Church and Associated School Officially Closed

Three adults and a child using a chalkboard in the corner of a room.
Inside the Linfen Covenant House Church.
Photo: ChinaAid

The Linfen Covenant House Church has experienced ongoing legal challenges, many of which arose after police officers raided a family camp in August 2022. Two preachers from the church were arrested for alleged fraud and, more recently, two other church workers were suddenly detained without notice (see this page for more information).

On November 16th, the Linfen City Yaodu District Bureau of Civil Affairs officially announced on their website that the church has been shut down, along with the Asilan School, which was run by the church. The announcement further stated that the church and school were not registered with the government and thus all their activities were considered illegal.

On November 23rd, lawyers met with two of the detained church workers, Wang Qiang and Wu Tingting. While Wang has undergone torture from the authorities, in their attempt to extract a confession, the Christian refused to relent. The next day, as the city was put under another COVID lockdown, the representing lawyers have been prohibited from conducting any further meetings with the two believers.

In the midst of this ongoing persecution, the testimony expressed by a member of the church is that of joy. During a recent raid, a police officer asked her, "When did you start loving the Lord passionately?" This Christian sister answered: "I only began to love the Lord passionately after you arrested me. When the shackles wore out my feet, I realized a little bit how much Christ had paid for me."

Praise God for the testimonies of joy and gratitude that have been expressed by members of the Linfen church during this time of difficulty. As these faithful believers diligently seek the Lord's wisdom and guidance regarding their legal situation, and how to best proceed in ministry, may they continue to sense His reassuring presence every step along the way. Please pray for the encouragement of churches throughout China that are likewise being subjected to pressure due to the increased crackdowns mandated by the Chinese Communist Party. Despite the opposition, may the Gospel message continue to spread across the nation, to the extent of also reaching China's officials at every level of governance.

  • 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.

China News

  • Bible Study Meeting Raided in Inner Mongolia
    Believers are singing hymns at the Xuan'en Church.
    Xuan'en Church
    Photo: ChinaAid

    On the morning of July 17th, several Christians from the Xuan'en Church in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, were gathered for a Bible study when the meeting was suddenly interrupted by a raid. The intruding officials, who were sent by multiple agencies, recorded the names and phone numbers of the attending Christians and ordered them to end the meeting – based on the grounds that they are not part of the government-sanctioned Three-Self church. Since this was considered a first offence, the believers were issued a warning.