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• Police turn out in force to stop Shouwang Church's outdoor meeting in Beijing

  Photo: ChinaAid

  Police in Beijing confined the clergy and lay leaders of one of the capital's largest house churches in their homes and turned out in force at the church's planned outdoor meeting site on May 8 to prevent hundreds of Christians from holding an open air worship service. Police vehicles were waiting at the meeting site in western Beijing's Haidian district when some of Shouwang Church's more than 1,000 members arrived. Witnesses reported seeing at least 20 members being taken away by police, but others regrouped as planned in smaller numbers at nearby locations and proceeded to hold their regular Sunday worship using worship order sheets that had previously been distributed. Authorities shut down mobile phone service at the meeting site area in an effort to prevent news from getting out. This is the fifth Sunday of confrontation between Shouwang Church and the government (click here for more information).

  Thank the Lord for the faithfulness of Chinese believers who continue to meet together, in spite of restrictions. Pray the Lord will use this most recent incident as a witness for the gospel.

  Read more about the persecution of Chinese Christians at theChina Country Report.

• Update: Members of the Shouwang Church arrested again

  (Photo: ChinaAid)

  Police placed at least 500 members of the Shouwang Church, in Beijing, China, under house arrest in an attempt to prevent them from holding an outdoor Easter worship service on April 24. The arrests did not stop other members from showing up at the designated worship site, however. Several went to the site, a plaza, where they were met by police and police vehicles and then herded onto a bus. Other church members were able to assemble in small groups in nearby restaurants, where they proceeded to hold their worship service. Police reportedly detained 34 of the believers. Twenty-four were known to be held in various local police stations, eight were in transit, and at least two were unaccounted for at last report. This is the second time in less than a month that the Shouwang Church, which has approximately 1,000 members, has been targeted by authorities, as they were also prevented from worshipping and detained in mid-April (click here for more information).

  Pray for strength and a continued assurance of God's presence for members of the Shouwang Church. Pray those arrested will be released. Pray Chinese Christians will be equipped with everything they need, so that they may do work which is pleasing to the Lord Jesus.

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

• Five Christian leaders arrested in Inner Mongolia

  Five Christian leaders were recently arrested in Inner Mongolia, China. One of the leaders, a pastor named Jesse, was reportedly arrested for the "offense" of having 1,000 university students attend his church. Approximately 100 of the university students are also Bible school students who are taught by a VOM worker. Police have detained Pastor Jesse five times over the last year, and they had warned him that he was being kept under close watch. At last report, he and the four others were being held in a detention center where prisoners are usually kept for at least 30 days. It's not known whether he will be formally sentenced. A friend of Jesse's has said, "We sent some clothes [to Jesse] but were not able to meet and talk to him. Please pray. The situation here is so bad."

  Pray Pastor Jesse and the other leaders will be released. Ask the Lord to encourage them as they suffer for serving Him. Pray the believers under their leadership will not grow weaker in faith, but that they will be emboldened and strengthened by the Holy Spirit. Pray the Gospel message will continue to go forward in China, despite opposition.

  Find out more about the plight of Chinese Christians at theChina Country Report.

• Two pastors detained by authorities

  Pastor Zhang Mingxuan (Photo: ChinaAid)

  Police apprehended two house church pastors, Pastor Liu Fenggang and Pastor Zhang Mingxuan, on their way to visit churches for Easter on April 23. The pastors were driving from Beijing to Chengde, Hebei province, when local police stopped their vehicle at a highway exit. Both were taken to a police station and held for more than four hours. Pastor Liu was ordered to drive the car back to Beijing, under escort of authorities. Authorities drove Pastor Zhang and his wife to a local hotel, where they were still detained at last report. Pastor Zhang -- known to many as Pastor "Bike" for riding his bike across the country to encourage house church members -- has been arrested, detained and interrogated for his ministry several times in recent years (click here for more information).

  Pray for peace for these detained believers. Pray authorities will repent of their unjust treatment of them. Pray Christians in China will work in unity and set their minds on Christ as they serve the Lord amid opposition (1 Corinthians 1:10). Pray religious freedom will be truly recognized throughout China.

  For more on the trials facing Chinese Christians, go to theChina Country Report.

• Church leader brutally beaten by police

  Pastor Wang Zhanhu Photo from ChinaAid

  A house-church leader was brutally beaten this month by authorities attempting to prevent a Christian meeting in Shaanxi Province, China. On April 7, Pastor Wang Zhanhu and other members of the Cross Church in Huaxian were gathered for praise and worship when they were approached by three police officers. When the officers grabbed a microphone away from a female believer, Pastor Wang protested, saying, "How can you rob people's belongings like this?" The police then asked the pastor for his identification card, but he refused to provide it, saying that he had not broken any laws. One of the officers then started hitting the pastor's shoulders and the others soon joined in hitting him. They eventually shocked him with an electric baton, causing him to go into a coma. At last report, Pastor Wang had regained consciousness but was still being treated at a local hospital. Authorities have targeted Pastor Wang several times in recent years, raiding his home, threatening him and detaining him for 15 days for "criminal activity."

  Pray for healing for Pastor Wang. Pray that he will rest in the knowledge that the Good Shepherd is with him through his sufferings (Psalm 23). Pray that religious freedom will be respected throughout China.

  You can learn more about the trials facing Chinese Christians at theChina Country Report.

• Church leaders kept from public worship attempt

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

  Police in China held "about two dozen" pastors and elders of Beijing's Shouwang Church under house arrest or at police stations over the past weekend to keep them from attending a Sunday worship service in a public location. Hundreds of police cordoned off the walkway to a third-floor outdoor meeting area and arrested at least 160 members of the 1,000-strong church as they tried to assemble. Most have since been released. Three top leaders of the church remain in jail and several others are under strict surveillance.

• Government persecution of Christians escalates

  The Chengnan Three-Self Church in Jiangsu province was forcibly demolished on Nov. 19, 2010. Photo from ChinaAid

  For the fifth straight year, the government's persecution of the Church in China has continued to escalate, according to an annual report by ChinaAid Association, one of VOM's partners. The March 31 report was based on 90 known cases of persecution against Christians in China throughout 2010. As ChinaAid President Bob Fu noted, the Chinese government's stranglehold on information makes it impossible for all of the instances of Christian persecution to be documented and taken into consideration. This report is helpful, however, in revealing the widespread extent of opposition facing believers, as the incidences came from throughout China and involved people from all levels of society. It also highlighted three new alarming trends: the full-scale suppression of Christian human rights lawyers groups; use of abuse, torture and mafia tactics; and a severe crackdown on official Three-Self Patriotic Movement churches that do not accept government control. "China still has a long way to go toward true religious freedom and rule of law," said Fu.

  You can download the full report from ChinaAid.

  Pray that amid escalating persecution, Chinese Christians will find their comfort in Christ to be more than enough for them (2 Corinthians 1:5). Pray for continued wisdom and guidance for Christian leaders as they help equip Chinese believers to stand firm in the faith. Pray the voices of those advocating for religious freedom in China will be heard. Pray those who persecute Christians in China will be challenged by love and grace demonstrated by Christ's faithful and come to faith in the Lord (Romans 12:14, 21).

  To learn more about opposition facing Chinese Christians, go to theChina Country Report.

• House Church raided by police

  Chinese authorities recently raided a home in Shaanxi Province where believers were gathered for Sunday worship. On March 13, a dozen Christians were attending a house-church service in the village of Ma'an when the local police chief and two other officers barged into the building. The officers confiscated Bibles and other Christian literature. They also took all of the believers into police custody. Ten of the Christians were released that same evening. At last report, however, two believers--Weng and Zhang Yongkuan--remain detained.

  Pray for the release of the two detained Christians. Pray that believers in the village will not lose heart but will trust the Lord in all things. Pray for wisdom for area church leaders in the midst of opposition. Pray that authorities in China will truly respect the religious freedom of all citizens.

  You can find out more about the trials facing Christians in China by visiting theChina Country Report.

• Update: Imprisoned Christian released

  Shi Weihan Photo Courtesy ChinaAid Association

  Shi Weihan, a Christian bookstore owner and house church leader, has been released from prison nearly three years after his arrest for "illegally" printing and distributing Christian literature (click here to read the story). Weihan, who was first arrested in November 2007, was reportedly released on February 9. He is said to be in "stable condition both mentally and physically." At last report, he was at home with his wife and two children, but government officials were closely monitoring his activities.

  Thank the Lord for Shi Weihan's release! Ask God to give him peace and strength as he adjusts to life outside prison walls. Pray that he and his family will continue to look to the Lord, rejoicing in His love and care. Pray that other imprisoned Chinese Christians will also be released and reunited with their loved ones.

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

• Update: Sentence upheld for detained Christian

  Alimujiang Yimiti Photo from ChinaAid

  The People's High Court of the Xinjiang in Urumqi, China, recently upheld the 15-year prison sentence of Alimujiang Yimiti, an imprisoned Uyghur house-church leader (click here for information). Alim, a convert from Islam to Christianity, has been detained since January 2008 and convicted of "instigating separatism and revealing state secrets to foreigners." Those close to the case have insisted on his complete innocence. In 2009, a United Nations Working Group declared that Alim was detained "solely on account of his faith." His case was accepted for review in November 2010, raising hopes that the injustice of his case might finally be revealed. In mid-February, however, he received a notice informing him that his sentenced was being upheld--a sentence which is reportedly the harshest given to a Christian in a decade. The news comes as a blow to his wife and children, who have had little contact with him since his detention.

  Pray for true justice to be upheld in Alim's case. Pray he will be released. Pray his family will look to the Lord as their ever-constant source of comfort and guidance. Pray that, even in chains, Alim will continue to rejoice in the love of the Father, who hears the cries of His children and serves as their strength and shield (Psalm 28:6-7).

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