Prominent House Church Leader Sentenced

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Pastor Zhang RongliangDespite serious illness, Pastor Zhang Rongliang has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. Although the verdict came on June 29, Zhang was not informed of the sentence until July 4. Zhang is the leader of the underground house church movement, China for Christ, which has more than ten million members. He is accused of obtaining a passport through cheating and "illegal border crossing" related to speaking trips to various countries around the world. He has previously served a total of twelve years in prison since his conversion to Christianity in 1969. His story has been featured in a number of books, as well as the video documentary, "Jesus in Beijing," available through VOMC's online catalog.

Pray that Pastor Zhang will receive the medical attention he needs. Ask God to give him particular strength to remain steadfast in the midst of the challenges he endures (1Peter 5:8-10). Pray that whether in or out of prison, God's people will be emboldened to share the gospel (Ephesians 6:19).

For more information on the persecution facing Chinese Christians, click here.

  • Current Ministry Projects

    The Voice of the Martyrs Canada continues to help distribute Bibles to Christians in the country, making it possible for them to have their own printed version of God's Word. Additionally, VOMC works with various mission partners to facilitate a Biblical understanding of persecution and discipleship, while presenting ways to effectively respond and minister within the context of hostility.

    Project Funds: Underground Church, Bible, Relief & Development

  • Country Information

    Population
    1,413,142,846 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Han Chinese (91.1), ethnic minorities (8.9 - includes Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) (2021 est.)

    Religion (%)
    Folk religion (21.9), Buddhist (18.2), Christian (5.1), Muslim (1.8), Hindu (< 0.1), Jewish (< 0.1), other (0.7 - includes Daoist [Taoist]), unaffiliated (52.1) (2021 est.)

    Leader
    President Xi Jinping (2013)

    Government type
    Communist party-led state

    Legal system
    Based on civil law system; influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems

    Sources: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for China

    Pray that the Gospel will be proclaimed throughout China without government interference so many more names can be added to the Lamb's "Book of Life." May there also be a spirit of unity demonstrated among the country's growing churches, further strengthening existing believers and spurring them on in their ministry service and evangelistic outreach within the country's numerous communities.

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    Photo: ChinaAid

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