Church Growth Soaring in China
In a country where once Christian Believers had to hide in underground churches, now China has an estimated 58 million Protestants and nine million Catholics, the second largest Christian population in Asia. The Chinese government has taken notice of China’s church growth as numbers of Christians continue to soar, and, according to The Economist, “Many experts, foreign and Chinese, now accept that there are probably more Christians than there are members of the 87-million strong Communist Party.”
However, along with this ground-swell of church growth has come fresh oppression by the government. The ruling Communist party discriminates against Christians by favouring public policies for traditional Chinese religions, their perception being that Christianity is a political threat to the Communist party. It is believed that Western ideology is the catalyst behind Christian movements in Asia, and the Chinese government is watching Protestant Christianity carefully.
- Pray for Chinese Christians to have a faith that runs deep, built on the Word of God and unshakeable.
- For the discipleship and growth to maturity of the many millions of young Chinese believers.
- For the government to see the Church, not as a threat but as something that is positive in society.
Source: the 10/40 Window Reporter