House Church Leader Released After Lengthy Sentence

ChinaAid, Christian Solidarity Worldwide 06 April 2023

In July 2015, Hu Shigen was taken into custody and accused of inciting "subversion of state power." Convicted the following year, he was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years' imprisonment. While in prison, Elder Hu suffered a heart attack in 2019, and his family was assured by officials that he would be released due to the seriousness of his condition. However, despite this promise, the elderly Christian leader continued to be held in custody. (Review this previously posted report.) With thanksgiving, we are pleased to report that Elder Hu was finally released after serving a lengthy sentence and had returned home on March 26th.

Elder Hu is a house church elder and prominent pro-democracy advocate. A former university lecturer, he led several house churches in Beijing prior to his arrest. The authorities referenced his religious activities and ties to foreign groups and human rights lawyers as the basis for his sentence, stating that he had used "illegal religious groups" to "spread subversive thoughts and ideas."

In total, the Christian elder has served over 24 years in prison for his work. In a recently published report on the 68-year-old's condition, a former church member stated: "Elder Hu Shigen has finally returned home, but he has become much, much older. Teacher Hu must have suffered a lot in the Chinese Communist Party's prison.... It is heartbreaking to watch."

Praise God that Elder Hu has finally been released from custody! Pray that he will now be able to rest and recover from his lengthy prison ordeal. Throughout the process, may the Lord minister renewed strength and healing to him – both physically and emotionally – while also blessing his reunion with long-suffering family and friends. Please also continue to remember our other persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in China who are faithfully seeking ways to convey the message of Christ's salvation to the many spiritually needy people of their vast country.

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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