Lost In the Prairies.....Found by God

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Colossians 1:9 NIV84

(Source: China Aid Association

Please pray that this amazing witness and joy will reach the hearts of unbelievers throughout the region and nation, drawing many to Christ.

Please pray that the Shouwang Church will soon be provided with a safe indoor venue for their worship.

Pray that government officials will respect religious freedom in China.

House church leader sentenced to labour camp in China

The deputy chairman of the Chinese House Church Alliance, Pastor Shi Enhao, has been sentenced to two years of "re-education through labour," an extra-judicial punishment that is handed out by police and requires no trial or conviction of a crime. He has been charged with "illegal meetings and illegal organizing of venues for religious meetings." This charge stems from the fact that Pastor Shi's large house church of several thousand members meets in various different sites around the city.

Meanwhile, the police's Domestic Security Protection Department has ordered Pastor Shi's church to stop meeting and has confiscated the congregation's car, musical instruments, choir robes and 140,000 Yuan (approximately $20,900 CAD) in donations.

Please pray the Lord will protect and sustain Pastor Shi, his family and his congregation.

Pray they will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in their faith, and not grow weary or lose heart (Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-3).

Pray for Pastor Shi's release and, in the meantime, that he will have opportunities to share the gospel in prison.

For the sixth straight week, members of Shouwang Church in Beijing, China, have faced opposition from authorities for trying to hold outdoor Sunday worship. On May 15, Beijing police rounded up about 20 church members and roughly 100 church members were confined to their homes to prevent their going to the outdoor worship site. By noon, a few of those taken into police custody were released. Some of the church's leaders, however, including its pastors and elders, have been under extra-judicial house arrest since April 9, the day before the first outdoor worship attempt.

Christians throughout China are advocating for their brothers and sisters belonging to the Shouwang Church, one of Beijing's largest underground churches. The leaders of 17 unofficial Christian churches in China recently appealed to political leaders to protect their right to worship. A petition, addressed to the National People's Congress chairman, has been delivered to parliament, demanding an investigation into the treatment of church members.

Pray for continued resilience of faith for members of the Shouwang Church. Thank the Lord for the many believers willing to stand in solidarity with these suffering believers.

Pray that Chinese authorities will be moved by the witness of Christ's Body and come to justly respect religious freedom.

Pray that the Church in China will continue to show the light of God's love and truth and remain strong amid opposition.

(Source: ChinaAid Association)

Chinese authorities recently raided a home in Shaanxi Province where believers were gathered for Sunday worship. On March 13, a dozen Christians were attending a house-church service in the village of Ma'an when the local police chief and two other officers barged into the building. The officers confiscated Bibles and other Christian literature. They also took all of the believers into police custody. Ten of the Christians were released that same evening. At last report, however, two believers--Weng and Zhang Yongkuan--remain detained.

Pray for the release of the two detained Christians.

Pray that believers in the village will not lose heart but will trust the Lord in all things.

Pray for wisdom for area church leaders in the midst of opposition.

Pray that authorities in China will truly respect the religious freedom of all citizens.

A church building was recently demolished in Tinghu district, Jiangsu province, China. On November 19, Chengnan Church -- that belongs to the Three-Self Patriotic Movement and is legally registered with the government -- was destroyed on orders of the local government. The demolition came as a surprise, as registered churches in China do not typically face the same intensity of persecution from the government as non-registered churches. In response to the situation, ChinaAid President Bob Fu said, "While the government's powerful backhoes can destroy church buildings, they can never destroy the faith in the hearts and souls of believers. No one can stop the vigorous growth of the church in China. The Cross will surely be hoisted high in China by the glory of God and the sickle and ax will surely fall in shame."

Pray for the members of this church, as they are now without a building in which to hold worship.

Pray that, despite the loss of their building, they will be reassured of their lasting and more precious inheritance (Hebrews 10:36, 37).

Pray that the Word of God will continue to be declared with clarity, boldness, love and power by all believers in China.