(Chicago — February 11, 2026) An initiative to establish “China Religious Freedom Day” (January 9) and a “Day of Fasting and Prayer for the Persecuted Church in China” (the 9th of each month), jointly launched by multiple churches in North America and an organization in Australia, has received widespread response across major North American cities. On February 9, New Light Christian Church (新光基督教会) in Chicago held a prayer meeting, livestreamed simultaneously across multiple platforms, attracting nearly 5,000 views and participants.
The prayer meeting was presided over by Pastor Jiang Tian (姜添). Pastor Long Xiang’en (龙降恩), Acting Senior Pastor of Beijing Zion Church (锡安教会), read aloud the Initiative on Establishing January 9 as “China Religious Freedom Day” and the 9th of Each Month as a “Day of Fasting and Prayer for the Persecuted Church in China.”
During the interview segment, Pastor Long offered in-depth responses on the theological topic of “suffering”:
Sharing in Suffering, Sharing in Glory: Pastor Long noted that great persecution is often accompanied by great revival. Following the Zion Church case, the connections and prayers of the global church have revealed God’s marvelous work amid tribulation. Citing Romans 8:17, he emphasized that believers are co-heirs with Christ, supporting one another on a horizontal level, and on a vertical level, sharing in suffering with Christ and in glory.
Theodicy and a Christ-Centered Focus: From the perspective of theodicy, he explained that Christ bearing suffering demonstrates the Lord’s perfect goodness, while Christ’s resurrection reveals the Lord’s omnipotence.
Diverse Responses to Persecution: Pastor Long reminded listeners that the New Testament presents a spectrum of responses to persecution, and that no single approach (such as remaining silent) should be absolutized as the standard. He pointed out that the image in Isaiah of “a sheep silent before its shearers” emphasizes the Messiah’s willing obedience, rather than a model to be mechanically applied by believers in all circumstances.
Policy Analysis: From Administrative Governance to United Front Work
At the meeting, Anna Liu ((刘春丽), the wife of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri (金明日), offered an in-depth analysis of the evolution of China’s religious policy. She specifically noted that since 2018, responsibility for religious affairs has been transferred from the State Council’s administrative system to the Party’s United Front department. This systemic change has had profound and direct impacts on the environment of survival for house churches.
Early Rain Covenant Church, Chengdu (秋雨圣约教会): Wang Chengzhong (汪成忠), Executive Director of Early Rain Ministries of North America, reported that the church faced a new round of suppression on January 6, with multiple co-workers, including Elder Li Yingqiang (李英强), taken into custody. At present, Ms. Zhang Xinyue (张新月), elder Li Yingqiang’s wife, has been released on bail pending trial, and her physical health is stable.
Yayang Church, Taishun, Wenzhou (雅阳教会): Pastor Luke Leguo Zheng (郑乐国牧师), based in New York, recounted the full timeline of the comprehensive crackdown the church faced on December 14, 2025. Drawing on the church’s fundamental evangelical tradition regarding places of worship, he analyzed the church members’ faith-based insistence on refusing to “remove crosses and raise flags,” and noted that the authorities’ methods have escalated from the earlier “Three Rectifications and One Demolition” campaign to “counterterrorism-level suppression,” with the legal characterization shifting from administrative management to severe criminal charges.
In the concluding prayer, Pastor Jiang Tian emphasized that the suffering of Christians should always be centered on Christ’s passion rather than personal heroism. During the prayer meeting, music pieces such as The Lord’s Love is in China and an adapted version of Five O’Clock in China were performed to comfort the dispersed community.
This event received strong support from multiple platforms, including Pastor Zhang Boli of Harvest Chinese Christian Church, Zion Church, and Five O’Clock in China.
Special Correspondent Gao Zhensai for ChinaAid
