October 26, 2017
China
wasn’t kidding. For the Colson Center, I’m John Stonestreet with The Point.
Last month the Chinese government announced new crackdowns
on religion in order to, so they say, fight extremism and protect national
security.
A
house church pastor, her daughter, and her toddler grandson have been arrested
for singing and preaching in a public park. No one knows their whereabouts.
According
to Christianity Today, local officials are already cracking down in several
areas around the country, even though these new regulations don’t go into effect
until February. In one province, authorities are warning Christian parents not
to send their kids to Christian summer camps or even to Sunday school.
Missionaries are being expelled “in record numbers.” And virtually all religious
activities—publishing, accepting donations, religious education—are coming under
intense scrutiny.
Eric
Metaxas and I have told you before that within the next couple of decades, China
is on track to have the world’s largest population of Christians.
But
it’s clear that this miraculous growth of the Church there will be accompanied
by severe growing pains. So please, pray for the Church in
China.
