NEWS//China is surveilling Christians

Many American churches ask worshipers to sign friendship registers so they get to know their guests and learn how best to encourage their members.

But imagine our government insisting it must know who comes to worship at your church.

Christian surveillance

China is rolling out a technology-assisted program that tracks the people who are worshiping in Christian churches. In a number of regions, the government now requires worshipers to scan their fingerprints or to submit to facial recognition devices. In the past, the government has introduced programs in "test" areas, before implementing them nationwide.

Church members are told that recording worship attendance like this is the same as employees punching in at work. "In this way, the church can know clearly who attends the services and who doesn't."

Sharp Eyes Project

But Bitter Winter, a magazine on religious liberty and human rights in China, reports that government authorities add these records to individual's personal and family files. "The increased surveillance is reported to be part of a monitoring programme called the Sharp Eyes Project aimed at achieving 'blind-spot-free monitoring' by the year 2020, 'covering all regions, sharing across all networks, available at all times, and controlled at all points.'"

“The president of the Two Chinese Christian Councils of Huangshi city explained to believers that congregants’ fingerprint and facial data collection is one of the priorities in the churches’ work this year. She also said that this initiative helps to monitor gatherings at state-run churches and record attendance, warning that those believers who do not have their biometric data in the system will not be allowed into churches in the future.”

Prayer required

Now more than ever, the Chinese government needs our prayers. Over the last decades, it has done much to improve the lives of its citizens. But it misunderstands the impact that Christ-loving citizens could have on that nation. The Christians in China also need our prayers -- prayers that they find courage, hope, joy, and peace in God's never-ending grace.

Sources: Bitter Winter, Christianity Today, Church Leaders

Note: China has targeted Muslims for even worse persecution: Pompeo says documents confirm China committing 'very significant' Xinjiang abuses