CHINA: HOUSE CHURCH RAIDED; 11 BELIEVERS DETAINED

IN another example of the current crackdown on church and Christian activities in China, On October 12, authorities raided Xuncheng Reformed Church in Taiyuan City, northern China, during a Sunday worship service.

Known for its refusal to join the state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), the church was targeted by around 30 plainclothes officers and over 10 uniformed police.

Giving up phones and personal details…

The raid occurred near the end of Minister An Yankui’s sermon. He was forcibly taken, and all attendees were ordered to surrender their phones and provide personal details. Eleven adults were detained, including four church staff and two mothers with their children. One mother was released later that day, while the other remained in custody; her husband was called to collect their crying child.

On October 13, one more member was released. The remaining 11 are facing 15 days of administrative detention and are expected to be released on October 28. Families received formal detention notices only after the raid.

The hotel operator who rented space to the church was also detained on October 12 but released the next day.

Xuncheng Reformed Church has long faced government pressure for refusing to register and for its commitment to church-state separation. The congregation is now calling on believers to pray for those detained and for the church’s continued resilience.

This is just part of a wider crackdown on church activities in China over the last month. Almost 30 pastors and church leaders affiliated to Zion Church – one of the most influential house church networks in China – are reported to have been detained or gone missing in raids earlier this month, whilst a Christian home-school network was also raided and forced to close.