2025 Report

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简体中文

English

简体中文

Chapter 2: Regional Observations and Typical Cases ​

This chapter turns its gaze to the vast geographical map of China. From December 2024 to November 2025, the flames of persecution against house churches have spread from central cities to the hinterlands and border regions. On one hand, authorities maintain high pressure in traditional strongholds; on the other, they are testing new suppression methods in previously "peripheral" areas, creating a situation of "model crackdowns + nationwide coordinated replication" across the entire map.

This chapter organizes representative cases by geographical region, focusing on three levels:

  • Regional Differences: Variations in policy enforcement and suppression intensity across different areas.
  • Model Cases: "Model cases" that serve as demonstrations for the whole country (e.g., the Hohhot "Bible Case").
  • Churches and Families: The specific pressures endured and responses made within local contexts.

The end of this chapter features several "Special Topics" that provide more complete narratives of key cases such as the Beijing "10.9 Zion Case," the Golden Lampstand and Covenant Home cases in Linfen, Shanxi, and the Ganquan case in Hefei, Anhui.

North China: Beijing, Shanxi, and Inner Mongolia ​

As the political center and its periphery, North China has always been a "key control area" for religious management. In 2024–2025, persecution in this region presented two distinct characteristics:

  1. Implementation of "nationwide coordinated liquidation" against iconic urban churches (Beijing Zion Church).
  2. Implementation of a war of attrition involving "long-term detention + heavy sentencing" against established local house churches (two major churches in Linfen).

The suppression in North China includes both high-profile major cases and cases that are slowly "ground down" within the judicial system, serving as an important window for observing the overall trend of persecution.

Beijing: Zion Church and the Trial of the "Urban Church 3.0" Model ​

As one of the largest house churches in the capital, Beijing Zion Church was banned as early as 2018 for refusing to install official surveillance cameras, after which it shifted to a model combining scattered small groups with online pastoral care. This event was seen as an early landmark case of the authorities' forceful push for the "Sinicization of religion," and the church's refusal to compromise made it a priority target for surveillance. The so-called "Urban Church 3.0" refers to a cross-regional network that starts in a central city and uses the internet to plant churches and train disciples in multiple cities nationwide.

The "10.9 Zion Case" that erupted in mid-October 2025 marks that authorities no longer tolerate the existence of such cross-city networks and are attempting to "thoroughly ban" them through coordinated criminal cases.

In terms of specific actions, police are no longer satisfied with banning venues or short-term detentions but are employing new charges like "illegal use of information networks" to characterize routine pastoral activities such as online sermons, discipleship training, and prayer meetings as criminal offenses. Simultaneous actions by public security in Beijing, Shanghai, East China, and South China highlight a "nationwide chess game" mode of coordinated suppression[1].

For more complete case details, legal charges, and the situation of families, see "Special Topic 1: Beijing '10.9 Zion Case'" in this chapter.

Linfen, Shanxi: Covenant Home Church—The Family Cost of Long-Term Detention ​

Linfen Covenant Home Church in Shanxi is one of the typical house church groups in North China. Since the church was raided in August 2022, Preachers Li Jie and Han Xiaodong, along with coworker Brother Wang Qiang, were successively arrested and detained for a long time on charges of "fraud."

In 2025, the case went through a long and tortuous judicial process:

  • Pre-trial Meeting and Trial: A pre-trial meeting was held on February 18-19, and the trial formally opened on May 8. On the day of the trial, authorities deployed a large police force for security. The public gallery was filled with government-arranged personnel, while Li Jie's wife Li Shanshan, mother Zhang Ruxin, and two children were forcibly taken away and detained by special police, unable to attend the trial.
  • Verdict: On June 20, the first-instance verdict was announced. Li Jie and Han Xiaodong were both sentenced to 3 years and 8 months in prison and fined 30,000 yuan; Wang Qiang was sentenced to 1 year and 11 months and fined 20,000 yuan. This verdict severely exceeded the sentencing consensus of "around three years" reached by the prosecution, defense, and court during the trial.
  • Second Instance and Transfer to Prison: On August 15, the second instance upheld the original verdict. In October, Han Xiaodong was transferred to Yongji Prison in Yuncheng, Shanxi, and Li Jie was transferred to Taiyuan No. 2 Prison.

During the long detention and trial, families endured immense persecution. Li Shanshan, Han Xiaodong's wife Chen Ying, and Wang Qiang's wife Wen Huijuan faced repeated forced evictions by landlords under pressure from authorities, even being required to move while pregnant and trying to maintain the pregnancy. Authorities also subjected families to round-the-clock surveillance, tracking, and filming, and even harassed them by knocking on doors in the middle of the night, seriously affecting the physical and mental health of the elderly and children[2].

Linfen, Shanxi: Golden Lampstand Church—From Blasting the Church to Heavily Sentencing Leaders ​

The experience of Golden Lampstand Church is a microcosm of the house church facing the state apparatus in North China and even the whole country. Since some leaders were sentenced in 2009 and the new church building was forcibly demolished with explosives in 2018, the church has been under long-term high pressure. The blasting operation in 2018, which shocked China and the world, not only destroyed the physical building but also attempted to physically erase the public existence of the house church. However, the church did not dissipate but went underground to persist in gathering. In 2021, multiple leaders were arrested again for "fraud." In 2025, in the first-instance verdict:

  • Preacher Yang Rongli was sentenced to 15 years in prison and is currently serving time in Taiyuan No. 3 Prison;
  • Pastor Wang Xiaoguang was sentenced to 9 years and 7 months, serving time in Jincheng Prison;
  • Brother Li Shuangping (9 years and 2 months, Qinshui Prison), Sister Huo Zhuangping (5 years and 5 months, Yuci Prison), Sister Zhao Guoai (5 years and 4 months, Taiyuan No. 5 Prison), and other coworkers received heavy sentences.
  • In addition, Sister Li Qin (5 years and 7 months) and Sister Feng Junying (4 years and 10 months) were imprisoned after the second instance, detained in Taiyuan No. 3 Prison and Yuci Prison respectively[3].

This unprecedentedly heavy sentencing pushes the criminal crackdown on house churches to a new height. Together with the Covenant Home case, the Golden Lampstand case constitutes a North China model of a "war of attrition using fraud charges as a weapon."

Taiyuan, Shanxi: Xuncheng Reformed Church "10.12 Case" ​

Just three days after the "10.9 Zion Case," on October 12, 2025, the Sunday worship of Xuncheng (Zion City) Reformed Church in Taiyuan, Shanxi, was raided by police. This was no accident but part of a nationwide wave of suppression.

On that day, Preacher An Yankui, Brother Zhang Chenghao, Brother Zhao Weikai, Brother Zhang Fengbo, Brother Liu Baofu, Brother Wang Yingjie, as well as Sister Wang Ying, Sister Wang Shufang, Sister Song Xiaohong, Sister Xu Cuili, and Sister Dong Wei, who was breastfeeding, totaling 11 people, were taken away by police and given 15 days of administrative detention[4].

This case highlights several noteworthy features:

  1. Political Timing: Following closely after the "10.9 Zion Case," it shows that October was a peak period for nationwide suppression, with synchronized liquidation actions against house churches in multiple places;
  2. Disregard for Breastfeeding Women: Sister Dong Wei was in the lactation period and should have received special protection under legal and humanitarian principles, yet she was forcibly detained, showing the ruthlessness of law enforcement;
  3. Collective Detention: All 11 people were detained for 15 days, the maximum administrative detention period, intended to deter the church community.

Hohhot, Inner Mongolia: The "Bible Case" and Publication Control ​

In 2021, a typical case targeting the circulation of Christian publications occurred in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. Nine local Christians were charged with "illegal business operations" for subsidizing and reselling Bibles on a non-profit basis.

The crux of this case lies in the authorities forcibly characterizing the non-profit distribution of Bibles among believers as "illegal business operations" that disturb market order. On September 5, 2025, the second instance upheld the original verdict. Although some involved, such as Yang Zhijun, Wang Jiale, and Liu Minna, were released within the year after serving their sentences, the main figure, Wang Honglan, is not expected to be released until February 2026[5].

This case reaffirms the strict red line of authorities' control over religious publications: any circulation of Christian books or audio-visual products outside official channels, even for internal use or non-profit distribution, may violate criminal law.

Northeast China: From Periphery to the Eye of the Storm ​

Northeast China (Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang) was often considered "relatively peripheral" in previous persecution narratives. However, the situation in 2025 shows that authorities have fully covered the Northeast with their suppression network, and extreme measures such as large-scale use of torture and cross-city coordinated arrests have appeared in the region. Persecution in the Northeast presents three significant characteristics:

  1. Systematic Use of Torture: Clear records of torture to extract confessions exist in multiple cases;
  2. Large-Scale Application of "Cult Crimes": Using Article 300 of the Criminal Law against orthodox house church networks;
  3. Parallel Administrative Bans and Criminal Suppression: Civil affairs departments and public security systems fighting in coordination.

Shenyang, Liaoning: Celtic Fellowship—Four Arrests and the Shadow of Torture ​

The Celtic Fellowship (sometimes referred to as Celtic Church) in Shenyang, Liaoning, is an urban house church rooted in Northeast China, affiliated with the Liaoning Pastoral Area of the Way of Life Church, and is one of the targets of the Chinese government's recent concentrated crackdown. From June to September 2025, the church experienced four arrest operations, becoming one of the most tragic cases in the Northeast this year[6].

First Arrest (June 28): Pastor Ming Dao and Brother Wang Xiangchao, Brother Shao Huaxuan, Sister Liu, and Sister Gu were arrested for "using a cult organization to undermine the implementation of the law." It was later revealed that Pastor Ming Dao suffered torture during detention.

Second Arrest (July 2): More believers were arrested, and many also suffered torture to extract confessions. Families learned that detainees were beaten, deprived of sleep for long periods, and forced to maintain fixed postures in the detention center.

Third Arrest (September 26): Brother Wang Xiangchao, Brother Shao, Sister Liu, and Sister Gu, who had been released on bail pending trial, were arrested again on the same charge. Wang Xiangchao's wife, Sister Enmei, was also listed as a suspect and released on bail after coercive measures were taken.

Fourth Arrest (September 30): Pastor Ming Dao's wife, Mrs. Hua Zhao, was arrested.

This series of arrests shows several characteristics:

  • Repeated Arrests, Manufacturing Fear: Arresting again after bail keeps believers in long-term uncertainty and fear;
  • Implicating Families: The pastor's wife was also included as a target;
  • Torture for Confession: Obtaining so-called "confessions" through physical torture seriously violates legal procedures.

As of the writing of this report, those involved are still in detention, and lawyers face great difficulties in meeting them.

Multiple Locations in Liaoning: The Way of Life Church (All Ranges Church)—Cross-City Coordinated Liquidation ​

The Way of Life Church (also known as "All Ranges Church" or "Born Again Movement") is a house church network with meeting points in multiple provinces across the country. In 2025, authorities launched a large-scale liquidation campaign against this church in Liaoning.

July 6, 2025: Members of the Way of Life Church in Shenyang, Dalian, Benxi, and other places in Liaoning were arrested simultaneously, including at least 5 pastors, all charged with "using a cult organization to undermine the implementation of the law."

August 4, 2025: Arrest operations in Liaoning and Suizhou, Hubei, expanded further. Within Liaoning, believers in Shenyang, Dalian, and Benxi were charged with "using a cult," indicating this was a cross-provincial suppression action uniformly deployed at the central level[7].

It is worth noting that the theological stance of the Way of Life Church is evangelical, emphasizing the holiness of believers' lives and the universal mission of the church. The authorities characterized it as a "cult" mainly because:

  1. The church is not registered officially;
  2. The church network is distributed across provinces and is seen as an "underground organization";
  3. The church emphasizes the "Three-Fold Vision" (Evangelization of China, Kingdomization of the Church, Christianization of Culture), which is considered to have "political tendencies."

This case echoes the "All Ranges Church" case in Nyingchi, Tibet, marking that authorities are systematically eliminating this church network nationwide.

Meihekou, Jilin: Administrative Ban on Smyrna Christian Church and Banner Christian Church ​

On August 28, 2025, Smyrna Christian Church and Banner Christian Church in Meihekou, Jilin, were banned by the Meihekou Civil Affairs Bureau as "illegal social organizations." Although this case did not directly involve criminal arrests, it demonstrates another suppression path adopted by authorities in the Northeast: Administrative Ban + Social Stigmatization[8].

The announcement by the civil affairs department characterized the churches as "unregistered illegal organizations" and warned the public "not to participate in their activities." The consequences of this approach are:

  • The church loses any legitimacy for public activities;
  • Believers face pressure and interrogation at workplaces and in communities;
  • It paves the way for subsequent criminal suppression.

Nationwide, civil affairs departments in multiple provinces (such as Zhejiang, Hebei, Inner Mongolia) issued similar ban announcements in 2025, showing that this is a new strategy being promoted across the country.

Central China: Henan, Hubei, and Hunan ​

Central China (mainly referring to provinces like Henan, Hubei, and Hunan) is a stronghold of traditional house churches, with a large base of believers and strong organizational capacity. The authorities' strategy in this region focuses more on "cutting off funding chains" and "striking at intergenerational inheritance." Typical manifestations include:

  • Focusing on offering finances, frequently prosecuting pastors and elders for "fraud" (for details on how "fraud" is constructed as an economic control tool against the church, see Chapter 3, Section 3.1);
  • Treating Sunday schools, parent-child fellowships, and other children's ministries as "high-risk activities" with zero tolerance;
  • Using means like "rewards for reporting" to push family gatherings into a more hidden state.

Henan and Hunan: "Invisible Persecution" under Daily Control ​

In Henan, local governments launched a "rewards for reporting" mechanism, encouraging the public to report unregistered religious activities. In April 2025, Song County issued an announcement including family gatherings and posting scriptures in the scope of reporting, significantly exacerbating distrust among neighbors and forcing many family gatherings further underground.

In Hunan, Hengyang preacher Chen Wensheng has been administratively detained and criminally punished multiple times for persisting in street evangelism. In April 2025, just days after his release from prison, he was taken away again for preaching on the street. This cyclical law enforcement model intends to make gospel outreach fall into a predicament of "being intercepted as soon as one goes out" through frequent harassment and detention[9].

These cases illustrate that even if not presented in the form of major cases, daily control in Central China constitutes substantial suppression of faith practice.

East China: Tightening Space and "Full Coverage" Control ​

East China (such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, etc.) is economically developed, and house churches once had relatively more space for public or semi-public activities. However, in 2024–2025, this region faced an upgrade to "full coverage, zero tolerance" control.

Zhejiang and Shanghai: The Survival Dilemma of Urban Churches ​

In areas like Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou, the first half of the year became a typical zone for religious suppression. Most medium and large house churches were forced to lose fixed meeting spaces, facing immense pressure to "break into small groups" and "scatter." Authorities used comprehensive means of "landlord pressure + fire inspections + community talks," making it difficult for churches to maintain gatherings of more than 50 people.

In Wenzhou, Zhejiang, Pastor Huang Yizi was quickly arrested on suspicion of "illegal business operations," showing authorities' targeted elimination of influential pastoral personnel.

Hefei, Anhui: Ganquan Church—"Fraud" and Procedural Injustice ​

Hefei Ganquan Church is a house church refused registration by the government, with a history of twenty years. On November 30, 2023, Pastor Zhou Songlin and Elder Ding Zhongfu were arrested over church offerings and subsequently charged with "fraud." As of now, the two pastors, over sixty years old, have been detained for two full years, and no verdict has been announced months after the trial ended, seriously violating the statutory trial time limit[1:1].

The case was tried for 8 days from May 26-28 and July 16-24, 2025. On the last day of the trial, the statements of the two pastors moved many in the courtroom (including bailiffs) to tears. However, the trial process exposed serious judicial injustice:

  • Conviction by Offering: The prosecution recharacterized funds voluntarily offered by believers for faith as "proceeds of fraud" and prolonged the litigation cycle through multiple returns for supplementary investigation and delayed hearings;
  • Intimidating Witnesses: Personnel from communities and sub-district offices intimidated believers preparing to testify in court on a large scale, threatening to "affect their children's future";
  • Kidnapping "Victims": Most shockingly, a believer listed by the prosecution as a "victim" but prepared to defend the pastor was forcibly kidnapped and taken away by unidentified personnel at the court gate on the day of the trial, with on-site bailiffs turning a blind eye;
  • Procedural Black Hole: In the pre-trial meeting, the prosecution gave irrelevant answers to key questions, and defense lawyers' rights to review files and ask questions were repeatedly restricted.

The Ganquan case highlights the judicial chaos of "convict first, find evidence later" and reveals that once a house church is labeled with "illegal fundraising" or "fraud," it is almost impossible to receive a fair trial within the existing system (see "Special Topic 3" in this chapter for details).

Bengbu, Anhui: Living Stone Reformed Church Case ​

Although geographically often classified under East or Central China, the Bengbu Living Stone Reformed Church case holds significant meaning in 2025. Brother Wan Changchun, Elder Xue Shaoqiang, and two others were initially charged with "illegal business operations," later changed to "fraud." In January 2025, although some coworkers were released on bail, Brother Wan Changchun had been sentenced and was serving time. During the trial, believer Ke Susu, though listed as a "victim," defended the pastor in court, demonstrating the resilience of the believer community[10].

Fuyang, Anhui: Wheat Seed Reformed Church Case—From Sunday School to Full Criminalization ​

Fuyang Wheat Seed Reformed Church in Anhui has suffered continuous persecution since 2019 for refusing to join the "Three-Self" system. In 2025, authorities' suppression of the church rapidly escalated from administrative penalties targeting Sunday school to a full criminal liquidation of church leaders.

Sunday School Raid and Intergenerational Severance: On April 29, 2025, a Sunday school meeting point of the church was raided by police. About ten young children were frightened, and two female teachers, Chen Fangfang and Wang Dandan, were criminally detained for "organizing illegal gatherings." This action shows authorities' attempt to cut off the intergenerational inheritance chain of the house church by striking at children's ministries[11].

Criminal Purge of Leaders: On June 29, the church's Sunday worship was raided again, and 19 believers were taken away. Pastor Chang Shun and Elder Ma Tao were subsequently criminally detained. On July 9, the church's senior pastor, Zhang Sen, was arrested across provincial lines in Xuzhou, Jiangsu, and then taken back to Fuyang for detention. All three were charged with "organizing illegal gatherings."

Abuse of "Organizing Illegal Gatherings" Charge: Authorities characterized the church's normal worship, wedding sermons, and blessings for newlyweds as "disturbing social order" and used this charge to criminally prosecute the three pastors. This marks the beginning of local authorities systematically using criminal means to criminalize routine religious activities. Pastor Zhang Sen's wife Xu Chao, Pastor Chang Shun's wife Li Yunyan, and Elder Ma Tao's wife Li Mei, despite facing immense pressure such as surveillance, water and electricity cuts, and forced eviction, persisted in defending rights according to the law and issued open prayer letters calling for attention to this typical case of religious persecution.

South China: Origin of Major Network Cases ​

South China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Hainan) became a flashpoint for nationwide major cases in 2025, especially the cross-provincial arrests related to Beijing Zion Church.

Guangxi and Guangdong: The "Core Area" of the Zion Case ​

In the "Zion Case" of October 2025, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was a disaster zone. Zion Church founder Pastor Ezra Jin was arrested in Beihai, followed by the detention of multiple coworkers and family members in Beihai.

As of November 18, 2025, the People's Procuratorate of Yinhai District, Beihai City, had approved the arrest of 18 pastors and coworkers on suspicion of "illegally using information networks." The list of those approved for arrest is as follows:

  • Pastors (8): Ezra Jin (Senior Pastor of Beijing Zion Church), Gao Yingjia, Wang Lin, Yin Huibin, Liu Zhenbin, Lin Shucheng, Wang Cong (female), Sun Cong;
  • Elders/Coworkers (10): Wang Zhong (Elder), Liu Jiang, Wei Yunfei, Li Shengjuan, Wu Qiuyu, Zhan Ge, Zhu Mingli, An Mei, Mei Zi, Hu Yanzi.

Currently, male believers are detained in Beihai No. 2 Detention Center, and female believers in Beihai No. 1 Detention Center[1:2].

In Guangdong, Guangzhou Guangfu House Church (with a 20-year history) suffered severe persecution, with believers coerced into signing "guarantees not to gather" by means such as canceling subsistence allowances[12]. In Jiangmen and other places, the homes of house church pastors were also raided.

Criminalization of Publishing and Dissemination: The Foshan, Guangdong Case ​

Five Christians from Shengjia Church in Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from over a year to two years for printing internal devotional materials. The court characterized the printing and distribution of Bibles and books as "illegal business operations," creating a chilling effect on the active Christian publishing ecosystem in South China[13].

Southwest China: Multi-Dimensional Suppression from Political Charges to Border Control ​

Southwest China, especially Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet, has always been an area where house churches are relatively active, and thus a key target for suppression. In 2025, persecution in this region presented a "multi-dimensional" characteristic. It not only continued severe sentencing of church leaders with political charges like "inciting subversion," but also extended control to believers' freedom of movement and transnational exchanges, demonstrating a comprehensive, multi-layered suppression strategy.

Guiyang, Guizhou: Heavy Sentence for Church Elder on "Inciting Subversion" ​

The verdict in the Guiyang Ren'ai Reformed Church Elder Zhang Chunlei Case is a landmark event of persecution in the Southwest this year. Elder Zhang Chunlei was arrested in March 2021. After enduring a year and a half of extended detention, he was sentenced in the first instance in July 2024 to five years in prison for "inciting subversion of state power" and "fraud." In December 2024, the Guizhou High Court rejected the appeal and upheld the original verdict without a hearing[14].

The logic of this verdict is highly representative:

  • Constitution of "Inciting Subversion": The evidence cited by the court for Zhang Chunlei constituting "inciting subversion" was merely his reposting of articles including Pastor Wang Yi's "My Declaration: Faithful Disobedience" and some prayer requests for other persecuted churches on overseas social media like Facebook. Authorities directly characterized this sharing of speech outside the firewall as "attacking our country's religious policy" and "subverting state power."
  • Overlay of "Fraud": Parallel to "inciting subversion" is the abuse of the "fraud" allegation. Its logic is identical to other cases: after the church was banned by the Civil Affairs Bureau in 2019, continuing to accept believers' offerings constituted "concealing the truth" and fraud.

Yunnan and Sichuan: From Evicting Believers to Framing Missionaries ​

In addition to heavy judicial sentences for church leaders, administrative harassment of ordinary believers and criminal crackdowns on transnational exchanges have also intensified in the Southwest.

  • Forced Eviction of Believers: Since the "12.9 Case" in 2018, Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu has maintained a stance of "public" ecclesiology. Even with Pastor Wang Yi in prison, the church persists in public gatherings, making it a top target for stability maintenance. In May 2025, Fan Dingwen and Zhang Ping, a couple who had just moved from Shanghai to Chengdu hoping to join Early Rain Covenant Church, encountered systematic forced eviction within just two months. Local police and community personnel joined forces with the landlord to violently expel them using hooligan tactics such as cutting off water and electricity, knocking on doors to harass, and finally forcibly breaking into their home and throwing out their luggage.
  • Framing Missionaries with "Crossing the Border": In March 2025, Preacher Dong Yanmei (Ruhama), who had long been engaged in missionary work in Beijing, was arrested across provincial lines by Mianyang police in Sichuan and subsequently formally arrested for "organizing others to secretly cross the national (border)." However, the fact is that Dong Yanmei and the Christians traveling with her all held valid passports and traveled to visa-free countries like Malaysia through normal customs channels to attend Christian gatherings. This case marks authorities expanding the scope of "secretly crossing the border" to include citizens' legal transnational travel and overseas religious activities in the category of criminal crackdowns[15].
  • Continuous Suppression of Rural Preachers: The experience of Chang Hao, a disabled preacher of Zhenxiong Heping Reformed Church in Yunnan, reflects the far-reaching nature of persecution. Chang Hao was administratively detained for organizing church baptisms and later sentenced to one year and one month for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" due to online speech. Even after his release, he and the congregation continue to be monitored and harassed[16].

Nyingchi, Tibet: "All Ranges Church" Case ​

On the eve of Christmas 2024, ten Christians in Nyingchi, Tibet, were prosecuted by the procuratorate for "organizing and using a cult organization to undermine the implementation of the law." The indictment accused them of belonging to a nationwide house church group ("All Ranges Church") and stigmatized their normal free clinics, childcare, and gathering activities as "cult infiltration"[17].

The danger of this case lies in:

  • The first large-scale use of Article 300 of the Criminal Law to convict an orthodox house church in the Tibet region;
  • Incorporating house churches into the "cult" narrative to provide an excuse for harsher crackdowns;
  • Echoing practices like "Anti-Cult Propaganda Bases" and "Anti-Cult Education entering Churches" in parts of the mainland.

This foreshadows that in ethnic and border regions, house churches may increasingly be labeled with political tags like "endangering national unity" and "cult infiltration," facing higher criminal risks than in the mainland.

Northwest China: Counter-Terrorism Stability Maintenance and Long-Term Detention ​

Religious control in Northwest China (Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia) emphasizes "political security" and "counter-terrorism stability maintenance," leaving extremely narrow space for house churches. In 2025, persecution in this region mainly manifested as heavy administrative fines in the name of "illegal religious activities," as well as long-term detention and transnational control of church leaders.

Xinjiang: Heavy Fines for "Illegal Religious Activities" ​

In Xinjiang, family gatherings are often characterized as "illegal religious activities," with pastors facing huge fines and administrative detention. Such cases usually do not enter complex judicial procedures but achieve deterrence through administrative means like heavy fines, confiscation of materials, and revocation of licenses. Compared to the central and eastern regions, control in Xinjiang emphasizes "de-radicalization" more; once a house church is discovered, it is often viewed as a "potential threat," and believers face extremely high risks in gathering, evangelizing, and even daily interactions[18].

Xi'an, Shaanxi: Abundance Church and Zion Light Church ​

As a key city in the Northwest, Xi'an has seen successive cases against large house churches in recent years.

  • Xi'an Abundance Church Case: Pastor Lian Changnian, Pastor Lian Xuliang, and Preacher Fu Juan have been detained for a long time on charges of "fraud" since their arrest in 2022. In April 2025, the three were released on bail for a time. However, on June 11, Pastor Lian Changnian was diagnosed by a hospital with "organic mental disorder of the brain," and doctors explicitly stated this was caused by torture during detention. On November 2, the three were re-arrested and detained in the detention center, showing authorities' determination not to let go of this case. During the trial, defense lawyers pointed out serious procedural violations and evidence manipulation, but the case was forcibly pushed forward. On July 8, Sister Qin Wen, a "victim" in the case, was detained for 12 days and fired from her job for insisting on appearing in court to testify that she had not been victimized, fully exposing the absurdity of the judicial process[19].
  • Xi'an Zion Light Church Case: Pastor Gao Quanfu and 6 others also face "fraud" charges. Lawyers' meetings were repeatedly blocked by national security officers, showing that authorities disregard legal procedures even more blatantly when dealing with church cases in the Northwest.

Gansu and Ningxia: Transnational Control and Administrative Suppression ​

  • Zhangye, Gansu: In August 2025, Korean-Chinese Pastor Sun Chenghao was tried at the Ganzhou District Court in Zhangye on the charge of "organizing others to secretly cross the national (border)." The cause was simply organizing believers to travel to Jeju Island, South Korea, in 2023. Pastor Sun was ultimately sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison and fined 10,000 yuan, with his sentence ending on June 15, 2028. In a prison letter dated November 21, he wrote: "I am not strong... but facing wanton persecution and framing... I am deeply convinced that our God will not let me be put to shame." This case echoes the Dong Yanmei case in Sichuan, showing the strict blockade on transnational religious activities in the Northwest[20].
  • Yinchuan, Ningxia: Preacher Ma Yan was sentenced to 9 months for "organizing illegal gatherings" in March 2025 for organizing gatherings. After her release, she persisted in serving and shared her testimony at the "5 PM Prayer Meeting," demonstrating the resilience of grassroots preachers in the Northwest[21].

Special Topic 1: Beijing "10.9 Zion Case" ​

This topic focuses on the "10.9 Zion Case" that occurred in October 2025, as a representative event of the nationwide coordinated suppression of urban house church networks.

0. Background: Warning Signals in June ​

Four months before the outbreak of the "10.9 Case," Zion Church had actually received clear warning strikes.

June 2, 2025: Sunday worship at Beautiful Gate Church in Guiyang (a branch of Zion Church) was raided by police, and everyone on site was taken to the police station. Elder Yao Yong and Brother Mao Yue were administratively detained for 15 days.

June 4, 2025: Immediately following, Zion Church branches in multiple cities were raided within a week. Pastor Gao Le, Elder Yao Yong, Brother Mao Yue, and others were administratively detained for 5 to 15 days respectively.

This series of crackdowns in June, compared to the large-scale criminal arrests in October, presents a clear path of "probe—escalate":

  • June: Administrative detention, short-term deterrence, testing the church's reaction;
  • October: Criminal arrest, cross-provincial coordination, intending to "catch all in one net."

In retrospect, the administrative suppression in June was a prelude to authorities' "background investigation" of the Zion Church network. It was not only a test of the church's activity level but also gathered information and locked onto targets for the subsequent larger-scale operation. Regrettably, these warning signals did not arouse sufficient vigilance and response at the time.

1. Course of Events: From Beihai to Multiple Cities Nationwide ​

Starting October 9, 2025, a cross-provincial arrest operation led by the Beihai Public Security Bureau in Guangxi, clearly deployed uniformly at the central level, unfolded suddenly. Within a few days, the operation covered at least 9 provinces and cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Sichuan. Over 30 core pastors, preachers, and coworkers of Zion Church were arrested, including:

  • Church founder Pastor Ezra Jin;
  • Pastor Gao Yingjia;
  • Core pastoral leaders like Pastor Wang Lin, Pastor Wang Cong, and Pastor Sun Cong.

The arrest operation was highly synchronized. Coworkers in multiple places were taken away almost at the same time, their homes were thoroughly searched, and devices like computers and mobile phones were confiscated. Some families experienced break-ins late at night, with young children witnessing their parents being handcuffed and taken away, leaving serious psychological trauma.

2. Charges and Intent of Strike: Locking onto "Urban Church 3.0" ​

The core charge of this arrest is "illegal use of information networks." The large-scale application of this charge directly targets Zion Church's effective online ministry in recent years:

  • Since being banned in 2018, Zion Church has used the internet to develop systems like online Sunday worship, online theological training, and cross-regional discipleship training;
  • It established over 100 church planting points in about 40 cities nationwide, forming a loose but resilient network.

In official discourse, this model is viewed as "organizing illegal religious activities across regions" and a "channel for foreign infiltration." By criminalizing online pastoral care, authorities intend to:

  1. Destroy this "Urban Church 3.0" model combining online and offline elements in one blow;
  2. Create replicable legal precedents for liquidating other house churches adopting similar models nationwide;
  3. Send a strong signal: Any online religious activity not under an official license may violate criminal law (see Chapter 3, Section 3.4 for legal analysis of this charge).

3. Situation of Families and Procedural Black Holes ​

Unfolding synchronously with the arrests is the collateral suppression of families:

  • Wives of multiple pastors were restricted from leaving the country, and their passports were confiscated;
  • The right to education of minor children in China was interfered with; some were pressured by schools, others forced to transfer or temporarily drop out;
  • Families did not receive formal detention notices for a long time, and lawyers' applications for meetings were repeatedly rejected.

This reveals a "black hole" in case procedures: under the cloak of "handling cases according to law," basic procedural rights are not guaranteed. For many families, the only thing they can do is to continuously send out prayer letters, hoping the universal church will remember them.

4. The Church's Spiritual Response ​

Despite suffering a heavy blow, Zion Church still gathered as usual in small groups in dozens of cities across the country on the first Sunday after the incident broke out. Some groups met in living rooms, others in rented restaurant private rooms, worshiping, studying the Bible, and breaking bread together via online connection.

Pastor Ezra Jin had previously said to coworkers: "If one day all leaders are arrested, it might be the starting point of a new wave of revival." This faith understanding of being prepared to pay the price from the beginning became the reason many believers stood firm in the storm. What this topic presents is not just the outline of a major case, but the testimony of an urban church continuing to be disciples under high-tech totalitarianism.

Special Topic 2: Golden Lampstand and Covenant Home Cases in Linfen, Shanxi ​

This topic concentrates on the long-term war of attrition experienced by two house churches in the Linfen area—Golden Lampstand and Covenant Home—under the label of "fraud."

Golden Lampstand Church: From Blasting the Church to Heavily Sentencing Leaders ​

The experience of Golden Lampstand Church (formerly Golden Lampstand Church) in Linfen, Shanxi, is almost one of the most tragic pages in the history of house church persecution. From the "9.13 Linfen Case" in 2009 leading to the imprisonment of leaders like Yang Rongli, to the forced blasting of the church building costing tens of millions by authorities in 2018, to the large-scale arrests in 2021, this church has experienced systematic persecution for over a decade.

In 2025, the Golden Lampstand case reached the climax of judicial judgment, shocking home and abroad with its severity.

  • January 7: The Yaodu District Court of Linfen City held a pre-trial meeting, with authorities acting as if facing a formidable enemy, maintaining strict control.
  • April 15: The first instance of the case opened. Renowned rights lawyer Zhang Kai went to defend but was forcibly taken away by special police at the court gate and expelled from Linfen, resulting in the trial proceeding without a defense lawyer.
  • June 20: First instance verdict announced. Church leader Yang Rongli was heavily sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined 500,000 yuan; her husband Pastor Wang Xiaoguang was sentenced to 9 years and 7 months and fined 100,000 yuan; Brother Li Shuangping was sentenced to 9 years and 2 months. Seven other coworkers, including Dong Yongyong, Zhao Guoai, Huo Zhuangping, and Wu Ling'e, were sentenced to heavy terms ranging from 3 to 9 years.
  • August 15: The second instance secretly announced the verdict upholding the original judgment without notifying lawyers.

This verdict set a new high for sentencing in house church cases in recent years. Authorities characterized the church's offerings over decades as illegal income under "fraud," not only stripping the church of its property but also attempting to stigmatize respected pastors as "fraudsters" reputationally. However, the strength displayed by Yang Rongli and others in court and prison, and their refusal to plead guilty, turned this trial into a testimony of faith. Lawyers and scholars pointed out that this case is essentially using economic charges to punish normal religious activities, a typical example of legal instrumentalization.

2. Covenant Home Church: Long Detention and the Family's Cross ​

Covenant Home Church Preachers Li Jie and Han Xiaodong and coworker Wang Qiang were detained for a long time after their arrest in August 2022, waiting until 2025 for the first-instance verdict. During this period, the pressure endured by families was equally shocking:

  • Long-term 24-hour surveillance, tracking, and filming;
  • Multiple forced moves, with landlords breaking contracts under pressure;
  • Knocking on doors and interrogation by police and unidentified personnel at night, living completely exposed under the stability maintenance system.

In 2025, Li Jie and Han Xiaodong were sentenced to 3 years and 8 months in prison, and Wang Qiang was also sentenced. Compared to the high sentences of Golden Lampstand, the Covenant Home case highlights the model of "prolonged detention without judgment + implicating families": gradually consuming the courage and resources of the church community through lengthy judicial procedures and continuous harassment.

Special Topic 3: Hefei Ganquan Case in Anhui ​

This topic observes the comprehensive strategy of "cutting off funding chains + procedural suppression" in the region, starting from Ganquan Church.

In the Ganquan Church case, Pastor Zhou Songlin and Elder Ding Zhongfu were accused of "fraud." The core controversy lies in: whether open offerings within the church, motivated by faith, can be deemed fraud or illegal fundraising in the criminal law sense.

During the investigation and trial, several worrying phenomena appeared:

  • Defense lawyers applied multiple times to review files and meet defendants but were repeatedly delayed;
  • Believers preparing to testify for pastors were threatened by multiple departments and asked "not to get involved";
  • Procedural violation issues raised by parties and lawyers in the pre-trial meeting received no substantive response.

The Ganquan case, together with the two Linfen cases, indicates that authorities have formed an operational path replicable nationwide: first label the church with "illegal religious activities" and "amassing wealth by fraud" through administrative determination and media hype, then criminalize routine church life such as offerings, publishing, and gathering at the judicial level.

This chapter presents a "Map of Suffering" of Chinese house churches persecuted in 2024–2025 through regional scans and special topic cases. At the macro level, persecution shows trends of judicialization, nationwide coordination, and frontier expansion; at the micro level, it falls upon specific cities, villages, families, and churches. The following Chapter 3 will provide a more systematic analysis of the institutional logic behind these cases from legal and administrative perspectives; Chapters 4 and 5 will zoom in to record the life testimonies and responses of arrested pastors, coworkers, and their families in suffering.

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