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)

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. 

An estimated 40,000 Rohingya live in India. They fled Myanmar’s civil war, but face persecution in India too.

Philip is a pastor who used to serve with A3. He says the suffering of the Rohingya in India is “even worse than in Myanmar.”

The trouble for Rohingyas in India started in 2017. That’s when militants with the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army in Myanmar killed more than 100 Hindus in Arakan State.

“Immediately after the killing, [the] Indian government treated the Rohingya refugees as illegal migrants,” Philip said.  “Since then, the Rohingyas faced certain difficulties, such as [a] lack of legal recognition, poor living conditions, inadequate healthcare, and so on.”

Portrait of a Rohingya woman in Teknaf Camp (Photo courtesy of Mehdi Khoshnejad via Pexels)

Indian landlords and shopkeepers have faced pressure not to rent or sell to Rohingya. Companies are forbidden to hire them. 

“Under the Immigration Act, the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) and police can arrest anyone at any time and send them to jail or detention centers. Even UNHCR cannot do anything to save them,” Pastor Philip said. 

“Since they are not allowed to rent houses or apartments, many Rohingyas sleep at railway stations and roadsides at night, and search [for] their daily food in the daytime.” 

The terrorist attack in India-administered Kashmir this April made things even worse. Pastor Philip says Indian authorities suspected Rohingya Muslims of being involved with Pakistani terrorists. Since then, reports of arbitrary detentions and deportations of Rohingya have surged. 

For example, 40 Rohingya in India were allegedly rounded up in May and flown to the Andaman and Nicobar islands off the coast of Myanmar. They were then forced off an Indian naval ship to swim to the mainland. 

“Out of 40, 15 of them were Christians. This is how they are suffering now,” says Pastor Philip.

International outcry on behalf of the Rohingya has been present for years and is growing. Please ask God not only for justice on their behalf but also for their salvation. Pastor Philip says only around 350-400 Rohingya Christians live in India.

But the fact that there are any Christians among the Rohingya is an answer to prayer. Years ago in Myanmar, A3 (formerly Asian Access) was involved in training leaders among the Rohingya and other peoples.

(Image courtesy of English: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, OGL v1.0OGL v1.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

“It would not be wrong if we say the Rohingya Christians of Myanmar were the [result] of Asian Access Myanmar. The Rohingya believers increased rapidly [from] the year 2008 to 2012,” said Pastor Philip.

But then, the civil war dispersed the Rohingya church, and the work in Myanmar ended. Today, Rohingya live all over Southeast Asia.

“Pray for all the Rohingya in India, including Christians who are suffering from severe persecution and expulsion from the government and the neighbouring Hindus. Let’s pray for them that they may get their daily food, shelter and other help needs,” Pastor Philip said.

“Pray for the Rohingya Christians in New Delhi. In number, they are 34 families. They want to move to Bangalore to escape from persecution. Let’s pray that they may get the needed money [to] move to Bangalore to escape all the persecution and  expulsions.”

Header photo: Noor is a Rohingya refugee in Bangladesh. (Photo by DFID – UK Department for International Development – via Flickr and Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.)

John Pudaite with Bibles For The World says about the chief minister’s resignation, “We see this as a positive development, that at least the central government is taking this situation seriously, that they realize that there has been, over the last 21 months, complete lawlessness and that all of these acts of violence and attacks do have links to the state government.”

(Photo courtesy of Bibles For The World)

While many minority Kukis are Christians, the majority Meiteis are Hindu. Pudaite wonders if the violence against Kukis was somehow a backlash against the fact that more and more Meiteis are becoming followers of Christ. It’s just another layer to the relationship between tribes that already vie with each other for natural resources and influence in Manipur State. 

Since 2023, Pudaite’s team has had to move carefully with the Meitei believers they know. “Many of them were in relief camps themselves and it became very dangerous for them to stay in communication or to be receiving any funds, you know, from any Christian organization or anything associated with Christians or tribals,” he says.

Please stop right now and pray the peace and love of Christ will touch both the Kuki and the Meitei groups. God has overcome ethnic division before — just look for stories in the New Testament between Jews, Gentiles and Samaritans!

(Photo courtesy of Bibles For The World via Facebook)

The team at Bibles For The World glimpses that gospel hope carrying through today. 

“Even through all this time, we have seen our partner churches there remain strong. Even though a lot of them have been displaced, have lost their jobs, they continue to find ways to continue to be involved in the ministry, both in person and financially. It’s been really reassuring the strength of the Body of Christ and how as it comes together, even in times of hardship,” Pudaite says. 

“Continue praying that the Christians there, the Body of Christ, will remain strong through all these difficulties and hardships that they are facing.”

Header photo of Hospital in Manipur State (Photo courtesy of Bibles For The World).

“The tussle is between the constitutional rights and the new legislative laws imposed by the Hindutva force,” Voice of the Martyrs Canada partner Sushil George says. George oversees the Sui Juris Law Firm, a Christian entity based in Indore, India.

During the past year and a half, Supreme Court judges examined state-level anti-conversion laws, examples of Christian persecution, interfaith marriages, and more in monthly hearings.

“The Supreme Court has directed that all the states having these (religious) issues [transfer them] to the Supreme Court bench. On May 8, the important sections which [have] been challenged will be discussed,” George says, highlighting two controversial issues raised by recent laws.

One issue is rooted in a 2021 law requiring anyone who changes their faith to a non-Hindu religion to register with the government. This requirement creates a central database or list of religious minorities and the alleged “crimes” they’ve committed.

“If [someone] gives a written complaint to the police station, your case is registered. A lot of false written complaints have been given, in [turn creating] false cases” and detainment, George explains.

“Sui Juris has fought a lot of cases in which we have given 31 believers bail, and 7 [believers] have been acquitted from false charges.”

George does not expect any final decisions or rulings during the May 8 hearing, but “the Supreme Court’s trend is favoring religious freedom,” he says.

“We are praying that at the end, they (Supreme Court judges) will give in favor to us.”

Concerning the date of an expected decision from the Supreme Court, George says, “We cannot say when it will be, but…the ruling is coming closer.”

Pray that when the time comes, India’s Supreme Court will rule in favor of religious freedom. Persecution is ongoing and violent nationwide. Christians who evangelize may be beaten, murdered, or have their churches ransacked and burned. More about that here.

“The situation is very volatile in India. Christians are very much frightened because a lot of the churches have been forced to close down,” George says.

Header image courtesy of VOM Canada.

At a rally last week in northern India, event speakers accused Christians and Muslims of using religious conversion to “destroy” the country:

“These Christian people, they trick the innocent Hindus and convert them to Christianity. In the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Tripura, they have converted everyone to Christianity. They have used big amounts of money for this purpose. A lot of the foreign organizations are funding this. Additionally, these brands like Colgate, Tata, Rin, 30% of this money also goes to these Christians, who then convert our brothers. Do not use Colgate or Surf. Use only Babool or Patanjali.”

Persecution is a growing problem in India and has been for several years.

There were 700 violent attacks on Christians between 2021 and May 2022. Instead of going after the attackers, police detained 510 pastors and persecution victims, using anti-conversion laws to justify most of their arrests.

“The situation is very [bad], especially in the rural areas,” says Sushil George, Sui Juris Law Firm director and Voice of the Martyrs Canada partner.

“The lawyer’s role is very critical [during this] time of persecution in India.”

According to India’s Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, the government’s official position is “There is no communal violence against Christians in India.” However, the reality on the ground says the opposite.

“Wherever there is a prayer going on, immediately they (police) turn that situation into a conversion issue, and false charges are being made,” George says.

“One pastor was having a birthday party and a prayer meeting at one of the villages. The fanatic mob, they attacked them, and he was in jail for 21 days.”

Listen to the full conversation with Sushil George on VOM Canada’s Closer to the Fire podcast.

India’s Supreme Court will issue a ruling on Christian persecution in eight states next Monday. Believers petitioned the land’s highest court to examine this issue last fall. Government lawyers say the reported attacks are nothing but lies and exaggeration.

Pray that justice will prevail and government leaders will take action to stop persecution.

“Please pray that more Christian lawyers [will] be involved in helping the persecuted Christians,” George requests.

“Pray that whenever [there is] persecution, the right lawyer can help us to provide bail and acquit them from the false [charges].”

Header image courtesy of…

Abhijit, a partner with The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, says, “I studied in Orissa, and I had lots of friends. We never talked about Hindus and Christians before. Now, even children talk about it. Ordinary people talk about it. It has gone to every level and sphere of life in the last 10 years.”

Vigilante groups have targeted Christian churches and institutions. Several Christian groups have even come together to petition the Indian Supreme Court.

Hindu nationalism

How did things get so bad? Abhijit points to religious nationalism in the central government. “Whether they would deny it or accept it, they have deep roots with these big, Hindu fundamentalist organizations like RSS, BJP. They are connected. Most of their political leaders are from that background and have been trained.”

“They have spent their lives with this organization. So they are there to implement now.”

These groups want to define India as being a Hindu state. But India holds many religions and has an ancient Christian presence.

Some Christians believe the Apostle Thomas traveled to India as early as AD 52. Other Christians certainly traveled to India along trade routes. Read more here.

How to pray

Abhijit works with the East India Native Pastors Network. They support Christians in India, particularly in the northern states, and small churches not affiliated with major denominations.

Ask God to strengthen Indian believers. Abhijit says, “We are not inviting persecution to come. But we should be ready, and this is a reality.”

The header photo shows members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu nationalist organization. (Photo courtesy of Suyash Dwivedi, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

The petition has been filed by The Archbishop of Bangalore Diocese, Dr. Peter Machado, the National Solidarity Forum, and the Evangelical Fellowship of India.

Attacks

In late August, a group of people attacked a Christian church in Punjab State. They vandalized a statue of Jesus and his mother Mary before setting the pastor’s car on fire.

Cameras showed four masked youths entering the church and holding the security guard at gunpoint. The police say they have clues about who might have been involved.

The attack happened after a Sikh leader issued a statement condemning “forced conversion” by Christian missionaries. The speech went out on Facebook live.

Religious freedom

Abhijit, a partner with The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, says, “If you talk to any Christian workers or believers who are new believers, they will tell you they definitely have no freedom. When they try to do any big events in their own village or church, you will see that people are opposing it.”

The opposition comes not just from the government but their neighbors. And media outlets regularly blame Muslim or Christian minorities, saying they are hurting India’s national identity.

Ask God to strengthen Christians in India. Abhijit says, “Also pray for those Christian workers who have no resources. They’re not connected with any denomination. They have no ability to go to the Supreme Court. And also pray for the Christian leaders in India.”

“We need to rethink how we can be Indian and Christian.”

The header photo shows the supreme court of India. (Photo courtesy of Subhashish Panigrahi, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Abortion supporters protest in state capitals and vow to challenge bans, while opponents push for more restrictions. In Michigan, home of Set Free Ministries, abortion advocates want the issue on the midterm election ballot.

Set Free’s Dean Vander Mey says abortion is more than a political or legal issue: it’s a choice with emotional and spiritual consequences.

(Photo courtesy of Maria Oswalt/Unsplash)

“The killing of a child that God is knitting in her mother’s womb is sinful. It’s wrong. Everyone knows that, but they don’t want to acknowledge that,” Vander Mey says.

Choices and consequences

God gives every person He creates the ability to choose. Some women do not regret choosing abortion. Others do.

“When you’re dealing with people who have [had abortions], the anguish in them is real, and the agony is real; the cries and the moans,” Vander Mey says.

“There’s a verse in Romans: ‘The Holy Spirit will groan inwardly with words that cannot be expressed back to the Father.’ That’s what you hear.”

If you’re burdened by guilt and shame, take heart. There’s freedom in Christ. Connect with Set Free Ministries here.

“Proverbs 28:13 says, ‘He who covers sin will not prosper. He who confesses and renounces will find God’s mercy,’” Vander Mey says.

“This (abortion) can be forgiven.”

Pray for women and men making life or death decisions for the unborn today.

“A lot of men have participated in the abortions of their children. They paid for it, so they’re willful participants in killing their child,” Vander Mey says.

Header image depicts a state courthouse. Photo courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels.

The Court’s newest decision in Dobbs v. Jackson leaves abortion legislation up to the states rather than the federal government. Abortion access and restrictions vary widely by state, meaning the issue is likely to be a key element in midterm elections.

A decision like this will affect millions of people in the United States, making it an immediate call to prayer. “We should be praying for women who have had abortions; for men, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who have encouraged or forced abortion,” Prayercast Director Chris Ruge suggests.

“We should be praying for abortion providers, doctors, and nurses who have been involved in this, pleading that God would transform lives because we ultimately don’t want a court decision; we want to see hearts transformed.”

Abortion advocates decried the ruling on Friday, while opponents called it “an answer to prayer.” There are devout followers of Jesus on both sides of the abortion issue, and it has deep emotional ramifications.

“In these days, where people will be experiencing so many different emotions – from rage to hurt, confusion to hopelessness – it’s critical that we as believers love our neighbors and come alongside one another,” Ruge says.

No matter where you stand on abortion, will you stand with us in prayer for the people affected? Use this Prayercast video to guide your intercession.

Header image depicts protestors outside of the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Penney/Unsplash)