Police turn out in force to stop Shouwang Church's outdoor meeting in Beijing


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.

  • 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.

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