Pray for Indonesia

Indonesia is the largest group of islands in the world, making it one of the most diverse nations. It contains over 17,000 islands — 6,000 of which are inhabited — and is the fourth most populous country in the world. This scattered geography creates a different Indonesian experience from place to place. Some people live in rural fishing villages and others in metropolitan cities. The cultural diversity has also been shaped by centuries of colonization. Portugal, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Japan previously ruled over parts of the nation, bringing more layers to the cultural landscape. The geography also divides the nation’s economy. Although Indonesia has the largest economy in Southeast Asia, the islands with smaller communities have limited access to healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Despite the diversity, the nation is united under a collectivist culture, focusing on the group’s greater good rather than individual interests.

The nation also faces significant challenges. Over the last few decades, the government has been marked by corruption. Since its independence in 1945, the nation has technically been a presidential republic, but it didn’t break free from authoritarian rule until 1998, and Indonesia didn’t transition fully into a modern democracy until elections in 1999. However, the nation still longs for deeper reform, and after taking office, President Prabowo Subianto, elected in 2024, declared a war on corruption. The nation also struggles with high rates of human trafficking both into and out of the country. Additionally, the geography makes it highly susceptible to natural disasters.

Indonesia is the most populous Muslim nation in the world. While only about 10 percent of the population claim to follow Christ, the Church is growing in Indonesia. Since this growth, Christians have experienced harsher persecution, especially Muslim-background believers, and churches and Christians’ homes have been destroyed. Its scattered geography gives Indonesia unique spiritual needs. It has one of the biggest needs for church planting in the world. To reach remote areas, churches must be planted entirely from scratch within diverse, localized cultures. While over 700 languages are spoken, only about 100 of them have a complete Bible translation. However, since Indonesian became the national language, the Gospel has been able to spread more easily across ethnic and geographic boundaries.