Indonesia (MNN) — All eyes in Southeast Asia and beyond are on Indonesia as a new wave of protests sweeps the country.
Indonesia is a vast nation of striking contrasts. Some regions face significant persecution of believers, and reports have emerged of extremists — like ISIS — setting up camps and training there. Yet ministries based in the country continue to see openness and success in sharing the Gospel, even amid the protests.
John Pudaite from Bibles For The World says, “These protests are being led by students primarily across the country, who feel that this current government is becoming rather repressive and also quite corrupt, and is passing laws and bills that are benefiting them.”
Map of Indonesia (photo courtesy of Putri Nabila via Unsplash)
The main demands include economic reforms to help the middle class have financial stability, more job opportunities with fair salaries for young professionals and graduates, and freedom for opposition voices.
The protests also reveal the nation’s deeper need for hope.
“You could just feel such a poverty for Scripture there in that country, that they haven’t had access to it, and they really want to know what’s written in God’s Word,” explains Pudaite.
Christians responded to this need by going out to share the Good News with protestors.
“The most recent wave of protests and violence we had a wonderful window to provide 80,000 Gospels of John and 15,000 New Testaments for the new believers,” he says.
The Gospel is so refreshing that people often stop in their tracks!
“So often we saw them just kind of step off to the side and start reading God’s word immediately,” he shares.
Pray for lasting peace and economic breakthrough across the country. Pray also for the Gospel to fill the deep void of hope.
“We continue to pray into this situation, that the Prince of Peace may prevail, that these — especially the violent protests — may subside, and that the people will, in the process, come to know that Jesus Christ is truly the only way to everlasting peace and hope,” says Pudaite.
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Header photo: 2025 Indonesian student protests in Central Jakarta (photo courtesy of David Wadie Fisher-Freberg via Wikimedia Commons).
