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China

• Young Children Detained for Participating in Bible Lesson

  

  A Bible lesson for young children that had taken place at a private home in Fuyang, Anhui, was raided by police on April 29th. In total, ten children between the ages of five and six, along with five adult teachers, were taken to the police station where they were detained for several hours. Some of the youngsters appeared to suffer severe emotional distress during the detention; and, throughout that time, the police only checked on them once.

• Christians Sentenced for Alleged Illegal Business Activities

  

  During April 2021, Chinese authorities arrested ten Christians in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, for allegedly running an illegal business operation. In their efforts to get Bibles into the hands of as many people as possible, the believers had legally purchased copies of God's Word at a retail price and resold them for a fee well below the original cost. (For more information on the charges against these church members, go to this report.)

• "Gospel Warrior" Resumes Ministry Work

  

  As a former drug addict, Chen Wensheng understands firsthand the liberating power of Jesus Christ. Since experiencing spiritual freedom from bondage, he has become a ceaseless evangelist, sharing his faith with anyone who is willing to listen. In the past, he even expressed gratitude for his incarceration, since it gave him opportunities to testify of God's transforming love among fellow prisoners.

• Unregistered Churches Face Increasing Oppression

  

  Two recently received reports indicate the ongoing coordinated opposition that members of unregistered house churches are facing throughout China. Since the groups are considered illegal, the authorities have tried using fines and arrests, along with threats and intimidation tactics, in their attempts to shut down the organizations.

• Non-Compliant Catholic Bishop Rearrested

  

  Peter Shao Zhumin, a Catholic priest who was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as an auxiliary bishop, became the bishop of the Diocese of Wenzhou in 2016. However, over the years, Bishop Shao has stood in opposition to the dictates of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Not acknowledging its authority over the church, he refused to join the state-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. In response, the official association appointed a different bishop to replace him; however, many members of the diocese do not recognize the association's appointment.

• Pastor Tried for Organizing Illegal Gatherings

  

  On August 9th, 2024, a preacher named Ma Yan was arrested in the Chinese city of Yinchuan for "disrupting social order" and given a ten-day detention. Immediately following his release, Ma was arrested again for "organizing illegal gatherings." The accusations stem from a small gathering of Christians that took place in a hotel on August 9th.

• Imprisoned for Distributing Christian Literature

  

  On January 17th, five Chinese Christians who had been charged with "illegal business operations" were convicted and sentenced to prison. Pastor Deng Yanxiang received a sentence of two years' imprisonment, while the other four believers were given sentences ranging from 14 to 17 months.

• Coordinated Church Raids Continue Throughout China

  

  Recent incidents of police action against churches in China demonstrate the ongoing persecution of believers throughout this Communist nation. These raids are only the latest to occur amid the government's intensifying crackdown on Christianity. To learn more about the governmental opposition experienced by Christians in China, go to our country report.

• Coordinated Raids on Beijing Church Meetings

  

  On the morning of October 20th, multiple branches of the Beijing Zion Church had gathered for their usual worship services when police and religious affairs officials simultaneously forced their way into the meetings. The identities of everyone present were recorded and 12 people, including pastors and church members, were taken into custody.

• Preacher of Early Rain Church Faces Harassment

  

  Since December 2018, the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, has been subjected to repeated raids and ongoing oppression from Communist Party authorities who seek to shut down the influential unregistered church. Though the church's pastor, Wang Yi, is serving a nine-year prison sentence, members of the church continue to boldly reach out with the Gospel message.