The Persecuted Church

Now one more remark. I have already reminded you that Christ’s
life is the picture of His people’s life and that the history of Israel is
 the picture of His Church. Now notice how true it is that the Church,
from her very outset, has always been afflicted—first by Herod, when
he sought to slay the Apostles, and did murder James. Next afflicted
by the Jews and driven from city to city. Then afflicted by Saul of
Tarsus who breathed out threats and slaughter against the Church of
Christ from her youth. Then broke out the great Pagan persecution.
Your knowledge of history, I suppose, tells you how the emperors of
Rome used the whole of their force to crush the Christian Church,
yet they prevailed not against her!  Charles Spurgeon

From China Aid Cao Nan, as quoted in The Telegraph (London, UK), February 6, 2013

Mr. Cao Nan, a house church member from Shenzhen city, near Hong Kong, was detained on December 15, 2012. His crime? Singing hymns in the city’s public park. The government charged Cao with “harming social order,” and he was imprisoned for twelve days.

Cao is well known in Shenzhen for founding the Care and Love Center, where thousands of homeless, beggars, and others receive clothing, counseling, and other forms of assistance. As a way to entertain and reach out to those in the park, Cao and his coworkers hold regular hymn sings.

Dear friend, imagine that you were singing Amazing Grace in your city’s park or Silent Night at the mall, and FBI agents came and took you to prison. Yes, in today’s China, rather humorously you could lose your freedom for simply doing good.

Cao is only one of almost 5000 Chinese Christians who were detained or arrested last year. According to our records, persecution against Christians increased nearly 40% in 2012 comparing to that of 2011. Ironically many of those, like Cao, were incarcerated not for being part of an underground church but simply for doing good in public: providing education for poor children, providing medical care to the poor, singing Christmas carols, even assisting with disaster relief.

Cao Nan, as quoted in The Telegraph (London, UK), February 6, 2013

Mr. Cao Nan, a house church member from Shenzhen city, near
 Hong Kong, was detained on December 15, 2012. His crime?
Singing hymns in the city’s public park. The government charged
Cao with “harming social order,” and he was imprisoned for twelve days.

Cao is well known in Shenzhen for founding the Care and Love Center,
where thousands of homeless, beggars, and others receive clothing,
 counseling, and other forms of assistance. As a way to entertain
 and reach out to those in the park, Cao and his coworkers hold
 regular hymn sings.

Dear friend, imagine that you were singing Amazing Grace in your
city’s park or Silent Night at the mall, and FBI agents came and
 took you to prison. Yes, in today’s China, rather humorously
you could lose your freedom for simply doing good.

Cao is only one of almost 5000 Chinese Christians who
 were detained or arrested last year. According to our records, persecution
 against Christians increased nearly 40% in 2012 comparing
 to that of 2011. Ironically many of those, like Cao, were
 incarcerated not for being part of an underground church
 but simply for doing good in public: providing education for
 poor children, providing medical care to the poor, singing
Christmas carols, even assisting with disaster.
 
http://www.chinaaid.org/2013/03/chinaaid-march-2013-newsletter.html

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