SURABAYA, Indonesia — Mobs halted Christian worship services May 19 at two locations on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island.
Morning Star News reports that Christian worship was disrupted at Mawar Sharon Church, which was meeting at a cafe in a village in Binjai in North Sumatra province, and at Bethel Indonesia Church in Riau in Pekanbaru province. In both cases, the mobs that disrupted the services were composed of Muslims.
About 40 Muslims prevented Mawar Sharon Church from meeting, with the mob’s leader claiming that the church’s permits were issued falsely. At Bethel Indonesia Church, “outsiders” prohibited the service, Morning Star states, quoting sources.
In January, President Joko Widodo of Indonesia said local decisions do not trump guarantees of religious freedom stipulated in the constitution.
Indonesia is No. 33 on Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian. According to Open Doors, Islamic extremist groups target churches that conduct evangelistic outreach. “If a church is seen to be preaching and spreading the gospel, they soon run into opposition from Islamic extremist groups, especially in rural areas,” states Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List report.
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