Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan province, has become the latest unregistered church network to be targeted by Chinese authorities, following major crackdowns on the Zion and Yayang church networks in October and December.
A coordinated police operation on 6 January saw several pastors, elders, deacons and other members of Early Rain Covenant Church detained in raids in the cities of Chengdu and Deyang, including acting church leader Elder Li Yingqiang and his wife Zhang Xinyue. China Aid reports that in most cases the authorities have not presented formal legal documents to the families and that charges and detention locations remain unclear.
As well as taking members into detention, local police targeted the Early Rain Academy, which provides teaching as part of Early Rain’s home education programme for members’ children. When police arrived at 9.00 am on 6 January the Academy immediately organised the evacuation of teachers and students; its landlord was later instructed to go to the police station and was informed that all items at the premises must be cleared out.
The Chinese authorities have targeted Early Rain Covenant Church because it wishes to be independent and refuses to register with the Religious Affairs Bureau or join the official, heavily-regulated Three-Self Church. Early Rain has come under severe persecution over many years, escalating to a huge crackdown in December 2018 when over 150 members were taken into custody, including Pastor Wang Yi who is serving a nine-year prison sentence.
Elder Li Yingqiang and Zhang Xinyue detained
Elder Li Yingqiang (pictured several years ago with Zhang Xinyue and their children), who is leading the church while Pastor Wang Yi is in prison, was taken from his home in Deyang on the morning of 6 January and his home was searched. Zhang Xinyue was also taken away and their two children (aged 14 and 11) were held overnight at a police station and later transferred to their maternal grandparents’ home. There are particular concerns for Zhang Xinyue as she has suffered from depression for a long time.
Elder Li’s parents-in-law have since had to move out of their home, which was reclaimed by their former work unit, and they have moved into the home of their daughter and Elder Li and are living there with the children.
On 8 January a video circulated online showing a message recorded in advance by Elder Li and Zhang Xinyue for their children, in which they say: “If one day you do not see Mom and Dad anymore, remember the hymn we sang together today.” They then sing a hymn that includes the lyrics, “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people.”
Before the 2018 crackdown on Early Rain Church, Elder Li also recorded a video in advance for his children, telling them, “God may be sending Dad on a long journey. You both must listen to Mom.” He was arrested in Chengdu in December 2018 and was released in August 2019 and returned to his hometown in Hubei. A year later he and his wife returned to Chengdu to continue serving the church and since then they have repeatedly faced police summonses and threats, forced relocation, detention and disconnection of water, electricity and gas.
Church members detained in new crackdown
Preacher Dai Zhichao was detained at the church office at 11 am on 6 January and brought to his home, which was searched, before being taken away. One of the few whose location is known, he is being detained at Deyang City Detention Centre.
Church member Ye Fenghua was taken away from his home, which was searched, on 6 January. His wife and child were left at home under surveillance, with restricted external communication.
A Christian man identified only as Lin is being detained at Zhongjiang Detention Centre in Deyang, while Deputy Deacon Jia Xuewei is unaccounted for.
Several members were detained for questioning and later released: Preacher Yan Hong was taken away at around 5 pm on 6 January and was later released and returned home; Deputy Deacon Zeng Qingtao was taken from his home at around 5 pm on 6 January – he had previously been confined to his residential compound, with a watch posted outside his home; Preacher Wu Wuqing was taken away at around 5 pm on 6 January and released at 11.30 pm; and church member Shu Qiong was detained at around 10 pm on 6 January for allegedly “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and was released at 6 am on 7 January.
Detentions continue
Early Rain Covenant Church reports that police have continued to take members away since the crackdown began and that others are under surveillance and restricted from leaving their homes. The church reports that families affected, especially spouses and children, are enduring “ongoing psychological and practical pressures”.
Police took away church member Song Haibing on 8 January, confiscated his work mobile phone and computer and placed him under administrative detention for ten days. His wife is not a member of Early Rain Church and she is reported to be “bearing immense psychological pressure alone“.
Also on 8 January, church member Chen Yunfei (pictured) was attacked in his residential community by an unidentified male who warned him not to post on X – his family said he had previously been warned not to speak out on X. He suffered multiple facial injuries, bleeding and swelling around the eye, and required four stitches above his eyebrow. Before Chen Yunfei became a member of the church he was imprisoned multiple times for criticising government authoritarianism.
Police took in church member Shu Qiong again for questioning on the morning of Sunday 11 January, for reasons including that it was Sunday and that a photo of a previous police summons notice had been uploaded to an overseas website. She was allowed home that afternoon. On the same day several other church members were under surveillance and restricted from leaving their homes, and community workers later visited or called to say they had received instructions to “verify their whereabouts daily” going forward.
Church call for prayer
On 15 January, Early Rain church issued a prayer letter in which it asked for prayer for:
- The detained and missing members including Elder Li Yingqiang and his wife Zhang Xinyue, Preacher Dai Zhichao, Brother Ye Fenghua, Deputy Deacon Jia Xuewei, Brother Lin and Brother Song Haibing. May the Lord grant transcendent peace and strength in prison so that they can experience Christ’s presence in injustice and darkness.
- The families and children of those detained. May the Lord remove fear, anxiety, and helplessness from their hearts and be their rock and comfort. Pray especially for those who have not yet believed in the Lord, asking the Lord to touch their hearts through this tribulation and lead them to the Saviour.
- The members of the church. May the Lord keep us in pure faith in persecution, love each other, be united with one heart, not confused by information blockage, and not afraid by persecution.
- The legal process. May the Lord open all closed doors and give wisdom and opportunity so that the relevant work can be carried forward in accordance with God’s will, rationally and legitimately, despite all obstacles. May the Lord reveal the truth and make justice roll like a river.
- Those in power. Lord have mercy on them, open their eyes, know the King of kings, make them do righteousness and stop persecution. As it is written: “Justice exalts the nations; sin is the disgrace of the people.” (Proverbs 14:34)
(Bitter Winter, China Aid)
Photos: China Aid