Source: Barnabas Fund, September 18, 2014
A church in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh was turned into a temple on August 27 after Hindu extremists converted members of the congregation to Hinduism. The church in Asroi village, Aligarh district had been the place of worship for a group of Dalit Christians, who are from the lowest level of India’s stratified society.
During a Hindu purification ritual at the church, which is around 100 miles southeast of New Delhi, its cross was torn down and a poster of the god Shiva was placed inside the church building. The Hindu extremists responsible released a YouTube video of the conversion and published a press release stating that 72 Christians had become Hindus.
A church leader who was part of a fact-finding team told reporters that he believed this particular church had been targeted because there are only a few other Christians in the area, and the pastor did not live nearby and was therefore unable to visit the village regularly.
» Read full story. On a happier note, see Indian High Court Moves to Overturn Ban on Non-Hindu Evangelists.
» Will you pray for Hindus, Hindu-background believers, and workers seeking to plant churches among Hindus? Today is the sixth day in a series of annual Hindu festivals. See 10-day Navratri Prayer Guide (Christar).