Photo: Chinese Christian leader Dai Zhichao with his family (ChinaAid source)
(ChinaAid—January 25, 2023) Many stories from Chinese Christians can be disheartening for those in the West. After all, Chinese Christians face constant harassment, detention, and mistreatment because of their faith. Americans, discouraged by persecution, may not have much hope for the church in China. However, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate Chinese house churches.
The story of Dai Zhichao
Dai Zhichao from Early Rain Covenant Church led the “Tashui” small group in 2021 and became a more prominent figure within the church. His rising influence in the church painted a target on his back, and his family was constantly harassed during the last year. Plain-clothed officers vandalized their doors with threats and jammed obstructions into their keyholes several times.
Since September 2022, authorities placed Dai under house surveillance. They prohibit him from leaving, even taking out the trash, or receiving a COVID test. Dai’s family could leave, go to school, or shop for groceries. He wrote about his experience in a social media post:
I pray God to strengthen me and help me to fight the war. I believe God is in charge. Although I will face much more harassment and disturbance in my life, I pray to God to be our help.
Cruel Winter
Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province where Early Rain resides, entered a cold winter. Authorities assigned young guards to watch Dai and his family 24/7. Typical of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), they did not give any of the guards warm clothes even in the freezing temperatures. These young people sit outside in the cold watching an innocent pastor trapped in his home.
Even though these guards are instruments from the CCP, they were mistreated. Members of Early Rain knew this, so they mobilized to Dai’s apartment. Christians sent hot water, clothes, and quilts to the guards. Their intention wasn’t to aid in persecution but instead to help meet basic needs. This is common in Early Rain and other churches— they actively pray for their persecutors. Even if none of these young guards will come to accept Christ, house church Christians show a picture of Jesus.
The CCP learned about this operation of kindness and started transferring the new guards on new assignments.
Encouraging response
Dai Zhichao and other Chinese Christians are not perfect, but their faithful response to persecution could inspire all of us. Every day, many of them face this kind of harassment and ostracization. Yet, they carry the love of Christ, hoping that even those who would spit on them will be saved. Wang Yi, imprisoned pastor of Early Rain, said it best:
We will not hide. We will not be silent. Because we have something to say to this city. Because we were saved in order to declare a message to this world… As long as I’m still alive in this city, as long as I’m still walking on this earth, my purpose for living, my purpose for doing all that I do, is to declare a message to this world and to this city. Both in-season and out-of-season, I have a message to declare.
~Jonathan Dingler, Editor for ChinaAid