(Wenshui County, Shanxi Province) At noon on September 28, Niu Yunjie, a Christian from a house church in Wenshui County, was taken away by police officers. They decided to give him administrative detention for “participating in secret societies,” but he refused to confess.
In the evening, authorities released Brother Niu on bail because the detention center was full. Detention officials collected his fingerprints and interrogated him about Wenshui House Church and his fellow believers. Brother Niu refused to give any answers.
Many Christians attend house churches instead of the government-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Church. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) labels these house churches as “secret societies” or “cults” to arrest Christians. Dr. David A. Palmer, professor of the Department of Sociology at the University of Hong Kong, wrote that the term ‘cult’ is one of the means the Chinese government uses to control Christianity and to weaken churches.
Recently, CCP officials have persecuted house churches in Shanxi Province. Five Christians were detained in the last five months on fabricated charges. The families of these Christians confirmed the CCP repeatedly asked them to join the Three-Self Church before anyone was arrested.
Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church posted the following in a prayer request letter:
Brothers and Sisters, please pray for Brother Niu Yunjie as he is undergoing such a difficult time. Please pray that God protects His church!
~ Yu Bing, ChinaAid Special Reporter