . Many thousands of Islamist jihad fighters were recruited and brought to Maluku . The powerlessness of the central government to control the situation and the superior arms of the Islamists ( with much help from sections of the army ) swayed the balance of the conflict against the Christians . The conflict displaced most of the Christian population of the islands of Ambon , Seram , Temate , Tidore , parts of Halmahera , etc . By the end of 2000 there were over 500 , 000 refugees and maybe 6 , 000 killed . Pray for an end to the conflict , communal harmony to be restored and the deep wounds to be healed . Without these , the effects of this period could reverberate for generations . 2 The Maluku Protestant Church , founded in 1605 , is Asia ' s oldest Protestant denomination . Nominalism has crippled the witness of the Church , while the Muslim population has grown through both immigration from other areas and conversion of Maluku peoples . Other denominations have entered Maluku , but they have made little headway against the inertia of nominalism or the rise of Islam . Pray that the present severe suffering may bring nominal Christians to new life and revive the churches . Pray also that the Christian community might be able to see its own need for repentance rather than seeing only the wrongs done against them . Pray that they may reach out in forgiving love and have a zeal to evangelize . 3 The less evangelized for prayer : a ) Muslim peoples . These include the Ambon Melayu ( 50 , 000 ) , the Temate ( 62 , 000 ) , Tidore ( 46 , 000 ) , the seafaring Bajau ( 90 , 000 ) , the Makian of Halmahera Island , and numerous other smaller peoples . b ) Many island communities in South Maluku are nominally Christian , but little evidence of faith remains . Pray for effective means for reaching them . 4 Bible translation is a great challenge . There are 117 languages in active use but only one has a NT yet , in spite of the fact that many of these peoples are ' Christian '. Translation teams are involved in 23 languages , 38 more have a definite need for their own translation , and a further 92 will possibly need teams . Pray for the continuation of translation work which , along with other ministries , has been disrupted by violence . [ WEST ] PAPUA ( IRIAN JAYA ) GEOGRAPHYArea 422 , 000 sq . km . Formerly Irian Jaya . The western half of the world ' s second largest island , New Guinea ( see Papua New Guinea for the eastern half ) . The island is known for having a wild beauty , as well as some of the most inhospitable terrain on earth . Population 2 , 133 , 000 . People / sq . km . 5 . PEOPLESMajor peoples : only the Dani of the central highlands have a population over 100 , 000 . Over 247 languages are spoken . POLITICSIn modern times , ruled by Netherlands until 1963 , when annexed by Indonesia . Recently , there have been renewed demands for greater autonomy or independence . RELIGIONChristian 73 . 4 % ( Protestant 54 . 1 %, Catholic 19 . 3 %); Muslim 16 . 4 %; Traditional ethnic 10 . 1 %; Buddhist 0 . 08 %. Answers to Prayer 1 Praise God for the people movements that have brought stone - age peoples to faith in Christ among most of the 275 tribes . These include peoples on the north coast in the 19 th Century ( Reformed Church ) , in the more densely populated highlands ( Pioneers , CMA , WT , UFM , ABMS , NTM and others ) , in the Bird ' s Head ( TEAM ) , and the southern swamps ( TEAM , WT ) . Over 90 % of the indigenous population is officially reckoned as Christian . Challenges for Prayer 1 Strong , Bible - centred , maturely led Papuan churches are the great need as modernization , education and the outside world impact these isolated cultures . Christians must face up to the challenges of tribalism , syncretism and separatist politics which sap the spiritual energies of some churches . Sadly , inter - village fighting has once more become a problem in some Christianized areas . 2 The Dani peoples total 300 , 000 . Many turned to the Lord in great people movements over the last few decades of the 20 th Century . At one stage there were 280 Dani missionaries evangelizing other areas . That vision has dimmed . Pray for renewal of life and vision for the Dani churches . There is a strong independence movement among the Dani . 3 Missionary numbers are on the increase again – both expatriate and indigenous Indonesians and Papuans . Most work in the towns and coastal areas and serve in a wide range of ministries . More are needed who can pioneer unreached rural areas and transmigrant communities . NTM has opened up a number of pioneer areas in recent years . 4 Christian aviation is essential in this land with few roads . MAF - US has planes at five bases . WT - Tariku and JAARS also have extensive flying programmes in some of the most rigorous conditions in the world . Pray for safety ; there have been some bad accidents . Pray for more to be called for this ministry and also for its funding . Indonesia ' s post - 1997 economic crisis has raised flying costs and deeply affected inland economies dependent on it . 5 The less - reached . only in the last few years have virtually all the ethnic groups been located and contacted . Indigenous peoples still requiring pioneer evangelism and church - planting are : a ) Small peoples east of Cenderawasih Bay on New Guinea ' s ' shoulder '. b ) Peoples in the northern foothills of the Eastern Highlands . c ) Peoples in the southern foothills of the main range of mountains bisecting the island . d ) The Baliem Dani of the Highlands who have not been as responsive as the rest of the Western Dani . e ) There are 14 known areas with a total population of around 20 , 000 where no Christians have penetrated . Pray that national churches and agencies may reach them . 6 The transmigrants number nearly one million . They often had gained land and privileges at the expense of the indigenous Papuans . The Papuan independence movement has brought uncertainty and threats of violence . Pray that this may open hearts to those who bring them news of Jesus . Major church planting challenges : a ) The Muslim Minangkabau and Makassar in the coastal urban areas . b ) Many ethnic enclaves scattered over Papua . Recent arrivals are Ambonese refugees . 7 Bible translation for the many small language groups is an immense task . There are 27 languages with a NT , 23 have Bible portions finished , and 39 with work in progress . There are 54 with a definite need and 130 others with a possible need for a NT translation . Pray for : a ) The completion , publication and effective use of the NTs in the process of being translated or printed . b ) Cooperation between churches and agencies to have portions of Scripture translated into every vernacular still used as a primary language . c ) Mother - tongue speakers with the skills , gifts , spiritual insight and motivation to tackle the arduous task of translation . d ) The use of audio cassettes for Scriptures and Christian messages on tape . GRN have made recordings in over 200 languages . Web links for IndonesiaWant to add or correct an entry ? Use the update form at the bottom of each web site page . CIA World Factbook ( https : / / www . cia . gov / library / publications / the - world - factbook / geos / id . html ) Country profile , with only very brief information on religion or society . Brief , largely statistical information on geography , people , government , economy , and more . Asiaco - Indonesia ( http : / / search . asiaco . com / Indonesia / Reference / ) Gloria Cyber Ministries ( http : / / www . glorianet . org ) A Christian Web guide and site seeking to connect the Christian community . In Indonesian . Indonesia Resources ( http : / / home 1 . swipnet . se / ~ w - 15266 / indons / index . htm ) Limited secular collection of information and links . Indonesian Homepage ( http : / / indonesia . elga . net . id / ) Travel guide that has a bit of history and culture and maps