ICC Note: In recent years, India has become a more hostile place for Christians. According to Open Doors USA, India has gone from the 25th most hostile country to Christians in 2015 to the 11th in 2017. In spite of this increase in persecution, Indian Christians remain committed to spreading the Gospel to their non-Christian neighbors.
09/17/2018 India (MNN) – “India’s become a place very hostile especially on certain fronts to the Gospel and to any work done in the name of Christ,” Bibles For The World’s John Pudaite says.
In recent years, India has been creeping its way up Open Doors’ World Watch List, which ranks the countries where Christian persecution is highest.
In 2015, India ranked #25. This year, the nation ranked #11.
Furthermore, Open Doors reports that while there were 151 persecution incidents in India in 2013, there were 248 incidents in the first quarter of 2017.
This year has already seen a number of incidents, including the severe attacks on three Christian pastors in Uttar Pradesh on September 11, and another attack on a pastor and his son on August 15.
Churches, pastors, and other believers have further reported threats from radical Hindus who have said they would beat or kill people if they continued sharing the Word or attending church services.
Christian Post reports at a Church in Madhya Pradesh, fifteen families stopped attending church services. The pastor, Pastor Singh, said around 200 people used to attend his church. Now, only 50 to 60 people are attending services due to threats from radical Hindus.
While the persecution is disheartening, many Christians are refusing to stop sharing the Gospel and continue attending churches despite the threats.
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