The Lembak of Indonesia

The Lembak of Indonesia, numbering approximately 100,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Muslim Malay-related people of the Barisan mountain borderlands between Bengkulu and South Sumatra provinces, farming rice, coffee, and rubber and speaking the Col language in dialects named Lembak Delapan, Beliti, and Kayu Agung. They mostly adhere to Sunni Islam and Col is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Lembak

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Malay Peoples
Country: Indonesia
People Cluster: Musi of Sumatra
Primary Language(s): Col (liw)
Primary Religion(s): Sunni Islam
Population: 100,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG022510
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Lembak of Indonesia

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Sunni Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

100%
%
Sunni Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Col
Language Family: Austronesian

100%
%
Col Speakers

Media Resources in Col:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Col:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Col bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Lembak are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Lembak:
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

Pray specifically for the Lembak of Indonesia

The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.
readMatthew 4:16

Pray that those living in darkness and the shadow of death will see a great light and turn to the Lord for salvation.

...I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
readPsalm 13:5

Ask God to bring many to trust in His unfailing love and cause their hearts to rejoice in His salvation.

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.
read1 Peter 3:15

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will always be prepared to share the reason for the hope that they have in Jesus with gentleness and respect.

O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart.
readPsalm 15:1-2

Ask God to send believers who will go and, with integrity, walk blamelessly and do what is right, speaking truth about the Lord with those who need to learn about His redemption plan.

Lembak Across Countries (ROP3 - 105706) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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