In an incident reminiscent of a similar arrest only weeks before (click here for details), Chinese authorities raided a leadership retreat on July 12, arresting over one hundred church leaders. More than two hundred military police and Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers surrounded the "Retreat Center for Railroad Workers" located in Section 5 of Liu Gong Town, Chang Ji Zhou (district) in Xinjiang in Western China, arresting everyone gathered there. No arrest warrants or official identification papers were shown by officers as they carried out the raid.
The "co-workers meeting" was being held to train and encourage Christian workers in the Xinjiang area, China's western frontier and the home of the mostly-Muslim Uyghur people. The meeting was sponsored by the Ying Shang Church, a large house-church network headquartered in Anhui Province.
More than thirty are being held in the PSB headquarters near the retreat centre, while the rest were sent back to their home areas where they are being detained in PSB offices. Several have reportedly been sent to the so-called "Transformation and Study Center," where they face interrogation and attempts to force them to renounce their faith. If they refuse, they will be formally charged. According ChinaAid, those from ouside of Xinjiang are facing added problems, since it is illegal to cross a provincial border for religious meetings without government approval.
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Pastor Samuel Lamb |
The underground church in China has been facing increasing pressure from government forces in recent weeks. On June 11, a similar conference was raided and all in attendance were arrested, but later released. Compass Direct also reports that on June 13, well-known house church leader, Samuel Lamb, was also arrested along with ten co-workers. They were all interrogated and then released. This is the first time in fourteen years that Chinese authorities have taken such action against Pastor Lamb. You can view a message from Pastor Lamb in the teaching section of VOM's multimedia website.
Pray for the continued growth and strength of the Chinese Church, despite this increasing pressure. Pray for the spiritual and emotional strength of those facing interrogation and the physical ability to withstand the torture many will likely face. Pray for their families, as they face the emotional turmoil of seeing their loved ones taken from them because of their faith in Jesus.
For more information on persecution of Christians in China, click here.
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