Chinese President Xi Jinping has enacted a new law targeting Christianity and missionary activity, deepening concerns over religious freedom in the Communist nation. The regulation, which took effect May 1, is seen as yet another attempt to suppress the underground church and evangelistic work in the country.
Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern, told CBN News, “It’s a law that’s in a long list of laws that have come under Xi’s rule. And here’s the bottom line. None of it really makes a difference.” He added, “You can make life tougher for the missionaries, but that’s not the beating heart of the Chinese church.”
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The new measure coincides with an increase in surveillance and state-sponsored incentives to report Christian activity. In Henan Province, authorities are now offering monetary rewards for turning in members of unregistered house churches. King explained, “It definitely is an increase in pressure, an increase in paranoia and it’s part of how communism honestly destroys cultures.”
Despite the Communist Party’s heavy-handed tactics, King believes persecution only strengthens the church. “The church grows best when it’s growing in the dark. When the chains are applied, that’s what makes the church grow,” he said.
/**/The state continues to push for the integration of churches into the government-sanctioned “Three-Self Patriotic Movement,” which includes mandates such as the display of Xi Jinping’s image and literature within church buildings. “It’s a vehicle for control,” King said. “You can lock me up. You can put us all in prison and torture us. We’re not doing that. The church will remain free.”
King also noted that China is facing immense economic and social strain, particularly under the weight of newly imposed U.S. tariffs. “We’re getting near what could possibly be a tipping point for the Marxist state,” he said. “The masses are fed up. They are marching in the streets, especially the students… calling for democracy.”
But with pressure comes opportunity. “When there is that pain, that’s when people feel the need… What they really need is faith. And that… is an open door for the believers to spread the faith.”
As the Chinese Communist Party tightens its grip, the underground church remains resilient—growing, thriving and preparing to meet spiritual hunger with the hope of the Gospel.
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James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
