Five Evangelists Abducted

28 July 2004 0 minutes read

^{Photos from Gospel for Asia}

On July 24, a group of militant Hindus opposed to the work of evangelists in the area of Karnataka, India, abducted five workers with Gospel for Asia, accusing them of robbery. The five men, Lokesh, Yesuraj, Kumar, Anil and Ramesh, had previously received threats because of their evangelistic work in the area. When a robbery took place in the area, the five were falsely accused of the crime and abducted by a group opposed to their message. According to Gospel for Asia, one of the men, Ramesh, managed to escape. The other four have been beaten and their Gospel literature destroyed.

Pray that these servants of God will be released and will not be seriously harmed. Pray for the continued ministry of the Gospel in the area.

For more information on India and the dangers experienced by Christians there, click here.

India

India Information

Current Ministry Projects
VOMC assists persecuted Christians with legal support and rehabilitation assistance, and cares for children of martyrs by providing them with a safe place to be nurtured physical and spiritually. VOMC also partners to equip Christians in India with Biblical training and works to strengthen and support marginalized and persecuted Christian women. Additionally, VOMC helps to provide medical assistance to believers who have faced injuries after being attacked.”

Project Funds: Families of Martyrs, Equipping the Saints, Legal Defense, Relief and Development, Women’s Ministry, Medical Fund
Country Information
Population
1,399,179,585 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Indo-Aryan (72), Dravidian (25), other (3)

Religion (%)
Hinduism (79.8), Muslim (14.2), Christianity (2.3), Sikh (1.7), other (2)

Leader
President Droupadi Murmu (2022)

Government type
Federal parliamentary republic

Legal system
Based on English common law; separate personal law codes apply to Christians, Hindus and Muslims.

Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for India
Despite the intimidation and violence that have taken place in many of India's states, may Christians wisely yet unashamedly preach the Gospel. Pray that indigenous Christians and foreign missionaries will minister in ways that do not hint at fraudulent conversions, unmasking the intentions behind the anti-conversion legislation. Intercede for India's leaders, that they may reign with justice and righteousness.