Over the years, the Early Rain Covenant Church has faced significant opposition, dating back to a large raid that occurred in December 2018 when more than 100 believers were arrested. The raid also involved the arrest of the church's senior pastor, Wang Yi, who was sentenced to nine years in prison. (The initially posted Persecution & Prayer Alert reporting on this situation may be accessed at accessed here.)
On June 12th, seven Christians – at least six of whom are pastors – were convicted under the anti-conversion laws of Madhya Pradesh state and sentenced to five years in prison, along with orders that each one of them also pay a substantial fine. The allegations relate to a social event that took place in June of 2024 when the accused believers had attended a child's birthday party. (For more details regarding this case, see our previous report.)
In two separate cases, Christian men in Punjab, Pakistan, have recently been charged with blasphemy. In both instances, family members and supporters are calling for transparent investigations and the implementation of proper judicial processes.
