Contacts for The Voice of the Martyrs Canada in Indonesia report a series of new church closures on the Indonesian island of Java. In each case, the Islamic militant group, Alliance Against Apostasy (AGAP) intimidated the churches and forced the closure of services.
On October 2, the AGAP put pressure the Efata Church in Bandung, West Java to stop renovations and all other church activities, claiming the church did not have the necessary permissions. As a result, all activities of the 120-member church have been stopped.
Three churches near Jakarta, in Jatimulya, East Bekasi, were forced to close five weeks ago. Since then, they have been holding services on the streets. In an attempt to stop the services, on Sunday, October 16 three hundred Muslims gathered with their prayer mats to conduct their own service where the Christians normally meet. When the Christians moved to another street, some militants began insulting and mocking them. Pastor Anna from the local Presbyterian Church was pushed into a drain. Police in the area did not intervene. Some even reportedly joined the mob. Church leaders have been meeting with lawyers to determine an appropriate response. There are concerns of physical violence if the church services are held this coming weekend.
Pray for wisdom and strength for the church leaders facing this increasing pressure from militant groups. Pray that these believers will know how to respond in a way that exhibits the grace and love of God. For more information on the persecution of Christians in Indonesia, click here. VOMC's multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com/, features a 21-minute video on the persecution of Christians in Indonesia entitled, "Island Jihad."
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