Pastor Sentenced to Prison

Christian Solidarity Worldwide, China Aid 16 February 2017

Pastor Yang Hua
Photo: ChinaAid

On January 5, 2017, Pastor Yang Hua of Living Stone Church in Guizhou was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison. The day of his trial, police blocked the road in front of the court, and members of the public were barred from entering. Also, Yang's wife, Wang Hongwu, was "forcibly escorted" back to her apartment by officials who patrolled outside her home for the rest of the day.

Pastor Yang, also known as Li Guozhi, was formally arrested more than a year ago on suspicion of "divulging state secrets." (Charges relating to "state secrets," often levelled at activists and dissidents, can entail certain restrictions, such as family members not being allowed to attend the trial.) Wang says her husband plans to appeal the recent sentence.

The imprisoned pastor had previously been placed in administrative detention in December 2015 for "obstructing justice" and "gathering a crowd to disturb social order" before being put into criminal detention for "illegally holding state secrets." Church members perceive this as part of an attempt by the authorities to pressure the church into registering with the state or face closure. Currently, the circumstances in which legal stipulations are carried out eradicate all churches not controlled by the government, as was the case for the Living Stone Church.

Additionally, authorities imposed a fine that accrued to 110,296 Yuan ($20,956 CAD) between November 22nd and December 8th, 2016. They alleged that the church's members deviated from the approved use of their building, even though the Christians consistently reported all activities. For past reports on Pastor Yang's situation, visit this page.

Please uphold Pastor Yang and his family, praying that they will not be discouraged. Rather, may they rest in God's great love and mercy, knowing that His higher purposes will be fulfilled. Ask the Lord to also be with the church members as they move forward, seeking direction regarding a place to worship and how they can support one another. May they receive divine wisdom, direction and the empowerment to faithfully continue serving Him. Pray that the flames of God's Spirit will move all across China -- transforming the hearts of many!

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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