China: Officials Raid Beijing Church, Arrest Congregants

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

British Troops Deployed To Remote Island Amid Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak
British Troops Deployed To Remote Island Amid Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak

British paratroopers and military medics were deployed to the world’s most remote inhabited island after a suspected hantavirus case linked to a deadly cruise ship outbreak triggered international health concerns.

Historic Spring Drought Grips America as Farmers, Fire Crews Brace for Dangerous Summer
Historic Spring Drought Grips America as Farmers, Fire Crews Brace for Dangerous Summer

The United States endured its worst spring drought on record last month, with more than 60% of the lower 48 states experiencing moderate drought or worse conditions, according to federal monitoring agencies. The rapidly intensifying crisis is raising concerns over food prices, agricultural production, and an already severe wildfire season stretching across multiple regions of the country.

Trump Rejects Iran Peace Proposal As Dollar Gains Amid War Fears
Trump Rejects Iran Peace Proposal As Dollar Gains Amid War Fears

U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Iran rejected each other’s latest peace proposals aimed at ending the 10-week war, sending the U.S. dollar higher against major currencies as investors sought safety amid renewed Middle East uncertainty.

Moscow Parade Scaled Back Amid Drone Attack Fears (Worthy News In-Depth)
Moscow Parade Scaled Back Amid Drone Attack Fears (Worthy News In-Depth)

A tense calm settled over Moscow Sunday after Russia’s annual Victory Day Parade was overshadowed by fears of Ukrainian drone and “terror attacks,” with the Kremlin reportedly increasingly concerned about the security of President Vladimir Putin following a rare strike on the Russian capital.

Trump Officials Renew 2020 Election Questions as Administration Says Evidence Is Coming
Trump Officials Renew 2020 Election Questions as Administration Says Evidence Is Coming

Senior Trump administration official Ambassador Monica Crowley declared this week that the American public will soon receive concrete evidence supporting President Donald Trump’s claim that he won the 2020 presidential election in a landslide — a statement that signals the administration is moving from assertion to action on one of the most contested issues in recent American political history.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Magyar Urges President To Quit In Fiery Inaugural Speech (Worthy News In-Depth)
Hungary’s Prime Minister Magyar Urges President To Quit In Fiery Inaugural Speech (Worthy News In-Depth)

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar urged the nation’s president to resign immediately in an unprecedented inaugural speech in parliament Saturday, while an estimated 200,000 supporters watched proceedings outside on giant screens in central Budapest.

$7 Billion in Well-Timed Oil Bets Spark Insider Trading Concerns Amid Iran Announcements
$7 Billion in Well-Timed Oil Bets Spark Insider Trading Concerns Amid Iran Announcements

A series of unusually large market bets on falling oil prices — totaling an estimated $7 billion — is drawing growing scrutiny after the trades repeatedly occurred minutes before major Iran-related policy announcements by President Donald Trump, according to a Reuters analysis and market experts.