Beijing Shouwang Church Announcement on Outdoor Worship Service on August 26, 2012

Dear brothers and sisters:

Peace in the Lord! On this past Sunday, we held the thirty-fifth outdoor worship service of this year. The weather remains sunny and hot. As far as we know, one sister was taken to be detained at a hotel on Friday. And on Sunday morning, at least twenty-two believers were taken away from locations near the platform for attending the outdoor service. They were then sent to three different local police stations. Thirteen believers were released by noon, and the rest of them were released one after another by 20:00pm on Sunday.

Xie Min, maltreated during her detainment last Sunday, now temporarily moved to live with another sister. However, after Xie moved in, they often got harassment. They got strange visitors, and the home phone number of the host even got posted on the webpage of a website providing housing information. We strongly protest against such harassment. May God rebuke them, so that they would be pricked by their conscience and come to repentance.

We ask you to pray for Xie Min, and for all the other believers who are forced to move, that God would comfort them. And let us, being members in the same body, remember them and care for them. Just as the Scripture says:

“Sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” (Hebrews 10:33-38)

May we also remember this: “ For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:12-13).

”Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us face this spiritual warfare with boldness and firmness in Christ, and replace our emotion or anger from our flesh with love, perseverance, peace, and mercy from Christ. May God help us, so that we would trust in the LORD with all our hearts, not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good more than conquerors” (Romans 12:21).

We give thanks to our God who strengthens us, so that we would not bow to the powers trying to control the church. This is truly a spiritual warfare, and our church needs to fight the battle to stand firm in this generation, so each of us need to join this battle. May the whole church pray in unity, that the LORD pour out his Spirit, revive us, give us faith and strength to fight this battle in unity, and continue to guide us!

We believe that this God we trust is the God who sovereigns in the history of man, and is the God who sustains and protects his Church with divine providence. May God lead his church into victory together with him.

May peace and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the mercy and love of Father God, and the console and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, be with each brother and sister of Shouwang Church and all the churches who remember Shouwang Church in prayers, from this time on and forevermore! Amen.

Beijing Shouwang Church
08/28/2012

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