American Pastor Returns Home After Seven Month Detention in India

05/23/2020 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – In October 2019, Pastor Bryan Nerren, an American pastor from Tennessee, was detained for allegedly failing to declare money for Christian mission work when he landed in Bagdogra, India. On these false charges, Pastor Nerren was forced to stay in India for more than seven months.

On May 15, 2020, after months of diplomatic efforts, Pastor Nerren was finally released and allowed to return home to his family.

After Pastor Nerren was released, he departed India on May 18. When he returned to Tennessee, he received a warm welcome from his overjoyed wife Rhoda, family, and friends.

India has one of the most abusive police systems in the world,” Pastor Nerren explained to the media. “Daily they steal, extort, and blackmail their people. It was no exception for me.

God loves India and Nepal, so do I,” Pastor Nerren continued. “I will double down and invest even more to help the children of India and Nepal. I will not give up.

Religious intolerance and persecution has increased in India since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a political party founded on a Hindu nationalist ideology, took power in 2014. According to Open Doors USA, the BJP wants to impose laws nationwide that are often used as an excuse to harass Christians, disrupt church services, and make it difficult for Christians to share their faith.