Anyone following the news today is aware of significant changes to Chinese society. The paranoid leaders of China have implemented a draconian, all-pervasive surveillance of the Chinese population. Video cameras are ubiquitous, capturing the normal routines of the average citizen in overlapping grids. Even churches are required to have cameras. The peer pressure of social media is then used to target and humiliate people publicly.
The Communist government is also pushing hard for what they call the “Sinicization” of religion; that is, all religion must be conformed to the Han Chinese culture. That, obviously, excludes biblical Christianity. Refusal to bow to the government authorities means closure of church and even demolition of buildings.
A recent, high-profile case involves the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu. Late last year its pastor was arrested, members were interrogated, social media accounts were closed, and books and other items were confiscated. The authorities outlawed the church, the church’s elementary school, and its divinity school.
The authorities outlawed the church, the church’s elementary school, and its divinity school.
According to the latest report, 25 church members have been detained so far. Of the 15 who have been criminally detained, Pastor Wang Yi and his wife were arrested for allegedly “inciting subversion of state power;” the other 13 (elders, deacons, or members) were detained for “illegal business operation” or “provoking disturbances.” Seven have disappeared and three have been given administrative detention.
Further, Shouwang Church, which is an influential Beijing church, was accused of refusing to register with the government as a “social organization” and subsequently closed on March 23, 2019. All of its subsidiary organizations were also closed, and the church’s possessions were confiscated.1
With this developing situation, our twice weekly Mandarin language broadcasts to China become all the more important. The Chinese government has blocked many internet sites and also severely curtailed the use of social media.
Radio is an effective tool they cannot easily block or censor!
But radio is an effective tool they cannot easily block or censor! Because China censors all domestic broadcasts, Christian programming is beamed into the country from the free world via shortwave transmitters. It is almost the only way Chinese people can access media that hasn’t been filtered by the government. Our broadcasts share the message of salvation and also teach the “all things” that Jesus commanded us to teach.
The annual cost for the two weekly broadcasts of New Hope in Mandarin is nearly $12,000.00. Each weekly broadcast costs approximately $115.00. There is a potential listening audience of many millions. Over half of China’s 1.4 billion people understand the Mandarin language.
We have one church that contributes $250.00 per month and several individuals who give to this specific need periodically. So, we are looking for churches or individuals who will step forward to help us with a monthly gift for the Mandarin language broadcasts.
Is God prompting you to help with this need? If so, or if you have questions, please contact Bob Kauffman at [email protected] or call him at 440-313-8408.
J. Mark Horst
Sources: https://chinachange.org/tag/early-rain-church/
1 https://www.chinaaid.org/2019/03/police-close-shouwang-church.html