China (MNN) — Atheism. It’s what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seems to want all of China to align with. Short of that, they are pressing for the “sinicization” of five recognized religions in China: Buddhism, Catholicism, Daoism, Islam, and Protestantism. Sinicization refers to adaptation to Han Chinese culture as defined by CCP values. (More on the history of China’s government’s stance toward religion here.)
Toward those ends, the CCP’s prime target today are children. Children and families of Muslim and Christian faith are feeling the pressure.
Erik Burklin with China Partner recently gathered with around 40 pastors from mainland China and 40 leaders mostly from the U.S.
China Partner equips local Chinese church leaders.
“One of the big concerns that they shared with us is the government is now enforcing this law of not being allowed to share the gospel with minors. Anybody under the age of 18, for instance, is not allowed to go to church. They’re enforcing that now, more,” Burklin says.
The ban has been in place for years. In some areas of China, Burklin says children are not allowed to even enter a church building. In other areas, the rules are less strict.
“[In less restricted areas] they don’t have necessarily ‘Sunday school’ [as] we (in the West) would think of it, but they just host these children and have a safe place for them to be while their parents are worshiping in the church service,” Burklin says.
The increasing challenge has led to a practical approach among the church leaders. One leader put it this way: “We’re rethinking how we do ministry to parents.”
“They’re actually having a very concentrated effort to equip parents to reach their own children for Jesus Christ, very similar to what the Jewish people were doing in the Old Testament,” Burklin explains.
Family discipleship is something every Christian family should be doing. In China, they are looking for increased resources. One leader told Burklin earlier this year, “Could you please help us get better materials so that we can teach our children?”
Pray for China’s church
Pray for wisdom, strength, faithfulness and endurance for the Chinese church under pressure. Pray for parents and children to be equipped to share and receive the gospel of Christ.
“They were asking for us to pray for them for wisdom on how they should operate in the future, how they should continue to stay within the law and yet stay true to Scripture, which is always kind of a tension that Chinese Christians have in China,” Burklin says.
Learn more about the mission and strategy of China Partner here. But don’t miss this word of encouragement.
“In spite of all the government restrictions that are being imposed on religious activities, we sense from the leadership there not a sense of fear or depression — just the opposite. A lot of optimism, excitement,” Burklin says.
“Within their system that is very restrictive, God is still moving. God is in control and using these men and women for His glory [to be] a witness and salt and light in their society.”
Header photo courtesy of China Partner.
