(Chengdu, Sichuan Province—March 8, 2021) During the morning of March 7, police raided the east campus of Chengdu Fountain of Life Church during the Sunday worship service. After disrupting the service, officers seized and transported Elder Zha Changping, his wife, and three other Christians to the police station. Authorities released the five believers after interrogating them throughout the afternoon.
Fountain of Life Church, one of the earliest founded urban house churches, belongs to the southwest parish with Early Rain Covenant Church. One former state security officer who converted to Christianity at this church, later resigned from his state job. During one Christmas event, this reporter witnessed the former police officer constantly weeping while singing hymns.
Elder Zha of Chengdu Fountain of Life Church, one of the first core leaders of Chinese house churches signing the Pastors’ Joint Statement Pastor Wang Yi launched, For the Sake of the Christian Faith, stands with pastors and ministers who hold an authentic faith and refuse to “kowtow”* to hegemony. Since the 129 crackdown, state security agents routinely target these believers and often pressure them during interrogations. In the past, police had summoned Elder Zha multiple times to interrogate him. The east campus of Fountain of Life Church, targeted for the March 7 raid, meets at Elder Zha’s home.
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