China (MNN) — As the Gospel spreads in China, authorities attempt to sever Christians from the global Church. Bob Fu, a contact with Voice of the Martyrs Canada (VOM Canada), says the organization’s newest efforts involve categorizing international travel for church-related activities as illegal border crossings. These activities include anything from worship conferences to seminary studies.
“Of course, they try to use this way for accusing them as an illegal border crossing. I mean, they’re afraid to cite their so-called crime is attending a Bible study conference, or a worship meeting, or kind of a praise and worship conference,” Fu says. “The Communist Party chose to use this legal term to prosecute many of those pastors.”
Stepping Up the Arrests
This method of punishing Christians is not new. In 2021, the government imprisoned a pastor from Shanxi Province for five years because he attended an overseas Bible study conference. More well-known is the case of Pastor John Cao, who served a seven-year sentence for “organizing illegal border crossings.” This charge was doled out because he organized Chinese Christians to help school Burmese minority children across the border. They were using the Bible as a textbook.
(Photo courtesy of El Jusuf on Pexels)
Fu continues, “In recent weeks, we have seen more cases. Like five pastors in Shanxi Province also received a criminal sentence for going to Malaysia – in Kuala Lumpur – attending a Bible conference by a preacher [nicknamed] China’s Billy Graham: Pastor Dr. Stephen Tong from Indonesia. Also, in recent weeks, we have learned another four Christians were criminally arrested for going to South Korea and Malaysia, attending Christian conferences. So, they are going to be tried and sentenced to criminal imprisonment. So, this is a new trend, showing the Chinese Communist Party trying to cut off the Universal Church, the fellowship of the church.”
A National Security Threat?
This sends a chilling message to believers. Ramping up persecution for Christian fellowship across borders means Christians will need to take even greater care when deciding what events to attend. Soon, Christians may not even get to travel outside the country.
In some areas, the government has already implemented a new measure called the National Security Filter. One of the items on the assessment for this filter is whether or not a person is a Christian. Chinese Christians and especially Christian leaders would be treated as national security threats.
“You would be forbidden to travel,” Fu states. “You would be banned from obtaining a new passport or renew your old passport.”
Connected in Christ
However, despite the grim outlook for Chinese Christians’ physical presence with the global Church, Fu says there is hope.
“They will never succeed. Maybe physically, geographically, they try their way, but the Holy Spirit is our real connector, right? They can never cut off the Holy Spirit. Through the prayer of the meetings of the saints the body of Christ in China will not feel alone.”
Please pray that God would strengthen Chinese Christians as their physical isolation from the Church increases. Pray for steadfastness for those facing imprisonment. Pray for VOM Canada as they share stories and support Chinese Christians. Learn more here.
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