People Group Profiles

“All nations will come and worship before you."

- Revelations 15:4

Indonesian of North America


People Group Info

Total Population: 94,084

ROP3 Code: 114115
IMB Affinity Group: Southeast Asian Peoples
Affinity Bloc: Malay Peoples
People Cluster: Malay
Language: Indonesian - (ind)
Religion: Islam
Country of Origin: Indonesia

Photo courtesy of Joshua Project.
Copyright © Operation China, Paul Hattaway

Majority Located Where

  Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA - 18,413

  Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA - 6,010

  San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA - 5,850

  New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY - 5,760

  Toronto (Mississauga, Brampton), ON - 4,870

Click here to recommend other locations where this People Group resides.

Learn More

Brief Profile

The Indonesian are foreign born (1st generation) people who originated from many locales in Indonesia making them a cluster of several different people groups. In the past ten years, the Indonesian population in the United States has grown by more than fifty percent, making Indonesians among one of the largest populated Asian peoples in North America.

They speak Bahasa Indonesian, which means "language of Indonesia" and is also the national language in Indonesia. Not only are Indonesians in the United States very diverse ethnically, linguistically, and culturally, they are also very diverse religiously.

Their religious beliefs reflect their specific people group and also the locale in Indonesia from which they came. The majority are either Christians or Muslims. However, more recent arrivals in the past ten years include the Balinese people group from the well-known resort island of Bali who adhere to a distinct form of Hinduism.

Christians adhere to Roman Catholicism, or evangelical Protestantism. Evangelical Christian presence among foreign born Indonesians is predominantly among Chinese people groups who migrated over ten years ago to the United States.

Other more recent arrivals, specifically those in the past ten years, adhere to Islam. They are either Javanese or another Indonesian people group. Practically speaking, many Indonesian Muslims mix the traditional beliefs and practices from their locale in Indonesia with their everyday practice of Islam.

To see possible other Indonesian people groups that might be in North America, click here.

Prayer Points

  • Pray as Christians encounter Indonesians that they will take time to understand their specific ethnic, linguistic, and religious background.
  • Pray Christians will intentionally live among, form friendships with, and share the Gospel with Indonesians who will in turn make disciples.
  • Pray evangelical Indonesians will social and cultural barriers that exist among the various Indonesian peoples in order to share the Gospel.


Learning Resources

Learn more about "Any-3"
Any–3 provides biblical principles and practical steps that have equipped hundreds of Christians to witness confidently and effectively. Over the past decade, thousands of Muslims have been engaged with the gospel.

Learn more about "Learning Paths"
Online Courses for embracing, encountering and engaging diaspora people. Work at your own pace. Begin anytime and complete the course according to your schedule. Interactive, Hands-On Application.

Learn more about "Reaching the Nations"
This book delineates five disciplines Christians should develop in order to effectively reach the nations. More specifically, it will guide Christians to develop an engagement strategy in their locale.

Loving Muslims Small Group Study
This Loving Muslims booklet is a two-week group study that takes a deeper look at Christ’s command to "love our neighbor."

World Religions - Beliefs Overview
An overview of major world religions and cults - their beliefs and practices.

Overview of Islam
Overview of Islam and its sub-groupings. Developed by the North American Mission Board, SBC. Includes generalized witnessing tips.


Other Resources

Know God in 98 Languages
A CRU resource with 9 different witnessing models (e.g. 4 Spiritual Laws, etc.) in 98 languages.

Prayer Guide for Unreached Peoples
A 30 day guide to pray for unreached people groups.

Prayer Guide using the GOSPELS acronym
A prayer guide that utilizes the acronym GOSPELS to pray for workers among diaspora.

Displaying 1-17 of 17 results.
Country City Metro Area Name State / Prov. Baseline Population
CanadaCalgaryCalgaryAB1,710
United StatesDuluthAtlanta-Sandy Springs-RoswellGA400
United StatesAustinAustin-Round RockTX500
United StatesCharlotteCharlotte-Concord-GastoniaNC500
United StatesDallasDallas-Fort Worth-ArlingtonTX525
United StatesHoustonHouston-The Woodlands-Sugar LandTX1,500
United StatesLittle RockLittle Rock-North Little Rock-ConwayAR120
United StatesPasadenaLos Angeles-Long Beach-AnaheimCA18,413
United StatesLouisvilleLouisville/Jefferson CountyKY76
United StatesQueensNew York-Newark-Jersey CityNY5,760
United StatesOdessaOdessaTX102
United StatesSan BernardinoRiverside-San Bernardino-OntarioCA6,010
United StatesDaly CitySan Francisco-Oakland-HaywardCA5,850
United StatesShorelineSeattle-Tacoma-BellevueWA3,700
United StatesWilmingtonWilmingtonNC52
CanadaTorontoToronto (Mississauga, Brampton)ON4,870
CanadaVancouverVancouver (Surrey)BC4,055