Shengjia Church Leaders Reunited with Families After Completing Sentences in Shunde
(Shunde, Guangdong, China – May 28, 2025) On May 23, 2025, Pastor Deng Yanxiang, the main person involved in the case against Shengjia Church in Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong, who was charged with “illegal business operations,” was released today after completing two years of imprisonment. With this, all the pastors and co-workers involved in the case have been released, and their appeals were also accepted in early April. This morning, Deng Yanxiang’s wife Shaoting and the church’s brothers and sisters came to the Shunde Detention Center with flowers in hand to welcome Pastor Deng Yanxiang’s triumphant return.
A Morning of Waiting and Worship Outside the Detention Center
The detention center notified that Pastor Deng Yanxiang would be released between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM on May 23. Deng Yanxiang’s wife Shaoting and all the church brothers and sisters were waiting outside the detention center with flowers in hand before 9:00 AM.
However, after 12:00 PM, Pastor Deng Yanxiang still hadn’t come out. One brother said: “The longer we wait, the greater the surprise.” Elder Zhu Longfei, Zhu Qiaoling and other brothers and sisters began singing the hymn “Road of Grace”:
You are my Lord, leading me on the path of righteousness.
Whether high mountains or low valleys, You are protecting me.
Among thousands of people, only You love me and know me.
The unchanging promise, this life is all blessing.
Step by step, this is the road of grace.
Your love, Your hand, hold me tightly.
Step by step, this is the road of hope.
Your love, Your hand, guide me on this life’s journey.
A Joyful Reunion After Delay and Tension
Among the waiting crowd, a man suspected to be a grid worker said to a believer: It’s better to have fewer troubles than more. You should still obey the law, this is a military restricted area, don’t livestream, etc. This brother patiently answered him that everyone has a sense of right and wrong, if one acts against their conscience they should certainly be punished, but if they haven’t acted against their conscience, they shouldn’t be punished.
It wasn’t until around 12:30 PM that Pastor Deng Yanxiang walked out of the detention center. Pastor Deng and Shaoting held flowers and hands, returning home at 2:00 PM. The brothers and sisters prepared an evening banquet to celebrate Pastor Deng’s freedom.
House Church Targeted for Refusing State Control
Guangdong Shunde Shengjia Church is a house church that has not joined the Three-Self Patriotic Movement. On May 24, 2023, the church was raided by multiple departments including Shunde public security, religious affairs, department of education, and department of commerce. Pastor Deng Yanxiang, Deacon Zhu Longjiang, Deacon Wang Weicai, and Zhu Qiaoling were arrested by Shunde public security on suspicion of “illegal business operations”. Two bible study venues were also raided by hundreds of staff members, who removed large quantities of books, desks, chairs and other items that day.
Arrests Continue; Entire Family of Church Leaders Affected
On August 9 of the same year, Elder Zhu Longfei was summoned by Shunde public security and arrested on suspicion of “illegal business operations”. It’s reported that the so-called “illegal business operations” actually referred to the church printing some Bible study materials for internal use, with no profit-making behavior whatsoever.
Zhu Longfei, Zhu Longjiang and Zhu Qiaoling are three siblings who all participate in church ministry. On March 15, 2024, their 79-year-old mother died of illness. All three siblings were in detention, unable to say final goodbyes to their mother at the hospital before she passed, and unable to attend their mother’s funeral, leaving them with lifelong regret.
Community Support Amid Persecution
After the five co-workers were arrested, their family members and multiple members of the church publicly advocated for the five co-workers, saying they were all kind and upright Christians who not only committed no crimes, but were actually good members of their families, church and society.
Trial Highlights Absurdity of Charges
During the August 2024 trial, lawyer Zhang Kai loudly declared: “Just because my clients printed a few books and mailed them to readers; letting them read more books daily and engage less in parties, and less waste of time… this constitutes criminal behavior that requires us 17 legal professionals to discuss whether they committed crimes? How tragic this is.”
Testimonies Reveal Transformation and Integrity
During the court testimony, Wang Weicai said he was very moved in his heart. He had known Pastor Deng Yanxiang for nearly thirty years. When he first met him, Pastor Deng Yanxiang was very bad and facing divorce, but he personally witnessed Deng Yanxiang’s complete transformation after believing in Jesus, giving up his own feed mill business to serve the Lord.
Pastor Deng’s Defense: A Life of Service, Not Profit
Pastor Deng Yanxiang defended himself saying he had no profit-making purpose, not only making no profit but actually losing money. Everyone had never held meetings to uniformly discuss and decide on printing, and there was no content that seriously endangered social order or disrupted market order. When others fabricate various bad words to slander us, don’t think it strange.
He also said that people who come to church are all personally led by God, some having experienced marital failure, some possibly being gamblers. God hopes for prodigal sons to return, just as he himself was once a prodigal son who returned. His income at the church was far below average wages, relying on savings to help many people, serving not to make money.
Pastor Sentenced Despite Innocence
Despite being innocent, Pastor Deng Yanxiang was still found guilty of “illegal business operations” and sentenced to two years. In the detention center, Pastor Deng Yanxiang once wrote a poem expressing his faith:
A Poem from Prison: Faith Behind Bars
“This humble servant imprisoned for the Lord
I am imprisoned within high walls, my heart deeply misses family.
Trapped in prison, losing freedom, often meeting in dreams.
Experiencing storms and troubles, eager to return home with urgent heart.
All because of suffering for doing good, always wanting to return home to see loved ones. Though difficulties are not easy, often asking the Lord when this will end.
The Lord’s grace always accompanies and is sufficient, the Lord’s timing is most beautiful.
Though my body has lost freedom, wholeheartedly submitting to the Lord’s will.
My spirit is completely free, my heart still needs patient waiting.
Daily meditating on the Lord’s word, the narrow path is indeed difficult to walk.
Weekly worship serving the Lord, sacrificing self and family.
Constantly praying without ceasing, accepting wrongs, humiliation and trials.
Always depending on my gracious Lord, only wishing my Lord to be glorified.
Living devoutly in troubles, this humble servant called by the Lord’s grace.
Striving to live out good testimony, closely following the Lord’s footsteps.
Seizing opportunities to sow seeds, continuing to run the cross’s path.
Yet entrusting results to the Lord, modeling the Lord’s faithfulness and steadfastness.
Though there is weakness and sadness, once discouraged and helpless.
Timely turning to look up to the Lord, experiencing comfort and gaining strength.”
A Verdict That Challenges the Conscience of Society
Christians being found guilty for doing things that make society better is an examination of the entire society’s conscience, just like Brother Wang Weicai from Shengjia Church questioned in court: “Is this case really about illegal business operations, or illegal public service?”
Video: Shengjia Church brothers and sisters welcome Brother Xiang home
Video: Zhu Longfei, Zhu Qiaoling and others singing hymns outside the detention center
(China Aid special correspondent Ningmeng reporting)
