Photo: VOMC
In the early morning of September 16th, a mob consisting of approximately 50 people had gathered at the front gate of the Maranatha Chapel in Depok City. Mob members angrily banged on the gate while shouting and causing a disturbance. Thankfully, at the time, no service was taking place inside the church building and the crowd eventually dispersed.
Following the incident, congregation members were feeling unsettled, and therefore expressed concerns about holding future worship services in the building. The church had just recently begun renting the facility, having held their first worship service at the premises the previous Sunday. Even though the church building fulfilled all the requirements for a permit, some local community members were opposed to the opening of this new place of worship.
After discussing matters with the authorities, the church agreed to host its worship services online for two weeks while all the permit processes were being completed and verified. The congregation has always rented commercial buildings, including the present facility, because permits are not required. However, the Christians decided to go along with the requested process in their efforts to ease any tensions.
Churches are frequently targeted by militant Islamic groups in Indonesia, and the difficult permit process sometimes takes years to complete, particularly when dealing with local governments. For additional reports on the challenges facing Christians in this Southeast Asian nation, go to our country report.
Please remember these congregation members in your prayers as they seek to be testimonies of God's grace to others of their community – including those who are opposing the worship services. Pray that these persecuted Christians will come to an amicable agreement with the leaders of their neighbourhood, allowing them to peacefully continue meeting together for worship in their rented church building.
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