According to Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley, all four were later given 14-day detention at the Chengdu Detention Center by the Wuhou District Public Security Bureau, from September 2 to September 16. 

The raid was the latest in a series of actions against the church following the arrest of Senior Pastor Wang Yi and more than 100 members of its Chengdu congregation on December 9, 2018. Pastor Wang Yi was sentenced on December 30, 2019, to nine years in prison by the Chengdu Intermediate People’s Court for inciting subversion of state power and illegal business operations. 

According to Representative Foley, a large number of police officers appeared at the rented worship venue on September 1 just before the worship started at 9:00 A.M. Elder Li Yingqiang and Pastor Wu Wuqing were taken away by police. About fifty believers were present at the time.  

“The police immediately cordoned off the area, preventing believers from going upstairs to enter the worship area,” says Representative Foley. “Dozens of believers downstairs sang hymns and worshipped together. Elder Yan Hong continued to lead the worship upstairs but was interrupted by police and taken away around 10:00 A.M. Then Deacon Zeng Qingtao came to lead the worship and was immediately taken away as well. After that, the electricity was cut off, and the believers were driven away by the police on site, but everyone continued to sing hymns calmly and worship the Lord attentively.”  

Online co-workers also took over to lead the service, jointly completing the Sunday worship, according to Representative Foley. She says that the church had planned to take the Lord’s Supper together during the worship service. 

“Because the elders and pastors qualified to lead the communion bread-breaking were all taken away by the police, the Christians attending the Sunday gathering were unable to receive communion,” says Representative Foley. “During the worship service, the manager of the rented venue had cut off power under pressure from the police and was loudly playing Chinese patriotic songs and the Chinese cartoon ‘Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf’, but the believers were not affected and continued to worship until the service was completed.” 

Representative Foley says that the remaining congregation members gathered in the lobby, where Deacon Xiao Luobiao led everyone in singing hymns and reading scriptures.  

“They took turns reading the sermon message, which was a message on Ephesians by Pastor Wang Yi from years ago, titled ‘The Gospel for Outsiders’,” she says. “As soon as they started, the police wanted to take Deacon Xiao Luobiao away. Some of the believers negotiated with the police, who then said they wouldn’t take anyone away if the church members dispersed. After everyone dispersed, they gathered in small groups to continue meeting elsewhere.” 

According to Representative Foley, each of the four Early Rain Church leaders who were detained had been facing serious difficulties prior to the September 1 raid. “Preacher Wu Wuqing’s home has been without water and electricity for more than a month, so at least he could finally use water and electricity at the detention center,” she says. “Elder Yan Hong was hospitalized for cerebral infarction two or three years ago and needs to take medication every day to control it. Elder Li Yingqiang was diagnosed with high blood pressure when receiving a medical examination during administrative detention at the end of last year. Deputy deacon Zeng Qingtao needs to take diabetes medication every day.” 

In an open prayer letter shortly after the September 1 detainment, the Early Rain Covenant Church thanked all churches and brothers and sisters for their prayers for their church and prayed that God would continue to watch over the Early Rain Covenant Church and protect the four detained church leaders, so that their bodies and souls could rest and be filled with God’s grace. 

“Many Christians around the world wrongly think that Early Rain Church must have given up and ceased operating by now, after years of continuous onslaught by the authorities,” says Representative Foley. “But even as authorities continue to rage, the Lord continues to sustain Early Rain Church, raising up new leaders as Pastor Wang Yi continues to be held in prison. Early Rain Church is in many ways more joyful and alive than many churches in our own country which have faced comparatively fewer hardships.” 

Individuals interested in donating to Voice of the Martyrs Korea’s work in partnership with the house church Christians of China can visit www.vomkorea.com/en/donation or give via electronic transfer to: 

KB Bank: 463501-01-243303 

Account Holder: (사)순교자의소리 

Please note “China” on the transfer