A congregation in South Asia had to halt construction on their church building due to opposition from anti-Christian extremists. |
Sustained by the prayers—and gifts—of believers from around the world, Gospel for Asia-supported national missionaries in India and other countries are able to construct solid church buildings for their growing but impoverished congregations.
However, as Pastor Gagan Gajbaahu is discovering, Satan still tries to put barriers up to prevent the growth of the church. This GFA-supported missionary is asking for prayer as he and his church face intense opposition from entrenched anti-Christian elements in his village.
“We were encouraged to learn that, thanks in part to our faithful friends in the West, GFA leadership in Asia was able to provide funds to buy the land for Pastor Gagan’s church,” said GFA President K.P. Yohannan. “Unfortunately, we are now learning that some people with certain agendas are fighting against what God is doing in that village.”
Legal Opposition
What is happening, Dr. Yohannan explained, is that a local attorney, Mr. Safal, has joined with a strongly anti-Christian family to threaten Pastor Gagan and his people.
In addition to disturbing the worship services, the attorney warned that if the church started construction, he would file for a court order to stop them. He also installed a religious idol on land directly adjacent to the church property and began regularly worshiping his traditional deity there.
And mysteriously, the supply of sand that the congregation was going to use on the building project was stolen in the dead of the night!
“Despite these setbacks, Pastor Gagan is continuing his work,” Dr. Yohannan noted. “He is asking for prayer, and I encourage all who read this message to join in lifting him and his congregation up to the Lord in your prayers.
“Please pray that the Lord will intervene in this matter and that His message of love will penetrate the hearts of those who oppose the Gospel. And continue to pray that his church will soon be worshiping the Lord in their new facility.”