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China

• Update: Harassment continues for Shouwang Church in Beijing

  Shouwang Church members continue to face opposition. Photo: ChinaAid

  Members of the Shouwang Church in Beijing, China have been arrested and repeatedly harassed by authorities for their attempt to hold outdoor Sunday worship in recent months (click here for more information). In the latest such incident, 15 Christians were detained for gathering at the church's designated outdoor worship site on June 26. Several of the detained believers were visiting from other churches, including one woman who had traveled from Henan province to show her support. Police had reportedly stopped two other Christian women from another house church from leaving their home to visit the worship site. By 9:00 p.m. that evening, all of the believers were released.

  In another development, pastors belonging to China's official Three-Self Patriotic Movement recently sought out Shouwang Church members for long sessions of "pastoral counseling" on the government's behalf. Three-Self representatives were also on hand a few weeks ago when police interrogated detained members of the Shouwang Church about the theological basis for the church's actions.

  Thank the Lord for the faithful witness of these Christians. Pray that the Shouwang Church members will continue to look to God to keep them strong and vigorous in spirit. Pray they may be a challenging example of love and hope to those who oppose them. Pray that Christ will continue to equip Chinese Christians to follow His example of faithfulness amid persecution (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

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

• Two female ministers detained, beaten, released

  Two female house-church ministers in Xinjiang were taken into police custody on May 28 and beaten. Li Tianping and Wang Ling were detained by police in the city of Korla and taken to the Sayibage police station. They were released the next day. Sources credited prayer for the speedy release.

  The detentions occurred after local police raided an outdoor praise and worship service at a square in Korla that was attended by about 100 house-church Christians. The two women were detained while leaving the square.

  Praise the Lord for answered prayer! Thank Him for the faithful witness of the many Christian believers in China who continue to fellowship together in spite of the opposition they face. May He continue to grow and strengthen His church throughout China.

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

• Update: Shouwang Church in Beijing continues to face opposition

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

  For the sixth straight week, members of Shouwang Church in Beijing, China, have faced opposition from authorities for trying to hold outdoor Sunday worship (click here for more information). On May 15, Beijing police rounded up about 20 church members and roughly 100 church members were confined to their homes to prevent their going to the outdoor worship site. By noon, a few of those taken into police custody were released. Some of the church's leaders, however, including its pastors and elders, have been under extra-judicial house arrest since April 9, the day before the first outdoor worship attempt.

  Christians throughout China are advocating for their brothers and sisters belonging to the Shouwang Church, one of Beijing's largest underground churches. The leaders of 17 unofficial Christian churches in China recently appealed to political leaders to protect their right to worship. A petition, addressed to the National People's Congress chairman, has been delivered to parliament, demanding an investigation into the treatment of church members.

  Pray for continued resilience of faith for members of the Shouwang Church. Thank the Lord for the many believers willing to stand in solidarity with these suffering believers. Pray that Chinese authorities will be moved by the witness of Christ's Body and come to justly respect religious freedom. Pray that the Church in China will continue to show the light of God's love and truth and remain strong amid opposition.

  Note: ChinaAid Association (CAA), a partner of Voice of the Martyrs and valued source of news and advocacy on behalf of persecuted Chinese Christians, has reported that their web server has been under attack in recent weeks. It is suspected that this attack may be a result of CAA's reporting on the Shouwang Church. At last report, the website had been restored. Please pray, however, for CAA as it continues to raise a voice for the suffering Church in China.

  To find out more about the challenges facing Chinese followers of Christ, go to theChina Country Report.

• Update: Released Christian in ill health

  Yang Caizhen released! Photo: ChinaAid

  Yang Caizhen, a Chinese Christian detained along with her husband and four other believers in November 2009, has been released. In September 2009, Yang Caizhen and four other members of the Fushan church in Linfen, Shanxi province, were sentenced to two to several years of criminal detention for organizing a prayer rally (click here for more information). She has been ill and in the hospital several times since her arrest and was reportedly released in February due to her poor health. At last report, she was still in a very fragile state.

  Praise God for Yang Caizhen's release. Ask Him to give healing to her as she recovers. Pray also for her husband, Yang Xuan, and Pastor Wang Xiaoguang, Yang Rongli and Zhang Huamei, who were arrested at the same time as Yang Caizhen and remain in prison.

  To find out more about the persecution facing Chinese Christians, go to theChina Country Report.

• 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.