China: Pastor Arrested for Refusing to Submit to Surveillance

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Feb 27, 2017

China: Pastor Arrested for Refusing to Submit to Surveillance

 A Chinese pastor is now under house arrest after he and his congregation refused to comply with China’s government-mandated rules for churches.

In keeping with China’s increased crackdown on churches that are not state-sanctioned, authorities are holding Pastor Jin Tianming under house arrest for refusing to register his congregation, Shouwang Church in Beijing, with the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM)--the organization of government-approved churches.

According to persecution watchdog group China Aid, government authorities are now monitoring Jin’s house at all times and he is only allowed visitors at four p.m. every day.

Authorities offered to make a deal with him and promised he would be released if his church stopped meeting, but Jin told his congregation not to give in.

The church is currently meeting secretly in small house groups, fearing to meet openly.

China ranks 39th on persecution charity Open Doors 2017 World Watch List.

“The church is the largest social force in China not controlled by the Communist Party,” Open Doors said, according to Christian Today.

“'As a result, there are increasing efforts to restrict the way Christians operate. A considerable number of Christians are still imprisoned. Violence is at a very high level and is increasing. Church meetings continue to be disrupted in several provinces. Churches were also closed and landlords pressured to stop renting premises to Christians.”

 

Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: February 27, 2017



China: Pastor Arrested for Refusing to Submit to Surveillance