Pastor released on bail

17 June 2010

Pastor Wang Dao and his family
Photo from ChinaAid

Wang Dao, a pastor who was arrested in China's Guangdong province on arbitrary charges of "gathering a mob to disrupt the public order" in early May, was released on bail on June 13. Pastor Wang, a leader of the Liangren Church, has reportedly been threatened with exile and denied the right to meet with his lawyers. He is now facing new changes of "hindering the administration of credit cards." Despite such allegations, Pastor Wang insists the case against him is a direct act of persecution for his faith. Members of his house church have also undergone unjust treatment from authorities. Aside from losing their pastor, they have been locked out of their rented building, forced to worship outdoors, ordered to disband from a peaceful meeting in a park and evicted from another rented building. Upon his release, Pastor Wang Dao expressed thanks to all those in his Christian family who have prayed for and supported him. (Source: ChinaAid)

Pray that officials will drop the charges against Pastor Wang. Pray that his trial will be conducted with due process of law. Pray that Wang Dao and the Liangren Church will continue to stand firm in their faith in Christ.

For more on trials facing Chinese Christians, go to 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.