The Bayaka of Congo

The Bayaka of Congo, numbering approximately 47,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are one of at least eleven Pygmy groups in Central Africa and can also be known as Pygmy Bayaka, Aka, Yaka. They are an Indigenous people, in the Pygmy people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African affinity bloc. Their primary religion is Christianity - Protestantism. They primarily speak Yaka (Central African Republic).

Bayaka in Congo photo
Photo courtesy of Joshua Project. Photo Source: Nathan Zuck

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-saharan Africa Peoples
Country: Congo
People Cluster: Pygmy
Primary Language(s): Yaka (Central African Republic) (axk)
Primary Religion(s): Christianity - Protestantism
Population: 47,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Active CP Activity
People Group ID: PG012956
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Bayaka of Congo

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: Christianity - Protestantism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

%
Christianity - Protestant… Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Yaka (Central African Republic)
Language Family: Niger-Congo

%
Yaka (Central African Republic) Speakers

Media Resources in Yaka (Central African Republic):

Films:

Bible Resources in Yaka (Central African Republic):

Linked from YouVersion

Next steps for the Bayaka

The Bayaka are Unengaged and Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations among which there are no known efforts focused on establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Begin signifcant prayer and fasting for this group
Send cross-cultural teams to discover and research this people group
Begin gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group

Next steps for the Bayaka

The Bayaka 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.

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

Next steps for the Bayaka

The Bayaka are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Bayaka of Congo

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
readTitus 3:3

Pray for those who seek worldly pleasures instead of God to flee from sin and choose God’s goodness and lovingkindness by placing their faith in Jesus.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
readJohn 3:14-15

Pray that the lost will look to Jesus lifted up on the cross and believe in Him, gaining eternal life with God.

The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
readLamentations 3:25

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will trust in the goodness of the Lord as they wait on Him to answer their cries for help.

And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.
readLuke 10:6

Pray that, as people come to faith in Christ and want to share it with others, they will be welcomed into homes and received well so that they can share message of hope with many people.

Bayaka (Yaka) (ROP3 - 101463) reported in the following countries:

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

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