(Guangzhou, Guangdong province) The Chinese government once again issued a notice banning a house church under the pretext of cracking down on illegal social organizations. According to public documents, the CCP banned “Guangzhou Huajing Christian Church”.
Official notice
The Civil Affairs Bureau of Tianhe District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province issued a notice on August 19 to ban Guangzhou Huajing Christian Church. “Guangzhou Huajing Christian Church has carried out activities in the name of a social organization without registration,” the notice states. “According to the provisions of Article 32 of the Regulations on the Registration and Management of Social Organizations, as well as provisions of Article 2 and Article 9 of the Temporary Measures On The Suppression of Illegal Civil Society Organizations; it falls under the category of an illegal social organization. After looking into it, it has been decided to ban it.”
No word from Guangzhou Huajing Christian Church
Cao Wen, the leading pastor of Guangzhou Huajing Christian Church, and Yang Jiehong, another minister, did not disclose specific details. This case follows the closure of Great Grace Church in Liaoning province. That church was closed on the grounds of being an “illegal social organization.”
New potential trend
In recent years, various government departments in China have suppressed unregistered house churches for countless reasons. Officials charged many of these with “fraud,” a false accusation derived from tithes and offerings. With the latest two church closures, Chinese authorities are using “illegal organization” as a label to crack down on Christians.
An oppressive inquiry system
The Chinese government has established a nationwide “legally” registered social organization information inquiry system, with a section called “Social Organization Updates in China” available on its public platform for public inquiries. Any church that is not registered or included in this inquiry system could potentially be reported and targeted as an illegal social organization, thus facing suppression.
Authorities also set up a “Clerical Personnel Information Inquiry System” to target house church clergy who are not certified by authorities.
Call to prayer
ChinaAid Association will continue to follow the latest developments of the Chinese authorities’ banning house churches as “illegal social organizations.” We call on the universal church to continue to pray for the persecuted house churches in China.
~ Gao Zhensai, Special Correspondent of ChinaAid
