INDIA: Christians Arrested at Wedding Reception - (Correction, this happened in November 2022)

Source: VOMC
Source: International Christian Concern

Nine pastors and a recently married Christian couple were arrested in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, on March 27th. According to witnesses, the pastor of an Assemblies of God church in the community was hosting a wedding reception at his home for his daughter and son-in-law. Militant Hindu nationalists claimed that the gathering was a conversion program and called the police. Though the pastor explained that he was simply holding a wedding reception, the authorities ignored his pleas and arrested him, along with the newly married couple and eight other pastors in attendance.

Uttar Pradesh passed legislation in November 2020 outlawing religious conversions by "misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or any fraudulent means." It is one of nine Indian states with such legislation. Regrettably, these laws have been misused by those who want India to be an exclusively Hindu nation. 

For additional reports on the persecution encountered by Christians in India, go to our country report.

"These days are very challenging days in our state," remarked a Christian leader from Uttar Pradesh. "More than 200 churches were shut down in the last few months, and 52 pastors and Christians are reeling in the prisons across the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is challenging for Christians to gather for worship.... Today's incident of nine pastors that were sent to jail tells the bigger story of how Christians cannot gather for any purpose whatsoever."

Please uphold this newly married couple in your prayers, along with the nine pastors who have been imprisoned on false pretenses. 

Pray that each one of these believers will be vindicated of any charges laid against them. 

Intercede for the militant Hindu nationalists involved in this recent incident – as well as all those who stand in opposition to Christianity within this part of the world – in hopes they will also come to realize the truth of God's Word and turn in sincere repentance to Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. 

In general, despite the increased incidents of persecution in recent years, may the ministry of the Gospel continue to spread throughout the nation of India.