In Pakistan, Christians not only face danger from radical Muslims, but are also challenged from those who pretend to be Christians, but really teach false doctrine, and persecute followers of Jesus. Because of the complexities of the situation, and possible increased danger, we will not refer to the religion by name, but only call it a cult. Here is what Sameer* says:
“Cult followers recently sent some mad guys to attack our house, but my extended family stood with us and confronted the evil preachers of this religion. The priests here had a big conspiracy against the local pastors, putting me on top of the list. But God protected us. Praise the Lord.Now, before I say anything else, I need to explain what happened. Every year, this group has a feast for one of their idols where young people go by bicycles, by foot, by buses and other transportation. This is a big event and people from all over Pakistan come there. What happens there is that they bow down to the statue, they put clothes, money, animals, and gold before the statue.
This is idolatry, and they are praying to this idol, which is against the Bible. Many people from my own town go there and being a pastor here, what is my duty? My duty is to tell people that this is wrong. For the last two weeks I have been teaching this to people in my Bible studies, prayer meetings and one on one counsel. This news reached the leaders of the cult, and so they planned to beat me and my team. They held a meeting with illiterate people and drug addicts who do not have any understanding of the Word of God. The conspiracy was planned in the place of meeting for this cult, and I came to know about it from local sources with good proof.
For the last one week, several mobs of young people from this cult have kept coming in front of my home and playing drums and yelling in loud voices, but we said nothing. In fact, we were praying for them. Also, my cousins and some elders of my family and Church went to the boys and asked them to stop, since it is not the right thing. They told them that what Pastor Sameer is teaching is from the Bible and if you have anything to say about that, we can sit and have a Bible study where he can explain what the Bible says. It is up to you if you agree, you can, but if you don’t, there is free will not to go.
Even after these efforts, a few days ago, some young people attacked my house in order to beat me. But God protected me by His grace, and through His people. All we are doing is trying to teach people the Whole Truth of God. We have to teach wisely, and I am doing that. But if I keep silent then I am not doing justice to the Word of God“.
Sameer and his family are still in danger from this radical group, so pray for them as they live out 2 Timothy 4:2-5:
“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry”.
*Name changed for safety