WORLD’S TWO MOST POPULOUS NATIONS. Open Doors recently cited China and India, for persecution. First, in India, Open Doors says that lockdowns threaten the lives of persecuted Christians. India’s Covid-19 lockdown requires all Indians to shelter in homes. Moreover, it allows exceptions only for acquiring food or medicine.
But many impoverished house pastors in India are running out of government rations. They cannot collect the usual offerings by which they make their living. Others are not getting rations at all because they are known as Christians. One pastor said, “The moment I embraced the Christian faith, I lost my state benefits to the poor.” Furthermore, they hesitate to step outdoors to get supplies. Because they would face accusations that they are trying to reopen their churches.
One example of China’s persecution of house churches
In China, churches face direct persecution from the government. In fact, Open Doors calls China one of the world’s worst persecutors. China especially targets churches it considers too large, too political or too friendly with foreign guests. For example, authorities recently arrested Zhao Huaiguo, the founder of Bethel Church. Why? Because he refused to join the state-controlled Three Self Church. Specifically, they said his offense was “inciting subversion of state power”.
Furthermore, the authorities confiscated 480 books from Bethel Church, claiming they were illegal. They included biblical materials and study tools. The authorities had already banned his church for distributing gospel tracts a year ago. Also, they accused this pastor of using software to avoid the “Great Firewall.” He did so to share info about Wuhan, the Covid-19 epicenter. So we must pray for the countless courageous pastors like Zhao in China and India.
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Related sources for world’s two most populous nations:
India: Christians struggle to survive amid COVID-19 lockdown
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Keyword: world’s two most populous nations
