China continues persecuting church members

Chinese offcials on Tuesday continued to crack down on members of the Early Rain Covenant Church after a Sunday night raid. Authorities on Tuesday arrested Li Yingqiang, a church elder who went into hiding when the raid first began, and several other church leaders. Hours before his arrest, Li sent a letter to the church, saying, “May you welcome, filled with hope, the even heavier cross and more difficult lives that lie ahead of you.”

At 6 p.m. on Sunday, Chinese police rounded up more than 100 church members from their homes and a seminary in Chengdu in the southwest Sichuan province. Authorities have since released some of the church leaders and members, who remain under house arrest. At least three of the released Christians reported the police stripped searched them during their detention, according to an emergency prayer letter published by China Aid. The released Christians plan to continue meeting in the church building or as smaller groups in their homes.

Editor’s note: This article has been edited to reflect a clarification from China Aid about the treatment of several detainees who were later released by police.