ICC NOTE: The Church in China must overcome insurmountable odds each day as the government considers them to be a problem for the state. One church has been in an ongoing battle with local officials regarding their building. Both electricity and water have been used as an intimidation tool, fortunately neither has been successful at the moment. Due to their efforts, the congregation has also stopped the demolition of their building to make way for a Buddhist temple. The situation is not over as the same officials continue to work various avenues to ultimately see the destruction of the church.
8/22/2016 Henan, China (China Aid) – Church members recently saved their church from demolition in the midst of an ongoing legal case over the church’s land.
According to Wei, the man in charge of Mengen Church, authorities devised a plan to demolish his church and use the land to build a Buddhist temple. On July 28, he said that Pan Dingqun, a local official, hired an electrician to cut off the church’s power and water supply. The church members convinced the electrician not to do so, despite his concerns that he might lose his job.
Additionally, they wrote a petition that garnered 147 signatures and saved their church from demolition. Pan, however, is still gathering groups of officials to discuss continued attempts to cut off the church’s power.
