Indonesia's Persecution Continues

Over the last few days there has been a plethora of news concerning the churches that are being forced to close in Indonesia and those churches that have been bombed mercilessly.  Today the Mission News Network cites our very own Todd Nettleton regarding this issue.  Nettleton says,

"It's hard to say if these bombings will have a direct effect on the church other than just creating a spirit of fear, of 'look what we can do to our enemies.'"

When asked if that would affect believers, somehow, he added, "Christians would definitely fall under the 'enemies list' of a radical Islamic group in that country."

Nettleton says there have been some very troubling things that have happened to believers in Indonesia recently. "We have the three ladies that have recently been convicted for running a Christian school program that then Muslim children were allowed to be a part of."

Other incidents, he explains have been unsettling...but as of yet, there is not really an emergent pattern. "There have been several churches closed in recent weeks, on the island of Java. There's just a lot of things going on that are a big concern."

Remember the ladies in Indonesia that were thrown in prison, these are the women Todd is referring to in this article.  If you haven't written to encourage them yet there is still time.  Just go to Prisoner Alert and do that now.

Christian Freedom International is also following the story of churches closing in Indonesia.  Here's some of what they are saying,

According to Christian Freedom International president Jim Jacobson, "religious persecution targeting minority Christians in Indonesia, particularly in West Java, is both systemic and systematic."

Jacobson conducted a fact-finding mission to Indonesia, the world's largest Islamic nation, in September 2005, visiting numerous forcibly closed churches in West Java.

Christian Freedom International urges the Indonesia government to allow religious freedom, intervene and stop the forced shut-down of churches, and to denounce the radical Islamic group known as AGAP.

AGAP is an abbreviation for Aliansi Gerakan Ant Pemurtadan which translated into English means Anti-Apostasy Alliance Movement.

According to Jacobson, "AGAP has a mission to close churches and basically eradicate Christianity in Indonesia. They use fear, intimidation, threats, and obscure government regulations, in cooperation with local officials, to accomplish their goal."  Read more from CFI here.

Please keep our suffering brothers and sisters in prayer who are in Indonesia.  Ask that their faith will be strengthened and that they may lead their persecutors to Christ.