Three churches attacked in Tamil Nadu, India

Window of the church in Sulur Photo from GCIC

Three church buildings were attacked within two days in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. On November 29, a bomb exploded at a church in Thammathukonam, badly damaging the building's wall. Later that day, a statue of St. Francis Xavier was desecrated by militants in Konamkade while the local congregation was preparing for an Advent procession. The next day, a group of Hindu militants broke the windows of a church building in Sulur and threw stones inside. A bag containing a container of petrol, a diesel can and cotton scraps was later found, suggesting that the attackers intended to set the building on fire.

Pray that Christians in Tamil Nadu will not give in to fear over these attacks but continue to be bold witnesses for Jesus. Pray that the perpetrators of this violence will be brought to justice.

Click here to find out more about how Christians suffer in India

Church attacked by Buddhists in Sri Lanka

On the afternoon of November 5, approximately 200 members of the Buddhist-led party Jathika Hela Urumaya attacked the Jesus Never Fails Good News Centre in Koswatta, Sri Lanka. The attackers hurled stones at the building, damaging the exterior, windows, air conditioning units and gate. They also threatened to kill Pastor Joseph, accusing him of unethical conversions and demanding that he stop conducting healing services. The violence was in response to an October 31 open air healing service led by Pastor Joseph, after which two women died. A spokesman for the church said the women attended the service out of their own free will and later died in hospital. (Source: National Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka)

Pray for endurance of faith for victims of this attack. Ask the Lord to work in the hearts of those targeting Sri Lankan believers so that they will repent and come to faith in Him. Pray that Christians in Sri Lanka will continue to share the news of God's grace.

For commentary on this story and a video of the attack, click here. For more information on the challenges facing Sri Lanka's Christians, click here.

INDIA -- Pastor Attacked

On Oct. 4, Pastor Prakash was attacked by 25 Bajrang Dal extremists while he was ministering in Kaiwara village, Bangalore Rural District, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. The extremists assaulted the pastor and accused him of cheating people. After the attack, the pastor was questioned and held on complaints of "illegal activity."

Read the full story here

Pastor Abducted and Brutally Attacked in India

ASSIST News Service reports that a pastor has been abducted and brutally attacked, leaving him severely injured. According to All India Christian Council, five members belonging to a Hindu radical group (name not known) came on a vehicle and forcibly took Pastor Vijay Kumar away to a secluded place and there he was brutally manhandled. Vijay Kumar is a pastor in Ludhianaof Punjab state, India. Christians have seen a trickle of continued violence since a radical Hindu leader was murdered by Maoists in August 2008, when radical Hindus blamed Christians for the violence. Thousands have yet to return to their homes. Only 24 people have been connected in the attacks.