“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. “
In Colombia, fatal attacks on local Christian leaders continue, with a second assassination of a Protestant pastor occurring recently. According to Christian Daily International (CDI), the UK-based Christian persecution watchdog Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reported on the 14th (local time) that Pastor Iván García, 28, was shot and killed after leading a worship service in northern Colombia on January 8. He was struck by six bullets.
The attack happened as Pastor García, his 14-year-old stepdaughter, and five members of the People of God Christian Vision Church were walking along a dark rural road after a church anniversary event. Two men on motorcycles lay in ambush, and two others opened fire on the group.
The assailants fled the scene immediately after the shooting. A woman accompanying García was also injured, sustaining a gunshot wound to her arm. Karen Nierles, García’s wife and the pastor of the New Rebirth in Christ Church in Magdalena, mourned his death, saying, “We had been married for six months. He was deeply dedicated to the growth of our church, which increased from seven members to thirty.”
According to her, García was a former member of an illegal armed group before converting to Christianity and had not mentioned any threats or warnings prior to the attack. She recalled him saying a few days before his death, “I am not afraid to teach the Bible because, for me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Earlier, on December 29, Pastor Marlon Lora, his wife Yurlay Rincon, and their daughter Ángela were killed in another attack. The family was gunned down while dining at a restaurant in Aguachica, Cesar Department, after Sunday morning worship.
CSW stated that religious leaders have long been targets of illegal armed and criminal groups. One reason for this is their role as peacekeepers who exert influence in their communities and prevent involvement in violent and criminal activities.
CSW urged the Colombian government to take immediate action to reverse the amendment to Decree 1066. This decree, which provides specific legal protections for individuals, communities, and organizations at high risk, was revised in 2023 to exclude religious leaders from the category of high-risk individuals.
Colombia recently ranked 34th on the 2025 World Watch List of countries where Christians face persecution, published by Open Doors International. (Source: Gospel Prayer Newspaper Edited)
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it, Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:4-5,12, NIV)
God, in Colombia, where violence and crime are rampant, we ask You to comfort Your servants and their families who once walked in darkness but turned to dwell in the light and proclaimed the gospel of peace, ultimately giving their lives as martyrs. May the decree that excluded the protection of religious leaders at risk be reversed, and may the remaining families and believers be filled with courage through the indwelling grace and love of God. Strengthen the Church in Colombia, which carries the light of Christ’s life, to boldly proclaim the gospel of the cross, bringing revival to this land as the Church of Jesus, endowed with the authority to become children of God.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
