ADHRRF – Since the implementation of the new Regulations on Religious Affairs, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has intensified the crackdown on house churches in order to sinicize Christianity. On April 18, 2018, a house church meeting place in Huaiyuan, Bengbu, Anhui was forcibly closed by the local United Front Work Department (UFWD) collaborated with local police station, and the congregation were warned not to continue attending meetings unless they join the Three-Self Church.
According to a source, at 8:00 p.m. on April 18, more than ten believers of a house church in Huaiyuan were gathering at the house of Christian Liu Mu’en. Over a dozen people, including the local UFWD personnel, police, and neighborhood leader, led by the secretary of the village Party committee, broke in and yelled at the believers, “Who is your leader? You cannot gather here anymore!” And then they warned and threatened them, “If you want to believe in God, go to the Three-Self Church in the village. Three-Self Church is permitted by the government and protected by the law.… If you continue believing in God, your kids will be implicated, not allowed to attend college or join the army.”
The village secretary pointed at three believers receiving subsistence allowance and threatened them, “If you three in particular continue believing in God, your subsistence allowance will be canceled. You are dismissed. Don’t believe in God anymore.”
Believers said, the reason why the CCP forces Christians to join Three-Self Church is that the church only teaches people “Patriotism, glorifying God and benefiting people” and limit the pure interpretation of the Bible. Once the Christians join the Three-Self Church, it means they will be completely controlled by the CCP and will evolve into adherents of the CCP.
Currently, this house church meeting place has been outlawed and over a dozen believers cannot continue attending meetings.
