8/8/2025 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) — The congregation of the GKJW church in Mojoroto, Kediri City, East Java, Indonesia, is facing a deadlock in its church construction efforts after the city government forcibly halted the project.

The church lacked a permit for the construction, despite having obtained approval from 65 residents and 200 members of the congregation, which exceeded the required number. Ironically, Kediri was recently named one of the most tolerant cities in Indonesia by the SETARA Institute.

The church obtained the land for the building in 1995 through a land grant. Community opposition kept it from developing the land. The congregation rented land from 1997 until this year as the Mojoroto Community Development Center (TPM) to avoid being designated as a church.

Around May 2024, the congregation formed a church construction committee and obtained building permits. To get the permits, it had to secure the support of at least 60 residents and 90 church members.

After exceeding these numbers, the committee submitted a permit to the Interfaith Harmony Forum (FKUB). Meanwhile, residents mobilized to oppose the construction of the church building.

Several mediation sessions involving the city government, FKUB, and local religious leaders occurred. Some parties demanded that the signatures collected by the construction committee be considered invalid, requiring them to restart the process.

“The culmination of the efforts to stop the construction took place on Sunday, July 27, 2025,” Rev. Puput Yuniatmoko S.Si. said. “The construction committee was subjected to a mass lynching by government officials and residents, incited by irresponsible individuals.”

On July 28, the Mojoroto Police summoned the committee members and ordered a complete halt to construction.

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