On May 1, sixty members of the King Jesus Church were gathered for worship at the home of Pastor Paulraj Raju in Mangalwarapete village in Karnataka state, when a crowd of nearly 500 people converged on the home. According to a May 4 report from Compass Direct, they violently attacked Pastor Raju, his wife and others. Some of the women were sexually assaulted when they attempted to intervene. Bibles and Christian literature were publicly burned and the furnishings of the church were destroyed. Raju, his wife, and an elder of the church, Mr. Nagraj, were seriously injured. At last report, Raju remained in hospital.
Raju is no stranger to suffering. On April 1, a similar mob of 200 gathered, demanding that services cease. In January, Pastor Raju had gone to the nearby village of Rampur where he was beaten and accused of converting Hindus. He was arrested under Section 153A(1)b of the Indian Penal Code, which prohibits any act leading to religious disharmony and detained until March 3. He was released only after his wife filed a petition to quash the charges and the Karnataka High Court ordered his release.
Pray for a full and quick recovery for those injured and assaulted in this attack. Pray for the continued ministry of the King Jesus Church. Pray that those responsible for this attack will see the love and grace of God portrayed in the lives of Christians.
India continues to be a country of particular concern to The Voice of the Martyrs, as reports of violence against Christians continue to mount in both number and intensity. "Believers in India are in a spiritual battle," says Glenn Penner, spokesman for The Voice of the Martyrs. "The pressure put upon them by militant Hindus to stop spreading the Gospel is tremendous. Praise God for those who continue to carry out Christ's call to bring the message of reconciliation to those who are hostile to Him and His messengers."
For more information on India and the suffering of Indian Christians, click here. The June edition of The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter focuses on the "insane" obedience of those who refuse to disobey God and remain silent. Click here to subscribe today to The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter.
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