KATHMANDU, Nepal — A conflict management team from the Nepal Baptist Church Council (NBCC) needs urgent prayer as members meet with Maoist leaders.
The Maoist leaders locked the doors of the 190-member Dingla Baptist Church Aug. 26 because the pastor refused to pay money or allow young men to join their cause. The doors have remained locked.
Jir Man Rai, leader of the NBCC mission department, said the church, which was established in 1992 and is located in a remote area in eastern Nepal, has its own church building through the leadership of the pastor, Abishan Rai, and the sacrifice of the believers.
Earlier this year, Maoist rebels asked the pastor for money, and when he did not give it to them, they closed the church. They promised to keep it shut until their demands are met.
This is the latest in a series of incidents for the Baptist community in Nepal, but the church continues to grow. The NBCC, which was started in 1993, now numbers 90 churches and 12,000 members.
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