Five Christian leaders arrested in Inner Mongolia

VOM-USA 28 April 2011

Five Christian leaders were recently arrested in Inner Mongolia, China. One of the leaders, a pastor named Jesse, was reportedly arrested for the "offense" of having 1,000 university students attend his church. Approximately 100 of the university students are also Bible school students who are taught by a VOM worker. Police have detained Pastor Jesse five times over the last year, and they had warned him that he was being kept under close watch. At last report, he and the four others were being held in a detention center where prisoners are usually kept for at least 30 days. It's not known whether he will be formally sentenced. A friend of Jesse's has said, "We sent some clothes [to Jesse] but were not able to meet and talk to him. Please pray. The situation here is so bad."

Pray Pastor Jesse and the other leaders will be released. Ask the Lord to encourage them as they suffer for serving Him. Pray the believers under their leadership will not grow weaker in faith, but that they will be emboldened and strengthened by the Holy Spirit. Pray the Gospel message will continue to go forward in China, despite opposition.

Find out more about the plight of Chinese Christians at 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.