The Church in China: Where Persecution Persists
by Randall Murphree
April 22, 2005
(AgapePress) - China's old world appeal and historical wonders such as her Great Wall and Beijing's Forbidden City draw tourists in great numbers. For current generations in the West, China has a certain mystique shrouded in the nation's years under Communist domination. While capitalism and freedom are making progress, Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) and others say that religious freedom there still has a long way to go.
For example, Pastor Zhang Rongliang, one of China's leading house church figures, was arrested last December for practicing his Christian faith. The account of his arrest has been one of Voice of the Martyrs' (VOM) top stories in recent months.
"As far as we know, Pastor Zhang is still in custody and still hasn't been able to have contact with his family," Todd Nettleton, VOM director of news services, said in an exclusive interview. "He has not been formally charged or tried at this time, as far as we know."
The 53-year-old pastor previously served 12 years in prison during five different detentions. He has already suffered various methods of torture, including electric shock.
Nettleton travels extensively with VOM and witnesses first hand the impact of widespread persecution in many countries. His work puts him in contact with those who suffer for their faith. He says Pastor Zhang is not unique and his latest arrest is emblematic of a crackdown on China's house churches.
Hundreds of men and women are serving prison sentences in many countries. They are not criminals who have robbed or murdered others, only Christians put on trial for their faith in Christ and found guilty. They could have avoided prison by simply denying their Christian faith.
VOM Founder Was Persecuted Pastor
VOM founder Richard Wurmbrand and his wife Sabina both suffered unjust imprisonment and persecution because of their Christian faith. The Jewish couple was led to faith in Christ in1938 by Christian Wolfkes, a carpenter in a small Romanian village. By 1941, while Romania supported Germany in World War II, Wurmbrand had become a pastor engaged in evangelistic activities. He and his wife were repeatedly beaten and arrested during the Nazi reign in Romania.
In the years that followed, the Wurmbrands continued to preach the Gospel after Communists seized power. In 1948, Pastor Wurmbrand was kidnapped by a small band of secret police and put in solitary confinement. Two years later, his wife was assigned to forced labor, leaving their nine-year-old son homeless and living on the streets.
In 1965, the Wurmbrands were able to leave Romania and travel to the U.S. where they founded VOM two years later. They remained affiliated with VOM until their deaths in 2000 and 2001.
Today, Nettleton says VOM tracks persecution in more than 40 nations around the world. In addition, the ministry has moved beyond just disseminating information to creating ways to minister to the persecuted church. For example, VOM has developed programs that get Bibles to captive nations, relief to martyrs' families, and life-sustaining Action Packs to those suffering in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.
VOM still offers gripping video and print resources for those interested in learning more about the persecuted church. Nettleton said their monthly newsletter and a book Tortured for Christ by VOM founder Richard Wurmbrand are both free upon request.
A special 2005 issue of The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter includes a global prayer map identifying nations which have official restrictive policies regarding the freedom of religion, and other nations which have a climate hostile to Christianity. The same issue highlights nations where VOM knows of persecution.
Nettleton acknowledged that Christians in some areas of China experience a great deal of freedom to practice their faith. "Just about anything you hear about the Church in China is true -- somewhere," Nettleton said. But for him and VOM, the fate of persecuted Christians is a tragedy that demands the attention, prayers and support of their brothers and sisters around the world.
Part 2 in this series will be posted on April 29, 2005
Randall Murphree, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is editor of AFA Journal, a monthly publication of the American Family Association. For more on Voice of the Martyrs / P. O. Box 54, Caney, KS 67333 / 918-337-8015. For more on Global Outreach / P.O. Box 1, Tupelo, MS 38802 / 662-842-4615.
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