Photo: Chengdu Early Rain Covenant
Church via ChinaAid
The Chinese government's ongoing campaign against unregistered church networks has resulted in the recent arrests of seven additional members of the Early Rain Covenant Church on January 6th. Those detained include Pastor Dai Zhichao, Elder Li Yingqiang and his wife Zhang Xinyue, Deacon Jia Xuewei, along with three other church members: Ye Fenghua, Liang Zhongyuan and Brother Lin (whose full name is being withheld for security reasons).
On January 21st, ChinaAid confirmed that formal charges have now been formally issued against Elder Li and Brother Lin. Both believers were accused of "inciting subversion of state power." This is the same charge under which the church's lead pastor, Wang Yi, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment during December 2019.
Rev. Dr. Bob Fu, president of ChinaAid, condemned the continued use of national-security charges against the country's Christians. "The use of 'inciting subversion of state power' against pastors and church members whose only 'crime' is peaceful worship represents a grave abuse of China's criminal law," he stated. "This case illustrates once again how the Chinese Communist Party weaponizes national-security charges to criminalize faith, silence conscience, and intimidate religious communities."
Further information addressing the various challenges encountered by believers belonging to the Early Rain Covenant Church has been made available here. To watch an informative video-recorded interview with Dr. Fu concerning the ongoing crackdown on China's unregistered churches, go to this page.
- Pray that each one of these detained believers will experience the nearness, peace and comfort of the Holy Spirit, and that their faith would remain strong despite the pressures they are presently facing.
- Continue to intercede for the members of the Early Rain Covenant Church and other unregistered congregations across China, asking God to provide for their spiritual and practical needs as they continue to proclaim the Gospel amid an atmosphere of increased opposition.
- Pray that justice will prevail, all charges based on false allegations or political agendas would be dropped, and the international advocacy efforts presented on behalf of our persecuted Christian family in China will be duly considered and fulfilled.
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