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Hindu extremists in India forced native Christians to flee from their church in a north Indian state, converting the house of worship into a Hindu temple.

A Gospel for Asia (GFA) native missionary, Pastor Ramesh Masih Battih, and his congregation was forced to flee from their church on Dec. 3 when Hindu extremists surrounded the building and became increasingly violent, shouting threats and wielding bamboo sticks, reported GFA – a church planting and missionary training organization focused on South Asia. The church is located in Himachal Pradesh, which had been home to Battih for the past 25 years.

“It is the first time in the 26-year history of Gospel for Asia that a place of worship has been taken over and defiled as a temple,” wrote K.P. Yohannan, founder and president of GFA, in an email.

In previous weeks, the GFA pastor had been told by local authorities that he needed to leave his home because the property belonged to the government. Although the Indian pastor had requested more time, the pressure to leave increased and he was in the process of leaving when the incident occurred.

GFA reported that the officials did nothing to stop the Hindus from taking over the church, although the government had warned the Hindu radicals that if any harm came to the Christians they would be responsible.

Members of the congregation include 60 new believers that had recently survived violent threats that they would be burned alive if they did not reconvert to Hinduism.

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GFA regional leader Simon John says that in spite of the obstacles and threats, the first-generation Christians are standing firm in their faith.

“This has not stopped them,” John said in a statement released by GFA. “They are now meeting in a believer’s house for worship.”

After Battih and the congregation fled, the Hindu militants immediately converted the church into a temple, writing phrases praising Hindu gods on the church wall and setting up idols in the courtyard.

Furthermore, the leader of the Hindus in Himachal Pradesh is reportedly threatening Christians to convert back to Hinduism by force through a massive, village-by-village campaign.

“I am asking my fellow believers around the world to join with me in prayer for Pastor Battih and his congregation, that they would remain strong in their faith, and that this incident would only result in even more fruit for God’s kingdom in the days to come,” wrote Yohannan.

“Pray also that these extremists will be stopped in their efforts to deny the people the right to follow Christ,” he added.