ICC Note: In this excellent article by Jinghon Cai, ChinaAid takes a look at the “smoke and mirrors” of China’s policy towards religious freedom. It is highly possible that China now has more than 200 million Christians, though exact numbers are not available. The government of China also claims that it allows complete religious freedom for its citizens, while in reality Christians may only legally attend government controlled “Three-Self” churches. However the arrest back in November of the pastor and 23 church members of the Nanle County Christian Church, a “Three-Self” church, shows that even this “endorsed” organizations are not exempt from persecution. 
1/20/2014 China (ChinaAid) – “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you (Matthew 17:20).” This is what is happening in China today—more and more Chinese are sowing this mustard seed and seeking the salvation of Jesus Christ.
According to some reports, there are 53 million Christians in China; others put it at 160 million. It is difficult to find accurate, official figures because the Chinese government systematically conceals or distorts the truth when it doesn’t suit its agenda. What seems to be apparent, though, is that the government’s fear is growing with this fast growth of the Christian faith among Chinese.
As usual, the Chinese government’s response to its own fear is the use of force to intimidate its people. As an old Chinese saying goes, “you can send a frightening signal to a monkey by killing a chicken in front of him.”
Recently, journalists from Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Sky News and other non-mainstream media reported details of a blatant case of Chinese authorities violating the little, nominal freedom of religion of the people. Pastor Zhang Shaojie and members of his church were tied and dragged out of their place of worship by the Nanle County local police, in Henan province. They were arrested and put in jail without any arrest warrant. Shortly thereafter, over 100 church members and other supporters gathered in front of City Hall to demand Pastor Zhang’s unconditional release, to no avail. The lawyers hired by the church were not allowed to meet with Pastor Zhang. Reportedly, 15 lawyers began a hunger strike to protest being prevented from meeting Pastor Zhang and several of his aides who were detained in a crackdown that underscores the Communist Party’s often prickly attitude toward religious groups, even those sanctioned by the regime.
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As a child, I grew up singing “Only Chairman Mao is our Savior.” In the 21st century, the Chinese Communist Party still regards itself as the only path to the “salvation” of the Chinese people. True Christians, who believe otherwise and try to live accordingly, will be persecuted.
The irony is that Pastor Zhang’s is a “sanctioned” church. In China, a sanctioned church not only is registered with the government’s Bureau of Religious Affairs and local, public security offices or police stations; they also have to belong to the quasi-government religious organization Christian Three-Self Patriotic Association, whose main mission is to call on pastors and church members to “oppose American imperialism and practice patriotic education.” Under the leadership of the Christian Three-Self Patriotic Association, the only mission of the church is to follow the Communist Party line—“Love the Communist Party, Love the nation and Love God”…in that order. If a sanctioned church is persecuted, what fate can non-sanctioned churches expect?
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