Release International

More than 11 leaders of a large church in Shanxi province are waiting for officials to decide whether they will face prosecution for 'illegal' church activities.

The leaders of the Fushan Church in Linfen city have been held since September 25, soon after much of their church compound was destroyed in a night-time attack by 400 police and officials (Prayer Alert, October 6, 2009). Dozens of Christians who were staging a 'sleep-in' at the compound were seriously hurt in the raid.

The Religious Affairs Bureau for Huozhou has reportedly decided that the church is 'legitimate' – but the Fushan government has accused the church leadership of 'gross violations and law-breaking actions'. They are reportedly focusing their investigation on Senior Pastor Wang Xiaoguang and his wife Yang Rongli.

The central Government has reportedly ordered 'all relevant government agencies' to prepare to use military force against any Christians who might react to the attack on the Fushan Church. Military police have been posted outside the church since September 26.

Release partner China Aid says that 'more than 30 daughter churches in nearby townships' have been banned from meeting.

Meanwhile, Pastor 'Bike' Mingxuan, head of the Chinese House Church Alliance, has been freed after spending a 'forced vacation' with his wife in Henan, courtesy of the Beijing authorities (Prayer Alert, October 6, 2009). The couple were detained from September 23 to October 4 apparently to keep them out of Beijing for the Communist Party's 60th anniversary celebrations earlier this month. There has been no news about another prominent Beijing pastor, Hua Huiqi, detained and removed from the city on September 17.

(Sources: BosNewsLife, China Aid, Compass Direct)

• Pray that the leaders of Fushan Church will be released and all charges against them dropped. Pray that this church will continue to thrive.
• Thank God that Pastor Bike and his wife are now free. Pray for the release of Pastor Hua.

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