Pastor Han Changxu Photo from ChinaAid

On May 16, the Office for Religious Affairs in Jinghai county, Tianjin province, China issued a notice abolishing the Immanuel Church and banning Pastor Han Changxu from serving there, according to a May 29 report from ChinaAid. Pastor Han, an ethnic Korean and native of Heilongjiang province, has been serving in the church since 2004. During the 2008 Olympics, authorities in Tianjin placed Pastor Han under surveillance when they discovered he had contacts with missionaries from South Korea. Authorities have also tried to prevent him from maintaining contact with churches in South Korea.

Ask God to give encouragement and guidance to members of the Immanuel Church. Pray that Pastor Han will be free to continue his ministry without opposition. Pray that Christians in China will find comfort in knowing that endurance in trials leads to godly character and hope that does not disappoint (Romans 5:3-5).

For more information on the suffering of Christians in China, click here.