CHINESE GOVERNMENT DEMOLISHES
CHRISTIAN MEGACHURCH
republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:
The 50,000 member Golden Lampstand Church was detonated with dynamite and demolished by the Chinese government.
On the heels of once again being named one of the worst persecutors of Christians on the planet, the Chinese government used dynamite to blow up and then destroy an evangelical megachurch in one of the neediest regions of the country. The brazen persecution of Christians who do not abide by government-controlled religion is just one example of the inhumane treatment of Christians in many countries today.A History of Persecution
Despite being in a low-income area, church members donated $3 million to build the Golden Lampstand Church.
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” – 2 Timothy 3:12.According to reports:
“One of the largest evangelical churches in China was completely demolished in a shocking government campaign on January 9th. Golden Lampstand Church in Shanxi Province has been around for nearly a decade with 50,000 congregants. But it wasn’t registered with the Chinese government.As Beginning And End previously reported in our article “Christian Persecution And Genocide ‘Worse Than Any Time In History'”, China was named on Open Doors USA World Watch List, which details the 50 worst nations on the world where Christians are persecuted. Its Communist regime forces all churches to register with the government – who can then monitor, regulate and even instruct pastors on what to preach. On a whim, the government can order a church to remove any crosses displayed on its building and a pastor who resists is met with arrest and imprisonment. Poor Christians families are cut off from government assistance if their churches are in violation of any arbitrary government rule.
“It’s an unregistered church, but it was completely paid for by many of the Christians there,” reports Anthony Rhodes with Voice of the Martyrs Canada. “The church has a history of being persecuted by government officials and state police in that area…. Previously, there were harassments and some of their leaders were arrested and interrogated.”
Then, last Tuesday, officers of the People’s Armed Police went to the Golden Lampstand Church and announced because it was an unregistered church building, it would be demolished.
“They actually cleared the church of the congregants and put dynamite in the church and blew the church up. They actually blew up the building and completely destroyed the church. There’s video footage of this happening, and then you see many of the workers cleaning up the rubble and bulldozing what was left of this church.” (source).
Pray for China’s Underground Church Movement
Believers worship at an underground church service. Pray for their faith in the face of persecution.
“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” – Luke 6:22-23.
The Golden Lampstand Church in China's Shanxi province has been
demolished sparking fears of a campaign against Christians. The Golden
Lampstand Church is the second church to be demolished in less than a
month.
Report by Sarah Duffy.
Report by Sarah Duffy.
