Photo: ChinaAid |
Police in Beijing confined the clergy and lay leaders of one of the capital's largest house churches in their homes and turned out in force at the church's planned outdoor meeting site on May 8 to prevent hundreds of Christians from holding an open air worship service. Police vehicles were waiting at the meeting site in western Beijing's Haidian district when some of Shouwang Church's more than 1,000 members arrived. Witnesses reported seeing at least 20 members being taken away by police, but others regrouped as planned in smaller numbers at nearby locations and proceeded to hold their regular Sunday worship using worship order sheets that had previously been distributed. Authorities shut down mobile phone service at the meeting site area in an effort to prevent news from getting out. This is the fifth Sunday of confrontation between Shouwang Church and the government (click here for more information).
Thank the Lord for the faithfulness of Chinese believers who continue to meet together, in spite of restrictions. Pray the Lord will use this most recent incident as a witness for the gospel.
Read more about the persecution of Chinese Christians at the China Country Report.