Update on Church Destruction

09 August 2006

^{Photo from video by}^{China Aid Association}^{.
Video can be viewed at}^{www.vomcanada.com}

The July 31 Special Edition Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on the destruction of a large unregistered church building in China and the arrest of many of those present. According to recent reports from China Aid Association, fifty of the believers were still detained on August 2. The location of four of them was unknown. On August 3, three more Christian leaders from the Xiaoshan area were arrested and the local authorities were threatening large fines against any company associated with the construction of the building.

China Aid Association has obtained a short video clip, showing some of the destruction of the church building. To view the video, go to VOMC's multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com.

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.