Chinese Authorities Raid Online Church Service, Force Pastors to Stop Preaching

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials reportedly raided a virtual church service in Guangdong Province that was meeting over Zoom.

Authorities forced Pastor Mao Zhibin and Elder Chu Yanqing with Shenzhen Trinity Gospel Harvest Church to stop preaching as other CCP officials enclosed on the church building, International Christian Concern reported.

The incident took place on July 11, nearly three months after a church member, Shi Minglei, also known as Hope, fled to the U.S. Hope was also attending the online worship service that was bombarded by authorities.

Shenzhen Trinity Gospel, which advocates for justice in China, has seen many protesters of the CCP join the young church since its founding just four years ago.

Ever since Pastor Mao and Elder Shen Ling started supporting Early Rain Covenant Church Pastor Wang Yi's "A Joint Statement by Pastors: A Declaration for the Sake of the Christian Faith," more church members have been targeted by CCP.

This comes shortly after the centenary of the CCP where pastors of China's Three-Self Churches were ordered to adjust their sermons to include parts of a speech made by President Xi Jinping on July 1.

Xi has ordered that all religions must "Sinicize" to ensure they are loyal to the officially atheistic party. China's Christians say it is the worst persecution against them since Chairman Mao Zedong.

The Chinese government continues to take steps toward removing religious materials from the hands of Christians as the Communist regime strives to eliminate the faith community.

As CBN News reported in May, the communist government has taken Christian WeChat accounts offline. 

Users received the following message when they attempt to gain access:

"(We) received report that (this account) violates the 'Internet User Public Account Information Services Management Provisions' and its account has been blocked and suspended."

Additionally, Bible Apps have been eliminated from China's App Store and hard copy versions are no longer able to be purchased online. 

Last year, hundreds of crosses were removed from church buildings in just one province over a period of four months.

China is ranked 17th on Open Doors' 2021 World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution.

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