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China

• Christian student fellowship banned in Inner Mongolia

  The Sept. 15 ban that was issued by the Religious Affairs Bureau Photo: ChinaAid

  Chinese police and government officials shut down a Christian student fellowship group in Inner Mongolia, China, and detained its leader in September. Authorities cited "illegal evangelism" as the reason for the ban. Mengfu (Blessed) Fellowship was forced to close and its leader, Liang Guangzhong, was put into administrative detention for 15 days as part of China's ongoing persecution of house churches and Christian groups that meet outside government-approved churches. Officials also confiscated cash from the offering collection box as well as electronics and materials used for teaching. The Mengfu Fellowship has hired a Christian lawyer to formally request a review of the orders.

  Please pray that the Mengfu Fellowship would be legally vindicated and their fellowship would be restored. Pray their faithfulness will encourage other believers facing similar challenges in the region. Pray that God will raise up many more young people in China to wholeheartedly follow and serve Him.

  For more on our suffering brothers and sisters in China, please visit the China Country Report.

• Update: Pastor released early from prison

  Pastor Zhang Rongliang Photo: ChinaAid

  Zhang Rongliang, a prominent house church leader sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison in 2004, has been released nine months early. Zhang was charged with "attaining a passport through cheating" and "illegal border crossing" after attending several international mission conferences. Before his 2004 arrest, he had spent 12 years in prison on five different occasions during which he suffered severe torture, including electric shocks.

  While Zhang was in prison there were serious concerns about his health. In 2007, it was reported that he was near death due to diabetes and high blood pressure (for more, click here). However, his family reports that Zhang is now in good health. Zhang and his family members thank all those around the world who advocated on his behalf.

  Thank the Lord for the early release of Zhang! Pray for his continued health and strength. Pray that, like Paul, his imprisonment will result in the advancement of God's kingdom (Philippians 1:12-14). Pray for the release of other imprisoned Christians in China.

  Please visit the China Country Report to learn more about the trials Christians face in China.

• Update: Church leaders released

  Praise God for the ones released! Photo: ChinaAid

  Several church leaders from the Linfen-Fushan house church in Shanxi province, China, have been released from detention. The released Christians were among those arrested following a police raid on their church's grounds in September 2009. More than 30 believers were seriously injured and 17 buildings were destroyed in the attack.

  Three women -- Gao Fuqin, Zhao Guoai and Yang Hongzhen-- were released, along with a Christian man, Li Shuangpin. Yang Caizhen, who was also imprisoned with the women, was released earlier on medical parole (for more information, click here). All five of these leaders suffered physical and mental torture while detained at labour camps.

  The released Christians have shared, "We sincerely urge all brothers and sisters around the world to pray for Linfen church.... At the same time, we also ask brothers and sisters to remember in prayer the Linfen leaders who are still suffering in jail: Brothers Xiao Guang, Yang Xuan and Cui Jiaxing, and sisters Yang Rongli and Zhang Huamei. May the Lord move the police to release them early so that they can be reunited with their families. We who have been released express our most sincere gratitude to the brothers and sisters around the world who have been concerned about us and who have helped us. May God remember your prayers and what you did."

  Praise the Lord for the release of these Christians! Pray that the Lord will heal their hearts and bodies. Pray that the remaining detained believers will soon be released. Pray that those who oppress Christians in China may experience repentance and salvation, just as Paul did (Acts 9:1-19).

  For more on the trials Christians face in China, please visit the China Country Report.

• Investigation requested for missing human rights lawyer

  Gao last seen with his family in January 2009 Photo from ChinaAid

  VOM partner ChinaAid formally requested a special UN investigation into the torture of missing Christian lawyer Gao Zhisheng on August 15, the five-year anniversary of his first kidnapping by police. The request was submitted by ChinaAid's legal counsel and was filed with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture.

  Human rights lawyer Gao was taken by police on August 15, 2006, from his sister's home and held incommunicado until the Chinese government announced on September 21 that he was being charged with inciting subversion (for more information, click here).

  In March 2010, a group of human rights specialists filed a petition before the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which resulted in the discovery of serious wrongdoing by the Chinese government. However, Chinese authorities failed to even reply to the UN enquiry. Those involved were told that Gao's case is a matter of China's internal affairs, adding that the country is under rule of law.

  ChinaAid founder and president, Bob Fu, and the organization's legal counsel, David E. Taylor, expect that China is likely to respond similarly to this request for a special UN investigation. "Nonetheless, we believe it is important for the international community to see again how the Chinese Communist Party responds with arrogance and recalcitrance to the UN, and to show the world, especially Gao's family and the Chinese government, that Gao has not been forgotten for even one second and never will be," Taylor said.

  Please pray for Gao and his family; may they remain steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:8-10). Ask the Lord to use this current investigation request for His glory and for the benefit of Gao and other Chinese believers who are currently in prison for their faith.

  To learn more about China's suffering Christians, please visit the China Country Report.

• House church members targeted

  Chinese authorities have recently targeted several Christians involved in house church activities.

  On August 11, approximately 100 officials surrounded the residence of Pastor Lu Jingxiang in Mingguang city, Anhui province, where his house church was hosting a summer camp for children. Pastor Lu and three visiting Christian leaders were taken to the police station for holding an "unregistered, illegal meeting." The principal of the local elementary and high school recorded the names of all the children in attendance. Pastor Lu and the three other leaders were later released. The evening before the raid, local officials had spread rumours that Pastor Lu had hidden drugs and cult members in his home.

  Pastor Shi Enhao Photo: ChinaAid

  On August 13, three leaders of a house church in the city of Suqian, Jiangsu province were given five-day administrative detention sentences. Last month, the church's pastor, Pastor Shi Enhao, was sentenced to two years "re-education through labour" (for more information, click here). Furthermore, Pastor Shi's son, Shi Yongyang, his daughter, Shi Yumei, and his son-in-law, Zhang Quansheng, are reportedly also at risk of being detained.

  Pray Chinese believers facing persecution will have an intimate experience of God's comfort and protection. Pray that increased persecution will result in increased boldness among the believers (Acts 4:29-31). Pray that God will bring to repentance those who afflict His people in China (Psalm 83).

  You can learn more about the persecuted Church in China at the China Country Report.

• House church leader sentenced to labour camp

  Pastor Shi Enhao, vice-president of the Chinese House Church Alliance, has been sentenced to two years of “re-education” in a labour camp. Photo: ChinaAid

  The deputy chairman of the Chinese House Church Alliance, Pastor Shi Enhao, has been sentenced to two years of "re-education through labour," an extra-judicial punishment that is handed out by police and requires no trial or conviction of a crime. He has been charged with "illegal meetings and illegal organising of venues for religious meetings." This charge stems from the fact that Pastor Shi's large house church of several thousand members meets in various different sites around the city.

  Meanwhile, the police's Domestic Security Protection Department has ordered Pastor Shi's church to stop meeting and has confiscated the congregation's car, musical instruments, choir robes and 140,000 Yuan (approximately $20,900 CAD) in donations.

  Please pray the Lord will protect and sustain Pastor Shi, his family and his congregation. Pray they will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in their faith, and not grow weary or lose heart (Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-3). Pray for Pastor Shi's release and, in the meantime, that he will have opportunities to share the gospel in prison.

  For more information about persecution in China, please visit the China Country Report.

• Update: Harassment continues for Shouwang Church in Beijing

  Shouwang Church members continue to face opposition. Photo: ChinaAid

  Members of the Shouwang Church in Beijing, China have been arrested and repeatedly harassed by authorities for their attempt to hold outdoor Sunday worship in recent months (click here for more information). In the latest such incident, 15 Christians were detained for gathering at the church's designated outdoor worship site on June 26. Several of the detained believers were visiting from other churches, including one woman who had traveled from Henan province to show her support. Police had reportedly stopped two other Christian women from another house church from leaving their home to visit the worship site. By 9:00 p.m. that evening, all of the believers were released.

  In another development, pastors belonging to China's official Three-Self Patriotic Movement recently sought out Shouwang Church members for long sessions of "pastoral counseling" on the government's behalf. Three-Self representatives were also on hand a few weeks ago when police interrogated detained members of the Shouwang Church about the theological basis for the church's actions.

  Thank the Lord for the faithful witness of these Christians. Pray that the Shouwang Church members will continue to look to God to keep them strong and vigorous in spirit. Pray they may be a challenging example of love and hope to those who oppose them. Pray that Christ will continue to equip Chinese Christians to follow His example of faithfulness amid persecution (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

  You can learn more about Chinese Christians standing firm in their faith at great cost at theChina Country Report.

• Two female ministers detained, beaten, released

  Two female house-church ministers in Xinjiang were taken into police custody on May 28 and beaten. Li Tianping and Wang Ling were detained by police in the city of Korla and taken to the Sayibage police station. They were released the next day. Sources credited prayer for the speedy release.

  The detentions occurred after local police raided an outdoor praise and worship service at a square in Korla that was attended by about 100 house-church Christians. The two women were detained while leaving the square.

  Praise the Lord for answered prayer! Thank Him for the faithful witness of the many Christian believers in China who continue to fellowship together in spite of the opposition they face. May He continue to grow and strengthen His church throughout China.

  Find out more about the suffering of Christians in China at the China Country Report.

• Update: Shouwang Church in Beijing continues to face opposition

  Shouwang Church members were forced to worship outdoors in 2009. Photo: ChinaAid

  For the sixth straight week, members of Shouwang Church in Beijing, China, have faced opposition from authorities for trying to hold outdoor Sunday worship (click here for more information). On May 15, Beijing police rounded up about 20 church members and roughly 100 church members were confined to their homes to prevent their going to the outdoor worship site. By noon, a few of those taken into police custody were released. Some of the church's leaders, however, including its pastors and elders, have been under extra-judicial house arrest since April 9, the day before the first outdoor worship attempt.

  Christians throughout China are advocating for their brothers and sisters belonging to the Shouwang Church, one of Beijing's largest underground churches. The leaders of 17 unofficial Christian churches in China recently appealed to political leaders to protect their right to worship. A petition, addressed to the National People's Congress chairman, has been delivered to parliament, demanding an investigation into the treatment of church members.

  Pray for continued resilience of faith for members of the Shouwang Church. Thank the Lord for the many believers willing to stand in solidarity with these suffering believers. Pray that Chinese authorities will be moved by the witness of Christ's Body and come to justly respect religious freedom. Pray that the Church in China will continue to show the light of God's love and truth and remain strong amid opposition.

  Note: ChinaAid Association (CAA), a partner of Voice of the Martyrs and valued source of news and advocacy on behalf of persecuted Chinese Christians, has reported that their web server has been under attack in recent weeks. It is suspected that this attack may be a result of CAA's reporting on the Shouwang Church. At last report, the website had been restored. Please pray, however, for CAA as it continues to raise a voice for the suffering Church in China.

  To find out more about the challenges facing Chinese followers of Christ, go to theChina Country Report.

• Update: Released Christian in ill health

  Yang Caizhen released! Photo: ChinaAid

  Yang Caizhen, a Chinese Christian detained along with her husband and four other believers in November 2009, has been released. In September 2009, Yang Caizhen and four other members of the Fushan church in Linfen, Shanxi province, were sentenced to two to several years of criminal detention for organizing a prayer rally (click here for more information). She has been ill and in the hospital several times since her arrest and was reportedly released in February due to her poor health. At last report, she was still in a very fragile state.

  Praise God for Yang Caizhen's release. Ask Him to give healing to her as she recovers. Pray also for her husband, Yang Xuan, and Pastor Wang Xiaoguang, Yang Rongli and Zhang Huamei, who were arrested at the same time as Yang Caizhen and remain in prison.

  To find out more about the persecution facing Chinese Christians, go to theChina Country Report.