“Some of the Assemblies of God churches in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have been closed for a while,” writes one of BTJ’s partners running projects in India. “The [Assemblies of God churches] can no longer afford to bail pastors and Christians out of jail.”
Rev. Rajnish Jacob, chairman of the Assemblies of God, North India is reporting that over 40 Assemblies of God churches in Rajasthan alone were forced to close, and some pastors are now being pursued by police for arrest.
The shocking report comes amid an increase of persecution in India and anti-conversion laws sweep the nation. The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act is one anti-conversion law that took effect August 28 of this year and the law prohibits religious conversions through force, fraud, coercion, or allurement.
The law is subjective and anyone can make the accusation that Christians use fraud, coercion and allurement, which is why police have been involved in an alarming number of new official persecution incidents against Christians in India.
Radical Hindu nationalist groups have fully exploited the new law to target Christians.
“As we see this rise against the body of Christ with all these anti-conversion laws – with the persecution on the increase, nearing two and a half violent incidents per day on average,” says Pudaite.
John Pudaite, with Bibles For The World explains, “As we see this rise against the body of Christ with all these anti-conversion laws – with the persecution on the increase, nearing two and a half violent incidents per day on average.”
India is currently ranked number 11 on Open Doors’ World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.
