The Batak King

For over 150 years the Gospel has been proclaimed among the Batak tribes of Sumatra. The Batak Karo youth that is pictured here is dressed in traditional clothing to participate in a traditional dance at a church gathering. One of the main ideals of Batak culture is the Batak King. There is a saying among all Batak tribes, “Saya raja.” Translated that means, “I am king.”

However, the ideal of the Batak King is not the same as you might think. The Batak King is not one who Lord’s his authority over others. The Batak King is honest, brave, strong, hard working, generous, and self-sacrificing. To say you are king in a Batak sense is to say you are aspiring to all that is true of the ideal of the Batak King.

One worker met a Batak man on an airplane. The man believed in Jesus, but he also put his faith in the Batak King. He thought Buddha and Muhammad were okay too. When the worker challenged this man with the Gospel he was unwilling to give up his faith in the Batak King. The worker suggested that the only person who lived out the ideals of the Batak King was Jesus, and only Jesus can forgive sins, but the Batak man was not able to process these ideas.

Syncretism is such a huge issue on Sumatra. Many people are happy to add Jesus to their list of spiritual power sources, but few are willing to forsake all else in order to gain Christ.  

Pray for believers on Sumatra who not only follow Jesus, but also the traditional religions of their ancestors, to realize that Jesus is the one and only way to heaven so that they forsake all else to gain Him.

Pray for workers who are trying to help new believers to avoid the pitfalls of syncretism.

Pray for hundreds of Batak believers to give themselves to the task of reaching the unreached on Sumatra.

Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to all the people groups on Sumatra so that they can know, choose and follow the Truth of God.