Local officials in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia on April 14 halted construction of a prayer house due to protest banners put up by Muslim residents.
The move left unused building materials scattered on the site owned by pastor Novel Pangemanan of the El-Saddai Fellowship Church in Kappuna village, Masamba District, North Luwu Regency. In Indonesia, a prayer house is a structure distinct from a church building.
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In a video posted on the same day by the Sahabat Doa Ministry, the pastor, voice trembling with emotion while holding the fence columns, described the scene:
“Today, my congregation and I agreed to build a fence around the land. However, the Kappuna village government and Masamba District Government ordered us to temporarily halt the project. So, we stopped working. Thank you, Lord Jesus, bless you.”
The clip, which has garnered thousands of views, shows piles of bricks, cement and rebar abandoned under the tropical sun.
The halt to the house of prayer construction stems from banners rejecting the project proclaiming, “We, all Muslims, strongly reject the establishment of a church/prayer house or any activities in our neighborhood.”
‘I will not back down’
The issue gained traction after Instagram user @davidherson_official shared details on April 14 amplifying concerns and calls for intervention.
“I will not back down or stop the construction,” Pastor Pangemanan said on the Sahabat Doa Ministry video. “Besides having all the necessary documents, I also have reported the construction of this prayer house to the relevant authorities. Building a prayer house does not require a permit. We simply have to report it to the relevant authorities.”
The pastor, who has been serving the area congregation since 2021, said he had communicated plans for a house of prayer to various stakeholders.
“I’ll of course take care of the paperwork if I build a church,” he said. “What I’m building is what I call a house of prayer.”
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written and originally published by Morning Star News.
