Increasing persecution in China: Police raid 20-year-old house church
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) –
Amid rapidly intensifying persecution against Christians in China, police in Chongqing city raided the 20-year-old Living Fountain house church Sunday, confiscating computers and arresting two brothers, International Christian Concern reports.
The church’s leader, Pastor Cheng Hairong, is one of the Christian leaders who signed “A Joint Statement by Pastors: A Declaration for the Sake of the Christian Faith” in 2018, calling for freedom to practice his faith.
A week before February 28 on Living Fountain, Chinese police attended the church and accused it of not being “registered” with the government. Authorities also told the congregation that children cannot be present at worship services. Moreover, the police demanded that the church stop meeting because of COVID-19.
The church has issued a request for prayer in light of all these events, International Christian Concern reports.
According to the Open Doors watchdog organization, China has a “Very High” level of persecution. The giant country jumped six places up from last year to rank 17 on this year’s Open Doors Watch List of countries where it is most difficult to be Christian. “In just three years, [China] has risen 26 places, reflecting a rapidly deteriorating situation for Christians in the country,” Open Doors said in a report.
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