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Dai Zhichao

• Further Repercussions Follow Church Raid

  

  Over five years ago, the Early Rain Covenant Church in China was raided, leading to multiple arrests. In the years that have followed, the Chinese Communist Party has made a concerted effort to harass the members of this Christian community in an attempt to completely shut down the church. To read previously published reports on the persecution of these believers, go to our list of reports about the Early Rain Covenant Church.

• Anniversary Conference Leads to Further Charges

  

  On December 9th, 2018, police in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, began a coordinated attack against members of the Early Rain Covenant Church. This has resulted in the detainment of more than 100 church members – several of them convicted of a variety of charges – and mounting pressures being imposed upon the church during the ensuing years. For more information on the initial attack, go to this report.
  
  Since the crackdown began, members of the church have been unable to meet together in person. Instead, they have held small group gatherings in homes and participated in online meetings. On the fourth anniversary of the incident, members of the church organized an online event, which was initially hosted by Elder Li Yingqiang. As the event commenced, an archival video was played featuring their detained pastor, Wang Yi. In the middle of the video, Elder Li suddenly interjected: "The police are already here. They are knocking at my door. I'll be gone soon." After praying with everyone, he was taken to the police station where he was accused of "disturbing social order."

• Ongoing Persecution of the Early Rain Covenant Church

  

  Since the Early Rain Covenant Church (ERCC) was raided in December 2018, leading to dozens of arrests, the opposition of government agents has been relentless. (For previous reports revealing the ongoing difficulties experienced by the members of this prominent church in Chengdu, click here.) While the church as a whole is no longer able to meet together, ERCCmembers continue to gather in small groups.