(Wenzhou, Zhejiang) On August 8, 2022, the Civil Affairs Bureau of Lucheng District, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province issued an announcement on the banning of Wenzhou Bowen Bible School and Wenzhou Bible School.
The official notice was dated as August 5, 2022 and cites the church’s school as being unregistered and conducting illegal activities without authorization.
In the past two weeks, there have been frequent public notices on unregistered churches. Many across the country have encountered varying degrees of persecution, including: Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church, Xi’an Church of Abundance, Ningxia Panshi Church, Beijing Shouwang Church, Beijing Zion Church, Jindengtang Church, Shanxi Linfen Covenant Jiayuan Church, Taiyuan Huancheng Reformed Church, Changchun Yangguangzhijia Reformed Church, and Yunnan Fugong County House Church. Some were raided during the Sunday services, and the congregation beaten and detained by the police. Churches, schools, and seminaries are all being banned and persecuted one after another.
The full translation of the official notice is as follows:
Official Notice on Banning “Wenzhou Bowen Bible School” and “Wenzhou Bible School” in accordance with the law
Release time 08/08/2022 Source: District Civil Affairs Bureau
Upon investigation, “Wenzhou Bowen Bible School” and “Wenzhou Bible School” have not been registered, and have been conducting activities in the name of social organizations and private non-enterprise units without authorization. They are illegal social organizations. Activities carried out in the name of private non-enterprise units are illegal. According to Article 32 of the “Regulations on the Registration and Administration of Social Organizations”, Article 27 of the “Interim Regulations on the Registration and Administration of Private Non-Enterprise Units” and Articles 2 and 9 of the “Interim Measures for Banning Illegal Civil Organizations” of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, this organ decides to ban “Wenzhou Bowen Bible School” and “Wenzhou Bible School”.
Special announcement
Lucheng District Civil Affairs Bureau
08/05/2022
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Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church prayed especially for Chinese house
churches in a Sunday public prayer on August 21, encouraging churches
that are being persecuted to be strong and courageous and stand firm in
the face of persecution.
One pastor said, “Lord, you have increased our
trial by fire. Please protect the churches so that we will not lose
heart or compromise in the trials of persecution. May we be able to
stand for truth, and be good witnesses for the gospel. Lord, we lift up
these churches that have been recently persecuted. Since they have
suffered before the other churches and have suffered more for Christ,
may God also give them more comfort in Christ. Help us all to also find
comfort in these sufferings. Lord, have mercy upon us. May the Chinese
churches continue to rely on the grace of the Cross to see clearly the
way of the Cross. Before a new wave of persecution comes, arm us with
the Holy Spirit so that we may fight for the Lord. We long for a new
revival!”