It is impossible to say how severe persecution is in China, mostly because it varies so much from place to place. In some cities, like Wenzhou, there is historically more freedom for Christians. Churches are large and the buildings prominent within the city. Yes, they too face many restrictions, and constantly have to adapt to new regulations. But mostly they have enough freedom that they can organise themselves well and develop programs for training, leadership and mission.
In other areas, churches face a very different reality. Xinjiang in the West of China, together with neighbouring Tibet, are the two provinces where persecution is the most severe. Xinjiang is home to the Uyghur minority, a Muslim people group. Some Uyghurs want to be independent from China, which has led to a level of surveillance unparalleled in other parts of the nation. This surveillance is also geared towards religious groups, both Christian and Islamic. Many Uyghur have been put into re-education camps, where they are made to abandon their cultural characteristics and become more Chinese.
Interestingly, the persecution of Uyghurs by the government has brought about a spiritual openness in Muslims which previously wasn’t there. Much like how the repression during the cultural revolution caused a spiritual hunger which brought millions of Han Chinese into the arms of Jesus, the church in Xinjiang sees Uyghurs spiritually empty and hungry for God.
One church leader tells us that as soon as he starts telling people about Jesus, they want to become Christians. Not just individuals, but whole families. This may sound unbelievable, but we have heard this narrative confirmed from unrelated mission workers in the same region.
The Uyghur culture is very family oriented. This can caused severe problems for individuals who become Christians. They are persecuted not only by the government, but also by their own families. And although this is still a problem, increasingly we see that these individuals, instead of hiding their faith, preach to their own families and the whole group comes to Jesus. This is an echo of the early church in the book of Acts, where we also see how households were baptised together and joined the church.
These new believers are not in for an easy ride. They now face persecution for being Uyghur and for being Christian. Churches have to be extremely careful when they meet. They have to meet in small groups, in different places and on different days, to avoid detection. They cannot sing worship songs together, or pray loudly as the Chinese like to do.
The government keeps track of where people are. Every home has a QR code. Christian leaders get very frequent visits from security officers, checking their properties. These officers know exactly where they have traveled and whom they have met, showing them pictures taken with facial recognition cameras on public roads. This is a constant pressure on these leaders.
But when asked what the biggest challenge is for the church in Xinjiang, the answer is not persecution. It is the lack of shepherds to take care of and feed these newly Christian families. Xinjiang is a huge and sparsely populated province, and believers are often very far apart. There is a big need for workers to visit them and encourage them. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send workers!
Thanks