"Man, you preach too hard!"

How do you think you would respond to being arrested for your faith?

When a group of about 50 house church pastors were arrested while meeting about how to meet the needs of those around them, many saw it as an opportunity to witness their faith to their guards and interrogators. Pastor Zhang Mingxuan, reported as one of the first Chinese to have a business card printed calling himself "evangelist", preached without ceasing, causing his interrogators to say at the end of the session "Man, you preach too hard!".

After more than 25 hours of house arrest, the pastors were released. Their harassers left, followed by songs of praise and worship to the Lord.

President Bush will be in China by this coming Saturday (November 19). While these leaders are free, many are not. Family members of Paster Gong Shangliang (head of the South China Church) are believed to have been in attendance at this retreat. Paster Gong has been imprisoned in May 2001, and at least once has been beaten so badly it was feared he would die.

Please consider writing to the Chinese officials and to President Bush and other leaders, asking for the release of these brothers and sisters who are suffering for their faith -- and of course, please pray for them.

Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 328-2500
Fax: (202) 588-0032
Director of Religious Affairs: (202) 328-2512

(Story: Voice of the Martyrs)