Mobs Impede Christian Worship at Two Churches in Indonesia

Building under construction damaged.

SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Mobs in northern Indonesia this month blocked a church from its Sunday service venue in one town and damaged a worship building under construction in another, sources said. In Riau Islands Province, about 30 people on Wednesday (Aug. 9) used hammers and clubs to break huge holes in the walls […]

Muslims Again Break Up Worship of Church in Indonesia

Presence of Christian service in Muslim-majority area questioned.

SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – As police looked on, a group of Muslims in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia, on July 2 asked why a church should be present in a Muslim-majority area as they broke up its worship service, a video shows. The disruption was the second in two months suffered by the Mawar Sharon Church […]

Churches in Indonesia Fight to Regain Worship Venues

Seal removed, but congregation cannot yet use building.

SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Christians broke into joyful celebration when local officials in East Jakarta, Indonesia removed the seal on their church building on June 26, three months after it was closed. Citing lack of a permit, the East Jakarta City Planning Office on March 20 had sealed with a banner the building of […]

Christians Fear Implication in Attack on Government in Vietnam

Long oppressed Montagnard evangelicals could be targeted.

(Morning Star News) – Ethnic Christians in Vietnam are bracing for potential fallout should they be blamed for recent anti-government violence. In the pre-dawn hours of June 11, four policemen, two government officials and three bystanders were killed by camouflage-clad armed groups. This rare anti-government violence took place in Ea Tieu and Ea Ktur communes, […]

Muslims Block Worship at Two Churches in Indonesia

Home fellowship told to obtain permit.

SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – A local official and other Muslims on Sunday (June 18) stopped worship at a house church outside Jakarta, Indonesia, and a church site in Central Java Province was temporarily blocked, according to local reports. In West Java Province, a group of Muslims said to be led by a neighborhood official […]

Muslims Stop Christian Services in Two Cities in Indonesia

Worship disrupted on Sumatra Island.

SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Muslim mobs on May 19 stopped Christians from worship in two cities of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, sources said. Muslims reportedly disrupted Christians as they worshipped in a café in a village in Binjai, 13 miles from Medan, capital of North Sumatra Province. In Riau, capital of Pekanbaru Province in […]

Charge Reduced for Indonesian Official Who Stopped Service

Intruder released from jail.

SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Authorities have reduced a blasphemy charge to one of mere “intrusion” for an official on western Indonesia’s Sumatra Island who broke up a worship service, sources said.  Church leaders in Indonesia said such leniency would never be granted to a Christian who broke up mosque prayers and appealed for […]

Local Officials Seal Church Building Shut in Indonesia

Muslim intruders demanded congregation stop worshiping at site.

SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Local officials sealed shut a church building in West Java Province, Indonesia on Saturday (April 1), two weeks after Muslims intruded into a worship service and demanded its closure, church leaders said. The congregation of the Simalungun Christian Protestant Church (Gereja Kristen Protestan Simalungun, or GKPS) in Cigelam, Babakancikao, Purwakerta, […]

Church in Indonesia Stands Up to Attempt to Stop Worship

Muslim intruders told congregation to disperse.

SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – A church in West Java Province, Indonesia refused to yield to Muslim intruders’ attempts to stop their worship service on Sunday (March 19), the pastor said. About 60 miles southeast of Jakarta, two Muslims entered the building of the Simalungun Protestant Christian Church (GKPS) in Purwakerta, took photos and video and […]

Muslims Block Christians’ Construction in Indonesia

Another congregation wins right to build after initial ban.

SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Muslims in a village in northeastern Indonesia’s portion of Borneo Island prohibited a church from constructing a worship building, sources said. Local leaders of Selumit village, in Tarakan City in North Kalimantan Province, stated in a Feb. 28 letter that Mawar Sharon Christian Church’s proposed construction was against state regulations […]