China: House Church Raid & Update on Pastor Gong
Praying for China and for the Church in China
By Elizabeth Kendal
World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission
Special to ASSIST News Service
AUSTRALIA (ANS) — At 4 a.m. on Sunday morning 13 July, officers of the Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) raided a house church prayer meeting in Xiao Shan City, Zhejiang Province. The prayer meeting was broken up, the Christians assaulted, and three leaders were arrested. One of those arrested was Shao Cheng Shen (80), who co-founded the church 25 years ago. The church, which now has some 1,500 members, is linked to “The Little Flock” of Watchman Nee. The two other leaders arrested were Wei Min Xu and Chong Dao Gao. Another Christian, Brother Huiliang Wong (45) who is on the PSB’s “most-wanted list”, escaped out a window. The whereabouts of the three who were detained is unknown. Pray for their physical strength and faith. Pray for advocacy on their behalf to be effective. Pray for their release.
On 21 July Mr. Bob Fu was able to report that Pastor Gong is alive and two of his relatives (including a sister) were recently able to visit him. (One sister was refused permission to visit because some of her speech during her last visit was religious!) Pastor Gong was separated from his visitors by glass. He was very fragile, pale, weak and thin with cheekbones protruding. He was unable to speak one single word, but it is not known if this was because he was not permitted to speak or because he was not physically able to speak. One officer did confirm that Pastor Gong had spent some time in hospital. Pastor Gong’s relatives express their great appreciation for your prayers. Please continue to uphold them all before the Lord.