Upon hearing the phrase, “underground church in China,” Christians often ask one simple question – “why do Christians in China hide underground?”

The simple answer is that the term ‘underground church’ does not necessarily mean anyone is literally hiding in a secret location in a cave or underground. Instead, it is the name given to a group of Christians who have not registered their fellowships or church meetings with the government and are therefore illegal.

There are many reasons why Christians in China do not register with the government, but one reason can be seen from a recent report from Taiyuan City in Shanxi Province.

According to one report, last month on April 26, local pastors of the official state church in China were ordered by the Communist Party to hold study sessions and teach Christians to “conscientiously study and implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China… to always follow the Party… and study Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era.”

Chinese Christians who refuse to follow the forced education of Communism, with the foundation of Atheism, have very little choice but to join fellowships that are not allowed by the government and are therefore known as underground churches.