Cross Removed During Church Opening

Cross with sunset behind

The Church of the Nazarene is the only place of worship in Tibba Sultanpur, a large town located in Pakistan's Punjab province. Initially, the members of this church had been meeting in homes, but when the congregation increased in size to about 80 members, there was the need to accommodate the growth by constructing a building for corporate worship. According to Pastor Yaqoob, neighbours had been informed of the building plans in advance. Since there was no opposition to the church's plans of construction, they proceeded to erect the brick building in July.

As the church members were gathering on August 29th to worship in their new building facility for the first time, a mob began to assemble in protest. Enflamed by rhetoric from local Muslim clerics, the crowd claimed that the building was illegal. A throng of protesters surrounded the place of worship, insisting on the removal of the cross from the top of the church building. Thankfully, further destruction to the building and acts of violence were prevented by a 'stay order' that addressed any possible construction in the future. Even so, Christians are now being ostracized by others in the town's community. For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Pakistan, go to our country report.

Please pray for Pastor Yaqoob and the other leaders representing the Church of the Nazarene as they seek God's wisdom and direction while navigating their next steps in reaching out to their community with the wonderful message of His salvation. Despite the opposition this faithful church community has encountered, may He use their presence as a strong witness for the Gospel in a Muslim-dominated area, introducing many others of the town and surrounding areas to Jesus, our Risen Saviour, who longs to enjoy a loving personal relationship with and among all His beloved creation.

  • Current Ministry Projects

    VOMC partners to train Christian women in sewing skills throughout Pakistan to provide a sustainable source of income for their families and encourage them in their faith and witness for Christ.

    Project Funds: Families of Martyrs, Women’s Ministry

  • Country Information

    Population
    247,653,551 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Punjabi (44.7), Pashtun [Pathan] (15.4), Sindhi (14.1), Saraiki (8.4) Muhajirs (7.6) Balochi (3.6), Other (6.3)

    Religion (%)
    Islam (96.5), Other - Christian and Hindu (3.5)

    Leader
    President Asif Ali Zardari (2024)

    Government type
    Federal parliamentary republic

    Legal system
    Common law system with Islamic law influence

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Pakistan

    Pray that amendments will be made to Pakistan's existing blasphemy laws so that the country's citizens – including its children – will be protected from injustice and abuse. May our Lord's mercy and justice prevail, not only in the judiciary system but also in the hearts of the country's militants. Ask Him to transform their "hearts of stone" into hearts that are receptive to His love, mercy and the workings of His Holy Spirit – not only for the purpose of protecting the Christian minority but also for the salvation of their own eternal souls.

Pakistan News