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China

• Update: Believers at Shouwang Church remain steadfast

  The Shouwang Church continues to gather outdoors to praise & worship God. Photo: Pray for Beijing Shouwang Church Facebook Page

  Shouwang Church in China recently held its 45th outdoor worship service amidst the rain and snow while praising God's faithfulness this year. Church leaders report that while two believers were detained at a hotel and at least 18 more were taken from home or from locations near the service, all have now been released.

  It was three years ago, on November 1, that the church held its first service outside in the cold and snow. The government has been thwarting the efforts of the believers to rent a venue for worship ever since (for more, click here).

  "God reminded us of His grace through the rain and snow on this third anniversary of that day," wrote church representatives in a letter of praise and appreciation. "On that Sunday, God protected His church, and has been watching and guarding His church in the following battle. Although we are always blind to God's presence in this fierce battle because of our weakness, yet the Lord keeps reminding us through various ways that He is near and is with us."

  Please pray that this amazing witness and joy will reach the hearts of unbelievers throughout the region and nation, drawing many to Christ. Please pray that the Shouwang Church will soon be provided with a safe indoor venue for their worship. Pray that government officials will respect religious freedom in China.

  For more information about China's persecuted Church, go to the China Country Report.

• Update: Believers rejoice despite hardship

  Shouwang Church members joyfully worship God outdoors. Photo: ChinaAid

  Believers at Beijing's Shouwang Church in China are full of joy and praise despite 17 months of difficult outdoor worship. The believers have been meeting outdoors since the government began thwarting their efforts to rent premises to worship indoors (click here to learn more).

• Update: Prisoners of faith kept from lawyers

  Alimujiang Yimiti Photo: China Aid Association

  A lawyer for a prominent house church leader and two lawyers for an imprisoned Christian attorney have been refused access to their clients in two separate incidents.

  In August, an attorney from Beijing applied to meet with imprisoned Christian Alimujiang Yimiti in Urumqi, Xinjiang. The lawyer was illegally and unreasonably refused access to Alim by prison officials. Alim, a convert from Islam to Christianity, has been detained since January 2008 and was convicted of "instigating separatism and revealing state secrets to foreigners" (for more, click here). He is currently serving a 15-year sentence.

  Gao Zhisheng Photo: China Aid Association

  The following month, two lawyers for jailed Christian lawyer Gao Zhisheng were denied a meeting at the prison in far west China where he has been held since last December (for more, click here). In order to see their client, Gao's lawyers repeatedly tried to fulfill the unreasonable requests made by officials. However, they were still turned away because officials said they were not "authorized by the prisoner."

  The lawyers in both these cases have said they will fight this decision by appealing to higher authorities and speaking publicly about the injustice.

  Please pray that Alim and Gao will be supernaturally protected while they face these fiery trials. Pray that in all things they will look to our Father for strength. Pray that they will witness to others during their time in prison. Pray that the Lord will open the doors necessary for these men to meet with their legal counsel. Please pray that China will succumb to international pressure to uphold religious freedom for all citizens.

  Go to the China Country Report for more on the suffering Church in China.

• Children's summer camps targeted

  Authorities in China recently raided two church-organized summer camps for children.

  Pray that children in China will come to know Christ.

  Two house churches in Jiangxi province jointly held a church summer camp for elementary school students between June 2 and 7. On June 6, officers and officials from the police station, the public security bureau, the religious affairs bureau, and some primary and secondary school principals converged on the classroom, recording the names of everyone present and confiscating a computer and projector. Three teachers were taken for questioning on the grounds that non-local residents are not allowed to come and evangelize, and officials stressed that children may not become religious believers. They ordered the church to stop hosting classes and said since the church was not registered it was not legal. As a result of international pressure, authorities have since returned the confiscated property and the church has been able to resume meeting normally.

  In early July, police in the far western region of Xinjiang raided a house church Sunday school, rounded up 70 children and their teachers for questioning, and locked up seven teachers in a local detention centre. Some of the children's parents and school principals and teachers were also summoned and questioned.

  Please pray that children who hear the gospel message through church-organized camps will take the life-saving message home to their families and communities. Pray that God will strengthen young believers to follow in the example that has been passed down to them by their leaders (1 Corinthians 4:9-14, 16). Please pray that God will work in the hearts of officials involved in the raids, leading them to know His Son.

  Go to the China Country Report for more on the suffering Church in China.

• House church baptism disrupted by raid

  An unregistered church that holds several mass baptisms each year.

  Seventeen believers were detained during a baptism service when officials and police raided a Han Chinese house church in the far west region of Xinjiang. The raid on the Bajiahu house church in Jinghe county occurred early in June during a gathering of more than 20 Christians. The church has also been ordered to stop holding meetings.

  Police officers burst into the meeting, followed by officials overseeing religion and domestic security. The 17 believers were taken into custody and held until that evening, when they were escorted home by police.

  Wang Lili, the leader of the house church, was not on site during the raid. However, the purse she left at the meeting site, which contained her government ID card, keys and more than 3,600 yuan (approximately $580 CAD), was confiscated. At last report, her belongings had not been returned.

  The husband of one of the detainees, who is not himself a Christian, was required to sign a guarantee that his wife will no longer attend the house church's meetings. He reportedly became very angry with his wife.

  Praise God for the baptism of these believers! Pray that these believers will continue to grow in their faith in Jesus. Please pray that Wang's belongings will be returned to her. Please pray that the unbelieving husband will see Christ through his wife's faithfulness (1 Peter 3:1).

  Go to the China Country Report for more on the suffering Church in China.

• Government plans to eradicate house churches

  The Shouwang Church has faced much persecution in the past year. Photo: ChinaAid

  China's government is engaged in a three-phase campaign to eradicate Protestant house churches. The government's strategy was clearly outlined in a document released last September during a training class for "Patriots in the Christian Community" run by the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

• Update: Gao Zhisheng visited by family

  Gao Zhisheng

  The relatives of prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng have finally been allowed to visit him in prison. The visit has put to rest fears that the pioneer in the growing Christian legal defence movement in the country had died during the two-plus years of his forced disappearance into police custody.

  Gao's older brother and his father-in-law were permitted a half-hour meeting with Gao on March 24 at the Shaya prison, in a remote part of Xinjiang in far western China. They were able to see each other through a glass window and converse using a prison phone.

  Gao, who disappeared into police custody several times since 2006, was last seen by his family members in April 2010 when he briefly resurfaced after a previous long period of disappearance (for more, click here). During that time, he gave an extensive interview to the Associated Press in which he gave a detailed account of brutal torture inflicted on him by Chinese police.

  Thank the Lord that Gao was able to visit with his family! Pray that the Lord will continue to sustain him in prison. Pray that, like Paul, Gao's imprisonment will result in the advancement of God's Kingdom (Philippians 1:12-14). Pray that God will comfort Gao's family.

  For more on persecution in China, go to the China Country Report.

• House church raided, believers detained

  This unregistered church holds several mass baptisms each year.

  More than 70 Christians were taken into custody when a house church, which had been meeting for more than two decades, was raided in western China. The church, located in the region of Xinjiang, was stormed by police on March 18. About a dozen policemen and Domestic Security Protection agents burst into Pastor He Enjun's home, and authorities on the scene declared it was an "unapproved, illegal meeting" and ordered an immediate end to the meeting. Each Christian present was photographed by force and was taken for questioning. Some believers were not released for two days. Bibles, hymnals, notebooks, Christian education DVDs and other materials were confiscated without a receipt, even though a receipt is required by law. The pastor and his wife were later called back into the local police station for further questioning. They were threatened and ordered to stop hosting meetings in their home.

  Please pray that the Lord will reward the faithfulness of these believers by using them to lead even more people to the King of Kings. Pray that these believers will echo Peter's sentiment to obey God regardless of what man says (Acts 5:29). Pray that God will work powerfully in the hearts of the authorities in Xinjiang.

  Please visit the China Country Report for more on the persecuted Church in China.

• Update: Li Ying released early from prison

  Praise God for Li's early release!

  Journalist and Christian activist Li Ying was released from prison in China on December 25, 2011, almost five years before the end of her 15-year sentence. During her time in prison, she was reportedly forced to work 15 hours a day on products for export. Her visits with her family were also strictly limited, and she was not allowed to have a Bible.

  Li was arrested in April 2001 for her work on an underground Christian magazine. In December 2001, Li was one of 17 South China Church leaders who were convicted of "using a cult to undermine enforcement of the law," five of whom were sentenced to death. Li was one of them, but as a result of the ensuing international outcry a higher court revoked the death sentences in September 2002, citing lack of clarity about certain facts and insufficient evidence. The case was retried in October 2002. Instead of the crime of "using a cult," the five who had been condemned to death were convicted instead of "intentional assault" (for more information, click here).

  China Aid Association founder and president, Bob Fu, spoke with Li on February 10. Li is very grateful for the support she received from around the world. She told Fu that she was aware of the many letters she had received but that authorities never let her see the letters.

  Thank the Lord for this wonderful answer to prayer! Ask Him to restore Li physically and emotionally. Pray that she will draw ever closer to Him as she comes to terms with her new life outside prison walls. Pray for the many Christian believers currently in prison for their faith.

  To learn more about the persecuted Church in China, please visit the China Country Report.

• Government persecution worsened in 2011

  The Shouwang Church was suppressed for 38 continuous weeks in 2011. Photo: ChinaAid

  Government persecution of Christians and churches in China worsened significantly in 2011. From 2010 to 2011, the total number of people persecuted, detained, sentenced, or abused jumped 42.5 per cent. Compared with the statistics in past ChinaAid annual reports, the trend of worsening persecution has persisted for the past six years, with an average annual increase of 33.1 per cent.