House church leader sentenced to labour camp in China
by Staff
August 8, 2011
(christiansunite.com) - The deputy chairman of the Chinese House Church Alliance, Pastor Shi Enhao, has been sentenced to two years of "re-education through labour," an extra-judicial punishment that is handed out by police and requires no trial or conviction of a crime. He has been charged with "illegal meetings and illegal organising of venues for religious meetings."
This charge stems from the fact that Pastor Shi's large house church of several thousand members meets in various different sites around the city.
Meanwhile, the police's Domestic Security Protection Department has ordered Pastor Shi's church to stop meeting and has confiscated the congregation's car, musical instruments, choir robes and 140,000 Yuan (approximately $20,900 CAD) in donations.
Please pray the Lord will protect and sustain Pastor Shi, his family and his congregation. Pray they will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in their faith, and not grow weary or lose heart (Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-3). Pray for Pastor Shi's release and, in the meantime, that he will have opportunities to share the gospel in prison.
For more information about persecution in China, please visit www.persecution.net/china.htm.
