Pastor Bike and His Wife Detained, Then Released

ChinaAid
June 15, 2010
HENAN — Pastor Bike and his wife were detained at 5pm on June 13 after their bus was stopped at a highway while they were on their way to Jiangsu province from Henan to visit churches there. They were taken for interrogation to a hotel called Shiji Zhi Xing (literally “The Star of Century”) at Namyang city, Henan province.

Bike called a person familiar with his case from his detention hotel. He reported that he was being interrogated alone with his wife day and night since Sunday (Beijing time) by the provincial and City PSB officers. The main topic of the interrogation regarded his acceptance of foreign media interview and his ministry trip to Jiangsu province where a house church is about to be abolished.

Pastor Bike and his wife Xie Fenglan were freed from their soft detention at the hotel this morning at 10:30 a.m.

As the current and founding President of Chinese House Church Alliance (CHCA), Pastor Zhang Mingxuan “Bike” has been a primary target for religious persecution by the Chinese Government for more than 10 years. Pastor Bike and his wife are well-known for their travels throughout the provinces, regularly visiting member churches within the CHCA to help with training and spiritual growth. Pastor Zhang earned the nickname “Bike” from his renowned bicycle ministry, where he cycled throughout the countryside in Henan and throughout China, to share the Gospel. He has been detained and released repeatedly for the purposes of intimidating the church over the last few years. 

In 2009 alone, Pastor Bike was detained three times.  On March 21, 2009, he was arrested for a day, and his debit card containing 150,000 Yuan was confiscated.  It was returned on April 17, 2009.  On the morning of July 6, 2009 Pastor Bike and 50 other senior house church leaders were taken in a raid.  They were released that afternoon due to immediate international pressure.  From September 25 – October 4, 2009, Pastor Bike and his wife were taken on a “forced vacation” to lower the risk of unwanted trouble to the communist party during the National Day festivities.  They were put under house arrest in an undisclosed location, where all their movements were supervised. 

ChinaAid protests the actions of the government officials in detaining Pastor Bike and his wife again.  We are thankful for their safety and swift release.  ChinaAid encourages Christians worldwide to pray for continued encouragement of the Chinese house church amidst trials.
Previous Press Releases:
10/20/09 – The Vice-Grip on Linfen Church Tightens: Beijing Lawyer and Pastor Barred from Entering Shanxi
10/8/09 – Beijing Pastors “Bike” Zhang Mingxuan and Hua Huiqi Persevere During Crackdown
8/25/09 – Pastor Bike Forced to Vacate Home for National Celebration
7/6/09 – 50 House Church Leaders Arrested, Then Released After International Pressure
4/20/09 – PSB Officers Return 150,000 Yuan to Pastor Bike
4/07/09 – Pastor “Bike” Zhang Mingxuan Arrested; Police Confiscate More Than 150,000 Yuan