Even as armed officers flooded the room and church leaders were hauled away for questioning, worship did not stop.
According to a report by the BBC, authorities in China raided a Sunday worship service of Early Rain Covenant Church, one of the nation’s most prominent underground Protestant congregations. The operation took place southwest of Jiangyou, where church leaders say armed police and SWAT officers stormed a hotel ballroom during a worship gathering and detained dozens of believers.
The church reported that more than 50 officers participated in the raid, interrupting the service around 11 a.m. local time. As the BBC noted, more than 30 church members and leaders were reportedly taken to a detention center for interrogation.
Among those detained were church leaders Yan Hong and Wu Wuqing.
What happened next, however, may be the most powerful part of the story.
According to a statement released by the church, believers continued to fellowship, sing hymns and pray “until most of them were released.”
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The raid is the latest chapter in a years-long campaign of pressure against independent Christian churches in China.
Founded in 2008 in Chengdu, Early Rain Covenant Church became internationally known after a massive government crackdown in 2018. Its founding pastor, Wang Yi, was arrested and later sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of “inciting subversion of state power” and “illegal business operations,” according to the BBC.
Bob Fu, founder of ChinaAid, told the BBC that Sunday’s raid serves as another example of the Chinese Communist Party’s treatment of independent Christian worship. “Sunday’s raid is another stark reminder that the Chinese Communist Party continues to treat peaceful Christian worship as a threat to state control,” he said.
While many Christians in the West gather each week freely, countless brothers and sisters in other nations continue to worship under the shadow of surveillance, intimidation and arrest.
Let this moment be more than a headline. Let it become a call to prayer. Pray for Yan Hong and Wu Wuqing. Pray for the families affected by these detentions. Pray for Pastor Wang Yi as he remains imprisoned. And pray for the underground church across China—that believers would remain steadfast, courageous and filled with the Holy Spirit.
The same God who strengthened the early church in the book of Acts is still sustaining His people today, and no government, prison cell or political system can extinguish the light of Christ.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
