Everyday we want to share new stories with you as we lead up to our Persecuted Church Event on October 30th.¬† I hope that these stories will inspire you to pray for the persecuted church and strengthen your personal faith.¬† To find out more about the persecuted church go to Persecution.com. Or look for the “Jesus Freaks”. Make sure to click on the more link to read about another Indonesian’s struggle.Could you imagine being this Christian in the video below? One person who’s faith in Christ has caused a riot against her. Warning: This video may be to much to handle.

“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.” Matthew 5:10 (MSG)

“Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.” 1 Thessalonians 3:7

“I Am a Soldier of Christ!”

Roy Pontoh
15 years old
Indonesia
1999

The teens could tell that the shouts and chanting were getting closer and closer. An older
teen looked nervously at his friend. “The Muslims are coming. We’d better hide the kids,”
he said. Others, following his lead, helped the smaller children find hiding places in the
buildings nearby. Then they hid themselves.
It was January and a crowd of mostly Christian children and teenagers had gathered for a
Bible camp at the Station Field Complex of Pattimura University on the island of Ambon,
Indonesia. When the camp was over, cars came to take the laughing, rejoicing children
back to their homes. But there were not enough cars to hold the young people.
Mecky Sainyakit and three other Christian men had gone to Wakal village to try to rent
additional transportation to take the rest home. But they had not yet come back.
What the kids waiting for rides home didn’t know was that on their way to the village, the
men were attacked by a Muslim mob, who pulled them from their car and out onto the
road. Mecky and one of the other men were stabbed to death, and later their bodies were
burned by the mob. The two other men escaped with their lives.
Before long, the mob reached the University. They found many of the teens and forced
them to come out of hiding.
Roy Pontoh was forced from his hiding place and made to stand before the mob.
“Renounce your Jesus, or we will kill you!” they threatened.
Roy was terribly frightened. Though trembling, he answered, “I am a soldier of Christ!”
At this, one of the Muslim attackers swung a sword at his stomach. The sword hit the
Bible Roy held, and ripped into it, knocking it out of his hand. The man’s next swing sliced
open Roy’s stomach. His last word was “Jesus.”
The mob dragged Roy’s body out and threw it in a ditch. Four days later, his family found
it. Even though they are wracked with grief, Roy’s parents stand proud of their son, who
stood strong in his faith to the end.
Whoever declares openly—speaking out freely—and confesses that he is My
worshipper and acknowledges Me before men, the Son of man also will declare and
confess and acknowledge him before the angels of God.
-Jesus
(LUKE 12:8 AMP)

Excerpted from:
Jesus Freaks
by dc Talk
Copyright © 1999, Bethany House Publishers
ISBN 0764227467
Published by Bethany House Publishers.