Update: Chinese couple sentenced for ''engaging in illegal religious activities''

08 July 2009

Pastor Dou's friends gather to pray outside the prison
Photo from ChinaAid

Pastor Dou Shaowen, who was arrested by officials on June 14 (click here for more details) has been given a one year sentence of "re-education" through labour, according to a July 1 report from ChinaAid. Pastor Dou's wife, Feng Lu, received the same sentence. While Pastor Dou is currently imprisoned in a labour camp, authorities have permitted Feng Lu to serve her sentence at home so she can care for their 12-year-old daughter. However, officials informed her that she will be sent to the camp if she is discovered engaging in further "illegal religious activities." The believers who were given 15-day administrative sentences following the June 14 house church attack have not yet been released at last report.

To learn more about the persecution of Christians in China, visit the China Country Report.

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.