The Supreme Court has issued several petitions for Rajasthan to justify the anti-conversion law’s constitutionality, which allows state officials to seize property and demolish homes based on allegations of forced conversion.

(Photo courtesy of Bibles For The World via Facebook)

John Pudaite, President and CEO of Bibles For The World (BFTW), says it’s part of a broader legal battle as India’s Supreme Court takes a magnifying glass to anti-conversion laws across multiple states.

“They are questioning how this current government — the BJP government — can continue to steamroll across the country and pass these anti-conversion laws, which are nothing but an attack primarily on Christianity,” he says.

This new scrutiny may also cause those who target Indian Christians using anti-conversion laws to think twice.

“As they felt impunity, they would attack the churches and attack the Christians,” says Pudaite. “People are realizing that the laws they thought covered them may not have as much strength…as they had hoped.”

(Photo courtesy of Bibles For The World via Facebook)

Looking ahead, Pudaite urges the global Church to take this critical case, and others like it, before the Lord.

“We need to continue to pray for the Supreme Court and those justices, that they can be impartial in their evaluation of the evidence and of those laws. We can pray that they will not be politically influenced or otherwise influenced.”

Pudaite also encourages believers to keep the Gospel in sight — with hearts to reach their persecutors with the Gospel.

“Especially as we go into this Christmas season, pray that this may be a special time for the Body of Christ to be able to share the Good News of the birth of Jesus Christ…. Pray that the true spirit of Christ in Christmas may be able to shine.”

Header photo: Architecture in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. (Photo courtesy of Dexter Fernandes/Unsplash)

First, the new challenge. Rajasthan’s law, which received the governor’s final assent on October 8, opens the door wide for accusations.

“The Rajasthan law puts in place the possibility of life in prison for encouraging someone to change their religion, and anyone can report it,” says Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs, USA. “You don’t have to have been present for the conversation. You don’t have to have been present in the church service where someone came to faith in Christ. You can file a report even if you know hardly anything.”

(Photo courtesy of VOM USA)

It’s “guilty until proven innocent.” For years, Christians have contended that India’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and that these types of laws contradict it. But the Hindu nationalist-led government supports anti-conversion laws. That’s why all eyes are on the India Supreme Court for the case currently scheduled for November 4th. 

“They’re not considering the constitutionality of the anti-conversion laws yet, but they are considering putting a stay on the enforcement of the laws while they consider the constitutionality,” says Nettleton. He notes that the court date may be pushed back. 

Please pray! This one Supreme Court decision could remove the permission that anti-conversion laws give for persecution.

Nettleton spoke recently with a human rights attorney in India. “One of the questions I asked is, ‘If they put a stay on it [anti-conversion laws], then when would they decide if it’s constitutional or not?’ I was told that [it] could be months, it could be years, and honestly, they could never issue a ruling,” Nettleton says. 

However, never issuing a ruling could be like a decision against anti-conversion laws. “If they [the Supreme Court] didn’t want to take a controversial stand that these laws are unconstitutional, they could just leave the stay in place and then not ever issue a final ruling about the constitutionality,” Nettleton explains. “So this is a very significant time to pray for Christians in India, to pray for the Justices of the Supreme Court.”

Header photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs USA. 

On September 9, 2025, India’s Rajasthan State passed its latest anti-conversion law. In the weeks since, at least nine documented incidents of attacks or harassment against Christians have happened in the state.

“While this law has actually not been signed by the governor and actually made law, it has certainly emboldened the fanatic Hindu groups there,” says John Pudaite with Bibles For The World.

Anti-conversion laws can easily be used to target Christian and Muslim minorities.  Even something like giving to the poor or playing music at a worship gathering can lead to accusations of forcing someone to convert. Accusations can lead to mob attacks, fines, lengthy imprisonment, and legal battles.

This surge of mistreatment of Christians in Rajasthan isn’t surprising. It’s a reminder to pray for protection for these brothers and sisters, and that attackers will see the light of Christ as believers respond.  The challenges that come from this are serious.

(Stock photo courtesy of Ahmed Fahmi via Unsplash)

“[It forces] them to come up with a lot of money to bail out the pastors and Christians who have been charged, and to have to expend the legal fees to defend their case, and the time and resources that are involved,” Pudaite says. 

The accusations are usually unfounded. “While twelve states have these laws, and there have been hundreds of arrests made under these anti-conversion laws, not a single [case] has stuck in court,” he says. “Even though you have states like Uttarakhand that have now increased the possible punishment to life imprisonment for a forcible or fraudulent conversion, not a single charge has stuck.”

The good news is that a roadblock came up in September against anti-conversion laws. India’s Supreme Court called for nine of the 12 Indian states with such laws to respond to petitions challenging them. The Court says it will consider granting a stay on their enforcement. (More on that here.) 

“That is a very, very important step that the Supreme Court has taken in asking the states to basically show cause [for] why they have passed these laws — really holding to the Indian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion,” says Pudaite. 

Pray for justice and truth to be upheld by India’s Supreme Court, which will be under pressure from Hindutva voices to defend anti-conversion laws. 

Header photo: Central Wing of the Supreme Court of India where the Chief Justice’s courtroom is situated. (Photo courtesy of Subhashish Panigrahi via Wikimedia Commons – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Even though the Supreme Court has now decided that the laws are unconstitutional, there’s been a strong push in recent years to pass anti-conversion legislation at the state level. Read more about that here.

The laws were “passed because of the strong support and the rise in power of the BJP government, which is a strong pro-Hindu, anti-Christian political party,” explains John Pudaite with Bibles For The World.

(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada)

Still, this moment calls for gratitude. “It’s taken quite a bit of effort behind the scenes for the Supreme Court to take notice and to take this action, so I do see that as a small win and just an answer to prayer that so many of our listeners have been joining with us on,” Pudaite says.

Prayer remains essential. The leaders of the nine states in question – Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh – have four weeks to respond to the Supreme Court’s request.

After that, “we are going to have a hearing in six weeks, [which] is a tight timeframe in India in their judicial system,” Pudaite says.

“Pray that the Supreme Court may continue to treat the issue and the responses that come in from the states truly objectively and according to the Constitution of India, with all of its intents to protect religious freedom.”

For now, enforcement continues. Authorities and Hindu radicals often use anti-conversion laws to target Christians and other religious minorities, leaving these communities vulnerable.

“The context in India is so difficult for us to share the Gospel. If we’re out evangelizing in the streets or sharing Christian literature, they’ll just come and attack us,” Pudaite says.

“You can’t even have a Christian family get-together because if you pray before your meal or you sing a song together, you might get attacked for that.”

Despite the challenges, hope remains. You can stand with believers in India: consider partnering with Bibles For The World to help distribute God’s Word, sponsor Christian students, or provide healthcare in Jesus’ name.

Header image depicts buildings that house India’s Supreme Court. Photo courtesy of the Supreme Court of India. 

Currently, about a dozen of India’s 28 states have anti-conversion laws, according to Greg Musselman of Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. Most of these laws have been implemented after Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took up power within the Indian government. 

“It is definitely intensifying,” says Musselman. “People are coming to the Lord, and then that can, you know, put these evangelists and pastors and those that have converted into great danger. But there’s also the daily aspect, the psyche within the Christians to keep their faith very quiet and silent. And that was not the case, you know, 10, 20 years ago, when you could be a Christian, you could meet openly, no problem.”

In the northern state of Uttarakhand, an amendment to the existing anti-conversion legislation was passed into law this past summer, introducing more stringent penalties along with a ban on digital propaganda

“Uttarakhand is the first state to include digital media, and this of course now is a major concern, because social media is used for evangelization. You know, Christians there want to share their faith.” 

In the state of Chhattisgarh’s capital, Raipur, more than 200 house churches were notified that worship gatherings within private homes are no longer permitted, restricting worship to officially registered buildings. 

“They allege these illegal conversions are taking place in these house churches, and the reality is that people are converting and coming to Jesus,” says Musselman. “One pastor was detained for violating that order, and then a legal petition objecting to the police directive has now been filed. There’s court hearings going on, and so it is putting pressure on the church.”

Anti-conversion laws can also make it illegal to use anything that could be considered allurement to convert others to Christianity. This can include preaching about heaven or hell—even caring for the poor and those who are dying would be considered “bribing people, because you’re showing compassion and kindness,” says Musselman. 

The impact, he says, is that “many Christians are being arrested. Leaders are being pressured. They’re stopping these house church meetings.”

“But the positive side is that the gospel is going forward. In spite of all these restrictions, these anti-conversion laws, the pressure and everything that’s happening, the gospel is still going forward. And, you know, our Indian brothers and sisters are aware that this is a spiritual battle and that they need to be praying. They need to be asking the Lord for wisdom.”

Spreading awareness is important, although Musselman acknowledges the voices of advocates are often drowned out by politics. Overall, he emphasizes the importance of prayer. 

“In terms of where we go now, is prayer. We need to be praying for our brothers and sisters, and then through that, really praying that God will give wisdom to our brothers and sisters in India.”

Header photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada

First introduced in 2018, Uttarakhand’s “Freedom of Religion Bill” prohibits religious conversion through misrepresentation, force, coercion, or any fraudulent means. The latest amendment increases penalties to a fine of 1 million Indian Rupees (more than $11,000 USD) and possible life imprisonment. 

On one hand, these measures could be viewed as protection for Christians, as the bill’s title suggests. Notably, in neighboring Pakistan, reports of forced conversions to Islam are increasing; and India’s new restrictions are at best a prophylactic move for the country’s own religious minorities.

On the other hand, the situation could be much more grim: with the law now firmly behind them, persecutors of believers could heavily target Christian evangelistic activity in Uttarakhand. Already, reports from local believers indicate this is the primary scenario unfolding in their region.

Courtesy of Unsplash

Mike Grandy with Unknown Nations recently spoke with a Christian brother there, who explained that homes are now being targeted.

“If believers are gathering within a home, they’re considering that conversion; and so they’re actually targeting homes where believers are gathering,” Grandy says. 

Governmental tactics to break up church communities in this way are not new.

“They want to preserve the power, the strength of the ruling party. When you look at those who are in control politically and in charge of the largest businesses, it all really comes down to the same things: control, power, and money,” he points out. 

The latest amendment goes as far as to criminalize propaganda on social or digital media, a vague clause that could enable sweeping indictments. In this way, individual Christians become pinpointable targets, and “forceful conversion” becomes anything from sharing a Christian social media post to handing out Bibles on the street. 

But where vague terminology is weaponized, seasoned speech prevails.

Colossians 4:6 (ESV) states: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
Image courtesy of Unsplash.

Grandy tells the story of one church community whose pastor was recently imprisoned when officials attributed church growth to his preaching. In the prison cell, he and some friends began singing, worshipping, and praying. 

The guards were uncomfortable. They asked the prisoners if friends and family had bail money to procure their release. When the pastor responded, “No,” and continued to sing, the guards were spiritually disarmed. 

“’We’re going to just let you go,’ they said. ‘We can’t have you in here singing and worshipping,’” Grandy relates. 

While prison release is not a guaranteed outcome for persecuted believers, believers understand the persecution itself to be a given. Grandy recently spoke with one Christian brother who described his experience of being “slapped around” while preaching the Gospel in public. 

“But that’s not really persecution,” he said. “That just comes with the territory. That’s what we do when we’re called to Christ.” 

Grandy calls on worldwide believers to support the persecuted church in prayer. 

“Pray that the message of the Gospel would take root. Pray for our brave brothers and sisters who are sharing the Gospel: that they would continue, that they’d have boldness and discernment of the Holy Spirit.” 

Please pray also that regardless of what is enacted politically, the Gospel would remain unhindered as Christ’s people in Uttarakhand go forth in faith. 

Learn more about how the ministry of Unknown Nations supports this work here.

Featured image: Believers in West Bengal, India. Courtesy of Pexels.

The northern region of the country is set to receive a distribution of Bibles and Christian resources soon from Mission Cry, although distributing to this area means navigating state anti-conversion laws. 

“It is against the law in the country of India, via their president, to send Bibles,” says Mission Cry President, Reverend Jason Woolford. “That has not stopped us.” 

“If you convert from being a Christian and ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, you could be at (risk) of death, imprisonment, for sure. And we’ve seen this already in India and in Pakistan, where churches are being destroyed, set on fire,” says Woolford.

“There’s a very real spiritual battle taking place, and our brothers and sisters are crying out for the Word of God.” 

In Africa, where Boko Haram came in, a missionary there told Woolford, “Reverend, our people, your brothers and sisters, are being killed or murdered, beaten for a God that they can’t even read about.” 

The same is happening in Northern India and around the globe as brothers and sisters seek the ability to read about the one true God.

The average American has six Bibles on their shelves. In places of poverty, people cannot afford the very book they defend. When they receive a Bible from someone with plenty, they cherish the book and love it, thankful for the opportunity. 

Mission Cry needs the materials to send and the resources to send them.

“When we send a container, it (costs) $11,000, but that has half a million dollars worth of free Bibles and Christian books in it. (With) this particular container to India, we have to pay more, and we have to do things to basically give money to some people to be able to get this cleared secretly with no issues,” says Woolford.

Please pray that when this container arrives, it’s cleared with no issues and that God will provide the funds for the mission. Pray that God will prompt and break the hearts of people at the right times to come alongside the ministry. Pray also for the ministry and leadership for protection as they go into areas of spiritual upheaval. Pray for the families and individuals whose homes and lives have been destroyed or lost by the flood. Pray that God will work through this event to reach people. 

Mission Cry is having a bible drive and is asking people to go through their homes to look for Bibles, go to thrift stores, garage sales, and local bookstores, and tell them about Mission Cry. 

For locals to the Fowlerville, Michigan area, donations can be delivered in person; otherwise, donations can be shipped. 

Engage your congregation in this drive and let the world hear your mission cry. Go to missioncry.com or contact the organization at 517-223-3193.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

If this happens in Maharashtra or other Indian states, it will become even harder to reach those who have never heard of Jesus. That’s because India is home to nearly one-third of the world’s unreached people groups. According to The Joshua Project, those 2,041 people groups in India approximate a staggering 1.39 billion people.

While anti-conversion laws won’t stop God’s plan, they create real resistance and suffering for those spreading the gospel. Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs, USA says dozens of pastors are in prison across India on charges of violating these state laws. He says accusations often include the idea of “enticement.” It’s dangerously easy to fall afoul.

“Well, what is [enticement]? ‘Oh, you invited someone to church? Oh, there was music playing at your church, someone heard it outside, walked inside, and heard the gospel? Well, that was illegal enticement,’” says Nettleton.

Although India’s constitution promises religious freedom to everyone, the persecution comes from the Hindu-majority government itself.

“They would call it purifying India. There are government ministers [who] have literally talked about ‘the soil of India is Hindu soil,’” says Nettleton. “That has gone from being sort of an outlying philosophy to now being the philosophy that drives the Indian government.”

Now that you know, please pray

• Pray for pastors and ordinary Christians imprisoned under false charges, that they will be bold witnesses for Christ there. Pray for endurance for their families during the separation. 
• Pray for a just federal government that will truly honor religious freedom for India’s 1.46 billion people. 
• Pray specifically that government officials in Maharashtra State, the second-most populous Indian state, will reverse their plans to implement anti-conversion laws. 
• Ask God to strengthen India’s Church to press forward with the gospel to India’s unreached people. 

Header photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs, USA.

Take Maharashtra State, for example. In the state assembly on July 9, revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the government will soon institute a strict anti-conversion law. If it does, Maharastra will become the 13th Indian State with such a law on the books. These laws make Christians easy targets for accusations and abuse — just read one brother’s story here. 

Some churches in Maharastra are at risk too. Bawankule also said the government intends to demolish “unauthorized” church buildings over the next six months — especially those in tribal districts. 

“We’re talking about the way the government is enforcing the property laws,” said Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs, USA. “They are coming after church buildings and saying, ‘Oh, wait a minute, this was not zoned for a church building.’ Or, ‘Wait a minute, this is your personal property. It’s not for a church.’”

State anti-conversion laws have long been used against pastors, church planters and evangelists. Despite greater government restrictions on Christianity, churches are growing.
(Photo, caption courtesy of VOM USA)

In some cases, authorities will come and tear down the church with heavy equipment. Or the work will be done by a mob of people with crowbars and hammers. “But always with an effort to lessen the Christian presence in their state,” said Nettleton.

Destruction is not a new tactic. State governments in India have arbitrarily demolished homes, businesses and places of worship for years. Muslims, Christians and other marginalized communities feel the brunt. One report from Amnesty International analyzed 128 demolition incidents that took place over just three months in 2022. They called it “bulldozer injustice.” 

Trends like this led VOM USA to raise India’s designation from hostile to restricted in 2024. 

“This is not a radical Hindu mob of people. This is not a terrorist group in the country. This is the government that is coming after them. In this case, it’s the state government of Maharashtra,” Nettleton said. 

Nettleton said prayer is the first thing persecuted Christians ask for. So please pray for their endurance. When you have an opportunity, tell their stories!

“Let’s make sure our government leaders are aware of the persecution that’s happening,” says Nettleton. “Hopefully, when they have government interactions, those things will come up in the conversation.”

Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Vincent Belho via Pexels.

“The thing about India is that in the constitution, you do have freedom of religion: to share your faith, live your faith, and even have people join your faith,” says Greg Musselman with Voice of the Martyrs, Canada.

But in many regions, that freedom is subject to anti-conversion laws that often open the door for mob rule.

(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada)

“It’s like they said, ‘You know, we’ve had enough of this, and it’s time to stand up together, and it’s time to band together,’” Musselman says of the Christians protesting today. Other minorities and organizations also feel the brunt of these laws and support the call for true religious freedom in India.

A report states that after the protests, a memorandum will be sent to India’s president to emphasize the issue further. 

“As the violence has increased against our brothers and sisters and minority communities, they said, ‘We want to draw attention to it and to put pressure on the BJP,’ which is a radical Hindu government that states that if you are Indian, you are Hindu,” Musselman says.

“That’s going to bring a profile, and it’s going to put pressure, we pray, on the Indian government, that they will start to do more to protect their citizens.”

If you want to find out how to help, start with prayer!

“Let’s pray that the church in India would be unified,” Musselman says, “that the persecution, the opposition that they’re facing would actually —and it does in many cases — [bring] the believers of all different denominations and styles of worship together.”

Pray for respect and peace in the protests, that onlookers will recognize the difference Jesus makes. 

“Ultimately, that is what we want to see happen, is that the gospel of Jesus Christ will go forward in India, even through something like a protest saying that ‘we have the right to be able to share the message,'” Musselman says.

Header image is a representative stock photo of a church in Hyderabad, India. (Photo courtesy of Paul Silvan via Unsplash)