Church Ministries Expand in Pakistan Amidst Persecution
Despite several recent attacks and continued persecution against believers in several parts of Pakistan, there has been a growing commitment by native missionaries to spreading the love of Christ, a Virginia-based missionary agency reported Monday.
“Most recently, [native missionaries] have been able to expand into a city where hundreds of shrines to Muslim saints and a substantial pre-Islamic pagan presence draw thousands worshippers,” reported Christian Aid Mission.
According to Christian Aid, an indigenous mission was able to send a full-time missionary there who has to date distributed over 100 copies of the complete Bible, New Testament and books of Genesis and Proverbs to interested residents.
“Several local people have been led to the Lord and are now attending a newly-planted, steadily growing church,” the agency stated.
Another indigenous ministry has been able to plant 10 new churches this year throughout Pakistan, Christian Aid reported. It is also working among the country's more than one million Catholics and has led many nominal Christians into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, the agency added.
“Native missionaries do this work knowing the possible consequences,” Christian Aid reported. “In Pakistan, Christians have endured dangerous persecution from local Muslims angry at the spread of the gospel.”
On Easter Sunday, a group of Christians in the city of Lahore were ambushed and shot while leaving a church service, injuring several and killing one man, Christian Aid reported. Elsewhere in Pakistan, 60 women attending a prayer service were surrounded and violently attacked by a crowd of over 150.
According to the mission agency, the federal government of Pakistan has taken many steps to protect its Christian minority, even providing police guards for church services. However, certain Muslim citizens persecute their Christian neighbors through discrimination or rejection. In several instances, Muslim extremists have turned violent.
“Pray that Christians in Pakistan would continue to hold strong to their faith, despite opposition of Muslim extremists,” Christian Aid stated.
