PERSECUTION IN INDIA CONTINUES

I RECEIVED THIS FROM A FRIEND: (I deleted names).

Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 11:08 AM
> Below is the story of a pastor who was recently arrested, falsely accused and put in prison. Hope you are blessed to read it just as I was. Let's pray for Pastor J--that he may continue to stand firm in the midst of trial.
 
In Jesus, your brother in Christ, D M

Greetings in the matchless name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Our God is good and He’s good all the time. I belong to Orissa, which lies in the eastern India . My life was full of darkness and sin but God changed my life through an evangelist who had come to our village to preach. Since then, I’d been preaching the gospel.

In 2008, I joined the Alpha Ministries and was commissioned to preach the gospel in unreached areas.
 
Initially, I served the Lord in Nandpur Block. Thereafter, God began to enlarge my borders. He opened doors in the town of Majhiput, Gunthaput and Chatqa. Eventually more than 86 people came to faith in Christ. In addition, 18 people have been baptized so far.

During the week, our church would assemble and pray in the house of prayer in Gunthaput. Three to four months back, some people from the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak (RSS), which is a Hindu extremist organization, razed down our prayer house. When I questioned them, they falsely accused me saying that I convert people from Hinduism to Christianity. They threatened me to stop the conversion and filed a complaint with the police. The police did not take action immediately but towards the end of July, I was arrested and put in prison. Three days later, Pastor B-- N-- who is our area leader got me released on bail. The believers whom I led to the Lord defended me saying that they have willingly accepted Jesus as Lord and that no one forced them to do so.
 
Now, I am out on bail. Previously, I used to stay in my field area and minister to people. Now, I have come to my native village but go everyday to the field area to preach.

The religious activists constantly intimidate me but I am determined that I will serve the Lord as long as I live. I am willing to stand in face of persecution just as our wonderful Lord did. May this testimony encourage you to serve Him even more and know for sure that our God is the sovereign God and that ITS ALL WORTH IT!

Pastor J--

MY ADDED COMMENTS:
Many of these Christians from Orissa fled south to the area where we work in India. Extremists were burning churches (with people inside), and Christians fled into the forests with literally only the clothes on their backs. There were some uprisings that were falsely blamed on Christians that started the persecutions. Orissa has always been a hot-bed of opposition to Christianity. In our area of work, there are sometimes hecklers at the gate on Sunday morning. (Not yet when we've been there). Benjamin's dad told him to be prepared to die for his faith in Christ when he took over the ministry. Millie