China Arrests Christian Leaders in Latest Crackdown on Underground Churches

The Chinese Communist Party continues to reveal its true nature hostile to freedom, intolerant of faith, and willing to imprison those who dare defy its authoritarian grip. This week, the regime escalated its war on Christianity by arresting at least seven members of the Early Rain Covenant Church, a well-known underground church in Chengdu. The message from the CCP is unmistakable: Worship outside the state’s control, and you’ll pay the price.

These arrests are just the latest salvo in a campaign that began long before 2024. The Chinese government has targeted unregistered churches for years, but under Xi Jinping’s iron-fisted leadership, the pace and severity have grown more aggressive.

Among those detained are Elder Li Yingqiang and preacher Dai Zhichao. Authorities raided their homes, dragged them from the church office, and shipped them off to detention centers. Others rounded up include church elders, deacons, and even families all for the “crime” of gathering to worship.

Let’s be clear:

• The Early Rain Covenant Church has already suffered brutal repression since 2018. Its lead pastor, Wang Yi, was sentenced to nine years in prison for “subverting the government” a charge often used to silence dissent.

• The church-run school, Early Rain Academy, was forced to evacuate as police pressured the building’s owner to shut it down immediately.

• A woman, Shu Qiong, was arrested simply for allegedly “disturbing” the police just another excuse to terrorize believers.

And it doesn’t stop at arrests. According to Corey Jackson of the Luke Alliance, Chinese security forces are now pressuring pastors during “tea sessions,” warning them to either register their churches with the state or face imprisonment. Authorities have declared that house churches are on the verge of total prohibition. Even online services must be registered and monitored. Teaching children about Christianity? That too is under fire because nothing frightens communists more than faith passed down through generations.

While the Biden administration remains silent on China’s rising religious persecution, conservatives must demand more. We are witnessing the systematic dismantling of religious freedom in the world’s most populated nation. It’s time to confront the brutal truth: China is not just a trading partner it is a regime engaged in some of the worst human rights abuses of the 21st century.

• Over one million Uyghur Muslims remain detained in “reeducation camps.”

• Religious sites across China, from churches to mosques, have been bulldozed or converted into propaganda centers.

• China ranks 16th on the Open Doors World Watch List for Christian persecution, above nations like Saudi Arabia and even Iran.

This is not just a Chinese issue it’s a human issue. And it demands a response. A strong, principled America would not turn a blind eye. Under President Trump, we saw boldness in calling out China for its crimes. That’s the leadership we need again.

Christianity has survived centuries of persecution. It will survive the CCP. But the free world cannot afford to sit on the sidelines.

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