For the Martyrs is a nonprofit organization that strives to raise awareness for worldwide Christian persecution. Their event this weekend took place on the streets of D.C., with Christians from every denomination carrying signs like “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church”.  Twelve speakers, including Bob Fu, made an appearance at the conference after the march.

“President Xi, essentially, launched a war against the cross of Jesus,” Fu remarked. He detailed how Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials have demolished and burned thousands of crosses over the past several years, and how the government requires state-sanctioned churches to sing CCP anthems before worship. Authorities also prohibit bookstores from selling the Bible and children from attending church.

Fu mentioned many instances of persecution against church leaders, including Pastor Zhang Wenying, Wang Yi, and John Cao. These individuals have been sentenced to 12, nine, and seven years respectively for their “illegal” religious activity. Zhang Wenying was charged with “business fraud” for having an offering box in her house church. Officials imprisoned Wang Yi for “subversion of State power” because of his open letter calling for Xi Jinping’s salvation. John Cao was sentenced to seven years for crossing the Myanmar-Chinese border to build schools.

The only photo of Wang Yi in prison, strapped to a tiger chair (Photo: ChinaAid)

However, Fu asserted the hope of the persecuted: “How can anyone, any political party, any institution, any government defeat the church of the living God?” He summarized the story of Cheng Wensheng, a former mafia boss who fell in love with the Gospel. Cheng Wensheng brought a banner with John 3:16 to a marketplace on New Year’s Day. Authorities arrested and detained him for a week, but he used that opportunity to share Jesus with his cellmates.

Cheng Wensheng outside the detention center (Photo: ChinaAid)

“The persecuted church is not a self-pitying church,” Fu said. “They are a joyful church. They are a defined church. They are a fighting church.” Fu concluded with a quote from Pastor Wang Yi: