Story number 1 for 1 Sep 2003

(China)–Topping the news, Chinese Christians hoped a new president would lessen the pressure against the Christian church, but have found the opposite to be true. Voice of the Martyrs’ Todd Nettleton says believers are pressured to get churches registered. However, registered churches are basically subject to government control. “Registration generally means you are part of the Three Self-Patriotic Movement, which is the official, state-approved, protestant church there in China. You have to have a government-approved leader, meet in a government-approved location, no witnessing outside of that building and the government has to approve what’s going to go on in the services.” VOM suggests outside Christians take action. “We need to pray for these believers held that they will withstand that pressure and even that they can be a witness to those who are questioning them. Let them know that you’re aware of the situation. The government there will know that Christians in American know some details about the case and that makes the Chinese government very nervous.”