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News from China and bordering countries of N. Korea, Burma, Vietnam, Laos, Kazakhstan,Uzbekistan, Nepal and Mongolia. With a focus on the underground house churches of China.
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Tuesday, April 08, 2003 |
Prayer Request for Today from Pray For China
Hong Kong pop star and actor Leslie Cheung leapt to his death. He starred in the Oscar-nominated "Farewell My Concubine," in which he portrayed a homosexual Chinese opera singer who falls in love with a fellow performer. The 46-year-old, openly gay, with depression had enjoyed millions of youth adorer.
Let us pray for the Chinese youth who know not the Biblical standard and are confused with homosexuality, depression and suicide. These issues are taboo in the traditional Chinese society.
8:02:12 PM 
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IN SUMMARY... 120 house church Christians were arrested April 4, many
leaders of the Local Church (which came from Watchman Nee's ministry).
Source: Asia Harvest
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The following news release can be freely forwarded, posted on websites, or
any other usage that will result in wider awareness and prayer support. We
only ask that the contents are not changed or edited, and the release is
posted in its entirety.
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Dear Friends,
News has come to us of the arrest of 120 house church Christians in
Pingdingshan, Henan Province, last Friday April 4. This arrest is serious
because many of those detained are leaders of the Local Church, one of the
Chinese Church groups that comes from the root of Watchman Nee teaching. We
have been told that the authorities have released about 20 of those arrested
after determining they were not leaders, but approximately 100 are still in
prison. The 20 released were finger-printed and fined.
The Local Church is considered an "evil cult" by the Chinese government and
also by the official Three-Self Church. Consequently, they are undoubtedly
the one Christian group in China to have faced the most persecution over the
years. Upon receiving the report of this arrest some Christian organizations
around the world may echo the government's charge that the Local Church is a
cult. The reason for this assertion is because of the false teachings of a
man named Witness Li (Li Changshou). He fell into deep error in the 1970s
and '80s and hundreds of thousands of Local Church believers in China and
around the world followed his teachings.
HOWEVER, as with most things in China, we need to be careful to know all the
facts before passing judgement. Just a few months ago we met with Wang
Xincai, who is one of those arrested in last week's raid. He is a humble and
godly brother in Christ who has already spent 16 of the last 20 years of his
life in prison for the sake of the Gospel. Wang told us, "People need to
realize that only about 40% of all the Christians involved in the Local
Church in China follow the teachings of Witness Li. 60% have rejected his
teachings and are normal, Bible-believing Christians who love God and seek
to see Him glorified. The authorities have seized the opportunity of lumping
us all together under the one banner of "evil cult" and persecute us all
regardless of what we believe. To them, false teaching does not determine
whether someone is a cult member or not, the issue is whether or not a
Christian is willing to register with the government or not. All house
churches who refuse to register are therefore labelled "evil cults" and
persecuted accordingly."
It is not known what will happen to the 100 Christians being held. Usually
after mass arrests the authorities spend the first several days severely
beating and torturing those in their custody. House church leaders hope this
will not be yet another fresh wave of persecution against them.
Please join the Church in China in praying:
* Pray the Lord would bless the 100 Local Church believers in prison, as
well as their families. Pray they would be Christ-like and loving towards
their persecutors.
* Ask God to intervene in this situation and that His will would be done.
Pray the Christians would not be held for a minute longer than God
determines.
* Pray the Name of Jesus would be glorified and lifted up through this
whole incident.
Updates will be posted on our website when any new information comes to
light.
Asia Harvest
www.asiaharvest.org
7:54:23 PM
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© 2003 Radio Free China
Last Update: 5/25/2003; 9:07:07 AM
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