Friends, late last week, two ministers, ### and ###, from ### in China were arrested and detained by police without any warrant or official notification. This is not the church's first encounter with persecution. In September 2018, the church - which was one of the city's largest churches - was banned after refusing city officials' request to install 24 surveillance cameras in their sanctuary for "security reasons."
On April 30 and May 1, 2021, Pastor ### released urgent letters to his congregation asking them to pray for the ministers and stating: "As we know, ### and ### are two examples facing the current storm, and there are many other members who are experiencing it together. We are grateful to be able to stand with such members and facing the difficulties together."
He goes on to admonish the pastors and ministers: "Be cautious regarding going out alone recently. If you have to do so, please report to each other, and ask other brothers and sisters to pay close attention to you, making sure you stay in touch."
An Open Doors local partner comments: "We do pray these ministers would be released soon after 10 days of administrative detention. However, one local source points out that their arrest was intended as a warning to their senior pastor, ###, who has remained very active in ministry despite the closedown of his church in ### in 2018. He is the one who needs our prayers."
Pray for Minister ###, that the Lord gives her all the strength she needs. May the Lord make way for us, that we may hear information about her current situation as soon as possible.
Pray the Lord gives Brother ### heavenly strength to be his witness in suffering. May the Lord strengthen him as He strengthened apostles of early churches.
Pray our country can indeed fill its responsibility of constructing democracy, protect the citizens' right of freedom of belief as stipulated in the Constitution, abolish administrative regulations that violate the spirit of the Constitution, and bring fairness and justice as soon as possible.
Thank you for praying, God bless. Information from a text alert from Open Doors USA charity for persecuted Christians.
On April 30 and May 1, 2021, Pastor ### released urgent letters to his congregation asking them to pray for the ministers and stating: "As we know, ### and ### are two examples facing the current storm, and there are many other members who are experiencing it together. We are grateful to be able to stand with such members and facing the difficulties together."
He goes on to admonish the pastors and ministers: "Be cautious regarding going out alone recently. If you have to do so, please report to each other, and ask other brothers and sisters to pay close attention to you, making sure you stay in touch."
An Open Doors local partner comments: "We do pray these ministers would be released soon after 10 days of administrative detention. However, one local source points out that their arrest was intended as a warning to their senior pastor, ###, who has remained very active in ministry despite the closedown of his church in ### in 2018. He is the one who needs our prayers."
Pray for Minister ###, that the Lord gives her all the strength she needs. May the Lord make way for us, that we may hear information about her current situation as soon as possible.
Pray the Lord gives Brother ### heavenly strength to be his witness in suffering. May the Lord strengthen him as He strengthened apostles of early churches.
Pray our country can indeed fill its responsibility of constructing democracy, protect the citizens' right of freedom of belief as stipulated in the Constitution, abolish administrative regulations that violate the spirit of the Constitution, and bring fairness and justice as soon as possible.
Thank you for praying, God bless. Information from a text alert from Open Doors USA charity for persecuted Christians.
