Three Christians Released; Others Held

27 August 2003

The Voice of the Martyrs has learned that three of the six house church leaders arrested on July 13 (click here) were released this week. Those released report that they were held in a hotel and subjected to repeated questioning and brainwashing. They were released only when they said they would speak to their congregations about registering their church with the government. They were warned that they would be rearrested if the congregations were not registered.

Three men are still being held but were moved to a different hotel when news of their arrest reached the international community. The three still being held are Shen Shao-Cheng, Gao Chong-Dao, and Xiang Fa. Shen is over 80 years old.

At last report, the men were being held at the Kai Yuan Cheng Shi Hotel, which can be reached by fax from North America at 011-86-571-82625217. We encourage Christians to send a fax of encouragement to those being held. Even if they do not receive the fax, it will let the authorities know that Christians around the world are concerned. We also encourage you to contact the Chinese embassy in your country. Contact information for Canada and the USA is available through our website at https://www.vomcanada.com/links.htm.

Continue to pray for physical, emotional, and spiritual strength for the men being held. Pray for house churches throughout China facing increasing pressure from the authorities.

China

Current Ministry Projects
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada continues to help distribute Bibles to Christians in the country, making it possible for them to have their own printed version of God's Word. Additionally, VOMC works with various mission partners to facilitate a Biblical understanding of persecution and discipleship, while presenting ways to effectively respond and minister within the context of hostility.

Project Funds: Underground Church, Bible, Relief & Development
Country Information
Population
1,413,142,846 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Han Chinese (91.1), ethnic minorities (8.9 - includes Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) (2021 est.)

Religion (%)
Folk religion (21.9), Buddhist (18.2), Christian (5.1), Muslim (1.8), Hindu (< 0.1), Jewish (< 0.1), other (0.7 - includes Daoist [Taoist]), unaffiliated (52.1) (2021 est.)

Leader
President Xi Jinping (2013)

Government type
Communist party-led state

Legal system
Based on civil law system; influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems

Sources: CIA World Factbook
Pray for China
Pray that the Gospel will be proclaimed throughout China without government interference so many more names can be added to the Lamb's "Book of Life." May there also be a spirit of unity demonstrated among the country's growing churches, further strengthening existing believers and spurring them on in their ministry service and evangelistic outreach within the country's numerous communities.