For the past several months, militant Muslims have been conducting a campaign against churches in parts of Indonesia by attempting to force them to stop holding services. On May 2, Compass Direct released information on three additional churches that were forced to cease holding services.
St. Clara Catholic Church in the North Bekasi district of West Java province, whose building is presently under construction, planned to hold Good Friday services in a tent on the property. However, a militant Muslim group threatened the church and police asked that the services be cancelled. The church was forced to hold the services some distance away, while a large mob armed with knives arrived at the original location to ensure that the services were not being held.
On April 17, approximately 150 people met with leaders of the Shining Christian Church in West Semper, North Jakarta to protest services being held in their community. They presented a letter from West Semper authorities requesting the church to cease their activities even though the church is officially registered. The neighbours threatened to call on two militant groups to close down the church if they did not permanently cease operations.
A mob of approximately 500 Muslims also forced the Ciledug Catholic church in Tangerang province to cease services. Local officials had given permission to the church to hold services in the residential building but the official building permit was still being processed. The 3000 church members are temporarily meeting in a rented office block. Church members noted that many of the protestors did not even live in the immediate vicinity of the church.
Pray that these and other churches facing pressure to close will have wisdom as they face their oppressors. Pray that the Indonesian authorities will support these churches as they seek to meet together to worship.
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Indonesia, click here.
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