Morning Star News, August 26, 2022 (excerpts)
Authorities in China on Aug. 19 officially “liquidated” an historical house church in Shaanxi Province in a crackdown on churches that refuse to join the state-controlled Three-Self Church.
The Church of Abundance, which began about 30 years ago, had been targeted as a “cult”, but officials closed it as an “illegal social organization”. This appeared to be part of President Xi Jinping’s call in 2021 for action against “illegal” religious groups, Bitter Winter reported.
“Xi Jinping’s plan of compelling all Protestant Christians to join the government-controlled Three-Self Church is being ruthlessly implemented,” the group stated. The Church of Abundance was ordered to cease activities or its members and pastors would be subject to arrest and detention.
The ban also targeted the China Gospel Association, part of the same house church network. The wife of an arrested pastor stated, “There was undoubtedly physical abuse by these so-called law enforcement officers during their ‘law enforcement.’” The wives and most church workers were released, but not preacher Fu Juan, the group reported.
“The whereabouts of preacher Fu Juan is unknown, and her husband has not yet received any official written notice of detention,” a pastor’s wife reported.
On Aug. 19, about 100 armed police officers in Shanxi Province surrounded 70 members of Covenant Home Church attending a parent-child camp. Officers detained nine Christians who were accused of running an illegal religious organization.