Indonesia: North Sumatra Christian worship service again disrupted by Muslims

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A Christian congregation in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia, had its worship service disrupted by Muslim protestors for the second time in two months on July 2, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. 

With no church building of its own, the Mawar Sharon Church (Gereja Mawar Sharon, GMS) congregation has drawn the ire of local Muslims who object to its meeting at a café in Binjai Kota Sub-District, Binjai, MSN reports.

A video taken of the July 2 disruptive incident shows Muslims demonstrating against the Christians, and a hijab-clad woman standing beside a police officer while blocking the Christians from attending their worship service.

“You the minorities should not always ask to be respected. We must respect each other as the government has regulated it,” the woman is heard to say. “What’s the point of setting the rules, if the rules have to be violated again?” she asked.

However, in a statement about the incident, Indonesian religious rights activist Permadi Arya noted that Indonesia’s Joint Ministerial Decree of 2006 requires a permit only for worship venues used on a permanent basis. “According to The Joint Decree of the Two Ministers, Chapter 1, Article 3, what needs a permit is the construction of a church,” Arya said. “Holding worship at home, shop-houses and cafes needs no permission.”

Islamic majority Indonesia ranks 31st on the US Open Doors World Watch List 2023 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.

Lift this up in Prayer

13

people are currently praying.

Latest Worthy News

Fair Use Notice:This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Books by George Whitten

Identity in Messiah Revealed https://identityinmessiah.com

A devotional journey calling believers out of self-doubt and into confident, Kingdom-rooted identity in the Messiah.

Buy on Amazon

The Biblical Fall Feasts Revealed https://biblicalfallfeasts.com

An in-depth look at the Biblical fall feasts and their prophetic significance for believers today.

Buy on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.