Religious Liberty Prayer List - No. 180 - Tue 06 Aug 2002 ------------------------------------- CHINA: IMPRISONED BELIEVERS SUFFERING -------------------------------------

While Chinese leaders talk of reform, Chinese Christians continue to suffer persecution under the 'evil cult' law. Three unregistered Catholic priests, Fathers Wang, Ma and Pang, were sentenced under the 'evil cult' law on 7 July for 'disturbing the peace of society'. All three are now in a labour camp. As Joseph Kung, the President of the Cardinal Kung Foundation points out, "It makes a mockery of the 'religious freedom' clause in the Chinese constitution."

The South China Church (SCC) is an unregistered evangelical house church of about 50,000 believers spread across ten provinces of China. In April 2001, the government branded the SCC an 'evil cult' and intensified its persecution of the church.

Xiqiu (Bob) Fu is the co-editor along with Shixiong Li of "Religion and National Security in China: Secret documents from China's security sector" which was released in February 2002. He says that since the crackdown on the SCC began, five members have been sentenced to death, and over 200 of the SCC leaders have been arrested, receiving sentences ranging from one year to life imprisonment. More than 500 of the SCC's full-time evangelists have lost their homes with all their properties confiscated, and thousands of ordinary believers have been beaten, received short- term detention, and been heavily fined.

Bob Fu reports on the present condition of the imprisoned SCC believers: "The trial for SCC is going to be closed to the media and all outsiders. The prison has them in shackles that are cutting into their skin. One ... is cut so deeply that you can almost see his wrist bone. They have been malnourished and fed very little, so that their ability to comprehend their surroundings is deteriorating." Bob Fu testifies that Pastor Gong (47), the founder and leader of the SCC, is a compassionate evangelical Chinese Christian leader who is on death-row for the sake of the gospel.

We must pray that as China reforms its economy, it also reforms socially. There are grounds for optimism but this is ultimately a spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:12

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* the faith, hope and courage of the persecuted and imprisoned SCC believers to remain strong, and that they may be blessed with a strong sense of God's presence and love.

"And I am convinced nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom 8:38,39.

* strength for all Christians in prisons and labour camps in China, for their witness, and also for the families they leave behind.

* China to open up, reform its policies regarding religion, and grant more freedom to the Church; for President Jiang Zemin and his probable successor Hu Jintao.

* Satan's stranglehold on Communist Asia to be broken. "For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ------------------------------------------------------------------- IMPRISONED BELIEVERS SUFFERING IN CHINA

Christians in China suffer under the "evil cult" law. It was used to sentence three Catholic priests to labour camp in early July. The South China Church (SCC), an evangelical house church of some 50,000 believers, has been severely persecuted since it was labelled an "evil cult" in April 2001. Many SCC believers, including Pastor Gong (47), its founder and leader, are presently in prison and suffering terribly. It is reported, "The prison has them in shackles that are cutting into their skin. One ... is cut so deeply that you can almost see his wrist bone. They have been malnourished and fed very little, so that their ability to comprehend their surroundings is deteriorating." Please pray for imprisoned believers and for China to reform its religion laws.

---------------------

FOR YOUR PRAYER DIARY

Monday 12 August 2002 will see the resumption of two lots of highly significant talks:

1) the IGAD Peace Talks to discuss a ceasefire and other issues pertaining to peace in Sudan.

2) North and South Korea will meet to resume Reunification Talks.

Both of these are of great consequence to our suffering brothers and sisters.

* Please be praying now that God will prepare the hearts and minds of all involved, and pray for his presence, power and will to be manifest in both discussions.

---------------------------------------------------- Previous RLPs may be viewed at http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/rlc/ If you downloaded this message from a website or it was forwarded to you, you may receive future editions by sending an empty e-mail to <>

Please send this RLP to others, with attribution to World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty Prayer List <> ----------------------------------------------------

The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray specifically and regularly for religious liberty issues, and in particular to uphold the Church where it is suffering persecution.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.