China: Plans to 'eradicate house churches'
China has begun a campaign to eradicate house churches within ten years. Last September a secret document was issued by the Chinese authorities aimed at 'completely eradicating house churches' in three phases. (1) from January to June 2012- investigate house churches and create files on them. (2) to 'clean up' those churches within 3 years. (3) completely wipe out the house churches within 10 years. In December 2010, 'Operation Deterrence' was launched and Government officials were to 'guide' Christians attending unregistered churches to worship in government-approved Three-Self churches. At the same time, they were to break up larger churches, such as Shouwang Church in Beijing into smaller groups. Shouwang has been forced to hold services in the open-air since Easter 2011, and worshippers face surveillance and arrest. • Please pray also for Shouwang Church in Beijing, whose members faithfully meet outside in all weathers, under surveillance and at risk of arrest. Ask that God would embolden and protect them.
Pray: against the increase in persecution of house churches and for God to bless them with continued growth. (Is.65:22-24)
China: Persecution rising
Last year a three-phase plan to eradicate unregistered house churches began (See Prayer Alert 17-2012). Since then persecution has risen by 42%. 442 of the arrests were clergy. The three-phase approach arose because the government sees house churches as a hostile group of dissenters. The government intends to force Christians to join the official Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) church system. In last year’s first phase the state secretly investigated house churches across the country and created files on them. This was followed by a wave of crackdowns on house churches which has continued into 2013 as part of the second phase. Some house churches have registered to avoid arrests and harassment, but most object to TSPM theological beliefs and state controls. The number of Protestant house-church Christians has been estimated at between 45 million and 60 million.
Pray: against the tactics of banning and sealing churches, may there be a tsunami of Christian evangelism and conversion in China. (Is.11:9)
China: Pastor ‘Bike’ perseveres to encourage house church Christians
Pastor Bike is the chairman of the China House Church Alliance and is a passionate evangelist known for riding his bike across the country on missions of encouragement to the many Chinese House Churches. ChinaAid is reporting that on Monday September 20 during the trial of house church Christians Liu Yunhua and Gao Jianli, Pastor ‘Bike’ and his wife came to see the trial but were detained by the Public Security Bureau. Pastor Bike has been arrested and interrogated countless times in the past 10 years in his efforts to strengthen house church Christians. Other Christians who came to the trial were also detained on their way home. There is no record of their release. ChinaAid urges Xuchang's local government to respect Pastor Bike and his wife's rights as citizens and are calling on them to release the detained house church members. ‘We ask Christians worldwide to join us in prayer for their protection and encouragement,’ a spokesperson said. Pray: for God to use ChinaAid and other Christian resources to infuse His justice in this and similar situations in China. (Ps.7:9-10)
China: Pastor asks for help
Since May 2008 Pastor Wang Dao of Liangren Church in Guangzhou has had to move his house church several dozens of times and has even had to worship outdoors on two Sundays. After a brief detention by people from the Ministry of State Security he contacted ChinaAid for assistance in issuing an urgent call for prayer. After translating the document, ChinaAid released the letter to Chinese media on August 17 ChinaAid are urging Guangzhou authorities to cease their persecution of Liangren Church and to respect the rights of the citizens to freedom of belief and worship, by allowing them to meet regularly in their own church space. They are urging the international community to prayerfully support Pastor Wang Dao and believe that raising awareness of this and similar cases of persecution and harassment is vital to changing the outcome for the persecuted faithful. Pray: that this promotion and exposure of truth will grow and make a difference where the church is persecuted. (Is.61:7)
China: No religion in politics allowed
‘There is no room for religion among the members of the Chinese Communist Party.’ said the vice president of the United Front. There is a real concern within the United Front that many members of the party, disillusioned by the fall in ideals, corruption, and materialism are discovering or rediscovering a religious dimension. It is not unusual for at least one third of party members to visit a Buddhist master on weekends, or meet up with a Catholic bishop, or start praying in a Protestant community. Some believe the Maoist tone of the above comment regarding religion is a sign of an internal power struggle ahead of the imminent change of leadership of the Communist General Secretary and Premier of the People's Republic of China.
Pray: that Chinese politicians will not use religion to gain attention and orchestrate agendas in the lead up to elections next year. (Ps.107:16)
China: Massive floods kill 175 and affect 36 million people
Floods caused by torrential rains in southern and eastern China since this month have left at least 175 people dead and another 86 missing and has affected over 36 million people with 1.6 million displaced. In Zhejiang province 8,400 houses collapsed and many highways were closed. A total of 241,600 hectares (597,000 acres) of farmland have been destroyed and 1,846 factories have suspended operations in one of China’s leading manufacturing centres. The rain-ravaged people await the next crisis of a steep rise in food prices; vegetable production has already come down by 20% and pushed prices up by as much as 40%. China has mobilized troops to rescue stricken farmers and distribute food, but some villagers from the Zhejiang province said more could have been done to prevent the flooding in the first place.
Pray: for God to be at work in the midst of China’s tragedy, and for Christians to know God’s provision as they reach out to their neighbours. (Ex.23:20)
More: http://www.christianpost.com/news/massive-china-floods-kill-175-affect-36-million-people-51380/