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Indonesia

• Church Opponent Sentenced to Three Months in Jail

  

  On February 19th, the members of the Tabernacle of David Christian Church were gathered for worship when an angry village leader, Wawan Kurniawan, stormed into the building. Pushing the pastor aside, he demanded that the service end immediately. Ten other villagers joined him, resulting in turmoil, as well as injuries to the pastor. (See this page for more details.)

• Access to Church Building Blocked

  

  Gaining permission to build a church building in Indonesia has proven onerous for many followers of Jesus, creating multiple instances of conflict between Christians, community members, as well as their governing leaders. (For previously published reports outlining some of these incidents, go to our country report.)

• Seal Removed from Church Building

  

  Christians in Ciracas, East Jakarta, were jubilant when local officials removed the seal from the door of their church building on June 26th, three months after it was forced to close. The officials had claimed earlier that the congregation's legal permits and other requirements were incomplete, leading to the closure of the GKI Palsigunung church building on March 20th.

• Worship Services Stopped by Mobs

  

  As Christianity spreads in Indonesia, local governments and community members are increasingly creating obstacles to restrict the activities of the country's churches. The process for believers who want to build a church facility is complicated and can take many years. In one case, a church finally received approval in April of this year after waiting for 15 years. (Further details about the situation can be reviewed here.)Despite repeated calls from federal officials for local communities to be more accepting of religious diversity, in accordance with the country's constitution, the message of religious tolerance is not accepted by all.

• Official Charged After Disrupting Service

  

  On February 18th, a local village official forced his way into a church service in the Indonesian village of Rajabasa Jaya and demanded that the Christians stop worshipping immediately. He claimed that the church was meeting without a permit. Other villagers also joined in the attack and, during the turmoil, one of the intruders attempted to choke the pastor. For more details on the initial incident, go to this page.

• Church Reopens After 15 Years of Opposition

  

  For more than 15 years, the Gereja Kristen Indonesia (GKI) Yasmin Church in Bogor, Indonesia, has sought to meet for worship. The church was initially approved in 2006 but then rejected by local authorities. Although the Indonesian Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that the place of worship could reopen, local officials repeatedly caused delays. The root cause of the delays was influence from opposing militants of the Muslim-majority community. For earlier reports on the challenges encountered by members of this church, visit the following pages: Opposition Against Churches Continues and Christians Barred from Churches at Christmas.

• Church Building Sealed

  

  The process of establishing and leading a church in Indonesia can be onerous, particularly in areas controlled by militant Islamic groups or where there are few Christians. In an attempt to establish "religious harmony," legislation was passed during 2006 requiring all places of worship to obtain a government permit. In order to receive authorization, approval must be granted by at least 60 non-Christian residents in the area, and churches have to consist of a minimum of 90 members.

• Official Stops Church Service

  

  A local village official in Indonesia stopped a church service on February 19th, demanding that the church discontinue meeting. This is only one example of the many challenges recently experienced by Christians in Indonesia. For previous reports, and to learn how you can further pray for believers in this Southeast Asian nation, go to our country report.
  
  While members of the Tabernacle of David Christian Church in the village of Rajabasa Jaya were praying together on Sunday morning, a local chief named Wawan Kurniawan leapt over a metre-high fence and stormed into the service. Pushing the pastor aside, Wawan took to the pulpit and demanded that the service end. In response, some of those in attendance asked the chief to be patient, for they were only praying.

• Conflicting Responses to Christmas Celebrations

  

  Christmas Day of 2022 became a historic one in Indonesia as the country's president, Joko Widodo, visited two churches. The unannounced visits made by the Muslim president that day marked the only times he officially attended Christian services. Speaking to the congregants at the Cathedral of Bogor, he called for peace between differing religions. "Together, let us foster tolerant relations," he announced to all those who were present. His gesture was in line with an emphasis of tolerance that was being promoted by the Indonesian Ministry for Religious Affairs during the holidays.

• Local Officials Join Protest Against Church Building

  

  For the past several months, local Islamic groups have opposed the construction of a proposed church building in the city of Cilegon, Banten province. On April 25th, a major demonstration was planned until the concerned parties convened. At the time, the protest was cancelled. The construction of the church was also delayed until all the permit requirements were fulfilled. Groups opposed to the building were asked to respect the permit process once all the requirements have been met.