Over One Hundred Christian Leaders Arrested

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.

 Pastor Samuel Lamb

 Pastor Samuel Lamb

Among those arrested are Wang Yu Lian, a leader in the Ying Shang Church for more than 20 years. Also arrested was Jin Da, the General Secretary of the government-sanctioned TSPM of Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province. Jin is reported to be supportive of unregistered house churches.

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.

  • 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.

China News

  • House Church Bible Study Gathering Raided
    Three police officers are browsing through a phone as a church member looks on.
    One of the church members being interrogated by police.
    Photo: ChinaAid

    Several Christians were gathered on the morning of August 22nd for a Bible study at the Beijing Holy Love Fellowship church when multiple police officers suddenly entered the facility. After demanding to see the believers' identification cards, the authorities recorded the personal details of all those who were present. At the time of publishing this report, no official statement or charges have been issued by the Beijing police.

  • Pastor Arrested for "Illegal Business Operations"
    Huang Yizi is speaking on the phone while in prison.
    Pastor Huang Yizi
    Photo: ChinaAid

    Pastor Huang Yizi, a prominent church leader in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, was informed on July 30th that he had been formally charged with "illegal business practices" relating to the distribution of sermon recordings. The Christian leader and several other church members were initially taken into custody on June 26th. At the time, the reason for their arrests was unclear. (A previously published report about the arrests is available here.) However, following the recent announcement of formal charges, further information has now come to light.

  • Detained Pastor's Family Faces Harassment
    Chang Shun is holding his little boy. Both are smiling.
    Pastor Chang Shun with one of his children.
    Photo: ChinaAid

    Since 2021, Pastor Chang Shun of the Maizhong Reformed Church in Fuyang City has encountered ongoing harassment from Chinese authorities. Unfortunately, all his appeals, in response to the multiple administrative detentions and fines he received over the years, have been unsuccessful. In 2023, Pastor Chang's church was officially banned by the government. Most recently, the harassed church leader was detained on June 29th during a raid by law enforcement officers. In this latest occurrence, he was taken into custody alongside Elder Ma Tao on suspicion of "organizing illegal gatherings." Several visiting friends and family members of Pastor Chang were also detained. Authorities forcibly relocated the visiting individuals, loading their belongings onto trucks and sending them back to their hometowns with strict orders not to return to Fuyang.

  • Christian Lawyer Remains Missing After Eight Years
    Gao Zhisheng is standing in front of a building dressed in a dark blue jacket.
    Gao Zhisheng
    Photo: ChinaAid

    For many years, Gao Zhisheng was a bold advocate for persecuted religious communities in China. While serving as a lawyer representing various faith groups, he himself was frequently harassed and arrested. In 2005, Gao's law practice was shut down by the government after he publicly condemned the human rights violations that were being committed against practitioners of a religious movement known as Falun Gong.