Friends, suicide bombers injured 14 people in a terrorist attack at a church in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, right after Palm Sunday service.
"Thank God that no Christians died in the attack," brother ###, Open Doors coordinator for the work in South East Asia, says. "But some believers have been severely wounded, and all present have been traumatized. Their lives will never be the same. We ask for the worldwide Church to pray for their brothers and sisters in ###."
The Palm Sunday explosion occurred at 10.28 am (GMT 03.30) as worshippers were on their way home from church. Police say the suspects were two men on motorbikes.
A priest from the church tells local media that one bomber tried to enter the church, but a guard stopped him. According to the Channel News Asia report, five church staff members and four worshippers are among the wounded. They say there were few people attending mass due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The police have not yet pinned down the attack on any group, and no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks. Indonesia is no stranger to terrorist attacks. Just four months ago, four Christians were murdered in ###, Indonesia, by Islamic extremists. And in 2018 police blamed ISIL-connected groups for a church suicide attack in ### that killed 30 people.
"In Indonesia, the situation for Christians has been deteriorating in recent years, with Indonesian society taking on a more conservative Islamic character," says brother ###. "Christians who grew up in a Muslim home often experience persecution from their families. At the same time, Islamic militants carry out attacks from time to time. Many share the ideology or are affiliated with global terrorist movements such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda."
Open Doors local partners on-site are doing fact-finding to assess the needs of the Christians. Brother ### continues, "it's important that we come alongside when they are suffering. They must know that they are not alone."
Pray for the wounded and traumatized in this horrific and evil attack on the church.
Ask God to give them healing and the comfort of the Holy Spirit as they recover.
Pray believers in Indonesia are reminded they are part of a Christian family worldwide and know that they are not alone.
Thank you so much for praying for our persecuted family overseas. May the Lord reward you for your faithfulness.
I also personally think we should pray against ### worship and Idolatry and that the priests and congregations are awakened by the Holy Spirit to realize ### is not quite correct. It doesn't say they are ### explicitly but I think they must be because they said it was a mass and called the preacher a priest.
Information from Open Doors USA text alert a charity for persecuted Christians.
"Thank God that no Christians died in the attack," brother ###, Open Doors coordinator for the work in South East Asia, says. "But some believers have been severely wounded, and all present have been traumatized. Their lives will never be the same. We ask for the worldwide Church to pray for their brothers and sisters in ###."
The Palm Sunday explosion occurred at 10.28 am (GMT 03.30) as worshippers were on their way home from church. Police say the suspects were two men on motorbikes.
A priest from the church tells local media that one bomber tried to enter the church, but a guard stopped him. According to the Channel News Asia report, five church staff members and four worshippers are among the wounded. They say there were few people attending mass due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The police have not yet pinned down the attack on any group, and no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks. Indonesia is no stranger to terrorist attacks. Just four months ago, four Christians were murdered in ###, Indonesia, by Islamic extremists. And in 2018 police blamed ISIL-connected groups for a church suicide attack in ### that killed 30 people.
"In Indonesia, the situation for Christians has been deteriorating in recent years, with Indonesian society taking on a more conservative Islamic character," says brother ###. "Christians who grew up in a Muslim home often experience persecution from their families. At the same time, Islamic militants carry out attacks from time to time. Many share the ideology or are affiliated with global terrorist movements such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda."
Open Doors local partners on-site are doing fact-finding to assess the needs of the Christians. Brother ### continues, "it's important that we come alongside when they are suffering. They must know that they are not alone."
Pray for the wounded and traumatized in this horrific and evil attack on the church.
Ask God to give them healing and the comfort of the Holy Spirit as they recover.
Pray believers in Indonesia are reminded they are part of a Christian family worldwide and know that they are not alone.
Thank you so much for praying for our persecuted family overseas. May the Lord reward you for your faithfulness.
I also personally think we should pray against ### worship and Idolatry and that the priests and congregations are awakened by the Holy Spirit to realize ### is not quite correct. It doesn't say they are ### explicitly but I think they must be because they said it was a mass and called the preacher a priest.
Information from Open Doors USA text alert a charity for persecuted Christians.
