Who’s Watching Christians in China?
In the dead of night, Ming* loads heavy boxes into his car. If caught, he could be arrested. Maybe jailed. He glances up and down the street, sends a coded message then switches off his phone and removes the SIM card.
As Ming drives down the empty street, surveillance cameras twitch and turn. Someone is watching. Is this Bible smuggling mission simply too risky?
Under scrutiny
Half of the world’s one billion surveillance cameras are in China, and the authorities use this sophisticated technology to keep eyes on the church. Facial recognition and artificial intelligence are dangerous tools in the hands of authoritarian regimes.
But it’s not just surveillance that’s a challenge for Ming. He’s operating amid ever-tightening restrictions too.
It’s now mandatory for registered churches to install CCTV inside their buildings, for example, and Christian groups need a licence to publish religious material online. You can no longer officially buy a Bible online in China.
All this drives Christians to take huge risks to follow Jesus. And one day, for Ming, it went too far…
Exposed
Ming’s Bible smuggling cover was exposed, and his partners were jailed. Miraculously Ming avoided jail – but his Scripture distribution channel was gone and the intense surveillance which followed was oppressive.
“I knew it would be hard to dodge the police and I’d have to live even more cautiously. There may be spies sneaking into the Christian community, so I needed to stay vigilant,” said Ming. “I had no one to trust. I felt insecure and isolated.”
It would be easy for Ming to give up on his faith and ministry. What would happen then to the believers who needed him for spiritual support?
Watch and pray
That’s where you come in. You can watch over your brothers and sisters under surveillance in China by giving and praying today.
Thanks to someone like you, Ming was supported by an Open Doors partner who prayed with him and encouraged him. Now, despite the risk to his life and freedom, Ming is back sharing God’s word. “We listen and follow,” said Ming. “God will guide our path.”
*name changed for security reasons
Will you strengthen Christians under intense surveillance and heightened restrictions?
Please pray for Ming, that God will fill him with resilience and courage as a witness for Jesus.
