MINISTRY//Persecution: An update

In January 2018, this blog shared a report by one of our Bible institute professors about some of the Chinese Christians he met and taught while traveling in China. Read it here.

He described how these believers were constructing a building for a satellite congregation. But, because local officials would not grant them the required permits, they worked under cover of darkness. That had been their approach when they constructed the building for the "mother" church 20 years before.

The professor said, "I find these believers gentle people, but also people who are, oh, so brave and faithful to Christ!"

Unfortunately, the government no longer turns a blind eye to unauthorized church construction projects.

Our professor provides this update.

About a year ago, the father of the pastor of this church was arrested and put in prison. This was not the first time he has been imprisoned. He was arrested because he was the architect for all of the church's building projects. He is also a committed Christian. He remains in prison without having had a trial.

The government stopped work on the satellite church. It also closed the mother church and its school after the pastor's father was imprisoned.  The pastor tells me the church will probably be torn down in a week or two.

We pray that God will keep them all in his care and steadfast in the faith until they reach his heavenly kingdom, rejoicing in their Savior.

What you can do: Add your prayers to ours for the Christians in this church and in churches throughout China. Pray for their spiritual wellbeing. Pray that others will come to faith through their witness. Pray for China’s government. Thank God that, no matter the obstacles we see, he is greater.