(Bengbu, Anhui Province, China – November 15, 2024) It has been reported that the case of four Christians, Wan Changchun, Xue Shaoqiang, Cao Binting, and Wan Chunqin, of the Living Stone Reformed Church in Bengbu, China, who are accused of “fraud,” will be held in court on November 19-22, 2024, according to a report.
Background of Bengbu Living Stone Reformed Church
The Bengbu Living Stone Reformed Church is a house church in Bengbu, Anhui Province that is not registered with the Civil Affairs Bureau. The pastor and elders of the church are elected by general consent in accordance with the teachings of the Bible. All the offerings of the church are given willingly according to the teachings of the Bible, without any compulsion. All expenditures of the church are openly and transparently announced regularly, and all expenditures are known and agreed upon by the church members. There is no such thing as fraud. In recent years, being charged with “fraud” has become a harsh tactic for the government to crack down on house churches.
Arrests and Charges
On April 11, 2023, Wan Changchun was arrested by the Bengbu police in Anhui Province while he was serving in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, on suspicion of “illegal business operation”. Elder Xue Shaoqiang, Wan Changchun’s sister Wan Chunqin, fellow believer Cao Binting, and another male member of the church were also criminally detained on the same charge, and other church elders and deacons and believers were arraigned, and the church’s finances were searched and its accounts were frozen.
On May 18, 2023, with the approval of the Bengbu Yuhui District People’s Procuratorate, the charges were changed and Wan Changchun was arrested by the Yuhui District Public Security Bureau for the crime of fraud. The Yuhui District Public Security Bureau charged the four members of the church, as well as Wan’s wife, You Xiulin, with the crime of fraud. In response to these accusations, the church has repeatedly stated publicly that the four members of the church have not “scammed” anyone out of their money, and that the brothers and sisters know that they have not been scammed. All offerings are made willingly, and the church’s expenditures are open and transparent.
Court Proceedings and Delays
On May 13, 2024, a pre-trial hearing was held at the Yuhui District Court in Bengbu City;
The morning of May 16, 2024 was supposed to be the official court date, but on that day, the court neither allowed the lawyers to bring their computers into the courtroom, nor did it allow the families of the four defendants and other Christians from the church to enter the courtroom. In the end, neither the lawyers nor the families were allowed to enter the courtroom, and the trial failed to take place;
On September 9, 2024, the case was reconvened again at the Yuhui District Court in Bengbu City for a pre-trial hearing.
Health and Emotional Struggles of the Detained church members
To date, the four Christians have been held in a detention center for one year and seven months. Through their lawyer’s interviews, we learned that they appear to be in a weakened state of health. Due to the long period of time they have been separated from their families, they are especially homesick for their families. At the same time, their families also miss them very much, especially their young children and elderly parents.
In a public prayer letter, the Bengbu Living Stone Reformed Church thanked all the Lord’s family members for their ongoing care, concern, and prayers for this case, and once again asked the churches and members of the Lord’s family to pray for the upcoming court hearing:
Pray that the Lord would keep the four brothers and sisters in good health and strong hearts, and that they would be able to stand firm in the Lord during the four consecutive days of the trial, witnessing the power and glory of the gospel.
Pray for the attorneys. Pray that the Lord would give them the boldness and ability to use their legal knowledge and wisdom from God to plead not guilty for their clients.
Pray that the judge, prosecutor, and all those involved in this case would hear the gospel of Christ during the trial, recognize the glory of Jesus Christ, and be willing to render a verdict that is in keeping with the spirit of legal fairness, justice, and righteousness.
Pray for the Lord’s blessing on this land, so that the Christian faith may no longer be misunderstood and hated, so that Christianity may become a free and open choice, and so that more people may come to know Jesus Christ, who lays down his life for sinners and offers salvation.
(By Lemon, special correspondent for ChinaAid)