Indonesian Church Growing Rapidly

In Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-populated nation, radical Islamic groups are putting pressure on local government to refuse permits to churches and are often violently forcing church
closures. Pastor, Bernard Maukar, of the Surabaya Pentecostal Church told CBN News that, “Angry members of the Islamic Defender’s Front barged into our church and destroyed our musical instruments, chairs, everything.” Despite fulfilling all requirements, the local government has not wanted to grant the church a permit. “And because I was holding Sunday Service without a
permit, they put me in jail for three months,” says pastor Maukar.

“My arrest was illegal, but the police arrested me because the angry Muslims were waiting outside the church,” he said. But even behind bars, Pastor Maukar continued to share God’s message. “I preached that God never leaves us and He is present in each of our situation.” “This blessed the prisoners, including the Muslims,” he shared. “They asked me to pray for them Christian style and when I laid hands on the sick they got well.”

Despite the persecution, reliable research shows the number of Christians in Indonesia has significantly increased. One pastor said, “Indonesia is now 20 percent Christian.”

Source: CBN News

Bible Study: Acts 14:19-22

PRAISE God for the strong growth of the Gospel in Indonesia.

PRAY that the authorities will act fairly.

Rapid Growth of Indonesian Church

In Indonesia so many Muslims are becoming Christian that an Islamic activist group launched the Save Maryam campaign on YouTube and Facebook to warn against this trend and call for a new islamization of the country. Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population but, on the current trend, Indonesia might be a Christian nation by 2035.

Operation World says Evangelicals have grown from 1.3 million to 13 million since 1960. Already five years ago TIME magazine called what is happening in Indonesia “a religious revolution.” And Christians in the Banda Aceh province say Muslims are much more receptive to the gospel since the devastating 2004 tsunami.

In the capital Jakarta, newly built mega-churches send steeples into the sky. Other Christians worship at unofficial churches based in hotels and malls, where Sunday services rival shopping as a popular weekend activity. Indonesian cable TV beams 24-hour Christian channels.

Source: Save Maryam campaign, TIME magazine

Bible Study: Zechariah 9:9-12

PRAISE God for this receptivity to Christ. Pray that Indonesia may experience a great awakening.

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