Chinese Home Church Raided

Enjoying Bible Quizzing practice in the "Round Room", surrounded by windows that let the whole world see us studying scripture, we may forget that not everyone has the same freedom. China is cracking down on "unauthorized" home churches, and it brings back nightmares from the Cold War.

CHINESE police held 36 people in a raid on a bible school run by an underground Protestant church yesterday amid a nationwide crackdown on Christians worshipping outside Communist Party control.
About 50 officers armed with electric cattle prods and backed by more than 10 police vehicles surrounded the school in the eastern province of Anhui, according to the China Aid Association, based in the Texas.
Those inside — including students, teachers, and leaders of the underground church — were taken away in police vans, the group said.

It is hard for Americans to imagine, but these Christians lie in fear of imprisonment and death every time they gather to worship God. It is a reminder of the great gift we have in the religious freedom of the USA, and reminder that we need to watch and make sure it survives!