{"id":36639,"date":"2021-05-18T13:05:09","date_gmt":"2021-05-18T04:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=36639"},"modified":"2021-05-18T15:12:38","modified_gmt":"2021-05-18T06:12:38","slug":"vomk-report-155","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2021\/05\/18\/vomk-report-155\/","title":{"rendered":"CHINA: PASTOR TEACHES THE BENEFITS OF SUFFERING IN A LETTER TO HIS PERSECUTED CHURCH"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”36623″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”The administrative detention of two ministers of Beijing\u2019s Zion Church by Chinese authorities earlier this month has prompted a response from Zion\u2019s pastor: A letter to his congregation teaching the spiritual benefits of persecution.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][vc_column_text]\u201cT<\/span><\/span>hose in chains for Christ will be completely free in Christ<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>“<\/span><\/span>\u00a0w<\/span><\/span>rote\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Pastor \u201cEzra\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Jin<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Mingri<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in a<\/span><\/span>n open<\/span><\/span>\u00a0letter\u00a0<\/span><\/span>to Zion Church members<\/span><\/span>\u00a0on May 1<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>co-signed by\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>church\u2019s elders and other\u00a0<\/span><\/span>pastor<\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span>. The letter describes the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>April 28 arrest of Zion Church minister\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Qie<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Jiafu<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>and his sentencing two days later to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>10-day detention<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The detention of a<\/span><\/span>nother Zion Church minister,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Huang\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Chunzi<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>who was detained until May 9,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>was\u00a0<\/span><\/span>later discovered after\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the church\u00a0<\/span><\/span>released the letter.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>Pastor Ezra\u2019s letter\u00a0<\/span><\/span>is\u00a0<\/span><\/span>extraordinary<\/span><\/span>\u00a0by modern standards,<\/span><\/span>\u201d says Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley, \u201cB<\/span><\/span>ut in fact it is a good example of what was\u00a0<\/span><\/span>very\u00a0<\/span><\/span>common in the early days of the church, including the letters we see in the Bible: Pastors\u00a0<\/span><\/span>writing to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>their congregations<\/span><\/span>, often from prison,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>help<\/span><\/span>ing<\/span><\/span>\u00a0them\u00a0<\/span><\/span>understand and rejoice in persecution and not be afraid.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”36632″ img_size=”548×365″ alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Photo from a Sunday service at Zion Church before it was banned by authorities.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”36635″ img_size=”548×365″ alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”File photo of Beijing Zion Minister Qie Jiafu (3rd from right), who was detained by authorities earlier this month until his release on May 10.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Representative Foley says that letters to her organization from persecuted pastors\u00a0<\/span><\/span>today\u00a0<\/span><\/span>often take the form of<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a cry\u00a0<\/span><\/span>for help<\/span><\/span>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a request for\u00a0<\/span><\/span>legal\u00a0<\/span><\/span>or political\u00a0<\/span><\/span>intervention<\/span><\/span>. Such requests\u00a0<\/span><\/span>are<\/span><\/span>\u00a0important, she says, but they can also overlook the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>pastor<\/span><\/span>\u2019s role<\/span><\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>teach\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the congregation that persecution is an unavoidable part of the Christian life and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>that it\u00a0<\/span><\/span>is\u00a0<\/span><\/span>often God\u2019s catalyst for\u00a0<\/span><\/span>individual and congregational growth.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201cIn\u00a0<\/span><\/span>his<\/span><\/span>\u00a0letter,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Pastor Ezra directs\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the congregation to pray\u00a0<\/span><\/span>that God uses\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the detention of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>M<\/span><\/span>inister\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Qie<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Jiafu<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>bring revival to Zion C<\/span><\/span>hurch<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>H<\/span><\/span>e\u00a0<\/span><\/span>assures the congregation that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Minister\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Qie<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Jiafu<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>himself is certainly being spiritually revived by God through his detention.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0And he says that persecution raises a question for believers: \u2018<\/span><\/span>What cost [price] does our faith deserve?<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>\u00a0It is a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>good question not only for Zion Church members but also for us<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0says Representative Foley.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley notes that Zion Church was one of Beijing\u2019s largest megachurches, gathering more than 1,500 in attendance on Sundays until September 2018, at which point the building was shut down by authorities. Representative Foley says that since then the church has met\u00a0<\/span><\/span>outdoors and in small groups in believer\u2019s homes, with authorities periodically detaining church leaders for various<\/span><\/span>\u00a0alleged\u00a0<\/span><\/span>offenses. \u201cBut Pastor Ezra\u2019s letter shows\u00a0<\/span><\/span>something that we\u00a0<\/span><\/span>are seeing across China today in the churches where the Communist authorities\u00a0<\/span><\/span>are\u00a0<\/span><\/span>crack<\/span><\/span>ing<\/span><\/span>\u00a0down the hardest,\u201d says Representative Foley.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u201cNamely, those\u00a0<\/span><\/span>persecuted\u00a0<\/span><\/span>churches are\u00a0<\/span><\/span>become much stronger s<\/span><\/span>piritually.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>As Pastor Ezra says in his letter, quoting the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:58, they are becoming \u2018steadfast and immovable\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Church<\/span><\/span>\u00a0members are learning to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>worship indoors, outdoors, in their homes,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in the streets,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>with\u00a0<\/span><\/span>ministers, without ministers,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>with\u00a0<\/span><\/span>their family members<\/span><\/span>, and even in prison<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><\/span>certainly\u00a0<\/span><\/span>not the outcome the authorities were expecting or hoping for.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0But it\u2019s an outcome that we Christians should have been able to predict from reading the Bible.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”36638″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_shadow_border”][vc_custom_heading text=”Zion Church lead pastor Jin Mingri’s letter to the Zion Church congregation. (The letter, apparently dated May 1, 2020 in error, was released May 1, 2021.)” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

The full\u00a0<\/span>congregational\u00a0<\/span>letter from Pastor\u00a0Jin\u00a0<\/span>to Zion Church\u00a0<\/span>follows.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Greetings from your grateful pastors,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The persecution which began in 2018 seems to have reemerged in Spring 2021. We have learned that many churches and Christians across the country have been raided. So grateful that God uses us\u2014a small vessel and lets us have share in the hardship.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the evening of April 28, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) security agents seized Minister\u00a0Qie\u00a0Jiafu. During the early morning of April 30, officials announced that he would be administratively detained for 10 days. Today marks the first day of his custody at the detention center. Many faithful stewards and maids of God in China have walked this path before\u00a0Qie, and their path was tougher than today\u2019s. We will witness that people who tread the path [of persecution] will bear good changes, for instance, God will refine their hearts, and build their characters. He will increase their love for Christ and hope for His kingdom.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We believe that our Lord is shaping our beloved Brother in this way.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not only that, we with our detained Brothers and their families in Christ, pray. May the Lord answer our prayers to encourage them, comfort them, and accompany them. We look forward to the great joy of reuniting with them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please intercede with us for the following three prayer requests:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pray that we may meet with Brother\u00a0Qie\u00a0soon. We went to the designated detention center, but officials couldn\u2019t find Brother\u00a0Qie\u2019s\u00a0information in their system. Detention center staff said that no visits nor phone calls are allowed during custody. Also, guards will not allow anyone to deliver anything to him nor deposit money (a small amount of money for the use at the detention center) on his account. We are making efforts in the hope that we will see Brother\u00a0Qie\u00a0soon.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thank God for the protection over Brother\u00a0Qie\u2019s\u00a0family, particularly the peace God has granted to his wife. His family has cancelled some of their big plans because of detention. At this time, Brother\u00a0Qie\u00a0cannot fulfill his responsibilities to his family. May the Lord give his family wisdom and stamina. Also, pray that the Lord dispatch many angels to help them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pray that God uses this recent turmoil to revive us. The event as such reminds us that spiritual warfare is fiercely taking place throughout this land. God compels each of us to think: What on Earth do we believe? What cost [price] does our faith deserve?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As long as we can breathe, we must preach the gospel, pastor flocks of sheep, and serve the world. Let us not forget the reminder from the disciples: \u201cTherefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0[1 Cor 15:58]<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jin\u00a0Mingri, lead pastor of Zion Church<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pastors, Elders, and Committee of Zion Church<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says the release of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Minister\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Huang\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Chunzi<\/span><\/span>\u00a0on May 9 and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>M<\/span><\/span>inister\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Qie<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Jiafu<\/span><\/span>\u00a0on May 10 was confirmed by contacts in China.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Individuals interested in donating to Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s work in partnership with the house church Christians of China can visit www.vomkorea.com\/<\/a><\/span><\/span>en\/donation<\/span>\u00a0or give via electronic transfer to:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

KB Bank: 463501-01-243303<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Account Holder: (<\/span>\uc0ac<\/span>)<\/span>\uc21c\uad50\uc790\uc758\uc18c\ub9ac<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please note \u201cChina\u201d on the transfer<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”36629″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”File photo of Beijing Zion Minister Huang Chunzi (center), who was detained by authorities earlier this month until her release on May 9.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”36623″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”The administrative detention of two ministers of Beijing\u2019s Zion Church by Chinese authorities earlier this month has prompted a response from Zion\u2019s pastor: A letter to his …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":36642,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,869,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-china-special","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36639"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36639\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}