Chinese House Church Alliance Leader Evicted in Beijing

29 July 2008

^{Pastor Bike Zhang
Photo from}^{China Aid}

Pastor Bike Zhang, Chairman of the Federation House Church and his wife, Xie Fenglan, were evicted from their home in Chaoyang district by Public Security Bureau officials on July 6, according to a July 18 report from China Aid Association. The couple took up residence in a friend's home until they were again evicted by officials and forced to relocate to a hotel in Guo Xian town. On July 14, officials ordered the hotel owner to evict the couple or face incarceration. Zhang and Fenglan then left for the district of Changping but were stopped by police and taken to a government office where they were interrogated and denied food, drink and rest for several hours. Fenglan eventually collapsed due to the torture.

At last report the couple was living on the streets after police forced them out of two other locations. Their expulsion from Beijing is reportedly in response to Pastor Zhang's meeting with American officials, which Chinese authorities see as "destroying the harmony of the Beijing Olympic Games."

Pray for protection for this couple. Pray that they will be assured of the Lord's never-ending love, even in the midst of trying circumstances (Ephesians 3:14-19). Pray for the nation of China and the Chinese church at large as the Olympics are to begin soon.

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.