(Linfen, Shanxi province) Yang Rongli, the leader of Golden Lampstand Church, and 11 other Christians stood trial for their alleged “fraud” case. Her brother, Yang Kai, issued three requests for prayer. ChinaAid has not yet received the verdict.
Recent trial
The “fraud” case of Golden Lampstand Church was heard in public on March 29. Linfen authorities target Wang Xiaoguang and his wife, Yang Rongli, as well as the remaining 10 Christians. Yang’s younger brother Yang Kai asked all to pray for three things in a public prayer invitation letter:
Prayer requests
First, pray for Yang Rongli, Wang Xiaoguang, and the 10 accused co-workers. Ask the Lord Pray that the Lord would give them strength to be witnesses for the Lord.
Second, pray for the team of more than 10 lawyers. May the Lord grant them discernment, wisdom, and the ability for the team to act as one person.
Third, invite brothers, sisters, and people from all walks of life to participate in the public trial at their convenience and to witness together the fairness, openness, and just embodiment of the law under the new leadership at all levels.
Continuing persecution for Golden Lampstand
This “fraud” case began on August 7, 2021. Golden Lampstand Church already experienced extensive persecution in 2009 when the authorities forcibly demolished their church building. Nine leaders of the church were arrested, some were released on bail, and some of their arrests were approved. Pastor Wang Xiaoguang and his wife, Yang Rongli, have both already served many years in prison.
Widespread persecution
Those with knowledge of the case knew that a month before this, all communities in Linfen were raided by the authorities on a large scale, focusing on finding out the “core members” of the house church; preachers from other areas related to the church were also taken away for investigation and questioning.
The basis for “fraud”
The authorities of Linfen City, Shanxi Province, deemed the sum collected through tithes and offerings to the church as the final basis for “fraud.” Pastor Wang Xiaoguang, Yang Rongli, and the other 12 leaders of the church were falsely accused of this crime. Bob Fu, Founder of ChinaAid, criticized the practice of Linfen authorities on March 24: “[it is] purely religious persecution!”
Recent trends
In recent years, there has been a clear trend in persecution methods used within China. Churches and their leaders are systematically targeted for these crimes across China. On August 19, 2022, the public security system in Linfen city used the same charge to persecute pastors Li Jie, Han Xiaodong, and Wang Qiang of Linfen Covenant House Church. Xi’an Church of Abundance also faced the same charge. That specific investigation led to the torture of all the accused Christians as well as two elderly individuals.
Elders of other house churches
Other leaders include Elder Zhang Chunlei of Ren’ai Reformed. The authorities arrested him on March 16, 2021, for “fraud.” Guiyang Municipal People’s Intermediate Court secretly held his trial on November 29, 2022. The verdict has not yet been announced. Similarly, Elder Hao Ming and Elder Wu Jiannan of Qingcaodi Church in Deyang, Sichuan province, were also arrested on suspicion of “fraud” in November 2021.
Extended detentions
These evangelists who were detained on fabricated charges were often detained for an extended period without a trial. Even when the delayed trial was held or the verdict had finally been pronounced, the parties concerned had been falsely imprisoned for several years inexplicably.
Elder Li of Early Rain Covenant Church
In response to the widespread use of the “fraud” charge by the authorities to persecute pastors, Elder Li Yingqiang of Early Rain Covenant Church said: “It is not only a strategy of ‘taking drastic measures’ against religious property, but also acts as a ‘final death blow’ type of persecution directly targeting the priesthood.”
~Gao Zhensai, Special Correspondent ChinaAid