Peter Youngren at prior evangelistic event in Indonesia. (World Impact Ministries)
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Hundreds of Muslims from various Islamic groups last week protested the presence of two evangelists at a major gospel event in Indonesia’s Central Sulewesi Province, according to local reports.
After protests on Jan. 17 and Jan. 24, Islamic groups again took to the streets in the provincial capital of Palu on Wednesday (Jan. 29) to protest the presence of Peter Youngren, founder in Canada of World Impact Ministries, at the Friendship Festival from Thursday to Sunday (Jan. 30-Feb. 2), and Swiss evangelist Jacob Wendesten.
The festival was originally planned as an inter-faith event, but the uproar from Islamic groups reportedly compelled authorities to limit it to Christian activities.
Demonstration coordinator Alif Veraldhi accused Youngren of being “intolerant” because he published a book on efforts to achieve (spiritual) “victory” in (spiritual) “enemy” territory, according to Indonesian news agency Antara. Wendesten was considered offensive for mentioning in a video the existence of a small radical Muslim group in the city that objected to the gospel event.
Hundreds of Muslims, mostly from the Islamic Community Alliance (Aliansi Umat Islam, AUI) and Muslim Community Forum (Forum Umat Islam, FUI) of Central Sulawesi launched the Jan. 29 demonstration in front of the Aston Hotel, where Youngren and Wendesten were staying in Palu. They reportedly blocked the Friendship Festival venue and called for it to be cancelled.
The local Indonesia Ulema Council (Majelis Ulema Indonesia, MUI) chapter and Muslim figures from other organizations also reportedly repudiated the event on grounds of security and harmony, as did the head of the Central Sulawesi MUI and several figures from the Islamic group Alkhairaat.
The event was organized by the Communion of Churches and Evangelical Institutions (Persekutuan Gereja dan Lembaga Injili, PGLI) of Central Sulawesi, according to Antara.
“I want to say to those who protest against me; I never think they are bad people,” Youngren said at a dinner at the Aston Hotel Palu Ballroom on Wednesday night (Jan. 29), according to filesulawesi.com. “I’m sure they do it sincerely because based on their beliefs, they think it is good. But I also think they don’t really know me. I think they compare me to the pastors they’ve heard of. Because I never consider a religion to be better than another. Never! I’ve launched the same activities everywhere in the world. Not only here in Palu.”
Youngren said he was not offended and that a free country should allow citizens to dissent. He said the event was meant to share God’s love with everyone without discrimination since it was important for mental health, success and peace, according to TVOnenews.com.
“We bring the message of God’s love to everyone, usually, this message brings extraordinary healing experiences,” he said. “It is not only a testimony of miracles but also about how God’s love can change someone’s life in the long term.”
Asked whether the event should proceed in the face of the protests by Islamic organizations, Youngren said the government had given permission.
“The government has the authority. It is not my authority to decide. I only came to serve, and the government permits us,” he said.
The governor of Central Sulawesi, Rusdy Mastura, said the Friendship Festival was specifically for Christians, and that therefore he asked the public to maintain religious tolerance and harmony, according to TribunPalu.com.
“We all want to maintain religious tolerance, so let’s work together to maintain harmony,” Rusdy, widely known as Cudy, told representatives of the protesters in front of the Central Sulawesi Governor’s Office on Thursday evening (Jan 30).
Saying he was not siding with anyone but only looking for the best solution, Rusdy added, “We must not just be carried away by emotions but must also show good morals. The Prophet [Muhammad] came to improve morals.”
Ensuring security for the event were 470 personnel the military, police, Transportation Service and the Civil Service Police Unit officials, according to Mercusuara.web.id.
The share of Indonesia’s population identifying as Christian is 11.43 percent, with the evangelical population estimated at 3.23 percent, according to the Joshua Project.
Indonesian society has adopted a more conservative Islamic character, and churches involved in evangelistic outreach are at risk of being targeted by Islamic extremist groups, according to Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List report.
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