February
19, 2016
Please pray for our brothers and sisters in China where a
prominent house church is experiencing intense persecution.
Several leaders of Huoshi Church in Guìyang city, south-west China, are
currently detained, including Pastor Yang Hua, and church services have been
banned.
Pastor Yang’s wife, Wang Hongwu, has written an open letter describing
the church’s plight and calling for prayer.
She says pastors and members have been detained and beaten and the church
has been barred from its meeting place. No more than 20 people are allowed to
attend prayer groups.
Pastor Yang, who has significant health problems including a form of
arthritis, was detained in December and formally charged with ‘divulging state
secrets’ on January 22.
Zhang Xiuhong, who oversees the church’s deacons, has been in detention
since July on suspicion of ‘theft’. Another pastor, Su Tianfu, is currently
under 24-hour surveillance after being released on bail. Two other Christians
connected with the church are also in custody.. Release
Int.
