Stepping into 2023 with Faith: Embracing the Power of Trusting in God

A wife and his pastor have goneinto hiding in Aceh province, Indonesia after a muslim mob set fire to a church on September 1st. Several weeks ago, Pastor Luther Saragih of an Indonesia Evangelical Mission Church congregation, distributed letters to several villages in Aceh inviting Christians to a revival service. A Muslim resident somehow received a copy of the letter and edited it, making it appear that Muslims were invited to the service. More than 500 Christians arrived for the service, along with a large crowd of irate Muslims. Police detained Saragih and scolded him for organizing the service, but another pastor was able to deliver a brief sermon before the event was cut short. Later that night, a mob of more than 100 men poured gasoline over the building and set it on fire. They also attempted to burn a second building used as a church kindergarten and came looking for Saragih and his wife at their nearby house. The couple escaped to the jungle. Christians in a neighboring province have provided shelter for Saragih and his pregnant wife. Local police and Muslim leaders are reportedly still searching for the couple. Despite this grave resistance, church members have moved their worship services to a local house, as they refuse to buckle under Muslim attacks. Pray God will keep his faithful servants safe from harm. Pray many of the Muslims who heard the brief sermon will be moved to seek the Lord. Praise God the members of this church are continuing to meet, praising God in the knowledge that He is building His church and the gates of hell can not prevail against it.

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