Protestors block church service

Algeria: January 05, 2010, (PCTV Newsdesk)

On the day after Christmas, a congregation of nearly 350 people gathered for a church service and Christmas celebration at their new building in Tizi-Ouzou, Algeria. They found almost 50 of their Muslim neighbors barring the doors to block them from holding their service.

"The local Muslims were unhappy to have a church so close to their homes," said Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs. "The Christians called the police, and instead of allowing them to meet, the police sent the Christians home to try to negotiate with those who were protesting. In the end, the church was not allowed to hold their services."

Nettleton said the police may have had sympathies with the protestors. Although separating the two groups can be an appropriate step in some situations, the end result on this occasion was that the Christians were unable to hold their church services.

"In the end, their religious freedom was definitely not protected," Nettleton concluded.

According to Compass Direct News, the protestors stayed outside the church until December 28 when they broke into the building and stole microphones and speakers; the police did not remove them from the premises. In the course of the protest, the Muslims also threatened to kill church pastor Mustafa Krireche.

Although 96 percent of Algeria's population is Muslim, persecution this serious is reportedly uncommon.

"This particular incident is pretty unusual," Nettleton explained. "Some of the believers who were interviewed by Compass Direct talked about how surprising that this would happen."

The church had met in a small rented building until it opened a new building at a new location in November. Local residents opposed the building prior to the incident on December 26, but the church has permission to exist and to meet as a registered member of the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA). VOM is watching the situation to see whether Algeria's government will respect the church's rights.

Popular opinion in Algeria accuses Christians of offering bribes such as money, food, and cell phones to win converts. According to Compass Direct, the protestors in Tizi-Ouzou were concerned about this issue.

"One of the challenges for the church is to help people understand the idea of free will," Nettleton explained. "'We're giving you a chance to meet Jesus; we're giving you an opportunity to hear the message of salvation. It's free, and we're not paying you to take it, and you don't have to pay us for us to give it to you.' I think, as the church grows, that perception is defeated just with the growth of the church and the ongoing dialogue between people of different faiths."

The church is growing, and much of its growth comes from Muslim converts to Christianity. Nettleton said that fact "creates an animosity among the Muslims."

"There's evangelism going on," said Nettleton. "Muslims are coming to know Jesus and joining the church.  Of course that is also one of the things that is causing anger, and it's causing frustration among the Muslims, as they see Muslims leaving Islam to follow Jesus... That means there will likely be more [persecution] in the months and years to come, because one of the things that often happens as Muslims choose to follow Christ is they face intense persecution -- sometimes from their government, sometimes from their own families."

Pray for Algerian Christians as they seek to respond wisely and lovingly to the opposition of their neighbors.

"Pray...that they will not be intimidated by this...but that there really will be a bold desire to follow Christ and to witness for Him, in spite of persecution," Nettleton said. "Pray for the Muslims...to see the faith of the believers, to hear the Gospel and respond. This could be a way that they meet Jesus, as they are persecuting Christians."  

News source: www.mnnonline.org