Photo: Morning Star News
On July 20th, six pastors were arrested after a mob disrupted a church service in Bhilai, a city located within the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. The assailants chanted Hindu slogans and accused the pastors of engaging in forcible conversions. As the mob grew increasingly vocal, shouting obscenities and threatening violence, Pastor Baksh locked the church doors to protect his congregation members.
When police officials eventually arrived, they demanded that the church members open the doors. However, rather than addressing the mob, the authorities detained nearly 40 Christians, transporting them by bus to the local police station. While there, officers pressured Pastor Moses Logan to provide the names of five Christians, with the intent of pressing charges against them. The pastor refused, insisting that any charges should be directed at those who verbally threatened to attack the church. Despite his protest, Pastor Moses and five other church leaders were charged and transferred to a jail in the nearby city of Durg. While most of the other detained Christians were released, several women also received charges of "forced conversions."
During their imprisonment, all six church leaders were interrogated by prison guards. When the jailer discovered that the detained men were pastors, he ordered them to be beaten. Pastor Moses, who was ill at the time, was spared the physical violence. However, the other believers suffered brutal beatings with wooden batons, resulting in deep lacerations. Thanks to the efforts of local Christians, who were able to raise enough money for bail, the six pastors were released on July 21st. However, the charges against them remain.
In light of this attack, an unnamed ministry partner in India shared: "North Indian pastors and [ministry] workers live in fear. The right to practise your faith is under assault now." He urges followers of Jesus around the world to pray for the church in India, as militant Hindu groups continue to target Christians. For further information, visit our country report.
- Pray that the physical wounds suffered by these pastors will heal quickly and completely, and that all false charges against them and the other accused members of this congregation would be dropped.
- Lift up believers throughout India who are facing increasingly aggressive opposition, praying that they would be filled with wisdom, discernment and courage as they navigate these challenges.
- Intercede for those who are opposed to the Gospel in this South Asian nation, in hopes that they will be receptive to the Holy Spirit's conviction of their sinful ways, and thus experience miraculous transformation through the love and saving grace of our Lord Jesus.
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