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China

• Pastor's Trial Indefinitely Suspended

  Pastor Zhang Shaojie Photo: ChinaAid

  The trial for an imprisoned pastor charged with "fraud" and "disturbing public order" began on April 10th, only to be suspended indefinitely due to the high tension and the dismissal of his lawyers.

  Pastor Zhang Shaojie, who belongs to a state-sanctioned church in Nanle County, Henan Province, was detained in November of 2013 without any formal documentation after church members petitioned a higher authority about a land dispute involving the church. Over 20 church members were also detained. (For more information on his arrest, click here.)

• Detained Christian Leads Fellow Prisoners to Christ

  Wenxi Li

  During a recent visit with his family, imprisoned believer Wenxi Li excitedly shared that several more prisoners have become Christians after hearing the Gospel message! Previous to this, while awaiting his trial last year, Wenxi had led three other prisoners to Christ.

• Crackdown Preceded Chinese New Year Celebrations

  Some of the church members prior to their detainment on Jan. 24, 2014. Photo: ChinaAid

  Before the commencement of the nation's Chinese New Year celebrations, which began on January 31st, Christians were targeted several times in what is believed to be a crackdown on church activity.

  In Beijing, members of a church group were arrested on January 24th when they tried to visit Zhang Wenhe, a fellow member. The 19 Christians had initially gone to Zhang's home for a Bible study, only to discover that he was being held under house arrest at another location. Upon learning of Zhang’s new location, and the fact that he was experiencing serious health concerns due to a heart problem, the believers tried to deliver food and medicine to him. Authorities then detained 15 of the believers, including Zhang, a 14-year-old male and another believer with heart trouble.

• Pastor Charged with 'Fraud' and 'Disrupting Public Order'

  Zhang Shaojie Photo: ChinaAid

  Zhang Shaojie, 49, a pastor detained in November of 2013 along with over 20 other Christians, has been charged with committing fraud and gathering a mob to disrupt public order. His criminal hearing has been scheduled for February 12th.

• Update on Alimujiang Yimiti

  Alimujiang Yimiti Photo: Open Doors

  This month marks Alimujiang Yimiti's sixth year in prison. Alimujiang was first charged in 2009 for "providing state secrets to overseas organizations." However, many believe the real reason for his incarceration is his zealous commitment to share the Gospel and for leading a church in the Uyghur area of China's northwest.

  Alimujiang has been imprisoned since January of 2008. The following year he was sentenced to 15 years in detention. In April of 2010, his wife, Gulnur, was finally permitted to visit him for the first time since his imprisonment. Tragically, their son, who was only four years old at the time, could barely even recognize his father. At last report, Gulner is only able to visit her husband once per month at the most. (To learn more about Alimujiang's case, please click here.)

• Detainment of Members from State-Approved Church

  Pray for Pastor Zhang and the members of his Christian family. Photo: ChinaAid

  More than 20 believers from Nanle County Christian Church, a state-approved church in Henan province, were recently detained. The arrests began on the morning of November 16th, when the pastor, Zhang Shaojie, arrived at the church for a meeting with the Nanle County Public Security Bureau Chief and a deputy. However, sources believe the meeting was actually a ploy to detain the pastor. When Pastor Zhang arrived, approximately a dozen police officers, without showing formal documents, entered the church and bound him.

• House Church Pastor Attacked by Government Agents

  Li Shuangping Photo: ChinaAid

  Li Shuangping, pastor of Linfen house church, was abducted, beaten and threatened by government agents on the night of August 13th. While Li was driving to his home in Shanxi province, a man who appeared to be drunk staggered in front of his vehicle, at which point Li stopped. A black sedan pulled up alongside Li, and three men hurried out. The men forcibly seized Li from his vehicle, with help from the man who pretended to be drunk, and dragged him into the sedan. As one man drove, the other three restrained and harassed him in the backseat. After blindfolding him and tying him with a rope, they beat him for the duration of the journey, inflicting noticeable wounds on his head, neck and torso. The driver strayed from the main roads until reaching a cornfield, where the other men pushed Li out of the sedan.

• Churches Raided as Shouwang Pastors Remain under House Arrest

  Shouwang Church members worshipping outdoors regardless of the weather condition Photo: ChinaAid

  Local police broke up the worship service of a house church and arrested its pastor in China's Xinjiang region for the second time. On August 4th, at least 20 police officers shut down the worship service and arrested Pastor Tan Wen. As with the previous service disruption and arrest, which took place on June 9th, the officers did not properly identify themselves or follow correct procedures.

  The worship services of two other house churches in the Xinjiang region were disrupted (June 23rd and July 21st), also resulting in detentions and fines. In all four raids within this region, police not only failed to show identification, they imposed penalties that had no basis in law as such matters are regulated by the Bureau of Religion.

• More police raids in China

  

  ChinaAid has reported a police raid against Shouwang Church in Beijing. On Sunday, August 11, 2013, police burst into the church and arrested at least thirty-eight parishioners.

  Most of the detainees were released before evening. Approximately one third were discharged immediately after filing a police report. None of them are still in custody.

  One woman from Shouwang Church claims she was abused during the ordeal. A deputy director allegedly grabbed her throat and pulled her hair.

• The Legacy of Samuel Lamb (1924 – 2013)

  Christian Today has reported that Samuel Lamb, a long-time leader of China’s house church movement, passed away on Saturday, August 3, at age 88. Lamb famously shared the precept “more persecution, more growth.” He urged Christians to be prepared to suffer for their faith, even advising them to pack a bag for prison.