Persecution in India Increases Towards Christians

Last week I received two different emails concerning the rise of persecution in India.  One email was from my buddy Pastor John who blogs at The Sheeps Crib and the other was from Gospel for Asia.

This is from John, some information has been removed for security purposes.

Recent days have seen a noticeable increase in peresecution of Christians in north India, especially in the BJP ruled state of Madhya Pradesh. On Saturday, January 28 Pastor Sam Frnacis, a member of our Board of Directors in India, and a group of 27 believers were brutally beaten in the home of a believer while they were conducting a prayer meeting. As far as I know this is the first instance in the city of Bhopal where Christians are attacked in a private home. There also have been several attacks on Christians in the city of Jabalpur. Police have arrested Christians and put them in prison after they were beaten by militiant Hindus and none of the criminals is arrested!

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This is a time to pray and intercede for the Christians of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Many Churches all over India have declared Saturday, February 11 as a day of fasting and prayer. Please join in this prayer and continue till the evil designs of Hindu Militants are defeated in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Please pray also for the annual pastors' conference and graduation celebrations in our BibleCollege. Dates are February 22 to 26. Please pray that the Lord would blessthese events and speak to us through His servants who are coming to minister.Pray for their safe travel and that they would remain in good health.

Gospel for Asia sent out this very important prayer request and email about India.  Please read this and pray.

In the past few weeks, we have received a growing number of reports from India about increased persecution of believers. It seems as if the radical Hindus have all but declared war on Christians.

In the latest incident, two of our missionaries in Haryana were attacked as they were showing the Man of Mercy film about Jesus. More than 200 villagers had gathered to watch the film in the courtyard of a believer's home when a group of young Hindu militants attacked and started beating the missionaries.

One, named William, is the pastor of a Believers Church, and the other, Eno, works in the Gospel for Asia film ministry.

Some of those watching the film tried to rescue the believers, but they, too, were cruelly beaten. The police came and took control of the situation, but as soon as they left, about 1,000 radicals surrounded the house, shouting anti-Christian slogans and threatening the believers. Miraculously, God intervened and the owner prevented them from entering his property.

My friend, if this were an isolated incident, it would still be extremely serious. But it is worse. All across India, Hindu radicals are openly attacking Christians, and the situation is getting more and more difficult for the believers.

Please let us pray for this particular situation and plead for God's divine intervention. Pray for William and Eno, that they will not be discouraged and may be strengthened to carry forward His ministry.

And please pray that all across India, God's love will touch and transform those who would spread the darkness of hate over the nation.