[__ Prayer __] PERSECUTED CHURCH

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"As long as this church is still proclaiming the Gospel – as long as God's Word is still in the mouths and hearts of our brothers and sisters – this church cannot be destroyed." ~ Pastor Wang Yi Early Rain Covenant Church

CHINA: Preacher of Early Rain Church Faces Harassment​ Source: ChinaAid​ Preacher Wu Wuqing Photo: ChinaAid ​ ​ Since December 2018, the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, has been subjected to repeated raids and ongoing oppression from Communist Party authorities who seek to shut down the influential unregistered church. Though the church's pastor, Wang Yi, is serving a nine-year prison sentence, members of the church continue to boldly reach out with the Gospel message. One church member, Preacher Wu Wuqing, has experienced persecution several times. In June 2021, he and his family were locked in their home and prevented from leaving or having any visitors. Since confining the church leader to his home had failed to dissuade him from continuing his Christian activities, the authorities blocked the family – along with numerous other church members – from entering their apartment complex in 2023. Additionally, following numerous raids on his church gatherings, Preacher Wu has been repeatedly detained. After a 14-day detention in February 2024, his wife simply stated: "14 days is nothing. We are so happy to gather today, and when [my husband] returns in 14 days, we will gather again." More recently, Preacher Wu's family has been pressured to move out of their rental home. On July 30th, water and electricity were cut off in an effort to force the harassed Christians to move. The utilities were eventually restored in late September, only to be cut off again on October 17th. While these believers were initially able to restore the power and water (which had been turned off manually), only a few hours later, the wires to their home were then cut. It is clear that the intention of this harassment is to force the church leader and his family to relocate. Preacher Wu has asked church members to pray for his family and remove any anger from their hearts. He wrote: "When you pray for our family, you are acknowledging that we are suffering for the sake of our faith, and you are suffering with us! May God have mercy on us and graciously help us!" For further details on the ongoing persecution of the Early Rain Covenant Church and its members, go to our country report. Despite the repeated harassment they have received from local governing authorities, pray that Preacher Wu and his family will maintain a forgiving and gracious attitude toward their oppressors. May the preacher's family, along with other members of the Early Rain Covenant Church, continue to minister the love of God and the wonderful hope He provides through His Word to those in their community and throughout China. Also pray for ongoing strength, encouragement and protection on behalf of Pastor Wang and the many other Christians in China who are presently serving time in prison for following the teachings of Jesus. CHINA: Pastor John Cao and Colleague Detained for Conducting Baptisms​ Sources: ChinaAid, Church in Chains​ Pastor John Cao baptizing a believer. Photo: ChinaAid ​ ​ On March 4th, Pastor John Cao was released from imprisonment in China after serving a seven-year sentence. Since his release, the pastor has longed to return to the United States, where he holds permanent residency, in order to reunite with his wife and family there. However, the Chinese government has prevented Pastor John from leaving the country by withholding his ID card and passport. (Read more.) Despite this opposition, Pastor John is faithfully continuing his ministry activities. Recently, this Christian leader paid a visit to Preacher Chang Hao in Zhenxiong. While there, he participated in the baptism of 13 new believers. Since Preacher Chang is not an ordained pastor, he requested Pastor John's assistance out of respect for church tradition. However, just as the outdoor service was concluding, over 20 police officers intervened. The 30 attending Christians – most of whom were elderly citizens – had then been taken to the police station for interrogation. While Pastor John and the other believers were finally released after midnight, Preacher Chang received a 12-day detainment for organizing an illegal religious gathering. Altogether, Preacher Chang has received more than 20 "administrative detentions" due to his alleged illegal religious work. In May 2024, he was released from prison after serving a one-year sentence for allegedly "picking quarrels and provoking trouble." When he was younger, Preacher Chang's hands were badly burned in a factory fire, leaving him unable to hold objects. However, his injuries have not prevented him from leading a small rural church and courageously spreading the Gospel message. Praise God for the ongoing determination of Preacher Chang Hao, Pastor John Cao and the many other faithful believers throughout China who are sharing the message of Christ's love with those around them in spite of the growing pressures they encounter. May these resilient followers of Jesus receive ongoing encouragement and the assurance that His presence will always remain with them. Please also prayerfully lift up the recently baptized believers as they now live out their commitment to following in the footsteps of Jesus. Finally, pray that Pastor John will be able to leave the country soon, allowing this long-suffering believer to finally be reunited with his wife and family. ​