(Linfen, Shanxi province) The 20-day trial of 12 Golden Lampstand Church leaders and co-workers started on October 22. There has not been any news on the hearing, but a prayer letter was recently released online in China.
Public prayer letter
The authors of the prayer letter stated that they were members of a house church in Linfen City, Shanxi Province. They took the liberty of sending this letter to everyone to ask for prayers for Golden Lampstand Church.
Leaders arrested
Three years ago, authorities arrested 12 preachers and co-workers of Golden Lampstand. They face a 20-day trial, which started on October 22. The letter states:
“Everyone is urged to offer intercession to the Lord and ask Him to strengthen the church so that preachers and brothers and sisters can withstand this great persecution[…]We are not asking for the removal of this suffering, but we are asking the Lord to give us the strength to endure the suffering, to be faithful to the end, and to bear witness to His gospel.”
Persecution in 2009
This is the second time Golden Lampstand Church has come under persecution. In 2009, five co-workers and preachers of the church were sentenced. The shortest term was three years, and the longest was for lay pastor Yang Rongli (sentenced to seven years). With the grace of God, the Golden Lampstand passed through that dark time. When the five arrested members returning home one by one, the number of the church grew exponentially.
Persecution in 2024
Compared with 2009, the persecution this time is even more intense. Not only has the scope of arrests and prosecutions expanded, but the alleged crimes prosecuted have also become more serious.
More serious punishment
In 2009, five co-workers of the church were charged with “illegal land occupation” and “disturbing order.” In 2021, they were charged with “fraud,” targeting the church’s donations. The provisions of “fraud” are that as long as the amount involved exceeds 500,000 yuan (~$70,369), the suspect can be sentenced to more than 10 years in prison.
This will be the sentence that almost all the 12 co-workers and preachers who were arrested for the Lord will face.
Continued strife
The intercession letter frankly acknowledges that many brothers and sisters in the church have become weak during this persecution. Although the church has experienced persecution, this is the first time many people in the church have seen such scale and intensity. After the initial arrests, officials raided countless homes and interrogated many Christians. Police also coerced “evidence” from the elderly and children, forcing them to choose between their families and the pastors. This dark situation once enveloped the hearts of brothers and sisters, making everyone timid and afraid. So much so that they doubted the presence of God.
Call to unity
The intercession letter urgently calls on all Christians to remember Golden Lampstand Church and to pray for them. “Let them be strong in the Lord in their weakness, and even if they fall for a moment, they can stand up again like Peter. They believe in God’s abundant mercy and the grace that comes through the intercession of all the members, which will enable the Jindengtang Church to rely on the Lord to overcome this suffering!”
So-called “fraud” charges
At the same time, authors of the prayer letter warned the public members about the persecution in the name of “fraud”. Not only does this crime have a high penalty, it is also smears pastors as money-grubbers. It uses money to sow discord within the church and makes new believers doubt the church. When the rumor spreads to the wider community, it causes the public that does not know the truth to despise it. A terrible consequence of this crime is to vilify the gospel in society, causing more souls to resist the church, thus rejecting God and refusing to listen to the gospel.Charges of fraud use coercion as a method of obtaining evidence, and long-term imprisonment of pastors as a means to attack the church.
Another scary fact about this so-called crime is that it can be applied to all house churches across China. This is because “fraud” does not mean that church ministers defraud money, nor does it mean misappropriation of church funds. It means that the church is not qualified to receive monetary donations because it is not a state-recognized church
“Illegal gang”
This is the logic of the Linfen Judicial Department: unregistered churches and are not authorized by administrative regulations. The distinction of “preacher” is fictitious because they are not authorized to preach or receive donations. Because they are the leaders of an “illegal gang”, they will have to pay for this “illegal gang”.
Pray for Golden Lampstand
The case is about to go to court, and all the believers of the Golden Lampstand Church once again ask everyone to pray for them. Pray that the Lord will help the church to bravely follow His footsteps, and also follow the example of countless predecessors in house churches who have suffered for the Lord. Hope that the example of gospel life will eventually illuminate the entire country. Please also pray for the local government of Linfen, Shanxi Province.
~ Lemon, Special Correspondent of ChinaAid
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