by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Authorities in China once again raided the Zion Church in Beijing last month, arresting 12 people and taking down the details of everyone in attendance as part of a crackdown on Christianity in the country, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
China is ruled by the paranoid, authoritarian Chinese Communist Party which has banned Zion Church and other evangelical churches that refuse to register with the government and promote an anti-Christian ideology that glorifies the CCP and its leader. China currently ranks 19 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
The Beijing Zion Church was raided during services held at four separate locations on October 20, ICC reports. The church was banned in 2018 after it refused to install government-monitored CCTV cameras but continued to meet as a church in different places. Among those arrested on October 20 was Elder Qin Guoliang, who was given a 14-day detention sentence.
In a 2024 website report about the situation facing evangelical churches in China, the Open Doors international Christian advocacy organization states: “The Chinese Communist Party’s goal is to make sure churches don’t fall out of line with official viewpoints. In the case of official churches, this means they are encouraged to praise and pledge allegiance to the Communist Party and its ideology.”
Noting that persecution and discrimination against Christians is spreading across China, Open Doors adds: “Churches that claim Christ as King are viewed with suspicion, especially since Christianity is seen as a primarily Western influence. Most churches are monitored and can be shut down without warning.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
Lebanon is seeking to extend a fragile ceasefire with Israel as officials from both nations prepare for a second round of U.S.-brokered talks in Washington, D.C., marking a rare moment of direct engagement after decades of hostility.
The United States has informed Israel that President Donald Trump has extended the ceasefire deadline with Iran until Sunday, according to Israeli officials, even as violence and uncertainty continue to cloud diplomatic efforts.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran is suffering severe financial losses due to ongoing restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, estimating the Islamic Republic is losing roughly $500 million per day.
The European Union moved toward unlocking a 90 billion euro (about $106 billion) loan to Kyiv on Wednesday after officials said Russian oil was again flowing to Hungary and Slovakia following months of disruptions linked to the war in Ukraine.
Hungary’s incoming conservative prime minister Péter Magyar has come under mounting pressure after the European Court of Justice ruled that Hungary violated “core values” of the European Union by adopting legislation it says discriminates against LGBTQ+ people.
Communities in Nigeria’s central Plateau state were grieving Tuesday after suspected Islamic gunmen killed at least eight Christians and injured 10 others in a series of coordinated overnight attacks, Christian sources said.
The United States is turning to an unusual but highly effective combination of cutting-edge technology and trained marine mammals as it works to clear dangerous naval mines from the Strait of Hormuz and restore the flow of global shipping.