President of Chinese House Church Alliance forced out of Beijing

In the latest in a string of actions against Pastor Zhang Mingxuan, President of the Chinese House Church Alliance, has been forced out of Beijing.  Pastor Zhang was forcibly escorted from the home of Pastor Hua Huiqi last week and put on a bus to Henan province.  Authorities refuse to allow Pastor Zhang and his family to stay in Beijing.

This is not the first time Pastor Zhang and his family have been forced out of their home. In October 2008, PSB officials attacked Pastor Zhang and his family, beating their son and forcing them out of their home.  Recent reports suggest that the PSB is paying compensation to the family, which will cover the cost of medical treatment for Pastor Zhang’s youngest son.  

Please keep Pastor Zhang, his family and the Chinese church in your prayers.  

Background

During June and July 2008, Pastor Zhang and his family were forced to live on the streets after Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials forcibly evicted them from six properties in ten days.  Officials stated that the reason the couple were being expelled from Beijing was ‘“because Bike Zhang met with Americans and destroyed the harmony of the Beijing Olympic Games’”.  Their eviction was seen as part of the overall strategy in Beijing to remove ‘unstable dangerous religious elements’ before the Olympics.

Pastor Zhang has highlighted the persecution he has endured in three open letters.  In his third letter, of February 2008, he states: ‘During the 22 years of my life as a Christian, I have been arrested, beaten, and incarcerated 12 times altogether by the Public Security Bureau’. He then statesgoes on to say that since 1999 as a preacher in Beijing he has been ‘arrested 11 times by the police, detained and then stalked twice, driven away or kicked out by police-induced landlords 12 times.’

What you can do

Pray

- For Pastor Zhang and his wife Xie Fenglan as they continue to face harassment and persecution from the authorities.

- For Pastor Zhang’s son as he recovers from the attack in October 2008.  Pray for God’s healing for the emotional and physical scars from the situation.

- For the house church in China; that the persecution would come to an end and they would be able to meet freely and make a positive contribution to Chinese society.

- That the government decision to abolish the Chinese House Church Alliance would not come to pass and that the court case against this decision, led by Pastor Zhang and other house church leaders, would be allowed to take place.  

Why not post a prayer on our prayer wall.

Provide

Provide support and encouragement to other Chinese Christians facing persecution at this time. Send letters/cards of encouragement to:

Alimujiang Yimiti
Detention Center Kan Shou Suo
Ka Shi, Xinjiang
844000
People’s Republic of China

Peng Ming
No. 4 Prison Branch,
Hubei Provincial Han Yang Prison
Cai Dian District, Wuhan City
Hubei Province
CHINAHan Yang Prison No. 19
Prison District
Cai Dian District
Wu Han City
Hu Bei Province 43010
People’s Republic of China

Mr. Hu Wenxiang, Mr. Tang Houyong and Mr Xie Zhenqi
Henan Provincial Re-education through Labor Management Committee
3 Jinshui Road
Zhengzhou, Henan
CHINA

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