Churches Ordered to Replace Cross

A church service at Kaizhuang Church in Xinyu, Jiangxi — These believers have been asked to replace their cross.
Photo: ChinaAid

Churches throughout Jiangxi received a warning in early July from authorities demanding that all crosses be removed, and instead they were to be replaced with the national flag or an image of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The warning also demanded that they keep all children away from church.

The response from churches was mixed. Many were too frightened to speak up and others openly refused to obey the orders. In retaliation, government agents demolished the cross of one church building in Xinyu, and another received a notice of intent to do the same. During a service at Kaixuan Church, two officials interrupted the believers' worship, demanding that the cross no longer be displayed. Church leaders were able to speak with them and diffuse the situation.

When confronted about children in the church, Liu, the leader of the Kaixuan Church, wisely responded with this statement: "Your policy is in conflict with the Constitution. When the children are born, they are citizens of the People's Republic of China, and they have freedom of belief. Children's freedom of belief cannot be interfered with. They can follow their parents' beliefs."

Pray for wisdom and guidance on the part of the church leaders in Jiangxi as they deal with these unreasonable demands. May their responses be expressed with gentleness, serving as a testimony of God's grace to those opposing them and a means of demonstrating the truth of the Living Christ.

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.