Reaching the Madurese People of Indonesia

Of the 7.7 million Madurese people in the world today, only 0.05% know Jesus. 

Putra* is a young Madurese boy of school age. He is often bullied by his classmates because he is a Christian. The schoolchildren cannot understand how a Madurese person can also be a Christian; it simply doesn’t make sense to them.

The notion of a Madurese Christian also seems inconceivable to most adults in the community. This is due to a commonly held belief that all Madurese are Muslim; surely the Christians in the community cannot be ethnically Madurese — they must be from some other people group.

The Madurese are the third-largest people group in Indonesia, with a population of approximately 7.7 million. Joshua Project estimates that about 99.87% of Madurese Indonesians are Muslim, compared to only 0.05% who are evangelical Christians. Looking at these statistics, it may not be so surprising why such a misconception would exist.

In Indonesia, the Madurese are primarily found on the islands of Madura and Java. They are a proud people who are often praised for their diligence. Madurese men and women have a reputation for working extremely hard and fulfilling their responsibilities. Their strong work ethic is perhaps one of the reasons why Madurese shopkeepers have been able to dominate the traditional markets located in the larger cities of East Java.

However, the Madurese are also known for their harsh character — described as a people of integrity who are fiercely loyal and courageous. Yet they are also prone to harboring resentment, hotness of temper and even outbursts of violence when related to matters of honor. Some have attributed this to their history of having been oppressed by others.

And perhaps, in the case of young children, this harshness can surface in the form of bullying.

Putra’s mother, Kristina,* knows her son often cries because of how he is treated at school; it breaks her heart to see him go through this. But her commitment to Jesus gives her strength and wisdom, and this as an opportunity to guide her child in God’s ways. Kristina is teaching Putra to pray for — and forgive — the classmates who hurt him. She encourages Putra and her other children to grow in their faith and to uphold the truth.

Reaching the Madurese

TWR’s Indonesian national partner reaches the Madurese people through the following programs in Madura, their heart language:

• The Way of Righteousness — this 100-episode program shares Old Testament stories that point to Jesus as being more than just a prophet; he is the Son of God who gave his life for our salvation.
• Thru the Bible — this detailed Bible study program resumed shortwave radio broadcasts in 2025. The team is also carefully exploring the use of social media platforms that are most used by the Madurese people.
• Women of Hope — this program shares practical lessons grounded in biblical principles: listeners are educated, encouraged and equipped to leave a lasting impact on their families.

These programs not only share the gospel with Madurese seekers but also provide spiritual food for believers who struggle to gain access to biblical teaching. Listeners like Kristina and her son, Putra, receive God's Word in their hearts and in turn pass on this seed of faith to those around them. 

Here are some encouraging listener responses we received: 

“I am (fortunate) to have found this program. I’m sure a lot of people will find it great because the program helps us to understand more about the words of God. ... This program has been a blessing to my faith.”

“I'm very grateful to have Jesus in my life even though I came from a humble background. I'm grateful that his love endures forever. Despite our sins, God never changes because he is our Savior.”

“All praise to Christ. I am blessed by the words of God that tell me about worrying. I learned that we shouldn't worry too much. We have to trust God and depend on him.”

* not their real names

Images: (top, banner) A family rides a motorcycle through the streets of Indonesia, (middle, right) Facts and figures gathered from TWR and Joshua Project, (bottom, left) Families and children gather along the shoreline on a beach in Indonesia.

Sources:
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13199/ID
https://www.peoplegroups.org/Explore/groupdetails.aspx?peid=22434
https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/world-watch-list/indonesia/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madurese_people