Churches Face Ongoing Pressure

On October 21, the Voice of the Martyrs received an update from the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka, outlining some of the recent opposition facing evangelical churches in Sri Lanka.

In the first week of October, a crowd of around seventy people, led by the Balapitiya Bauddha Balamandalaya members and Buddhist monks, threatened the Balapitiya branch of the Ambalangoda Assemblies of God (A.O.G.) Church, demanding that the church close within a month. When the police were informed, the officer in charge refused to record the complaint, saying he would consult is superiors and take necessary action.

In another incident, the A.O.G. Church in Embilipitiya's worship service on October 12, was disrupted by a mob led by seven Buddhist monks. They demanded that the services stop and that the believers leave the area. One of the monks brought out a bottle of poison, challenging the pastor to drink it as proof that his God was real, citing the words of Jesus. The pastor responded that the Scriptures instruct Christians not to test God. The mob left after threatening the believers.

The Athurugiriya branch of the New Covenant Life Centre has been facing repeated threats. As a result, they were not meeting in the reception hall they normally used on Sunday, October 19. The church held a very low-key worship service to avoid any altercation. This did not prevent a group of about fifty men, led by a Buddhist monk, from stopping the service and demanding that everyone leave the building and no longer meet in this village. Pastor Dushantha De Silva and the congregation left as requested and filed a complaint with the police. The officer in charge has called for an inquiry to be held on October 25 and informed all parties to be present.

Two different A.O.G. churches have also faced threats and attacks from members of Roman Catholic churches. On October 5 and 12, the AOG Church in Vankalai was threatened by members of the Vankalai Roman Catholic Church. Members of the AOG Church were beaten and their lives threatened. The pastor and members were ordered to leave Vankalai or face death. On October 19, a group of around one thousand people marched on the AOG church in Batuwatte, led by the Catholic priest and four monks. They demanded that the services be discontinued, saying that Christians should worship in the Catholic Church and Buddhists in the Buddhist temple. The pastor was accused of unethical conversions and bribery.

Pray for strength and wisdom for believers in Sri Lanka facing these repeated attacks. Pray that they will know the best way to respond to allegations and demands. Pray for protection and the ability to stand firm in their faith through the power of God's Spirit.

  • Current Ministry Projects

    VOMC supports persecuted Christians in Sri Lanka as they witness for Christ in hostile environments through Biblical training, legal aid, and advocacy, as well as rehabilitation and emergency assistance.

    Project Funds: Equipping the Saints, Legal Defence, Relief & Development, Families of Martyrs

  • Country Information

    Population
    23,326,272 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Sinhalese (74.9), Sri Lankan Tamil (11.2), Sri Lankan Moors (9.2), Indian Tamil (4.2), other (0.5)

    Religion (%)
    Buddhism (70.2), Hinduism (12.6), Islam (9.7), Roman Catholic (6.1), Evangelical Christianity (2.0)

    Leader
    President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (Sept 2024)

    Government type
    Presidential republic

    Legal system
    Mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and Jaffna Tamil customary law

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Sri Lanka

    Let's unite our hearts in prayer for those in Sri Lanka who are being persecuted for their faith, thanking God for what He is accomplishing despite the opposition. Ask that His people will be encouraged, strengthened and equipped by the promises of the Bible – the Sword of the Spirit – knowing that He is watching over His Word to perform it (Ephesians 6:17; Jeremiah 1:12). May they not only overcome the strategies of the enemy, but also serve as effective witnesses to those in need of eternal salvation and deliverance from spiritual captivity.

Sri Lanka News

  • Church Pressured to Halt Christian Activities
    A church congregation in Sri Lanka
    A congregation in Sri Lanka.
    Photo: VOMC

    Members of the Way to the Comfort Ministry Church in Seethwaka, Sri Lanka, are receiving ongoing demands to cease all Christian activities in their village. On January 26th, Buddhist monks approached the church leadership and insisted that the pastor stop holding worship services, claiming that only Buddhist practices are permitted within the village. They further accused the pastor of forcibly converting people to Christianity and receiving foreign aid.

  • Church Services Restricted to Pastor's Family
    A woman is raising her hands in worship.
    Photo: VOMC 

    In July, a complaint against the Jesus Jeewamanai Revival Church in Polgahawela was issued by some villagers and Buddhist leaders who opposed the worship services that were taking place at the pastor's home. In response, police requested that the church restrict the number of people attending the gatherings, particularly by limiting participants who were visiting from outside of the community, until guidance was received from the authorities on how to handle the situation. For more information about this incident, go to this report.

  • Church Building Pelted with Stones; Worshippers Restricted Access
    Christians are seated on floor mats as they pray together. Two women are in the foreground.
    A group of Christians praying together.
    Photo: VOMC
     

    The Jesus Jeewamanai Revival Church in the town of Polgahawela has been the target of attacks perpetrated by disgruntled members of the community who oppose their place of worship. On July 7th and 11th, stones were thrown at the church building. Then, on July 14th, before the Christians' Sunday services were scheduled to begin, villagers blocked the road leading to the building in order to prevent the congregants and their pastor from accessing the facility.

  • Arrests During House Church Construction
    People are in and around a small building under construction.
     
     

    On June 13th, the pastor of God's Kingdom Gospel Church in Kandapola, Sri Lanka, was constructing a house church building, together with the support of other pastors and church leaders, when he was approached by a junior manager. The pastor was questioned by the manager as to whether or not the Christians had permission to build a church.