China was a fast-rising economic star that the world was watching closely. Almost miraculously, China went from being one of the poorest nations in the world to one of the wealthiest, but then something happened in 2019 that changed everything – CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION.

Since China launched attacks on Christians in 2019, the economy has spun into a downward tailspin and it is not letting up anytime soon.  Is this causation or correlation?

From what we have witnessed throughout history, economic freedom is closely related to religious freedom.  Historically, when Christians are persecuted, national economies suffer.  This can be clearly seen, not only in Chinese history, but it can be measured in North Korean, East German, Iranian and Sudanese recent history as well.

With Christian persecution on the rise, the signs for dark days ahead are everywhere in China. Factories are leaving, unemployment is up, properties are in a price bubble, foreign investors aren’t investing, and the currency is weaker than ever. To add to stress, China is overextending itself in foreign investments in unstable zones like Afghanistan, Sudan, and Syria and are starting to see backlash over its predatorial lending practices in places like Cambodia and Uganda.

Instead of pulling back, the Communist government seems to even be marching to war with its neighbors.

One thing is clear this year – the China economic miracle has come to an end and it does not seem coincidental that it happened right when the Christians began to suffer persecution.

Many people see a correlation in what is happening in China today and the collapse of the former Soviet Union, but the situation is much different. While it is true that Christians were persecuted heavily before the fall of the Soviet Empire, the collapse of China will be different.

Not only does China’s economy tower over Russia, but China is more integrated into the world economy than the Soviet Union ever was. Chinese investments in the US, Europe and around the world far exceed anything the Soviets ever had. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the eastern block of Europe was directly impacted as was many of the Communist economies, but the west was (for the most part, outside of nuclear weapons) isolated from the fall out. If China falls, that tumble will bring the entire world with it.

The Chinese Underground House Church continues to preach the Gospel even during intense persecution. Though the economy is going down, church attendance is going up.