State officials and local clerics closed a prayer house and halted Christian activities for the time being and also expelled an evangelist and his young son from the district.
Morning Star News reported that authorities and Muslim clerics in Purbayani village in Indonesia’s West Java province closed Immanuel Prayer House on Aug. 2. They said the prayer house, which is part of Bethel Tabernacle Church of Indonesia, lacked the proper permit for a worship building, Morning Star reported, quoting Kompas.com.
RELATED: Check out more stories on the persecuted church.
The prayer house actually does have a temporary permit that is valid into February 2026.
Evangelist Dani Natanael and his third-grade son were evicted from the prayer house and from Caringin Subdistrict, where Purbayani village is located, states Kompas.com.
Yahya Sukma, pastor of Bethel Tabernacle, said the government has banned Dani and his son from staying in Caringin Subdistrict.
Targeted
The Indonesian Christian Youth Movement said the closure leaves no house of worship for 20 Christian communities in the district. The closest one now would be three hours away in Garut or Pangalengan.
Quoting Open Doors, Morning Star stated, “Indonesian society in recent years has adopted a more conservative Islamic character, and churches involved in evangelistic outreach are at risk of being targeted by Islamic extremist groups.”
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