India Authorities and law enforcement officials Halt Worship in Churches

Officials, Police in India Halt Worship in Churches

NEW DELHI, INDIA - Authorities and law enforcement officials in Tamil Nadu state, India, have directed 10 churches to put an end worship services, sources said.
Hindu extremists forced state officials and police to issue instructions for the churches in Coimbatore District to halt worship only if they acquire permission through the collector’s office, additionally, the extremists plan to target 20 others likewise, church leaders said.

“It is actually a well-planned conspiracy against the Christian community because the Hindu extremists understand that it is tough to deal with the collector’s office for such permissions,” pastor Johnson Sathyanathan, president for the Synod of Pentecostal Churches of Coimbatore, told Morning Star News. “The time to get such approvals can stretch from a year and a half up to many more years.”

The district revenue officer (Tehsildar) told church leaders that orders against six churches were issued on the complaint of members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist, the paramilitary organization widely regarded as the parent organization of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Orders were issued in one case based on a complaint by the Hanuman Sena, a fairly new Hindu extremist group.

A Christian delegation met the minister of Internal Affairs of Tamil Nadu early last week and expressed concern and fear about the recent notices. The state minister on Oct. 24 called on the deputy superintendent of police and the local Member of the Legislative Assembly of Sulur to look into the matter and take steps to ensure that the worship services can resume, Pastor Sathyanathan said.

“Altogether there are 10 churches that have been directly affected in the last two months,” he said. “They are generally residents of this area, and people have not had problems with all these churches before. These pastors have been doing ministry for many years now.”

Besides the six churches, another congregation, an Assemblies of God Church in Thennampalayam, was first targeted during its Vacation Bible School this summer, when the members of RSS attacked its van transporting children, assaulting three young people. The revenue officer has closed down the church based on a complaint by the RSS, saying the pastor must secure permission from the collector to continue worshipping.

The pastor has been leading the church at its present location for more than five years.

Other Churches Shut-Downs

In Myleripalayam, pastor of an independent fellowship, Solomon Raja, was called in by police inspector after a complaint by members of the Hanuman Sena and compelled him to sign documents declaring that he would “obtain proper permission” to carry on worship services.
“This happened with Solomon on Sept. 1, because of that, no church worship service has been set up or taken place his church,” Pastor Sathyanathan told Morning Star News.

In Mathampalayam, where pastor Vinod Kumar had built a minor hall for church services, about 25 RSS members on Oct. 15 interrupted a church service and contacted police.
“The inspector intentionally left the church, and Kumar was directed to halt carrying out worship in the future,” Pastor Sathyanathan said.

Nevertheless, no case has actually been registered against Kumar, he has been threatened with dire warnings to stop worship services or bear the punishment, he said.
In Kalampalayam, police officers along with 20 RSS members approached a church leader known only as Pastor Charles and instructed him to shut down services until he procured permission from the collector, Pastor Sathyanathan said.

In Sulur, pastor Selva Singh of Sultanpet has submitted a court case with police opposed to the notice the revenue officer given to him. A court grants him one month’s permission to keep on the normal church service, however with a condition that there shouldn't be any use of amplifiers during service. The permission will probably be voided in case there are complaints.
The court instructed Pastor Singh to obtain permission from local officials within one month.
Pastor Singh has actually been leading the neighbourhood church for over 10 years.

Request to Re-Open Churches

Nearly 500 protesting Christians contacted the district sub-collector and the superintendent of police on Oct. 11 and submitted a memorandum asking for protection and appealing for all the churches to be re-opened.
Pastor Sathyanathan, who took part in the protest, told Morning Star News that the city superintendent of police flatly rejected any assistance or measures.

“They told me that they could do nothing concerning this, and why must we create pointless problems, that instead, we will need to go ahead and get legal permission for all our churches,” he said. “We had planned a day of silent protest on Oct. 21, but we have been denied permission to hold it out, as they claimed that it was a law-and-order situation.”
Making clear reports that 30 churches ended up being targeted, Pastor Sathyanathan said Hindu extremists had yet to act against 20 of them.

“The Hindu extremists have openly threatened Christians that they are going to do the same in 20 more churches in the area that they have done to these 10,” he said.

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took power in May 2014, the hostile tone of his National Democratic Alliance government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), against non-Hindus has emboldened Hindu extremists in various regions of the country to attack Christians, religious rights advocates say.

India ranked 15th on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2017 World Watch Listing of the countries in which Christians go through the most persecution.



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Leading Leaders

Truths to Understand When Leading Leaders

More often than not, once the subject of leadership is introduced up, we have a tendency to immediately begin speaking on how to lead "doers." By doer, I merely mean those who are there to perform a job.

They agreed to volunteer inside your ministry. You hired the right results inside a specific department. They're in your team and therefore are expected to handle tasks. They're doers.

That is certainly as opposed to leaders. If you're in leadership for just about any timeframe, there'll most likely be a time where you will have to lead other leaders. Leading other leaders is, in several ways, distinct from leading doers. Leaders require that you connect with them differently.

Actually, There are free facts that I believe that all leaders who lead other leaders need to comprehend:

Leaders need resources

This may include money, equipment, and people. Something about it frustrate a leader quicker than firing them up with a persuasive vision and then not equipping them with resources to achieve the vision. Leaders are goal-driven and an essential thing to them is attaining the finish line-without resources, you are making it impossible for them to get there.

Leaders need freedom

Leaders have to have the vision, however, they do not need you to lay out each and every step along the way for them. Leaders should have the freedom to lead from their strengths, experiences, and preferences-and it's highly likely that all of those are not the same as yours. Let them have the freedom to make decisions, freedom to become creative and freedom in making mistakes. Freedom can result in a better result and better leadership.

Leaders need space 

Micro-management may not work for leaders. When you are leading a leader, you ought to let them have the vision as well as the goal and then get out of the way for them to use the team they're leading toward that bulls-eye. Continuous looking over the shoulder of a leader or moving infrequently to give unwanted input and guidance will push the leader to question why they are even needed. Often, I have found, anytime leaders I lead are given the room to lead, they come up with ideas I might never have and achieve goal better/more quickly/more creatively than I could ever have myself.

Leaders need the vision

Although leaders are often capable at vision casting, if you are leading them, they want to know and get into your vision. From that, they will then inspire the team they lead, but it needs to be aligned with your vision. Asking them to lead something and not connecting it to a larger vision can seem like busy work or insignificant work and may lead to burnout for that leader and those that he/she leads.

Leaders need feedback

Sure, leaders need space ... however, they don't need you to be missing. Whenever they know the vision, their goal is to achieve that vision. And it is your vision. Additionally, good leaders demand feedback on their performance. They wish to know what they're doing well and what they are able to improve. They have to hear it from you, and you have to know that they are on course and going into the direction that you expect. Leaders who don't have any responses from the person leading them could find themselves wondering whether progress is being made and whether they're greatly regarded as a leader.

No matter who, leading-doers or leaders-leadership has never been easy.

However, if you're a leader who is leading leaders, there are a few specific truths that apply ... in case you miss them, you might find that you will not be able to keep leaders and that you're missing the goals you have for your work, family members, your ministry and more.

Prayer Requests

Today's Prayer Requests

Michael Welch | I cheated on my finance early this year. I want to ask for forgiveness and repent for my sin. She is the love of my life and I feel into tempation. I can never forgive myself.

mary pando | i need help in finnanice real bad

Mikaila | I am saved and my husband is not. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will open his eyes to God's saving truth, that he will be saved and know the love of Christ. Thank you brothers and sisters.

Gabriel Cabello | Can you pray for my friend Shane, that his soul would be delivered from deception and hellfire and brimstone? And that he would accept, receive and live by the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Praying for Shane Usta to become a true disicipe of Jesus Christ.

Cheryl Semrau |  Please pray that God will bless me with a job. That God will bless me with a congregation. That my family will get closer to God. Thank-you.

vijay aggarwal | Plz pray for money in abundance for a comfortable life

You Posses the Spirit of God

The Spirit of God in You

In all individuals, everything moves, the Spirit, and that is God.

In John 8:58; "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." Beyond speech, beyond thought, beyond sight is this living presence, this light that forever burns, this power that is life, that is God.

And Colossians 1:26-27 26 "Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: John 11:25. He spoke from the divine. He spoke the universal language that all understand.

"I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).

"But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him." John 10:38. Right here is the everlasting unity. Which is the everlasting truth. In the face of the everlasting, most of the things which challenge our days seem simple and inconsequential.
We overlook quite a few encounters, but we don't forget always the Truth that we pick up.

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Matthew 6:25.

Food and clothes and shelter are very important to all of us all, nonetheless, the joy of life does not originate from all of these. The joy of existence wells up within us when we are mindful of God in us, when we touch the divine in thought and feeling, as we see ourselves as children of God, as living souls eternally and without end making our way toward the unfoldment of the ideal self.

People sit in a living room enclosed by four walls, however, the Spirit in us feels no walls. We take note of a time clock ticking, but Spirit in us knows no time. We celebrate a birthday, but Spirit in us knows no age. We go through a sickness, but Spirit in us knows no pain.

Considering the Spirit and us; you will find in certainty only Spirit. We have created separation where there is none. We have created in our minds a God outside ourselves when constantly God is speaking to us from the depths of our own being. We tried to grow to be holy when presently we are hallowed, when already we are created in the image and likeness of God. We have sought for God in churches and found God there since there is no place that God is not; because wherever we are God is.

We certainly have called on God to help us and believe that somehow from God's heavens God answered, not acknowledging how close the heavens are-as close as the cry of our souls before ever our lips have time in making the words of a prayer.

We still have considered several persons as holy, when perhaps the meanest one of the street is full of the Spirit of God within. God is in all and through all. Whenever you feel the presence of God, everything finds a way to shout God's glory. It is as though you had reclaimed sight after blindness. Like the man that Jesus healed, you say: Whereas I was blind, now I see.

Although you might be uneasy and concerned with yourself and your issues, soon you feel great peace and trust in the everlasting God who is within you, who is within all. You may say, "This too will pass," not with a sense of resignation to hopelessness but with a feeling of inner poise which comes when you are aware that Spirit is greater than experiences, that only Spirit is everlasting and unaffected by the things that from a human understanding seem impossible to deal with.

As soon as you know you are Spirit, you are not frightened, for you realize that nothing can hurt or harm or destroy the indestructible Spirit in you. You will not be frightened of life or death, for you know that, come what may, the Spirit in you is unchanging, unending, unafraid.

Marcus Stanley Testimony

'I Saw an Angel,' R&B Artist's Violent Wake-Up Call

Gang members shot him 8 times; an angel saved his life

Marcus Stanley is a gifted pianist, playing for quite a few of the biggest names in the music business.
His career almost came to a tragic end when he was shot eight times at close range. Thanks to divine intervention, he's now playing music set to a different tune.

Music has flowed through Stanley's blood for as long as he can remember.

On April 2nd, 2004, during the peak of his success, Marcus was shot 8 times at point blank range with a .45 calibre automatic weapon while touring as an initiation act by gang members.
Due to the shooting, Marcus became temporarily paralyzed on his right side, lost the ability to walk, and leaving one bullet permanent lodged near his spine.

With God’s grace and mercy, Marcus was successfully able to regain the strength to walk and recover most of the feeling in his right arm. However, Marcus became withdrawn and isolated. In order to suppress the pain and hurt, Marcus became addicted to pain medication and heroin.
With repeated attempts of detox and short-term drug rehabilitation programs, Marcus wrestled with his addiction, leaving him broken, lost, and hopeless.

Your Testimony - God’s Story in You

You have a story and if your story is God’s story in you, then that story is a testimony and can be a powerful witness for Jesus Christ. Sharing your story requires thought but no special training. “You are an expert on what happened to you!” And you can share your testimony anywhere with anyone and give them the “reason for the hope that is in you.” 

You can share about Jesus Christ through your story - what God has done for you, what He is doing, and how you have experienced his grace and goodness in your life.

Here’s a question for you: Are you Ready to share your faith story with others and how God’s story has transformed your story?  please use the contact us form or send an email via businessofchrist@gmail.com

Visit Marcus Stanley website for more...