Bible School Raided

01 March 2006


^{Pastor Chu and Pastor Liu Photos courtesy of}^{China Aid Association}

In the morning of March 1, a house church Bible School was raided by Public Security Bureau officers in Huaibei City, China. Approximately thirty-six house church leaders, students and teachers were taken into custody, according to a press release from China Aid.

According to eyewitnesses, more than fifty officers armed with electric shock batons surrounded the school. The school is run by Pastor Chu Huaiting, a well-known house church leader and vice-president of the Chinese House Church Alliance. Officers did not present a search warrant, even when requested. During the raid, ten thousand copies of Christian literature and two hundred blankets for distribution were confiscated. Among those arrested were Pastor Liu Haiting, Pastor Liang Zhenjun and Pastor Joseph Wang. Three hours later, police arrested Pastor Chu at his home.

Pray for the release of those who have been arrested. Ask God to give them wisdom in what to say as they face their accusers.

For more information on the persecution of Christians 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.