Who the Madurese are
The Madurese come from the island of Madura off north-east Java, and large Madurese communities live in East Java and across Indonesia. They are known for strong family loyalty and for a devout Islamic identity in which religious teachers hold great influence.
Indonesia has a large and growing church, but very few Madurese believers. A Madurese Bible exists, and Madurese who migrate for work encounter Christians in other parts of Indonesia — but at home, following Jesus can mean the loss of family and community.
Signs of hope
Scripture in Madurese, and Indonesian believers who share the national language and live alongside Madurese migrants.
The honest difficulty
A devout, tightly knit community where religious leaders hold great influence and conversion is costly.
What "Frontier" means
Fewer than 1 in 1,000 follow Jesus, and there is no indigenous movement large enough to grow on its own. Most people in this group will never meet a Christian.
This describes access to the Gospel, not the worth of a people or the sincerity of anyone's faith.
How to pray for the Madurese
Take one of these for a week rather than all of them for a day.
- Pray for the Madurese, among the least reached peoples of Indonesia.
- Pray for Indonesian believers to befriend Madurese neighbours and co-workers.
- Ask God to use the Madurese Scriptures.
- Pray for the first Madurese believers in many villages.
Where the Madurese live
Each nation profile carries church size, unreached peoples, what is going well, what is hard, and four prayer points.
Questions people ask about the Madurese
Who are the Madurese people?
The Madurese (also called Madura) are a people group of roughly 8 million, living mainly in Indonesia. They speak Madurese and are predominantly Islam (Sunni). An island people of Indonesia known for devout faith and fierce loyalty — with almost no followers of Jesus. Population figures for people groups vary considerably by source and by how a group is defined.
Are the Madurese an unreached people group?
The Madurese are classified as frontier. Fewer than 1 in 1,000 follow Jesus, and there is no indigenous movement large enough to grow on its own. Most people in this group will never meet a Christian. Scripture status: Bible available in Madurese.
How can I pray for the Madurese?
Pray for the Madurese, among the least reached peoples of Indonesia. Pray for Indonesian believers to befriend Madurese neighbours and co-workers. Take one of these for a week rather than all of them for a day.