Before becoming a Christian, Pastor Putumandi’s life was, in his words, “a mess.” He pursued his family’s Hindu religion, dancing in temple ceremonies to access and appease the spirits. And he detested anything to do with Jesus. “I hated [Christians] before.” Putumandi said, “I despised Christianity.” But then he met Jesus, drawn by the compassion that he saw lacking in every other religion. For Putumandi, Jesus was the only one who could guarantee eternal life, and he wanted to know Him. After being baptized, his wife could tell that he had changed as Putumandi treated his family and others with compassion, showing the love of Christ. When his family found out Putumandi had left Hinduism, they kicked him out of their home immediately. His 16-year-old son tried to kill Putumandi. Despite being driven from his home and persecuted for his Christian faith, Putumandi says he never considered going back to Hinduism. “Salvation comes from Christianity,” Putumandi said. Putumandi will also share how it’s been a challenge to find a job to make a living because of the Christian persecution he’s faced. “I just do anything I can find,” he says, “and praise the Lord; He provides.” Pray for Putumandi’s health, for his family to come to know the Lord, and for his continued witness to unbelievers around him—especially the people in his own family. You’re invited! Be a part of The Voice of the Martyrs’ 2026 From the Field National Conference this September in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Gather with fellow believers and hear firsthand stories from persecuted Christians in restricted nations and hostile areas where VOM serves. Seating is limited, so register soon to join this inspiring event.
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In West Java, Indonesia, Muslim protesters demonstrated against a Christian worship service on Jan. 6, 2026. The group, Ahlus Sunnah Defenders, carried banners, shouted slogans and blasted loudspeakers outside the venue, calling the worship service an effort to convert Muslims and spread “religious activities which deviate from the principal teachings of Islam.” With police protection, the church was allowed to continue its worship service.
Read MoreMuslim protesters formed a human chain to block Christian worshipers from attending a planned Christmas worship service on Dec. 14, 2025, near the capital city of Jakarta, Indonesia. Videos on social media show the group holding anti-Christian banners and shouting jihadist slogans. Some protesters held or pushed Christians who tried to get through the line. “We only want to worship peacefully,” one Christian said in a video. “We have no intention of disturbing anyone.”
Read MoreOn Dec. 24, 2025, Muslim leaders insisted on an official ban and pressured a local pastor in West Java province to cancel his church’s planned holiday worship services. Religious and government leaders cited the potential for attacks from radical Islamist groups but could not identify a specific threat. While a public announcement was made that the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations were canceled, the 70-member church decided to continue their services as planned. “I was indeed under pressure in the video [announcing the ban],” said Pastor Irianto Budy.
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Mina always felt a deep sadness when the Islamic call to prayer filled the air. Growing up as a Christian in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, her heart ached for those who didn’t know Jesus Christ. Then, one day in 2010, she felt compelled to do something about it: She decided to love and share the gospel with her Muslim neighbors. One of the first women she approached in the streets of Makassar cried as Mina shared her testimony. Mina, who was still a teenager, held out her hand and asked the woman if she could pray for her. After praying, she invited the woman to study the Bible with her. The woman not only agreed but brought six other women to the Bible study with her. “We would sing and I would read the Bible,” said Mina. “I told my pastor, ‘I think this is what the Lord wants me to do.’” A Growing Love for Muslims Mina’s pastor connected her with a longtime missionary, who taught her the methods that she had used to effectively reach Muslims with the gospel. “The more I learned, the more my love grew for them,” Mina said. The work, however,
Read MoreSecond-grader Khristopel Butarbutar, who was part of a Christian tribal group on Indonesia’s island of Sumatra, came home from school on May 19, 2025, injured and in pain. He had been beaten by five older Muslim boys in his school, the culmination of a week of bullying that included taunting him about his Christian faith. Khristopel continued to suffer and weaken physically, and his parents took him to the hospital, where he died on May 26. The autopsy showed the cause of death as a ruptured appendix, which may or may not have been the result of the beating, but the autopsy also showed internal bleeding and bruises that were consistent with blunt force trauma.
Read MoreAfter a church in West Java province held a celebration to break ground for a new building, hundreds of Muslims came to protest the construction on July 5, 2025. They complained that church leaders did not properly communicate their plans, even though there had been public meetings with district, village and neighborhood leaders during the permitting process. Among other stipulations in the agreements for the church construction were provisions for the church to serve the public good, including road improvements and community use of the building.
Read MoreFenny’s life was forever changed after a May 2018 church bombing in Surabaya, Indonesia, but she continues to heal spiritually and physically. She shared how, through the recovery process, the Lord gave her purpose and helped her understand her worth in God’s eyes. She has undergone years of medical treatment and is making much progress.
Read MoreIn a Muslim-dominated area of Indonesia, several different obstacles cause Muslims to hesitate placing their faith in Christ. Prohibitions against Christian burial in common cemeteries and exorbitant fees for Christian burial in approved locations remain a stumbling block for many who have expressed genuine interest in converting to Christianity. The cost of burial in an approved Christian plot can cost up to a few months’ wages, whereas Muslims can be buried for free on any private land.
Read MoreA Christian ministry in Indonesia runs four “blessing houses” that serve as temporary safe houses for Christian converts from Islam who are from one of Indonesia’s largest minority groups. These houses also serve as places of worship, discipleship and skill development centers for persecuted Christians. A front-line worker there said that every week she experiences “small-scale persecution” in the community.
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