China Update 2024
00:00 – Introduction by Joy, welcoming Ron and Charis to the podcast.
02:00 – Ron describes meeting with Chinese believers
04:30 – Discussion of the 2018 law restricting religion and how enforcement has intensified post-COVID.
07:15 – The Communist Party is actively trying to limit, destroy, and hunt down the church.
10:00 – Police raids on house churches involve intimidation and theft of possessions.
12:30 – House churches range from 15 to 30 members. A massive need for Bibles
15:00 – Even middle-class officials and government workers see no hope for the country.
18:00 – Growing disillusionment with communism, even at higher levels of government.
JOY: Welcome to God’s Church on the Move, the podcast that takes you to where God is actively at work around the world. With me in the studio today are Ron and Charis. Welcome, guys.
RON/CHARIS: Hi, Joy.
JOY: So, Ron, you’ve been traveling, and you have an update for us from, I believe, China?
RON: Yes, I was there a few weeks ago, and we had some friends join us. These were friends from China. I won’t tell you who they are — can’t tell you who they are — or even where we met.
JOY: Shrouded in secrecy.
RON: Totally, totally. So, it’s just a matter of me relating to you some of the things that were said. I’m going to go right off my notes, Joy. In other words, I’m just going to do this as these individuals talked, and I’m going to make comments as I read this to folks. This is like they were right in the room with us, so everybody can get a picture in their mind.
So, what happens is they come into a room with you, and you have a translator there. You’re asking them questions, and you’re madly typing down notes so that you get everything accurate. Yeah, and then we record them as well in case I missed something in the notes. So, this is very, very exact as far as what is being said.
Here we go. The first thing it says is that when the 2018 law came in — this was the restriction on religion and the propagation of religion by the communist government on the churches — that’s when they started to shut down mass gatherings, tighten up all the rules on anybody attending church — everything. It all started in 2018, and then through COVID, they backed off a little bit because there weren’t police officers out enforcing the laws as strictly. But now, it’s come back in full force.
This means the government can do whatever they like. The Communist Party is trying to limit the space of the church, trying to destroy the church, and hunt the church. Anytime our small groups get together to have Bible training or Bible study, if the police find out, they arrest us and take everything we have.
So, what this means is that if a house or small apartment is raided, the police go in there. Maybe they don’t beat the people, but they intimidate them in some way. Then, they go through the house and take whatever they want — either to sell or to keep for themselves. It’s theft, but it’s official theft. It’s police theft.
If there are 15 people in a group together, that is normal. It can go up to as many as 30. There is a lack of Bibles everywhere. When we were there, I asked the leaders one night, “How many do you really need?” He said, “40 million.” Another leader nodded and said, “49 million.” That’s the situation.
The educated and middle-class officials know there is no hope in this country. Whenever we preach the Gospel or share the Bible, we tell them that the only hope for this country is through Jesus — and they believe it. Even middle management within the government is saying there is no hope. Communism is failing, and the country is falling apart. That was the overall sentiment.
And that’s new. The disillusionment with communism is rising from the bottom up. People who didn’t believe it before are now realizing it’s not working. Even at the higher levels of government, there’s turmoil. They aren’t losing power, but they have problems.
Persecution is not stopping the growth of the church. Instead, it is pushing believers into the church. They’ve told me this numerous times over the last few years. Charis, when you and I were there together, we heard the same message. The intimidation factor is only pushing people towards Jesus. More and more are asking to become church planters and pastors. They are taking up the torch despite knowing the consequences — knowing they will be persecuted.
CHARIS: Exactly. They know what’s at stake.
RON: Yes. China is facing great difficulties. Please excuse my grammar — I’m reading directly from the translator’s notes. There are massive economic struggles. Many people see no hope in their own futures. But Jesus is revealing Himself to young people. Everyone who accepts the Lord will be tested by the communist government. New believers and small group leaders are trained in Bible study and discipleship.
One leader said, “We will meet four times a week after work for two years.” That is their basic new Christian class — four times a week, after work, probably around 5:00 p.m. until late at night, maybe 11:00 p.m., for two years. And everyone is happy to do it. It’s their rule. They take discipleship seriously. Here in North America, we get pushback from people about commitment levels, but over there, it’s a priority. Every house church movement has its own structure, but they all train deeply.
I asked, “Are many of your pastors in jail right now?” The answer: “Yes, but for shorter times — anywhere from a few days to a few months.”
Recently, one leader has been called by the police two to three times a day. They constantly track and intimidate him. He doesn’t lie, but he also doesn’t fully answer. He remains quiet. He might say, “I’m at home,” but he won’t disclose anything else. The police just keep pressing.
This brother became a Christian in 1983. He started a house church movement. He said that at the beginning, he used to read 40 chapters of the Bible a day. In 30 days, he would read the entire Bible. Right now, in his little group, they have 100 young people reading the Bible in six days. That’s how deeply they are anchored in Scripture. That’s why they can withstand persecution.
JOY: Wow. They are grounded in the Word.
RON: Yes, they are. And they think deeply about it. They don’t just memorize it — they internalize it. That’s why this church is strong.
I asked, “What gives believers hope that Jesus can change the situation?” The answer: “People are experiencing joy that is noticeable and attractive.” That’s what draws others in.
One leader put it this way: “The road ahead is long and difficult. We have no rights or privileges. Many leave China to find a better life elsewhere. But we stay because our burden for China is too big.”
Another leader described the reality of persecution: “China is the biggest prison in the world — 1.4 billion prisoners.” Everyone is under surveillance, especially on buses and trains. They assume we don’t fly because we can’t afford it.
One pastor was invited in for “tea” — a code word for police interrogation — 78 times in three years. If he didn’t show up, they would come and find him. Pastors can’t travel freely, can’t gather to strategize, can’t grow churches easily. The workload on pastors is immense.
Persecution is escalating. One group of 30 elderly believers was fined $10,000 each — that’s about $1,500 USD. If they can’t pay, the government adds interest and eventually freezes their bank accounts, cutting off their access to transit.
The economy is collapsing. Factories are closing. Unemployment is high. Most believers don’t have jobs. Giving to churches and pastors is illegal. It’s called “money laundering.” Instead of imprisoning pastors for preaching, they now charge them with financial crimes to discredit them. It’s a calculated move by the government.
One pastor and his son were arrested and sentenced to two years in prison. They were beaten daily and given only one small bun of food per day. Their mental state has collapsed.
How do they prepare pastors for this? They teach them to practice the way of the cross. They study Jesus and the early church. They care for each other. When pastors are imprisoned, the church supports their families. When they are released, they receive emotional and physical care. They see their suffering as glorifying God and strengthening their ministry.
JOY: I don’t have any questions, but I want to say to our listeners — Empower Ministries works with Chinese national believers. You can support them in many ways. Visit our website, ronpearce.org, to learn more.
