In brief
In Jiangyou, Sichuan, armed forces raided a house‑church service, taking two senior pastors and over thirty congregants for interrogation. The Early Rain Covenant Church, founded in 2008, has repeatedly drawn police attention, including the 2018 arrest of its founder Wang Yi on charges of subversion. Police released most detainees by the evening, but the raid underscores the tightening clampdown on unregistered Christian groups across China. Local and international observers view the move as part of a broader pattern of state‑imposed restrictions on religious practice.
Jiangyou, Sichuan – A police operation that unfolded at approximately 11:00 local time saw armed officers storm a house‑church gathering, detaining two senior pastors, Yan Hong and Wu Wuqing, and 30–40 other members of the Early Rain Covenant Church during a Sunday service.
The Early Rain Covenant, founded in 2008 in Chengdu, has long operated outside the state‑approved church system. In 2018, its founder Wang Yi was sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of “inciting subversion of state power” and “illegal business operations.” The current raid followed a sweep that left many congregants—including elders and children—routed to a hotel ballroom, where they faced identity checks and were forced to sign an invisible affidavit before being released between 18:00 and 23:00.
The sprawling raid involved a team of about 50 police officers, including Special Weapons and Tactical Unit (SWAT) units. Images posted by the church on Telegram show choir members singing hymns as they were escorted out, while officers in plain clothing repeatedly shouted for silence over the balcony.
Today’s arrest of Yan Hong and Wu Wuqing mirrors a broader trend of increased police activity against unregistered churches. In October last year, leaders of Zion Church were apprehended in seven cities, and its founder Ezra Jin remains in custody. The Chinese government’s insistence that Christians join state‑sanctioned churches has pushed many believers to underground “house” churches.
"Another stark reminder that the Chinese Communist Party continues to treat peaceful Christian worship as a threat to state control," commented Bob Fu, founder of the non‑profit ChinaAid, which tracks religious persecution in China.
The state’s latest actions occur amid a climate of tightened surveillance and enforcement. While the Chinese Communist Party claims it maintains a stable religious population of 44 million Christians, many observers argue that this figure excludes the sizeable underground community.
For more on how the Chinese government is expanding its reach into religious practice, and updates on this developing story, stay tuned to FlashPointInfo. Updated 3 hours ago.
