The Northern Tlapanec of Mexico

The Northern Tlapanec of Mexico, numbering approximately 182,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous community of Mexico and can also be known as Mi’phàà Minuíí Mi’pa, Tlapanec, Acatepec, Me’pa, Western Tlapanec, Eastern Tlapanec, Me'pa, Acatepec; Tlapanec, Malinaltepec, Tlapanec, Me’phaa, Western Tlapanec, Tlacoapa, Me’pa Wí’ìn, Mè’phàà Mañuwìín, Tlapanec, Malinaltepec; Tlapanec. They are an Indigenous people, in the Central American Indigenous people cluster of the Latin-Caribbean Americans affinity bloc. Their primary religion is Christianity - Folk Catholicism. They primarily speak Me’phaa, Acatepec.

Photo by Google. (2025). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Northern Tlapanec

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: American Peoples
Country: Mexico
People Cluster: Central American Indigenous
Primary Language(s): Me’phaa, Acatepec (tpx)
Primary Religion(s): Christianity - Folk Catholicism
Population: 182,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Active CP Activity
People Group ID: PG046980

Pray for the Northern Tlapanec of Mexico

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Christianity - Folk Catholicism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

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Christianity - Folk Catho… Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Me’phaa, Acatepec
Language Family: Otomanguean

%
Me’phaa, Acatepec Speakers

Media Resources in Me’phaa, Acatepec:

Films:

Bible Resources in Me’phaa, Acatepec:

Or check out the Me’phaa, Acatepec bible resources at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

Next steps for the Northern Tlapanec

The Northern Tlapanec 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 Northern Tlapanec

The Northern Tlapanec 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 Northern Tlapanec

The Northern Tlapanec 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 Northern Tlapanec of Mexico

For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
readPsalm 97:9

Pray that those who don't yet know Him will recognize the Lord as the Most High and turn from spiritual darkness to worship Him above all else.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
readJohn 3:16

Pray that the lost will seek God and learn that they have a heavenly Father who loves them and wants them to live eternally with Him.

But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.
readHebrews 10:32-33

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will remember the day of their salvation and persevere in their faith despite hardships and suffering.

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
read2 Corinthians 1:8-9

Pray that as people hear and believe the gospel, they will be faithful as they walk through trials and will have an opportunity to be a witness to others in this people group of the goodness of God.

Tlapanec, Acatepec reported in the following countries (ROP3):

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

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