Several Christians Arrested in China

10 August 2005

Victory of the cross in China According to an August 8 report from China Aid Association, several members of Chinese house churches have been arrested since the beginning of July.

On July 1, approximately seventy believers were arrested in Zhaolou Village, Henan Province during a baptism service. Ten of them, including Pastor Wang Baode, were sentenced to fifteen days' detention. The rest were released after paying fines of 300 RMB ($45 CDN) each.

On July 22, approximately 100 high school students were arrested at Wanzhuang Town, Hebei Province while attending a vocational Bible school. After hours of interrogation, they were released but were ordered by officials to not gather again.

^{The Official Notice from Shanghai banning a House Church
Image From}^{China Aid Association}

On July 26, a sixteen-year-old, four hundred member house church in Shanghai was ordered to close. An official notice was stamped on the gate of the church building declaring that the gathering was "an illegal religious gathering," which must end immediately or the leaders would face "severe administrative punishment."

Pray for those still suffering in prison for their faith, as well as wisdom and healing for those who have been released. Pray that those instigating the violence will see the love and peace of God in the lives of the Christians.

For more information on the ongoing persecution of the Church in China, click here.

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.